Matt O'Brien

 ​Midget racing is a family shared passion that began with our grandfather in the early 1950s. Our Dad, Jim O'Brien embarked on his childhood dream and began his own midget racing career in 1971, when he made a deal with NEMA legend Dick Naphen for the former Kelley brothers' "Wonder Bread Car". He fitted the old Kurtis Craft chassis for a roll cage and a ford falcon power plant all in the basement of his Forestville, CT home. To memorialize the new venture with his young family, he named his racing team "Jim O'Brien & Sons Engineering" and numbered the car "16", two trademarks that would forever be scrolled across the hood of an O'Brien midget.  

Jim O'Brien personified the best of NEMA during his lifelong association with the club, a career as a Hall of Fame car owner and officer that lasted four decades up until his passing in 2011.  Today, the family shared passion and legacy has continued with his sons, Dennis and Matt.  Dennis, who spent two decades racing stock cars and dwarf cars with his Dad, has fielding a NEMA Lite midget since 2014.  Matt, who began driving for Jim in 1990, continues the NEMA "big car" effort with his son, Benjamin, and close family friend, Roy Daniel.