Red Devil Kart Restoration: FIRST RACE

The WKA Nationals at Grattan was held May 17-18-19, 2013. This was my first race.

Dad and I had talked about what to do about a front of the kart. Should I leave the front as-is or add a front bumper. At the Grattan test day I was told the WKA rules call for a bumper on all enduro karts with a front porch since the driver's feet are in front of the front tires.(except the vintage karts with no front porch.)

I found a older guy here in Marion, Hal Canode, who has been building dragsters and funny car frames for 40 years. He took my drawing and did a great job.

So Thursday Pam and I packed up the truck bed and cab and headed for Grattan. We checked in on Thursday so we could be there bright and early on Friday for practice.

Pushing the kart to tech...truly old-school... without a pushstick.

While in line for tech we got to be friends with Mark Hinds, another vintage driver, but he drives in the Vintage Euro class. Here is his push stick, which became sort of my guide. More on that later.

At tech

My boss allowed me to use the department's GoPro HD camera. I just can't drive without documenting it...

There are four practice groups on Friday. I was in the "slowest" group, Group 1. I tried to get the engine running but it just wouldn't, but got help from two kraters, Jim and Bill. Turns out the plug was fouled. I replaced it with an old Autolite plug from Dad's stash. Jim set the carb needles with a process I still don't quite understand. Lots of hi-revs and braking... probably could do it, but no yet.

I went out for the next practice... my first time on track. I took it very, very slow, got around to the last up-hil stretch and barely made it to the top and the main straight. It kept going slower and slower. So my first full speed dive into turn one had to wait. I was going so slow I finally had to pull off just after turn one. I had to wait a bit then get pulled back in.

Back at the garage Jim said the loss of power was from the fulcrum arm being too high.

I opened the carb but it seemed all was well. Jim worked with it some, though.

The engine still was not running well and I was missing lots of track time. Between nerves, a small breakfast, and not drinking enough, I felt very down. I actually thought of giving it all up.

But right then I got a visit from Johnny West, who is quite a character and runs in the F-250 SuperKart class. He thought it was bad that I was not out running the kart, so he quickly tuned the carb.

So here I am totally old school...jeans, leather jacket, and duct tape for a visor.

Off to the practice from the hot pit. Notice the large, yellow "X" on my helmet, denoting "rookie"

Zoom.. there I go... the slowest on the track.

I have thought of many captions for this photo: " Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! " or "oi! where are my keys?"

Pam tried to do work in the garage. This was her office. But with no wifi it was hard for her to do her grading.

Saturday was the one year anniversary of Dad's death. I think it is very fitting to be racing on this day.

Here is what I wrote on the gas tank as a memorial.

Here I am waiting at the pre-grid with Bill. He started me so Pam could take video and photos of the start. Bill is a retired NYC garbage man who now lives in Florida.

My first race day I wore Dad's old Indy Kart Club shirt.

Off to the grid!

On the back stretch...

...with the modern karts...

Initially, I tried to stay just left of the groove so I would not be too much in the way of the faster karts. But in the Sunday race I was feeling pretty racy. Still the slowest guy on the track, but having fun.

After my Sunday race Pam took photo...

And the result was taking first place in both races. OK... but with no competition. My best time on Saturday was 2min 10sec. But did much better on Sunday with a time of 1min 58sec. A 12 second difference. The average speed was 67mph...with lots of twists!