Midgets in Argentina

The midget races in Argentina are held seasonally, configuring themselves in Winter and Summer Championships, running six (from 2022) and eighteen dates respectively.

History of midgets in Bahía Blanca

Midgets Race during the 2010 Winter Championship.

Midgets race during the 2009 summer championship.

Carlos Villar in the Winter 2010

The “Midget” is a category originating in the US that arrived in Argentina in the 1930s at the hands of a group of North American pilots who arrived in the country with their competition machines to appear in the Federal Capital. Those presentations dazzled Argentine pilots who began the construction of midgets in the country.

The category became strong in Bahía Blanca in 1955 through the Bahía Blanca Automóvil Club, which organized the first Summer Championship of the Midget category on a circuit rented from the Liniers Club. During the following 25 years the races were organized through a Pilots Association, finally in 1979 the Club Midgistas del Sur was born, continuing the uninterrupted growth and development of the category for the next 24 years.

Finally, in the 1999-2000 season came the consolidation of the Midget Bahiense by the hand of the "Club Midgistas del Sur" which, through the decision to run in its own facilities, definitively overcame the inconveniences that arose at the time of Set days and times for the competitions. This fact definitively laid the foundations for the rise of the "Midget" which is currently the category of Zonal Motoring with the highest National growth between the years 2000 and 2003, becoming the most important at the National Zonal level.

History of the Midgístas del Sur Club

A few years of “Midget” would pass in communion with the “Bahía Blanca Automóvil Club” (B.B.A.C.) being at first the Association of Southern Midgists”.

Having built a track inside the “A.E.C.” racetrack, with the financial contribution of the majority of the pilots and their Group, the “B.B.A.C.” In 1978, he unilaterally decided to transform said track into the current kart track. This caused great discomfort in the group and its pilots and the immediate response was to break with the "B.B.A.C." and in turn found the "Asociación Midgistas del Sur" (A.M.S.).

This new entity led the destinies of the category until, given the urgent need to have the possibility of being able to program and supervise its competitions, since as an Association it always had to depend on a third entity that could statutorily organize them, It was decided, therefore, to transform it into the “Club Midgistas del Sur” (“C.M.S”) on November 3, 1979. The result: In December of that same year, the 1st was held.er. Club's Official Night Tournament.

During 1987, the "C.M.S" bought a piece of land of just over 7 hectares in the area of Aldea Romana, where a track was built to be used for pilot training and winter championship races, a a place perhaps too remote and uncomfortable for the public of that time but acquired with a great vision of the future.

The activities of the "C.M.S" through the years were developed in various scenarios, always within the urban circle of Bahía Blanca. First in the sports stadium of the “Club Villa Miter” called “Red Circle”, then in the stadium of the “Club Tiro Federal” called “Circuito Naranja”, later in the Dublin Club "Carlos Gerticer" and finally on the premises of the "Club Midgista del Sur" in Aldea Romana.

The hard economic vicissitudes that the Club faced during its 24 years of existence were resolved jointly between the leaders, associates and pilots, demonstrating the union between each member and strengthening the Club as an institution. They contributed money, got into debt and in some cases even committed their personal assets to help with the current financial needs of the Club. It is noteworthy the attitude of the pilots who participated in some competitions without receiving prizes, in order to donate them for the cancellation of credits taken by those personally for the benefit of the Club.

Much beyond the specific activity and counting on the consent and collaboration of pilots and supporters, throughout these years, the “C.M.S.” It has carried out several competitions collaborating with different public welfare institutions in the city and in the Zone, mainly with the receipt of non-perishable food, being the Children's Board and the Darmha Association, the last favored in the course of last year.

The Midgístas del Sur Club today

The “Club de Midgistas” is very clear on how to carry out the category, providing both the spectator and the pilots with what they need to enjoy and compete. Responding to their demands, carrying out infrastructure works such as: new boxes, new access to the track, new night lighting, new sanitary services, enabling more canteen spaces, redesigning stalls, diverting a bus line that takes people to and from the stadium on days of competition, setting up a parking lot within the property with a capacity of 1200 cars, etc...in short, providing them with more and more comforts with the aim of attracting more drivers and more public. Proof of this is the constant and uninterrupted increase in the average number of cars in competition per season and in the number of people in the same period. In the 2013/14 season, four LED screens measuring 7x5 were inaugurated, showing information on the current date, videos, replays, etc.

The Club is fully aware of what motorsport means as a show, which is why it has spectator insurance in all competitions, insurance that covers drivers provided by the "Argentine Association of Flyers", two permanent ambulances one for emergencies with full staff and another for transfers, fire trucks, trained personnel and police who are in charge of guarding the stadium.

With a vision of the future and responding to the needs of the public and pilots' demand, the Club has several projects under analysis that, if materialized, would result not only in an improvement in the quality of service for both the public and pilots, but also would bring benefits to the Club. In this line, work has been done very seriously to launch the category at the National level, since as a result of the efforts made by the "Club Midgistas del Sur" in terms of dissemination, the "Midget" is today the category of Zonal Motorsports with greatest National growth between the years 2000 and 2003. Becoming the most important at the National Zonal level.

Career system

It runs on an oval track of compacted earth approximately 400 meters long. The date consists of a minimum of ten series with a maximum of 8 pilots per series, if more than 80 pilots appear, the necessary series are added. Once the series is over, the 40 best times go directly to the semifinals, the remaining drivers are grouped into repechages with a maximum of 10 drivers per repechage arranged in two lines of four cars and one of two (if necessary), of these repechages 8 drivers leave to complete the semifinals and 8 substitutes to fill vacancies in the semifinals. Four semifinals are held with 12 drivers each, arranged in 3 rows of four cars, directly qualifying 10 drivers for the grand finale of the night and another 12 drivers for a prefinal that classifies the first two directly to complete this way. the 12 in the final. The grand finale of the night is run with 12 drivers lined up in three rows of four cars each. Since its inception, the champion was the one that obtained the most points by adding all the dates of the championship. As of the 2011/12 championship, the playoff system was implemented. At the end of the 12-date regular phase, the 6-date playoff stage begins, in which the 12 best enter, and all those who have won a date, who are not among these first 12 drivers, and among them are defines the champion The rest of the positions are defined with the general championship.

Coverage

Currently the Midget Summer and Winter Championships are broadcast on various radio stations in Bahia Blanca:

• First pilots (Radio Universal FM 95.5)
• Motor Bay (Radio Nacional Bahía Blanca AM560 and FM 95.1)
• To the Chapas (Lu2 AM840 and FM 92.7)
• Derrapando (De la Bahía FM 91.5)

Championships

To date, championships have been held in 61 seasons since 1955 (with the particularity that 2 were held per year between 1957 and 1962) firstly and until 1962 at the Liniers Club, passing through the Villa Miter Club (Red Circle) between 1962 and 1981, then by Tiro Federal (Orange Circuit) until 1996, then the Dublin Club between 1996 and 1999 and ending in the current Aldea Romana property. Being the first champion Eduardo Mendivil and the last and current Luciano Vallejos (2021/22 season). The top winner is Hector "Nene" Plan with 7 consecrations.

Champions

Pilots