Some old Go Kart photos

[johnthemann]

    Im just now realizing how much fun my dad must have had in the late 60's and early 70's.  As a kid I can always remember him loading up and going to the local raceway.  Go kart's, stock cars, dune buggies...were his passion until he died much too young at 51.  During my younger days I didn't have too much interest in these things.  I was way more interested in two wheel sports racing BMX bicycles or riding motorcycles.  Well move forward 40 years and here I am at 51 and wondering why I was never interested...because now I am obsessed.  I have a garage full of vintage toys..most recently a GoKart 800 and I really look forward to getting out on the track and reliving and enjoying what my pops was all about.  I really can't wait to smell the racing 2 strokes and the sound of those old West Bends.  I have some old pix I would like to share as I run across them but here is one that sits on my desk as a reminder of just how cool those times must have been.  The smile on his face says it all.

[Blaine Krugerud]

Very nice Post John. And thanks for the photo!

[Scott Elkes]

John, Great story, too!

[ted johnson]

Here's one of my dear friend, Hank Rotroff, and his niece. It is of his Simplex kart with a Homelite 9-23 saw engine. He bought the Simplex new for about $165.00, and that Homelite won a lot of races. The 9-23 was 100cc, and had very good porting. A good engine that was largely overlooked. Hank is a friend to a lot of us who attend The Big One, and other events in and around Ohio. Ted