1955 Kurtis Midget

The Kurtis Kraft operation began in the late 1930s by Frank Kurtis and over the ensuing decades would rise to the pinnacle of race car design. Their race cars were offered in component, kit, or complete form and many were piloted by famous drivers of the era. During World War II, Kurtis designed his midget racer which was ready for production at the close of the war, when midget-car racing took off.

The Midget car racing series originated in the United States in the 1930s and raced on most continents. The small, lightweight cars typically used four-cylinder engines and had a very high power-to-weight ratio. The output often ranged from 300 to 400 horsepower and the entire vehicle often weighed around 900 pounds. Many of the races were staged within arenas on dirt tracks and raced for relatively short distances, usually between 2.5 to 25 miles.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2023