Vintage TQ Midgets
TQ midgets vintage new builds, parts,restorations
Bickel family history
Roy "shorty" Bickel
Ralph bickel sr. 1957
jerry bickel 2007
Roy "Shorty" Bickel farther and grandfarther of the Bickel Racing Team out of Columbus,Ohio started a racing legacy.
In the mid 1930's Shorty decided to build himself a midget called the J2. This car won in the state and Midwest Midget Championship in 1938.
Later one of Shorty's sons decided he wanted to race. So in 1956 Ralph Bickel Sr. with the help of his dad set out to build a T.Q. midget,witch was powered by Triumph motorcycle engine. In 1957 Ralph joined the Buckeye Midget Racing Association. He won the championship that year and attained the highest point total of any driver in the club.
Later on Ralph Sr. joined a new club out of Indiana, called the United Midget Racing Association.In 1970, Ralph's oldest son Ralph Jr. decided to try his hand at
the sport. He and dad built his first car a standerd crosley, T.Q. midget. He finished 12th that season.A few years later dad retired from the cockpit to full time mechanic. Ralph Jr. drove dad's car to a second place overall points finish in the winter Nationals in Florida in 1972.
In 1977 Ralph and dad built a new LTC caruthers midget copy for his next T.Q..In 1978 Ralph joined the Can-Am club. They ran their races strictly on pavement. The next few years that is all Ralph ran.
In 1983 Ralph asked car builder Bob Lowe to build him a new T.Q.. In 1984 Ralph drove to a second place finish in the point standings with U.M.R.A. Ralph is still a active member with U.M.R.A. In 1985 Jerry Bickel finished 12th in points and was awarded Rookie of the year from U.M.R.A..
Jerry is still running T.Q. off and on with U.M.R.A.. But for the last few year's the family has been restoring and running vintage T.Q.'s and is now setting up to build "new" vintage T.Q.'s and restore T.Q.'s for other people.
In the mid 1930's Shorty decided to build himself a midget called the J2. This car won in the state and Midwest Midget Championship in 1938.
Later one of Shorty's sons decided he wanted to race. So in 1956 Ralph Bickel Sr. with the help of his dad set out to build a T.Q. midget,witch was powered by Triumph motorcycle engine. In 1957 Ralph joined the Buckeye Midget Racing Association. He won the championship that year and attained the highest point total of any driver in the club.
Later on Ralph Sr. joined a new club out of Indiana, called the United Midget Racing Association.In 1970, Ralph's oldest son Ralph Jr. decided to try his hand at
the sport. He and dad built his first car a standerd crosley, T.Q. midget. He finished 12th that season.A few years later dad retired from the cockpit to full time mechanic. Ralph Jr. drove dad's car to a second place overall points finish in the winter Nationals in Florida in 1972.
In 1977 Ralph and dad built a new LTC caruthers midget copy for his next T.Q..In 1978 Ralph joined the Can-Am club. They ran their races strictly on pavement. The next few years that is all Ralph ran.
In 1983 Ralph asked car builder Bob Lowe to build him a new T.Q.. In 1984 Ralph drove to a second place finish in the point standings with U.M.R.A. Ralph is still a active member with U.M.R.A. In 1985 Jerry Bickel finished 12th in points and was awarded Rookie of the year from U.M.R.A..
Jerry is still running T.Q. off and on with U.M.R.A.. But for the last few year's the family has been restoring and running vintage T.Q.'s and is now setting up to build "new" vintage T.Q.'s and restore T.Q.'s for other people.
