If you thought that a bit of cold weather or even the start of winter could stop the auto racing season, think again. 

Spectators will have the chance to feel the rumble of midgets, winged and non-winged 600cc midgets, Baker Racing Engines Quarter Midgets, and go-karts zip around a concrete oval as Rumble in Fort Wayne returns to the Expo Center inside Memorial Coliseum from Dec. 29-30.

Coliseum tradition

The Fort Wayne indoor midget racing scene began in 1953 in a converted hockey rink inside Memorial Coliseum. The racing was put on hold while the Expo Center was being constructed, which resulted in the birth of Rumble in Fort Wayne on a larger oval in 1998.

This year marks the 25th year for Rumble. 

“Just the fact that it has been able to go that long, is pretty amazing,” said Larry Boos, promoter and race director of the two-day event. 

Boos, who was raised in the auto racing scene, said the uncertainty of who is going to win will keep spectators on the edge of their seats. He said that because of the close confines of the race, luck just might be as important as driver skill. 

“It’s a 1/6-mile oval, and everything happens so quickly, that if somebody happens to be at the right spot at the right time ,and maybe has never won a race before, this could be their chance to move into the limelight,” Boos said.

Looking for first win

Among those looking to be in “the right spot at the right time” will be third-generation driver Joe Liguori of Lebanon, Indiana. He is attempting to capture a victory that has eluded him since his 2007 rookie year.

“Each year, as I mail in my entry form, I say to myself, ‘Maybe this is the year,’ and our team gets to work in preparation of the challenge,” Liguori said in a press release. 

Liguori plans to race in his highly modified Cliff Jacobs chassis that was built in 1990 and has been updated through the years.

Liguori’s stats include three top-three, eight top-five, and 16 top-10 finishes.

He came close to winning last year, leading the race in strong contention for the win when his tire made impact with an infield marker, ending his run.

“I was very upset at the time, but at the end of the night, I was back to being me, head up and smiling,” Liguori said. “I have tried nearly everything to change my luck, and it has become somewhat of a standing joke among my racing friends. 

“This year, I had foam can coolers imprinted with ‘0X Rumble Winner’ on them. I sure hope they become outdated quickly.”

There have been several notable events in Rumble’s 25-year history. 

NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart’s 12 wins at The Rumble leads everyone, while his closest rivals, Russ Gamester and Billy Wease, are tied with five.

Back for more

Standing in the way of that first win of Liguori will be Jim Anderson of Joliet, Illinois.

The five-time national midget champion won The Rumble in 2010.

“Racing indoors at the Rumble is very intense,” Anderson said in a press release. “The close wheel-to-wheel action is something you have to experience first-hand to enjoy. I’ve always enjoyed this great event for not only the racing, but also for getting to hang with so many friends from all over who we only see when they come to Fort Wayne.”

Action-packed

Boos stressed the uniqueness of The Rumble, saying while it might be as loud as a concert, it’s going to have a “completely different feel and a lot of different sights.

“I think it’s a form of entertainment that you’re not going to see anywhere else in the Fort Wayne area,” he said. “I think the uniqueness of it having the full horsepower cars directly in front of them — the seating is pretty much right at the track boundaries, and the sights and sounds — it’s pretty intriguing.”

Boos said everyone can find something exciting about indoor racing.

“It’s for anybody that loves high-speed action, you know, in-your-face action,” he said. “It would be like a kid going to a hockey game and waiting for the fight to break out. You know, you go to a race, and you’re sitting there just waiting for the action to begin. And, you know, there’s accidents, I mean, there’s crashes, and there’s good side-by-side racing.”

He did caution that with the racing being so loud, ear protection is warranted.

Lifelong venture

Boos has been involved in racing since he graduated from high school, and brings 50 years of experience to The Rumble. 

After promoting numerous auto racing events throughout the Midwest, the former Rumble promoter approached him in 2005 to coordinate racing events. Then, in 2018, he was offered the opportunity to purchase the event and has been the promoter, race director, and, as he puts it, the “do it all” since.

“Just growing up, my family towed me along, they were avid race fans,” he said. “Ever since I was old enough to sit on a bleacher board, they would tug us to a race track, and I just became a fan of it. … 

“I actually got started doing the news releases and everything. And then it just developed into, you know, one thing after another to where now I do the whole deal.”