Denver Midget Racing Association

[Jerry Lee]

In Gene Pastor's interview he mentions that the Rocky Mountain Midget Racing Assoc. was a spin-off of something called the Denver Midget Racing Assoc. I find this stuff very interesting. I bet a few of you guys could school me on this old D.M.R.A. organization.

[Mitch G.]

Midget auto racing in the Denver area evolved something like this:
Unsanctioned exhibition midget race in 1933 during a AAA champ car race at DuPont Speedway, then a temporary dirt track at Lakeside Amusement park where 6 midget programs were held in 1935, again unsanctioned. As midgets became the rage nation wide, Merchants Park in So. Denver had midget races put on by Denver's first midget organization, the Mile High Racing Club, 1937, 38,39.
Lakeside Speedway held midget races at the same time, competing for cars, during the 1938, 1939 season's, no club at Lakeside in 38', but the Automobile Assoc. of America (AAA) sanctioned the Lakeside midgets in 39'. The Rocky Mountain Midget Racing Assoc. was formed in 1940 and ran midgets without any competition until 1947 when the Colorado Midget Racing Assoc. (CMRA) running at Englewood Speedway until 1950 (primarily running non-Offy cars ). Lloyd Axel formed his own midget club for one year 1950, running at Englewood Speedway (MHRA) for only one year. Midget racing fell apart in the early 1950's, the RMMRA ceased operations for a couple of years, a few owners started the Denver Midget Racing Club (DMRC), and ran a few races in 1952, 53, 54. AAA was back in Denver for part of 1955 for a few shows, then a few promoters and owners started TENSPEC and finished 1955 under that organization at Englewood Speedway, and Arapahoe County Fairgrounds. The Colorado Automobile Racing Club (CARC) sanctioned midget racing at Lakeside Speedway in 1956, and 57. The RMMRA reformed to run on the dirt at Englewood Speedway in 1958 and has sanctioned midget racing in Colorado ever since. I believe Mike Mathis at Rocky Mountain National Speedway awarded a "Track Championship" to midgets for a couple season's in the early 1990's, this was in conjunction with RMMRA points.

[Quick Time]

Hey Mitch,

That is a wonderful history of the midget associations progression in Colo. Very impressive!!!

Guys like you add so much to this site, my thanks.

Chuck

[Jerry Lee]

Yes, that was some good reading Mitch, thanks. Seems like Midget racing almost ceased to exist once the Jalopie craze started up in the early '50's. I didn't know Englewood had it's own club when they opened the track in '47. I always assumed the Midget races advertised in those old ads were RMMRA events. Interesting that they were running mostly non-Offys at the time.....and good ol' Mike Mathis! I announced a few Sprint Car/Motorcycle races out at RMNS and he always treated me real well. I was sorry to see that place go.