Day: December 22, 2020

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VKA Barnesville Kart Show
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VKA Barnesville Kart Show

By Bob Barthelemy
Photos by Brian Allardice

Editor’s Note:

Due to space limitations in the digest-sized print edition of FirsTurn, our stalwart editor, Rolf Hill has not had the ability to publish very many event photos, especially show photos. Now, with the new digital version of FirsTurn we have the space to display those beautiful karts that show up at our events. However, we need your help to provide the information needed to give them the proper coverage. So, please fill out your registration card (complete with comments), and we welcome any additional photos you may have. Please send to VKAeditor@gmail.com.

It may look like a piece of sculpture, but it really is a 1971 Blackhawk race kart beautifully prepared by Bill Skelly. It won both the “Modified Rear” award and “Peoples Choice”. Bill needs to get FirsTurn a good set of photos so we can look this rare kart over in more detail.

The kart show judging activity got going at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning under the grid canopy due to the heavy mist. Kart Show judging and the presentation of the awards was completed about 10:00am by VKA President Gary Wlodarsky, who also identified Steve Mox as the 50/50 raffle winner of $275.00. Steve donated $50.00 back to VKA, so Gary presented a total of $325.00 to the VKA.

Due to the continuing rain, the vintage karters in attendance voted to call the 3rd Demonstration Heat. We then presented the awards for the driving demonstrations (based on finishing order of the 2nd Heat) and finished before 12:00 noon. When I arrived back from the funeral at 1:45, all but George May had already hit the road home. George loves Barnesville and vintage karting and we love him and his dedication to the sport!

HISTORIC

 

Unrestored

1961 Go-Kart 800; Duel WB 610; Bob Barthelemy

Restored

1961 Rupp A Bone; Robert Rizzuto

REAR

 

Restored

1970 Hornet Duel Mac 91’s; Blain Young

Modified

1971 Blackhawk; Bill Shelly

SIDEWINDER

 

Unrestored

1974 Bug Wasp; Chris McMullen

Restored

1971 Margay Cheetah Mac 91; Dewey Brewer

Modified

1987 Coyote Bullet; Rick Williams

PAST CHAMPION

1969 Margay Enduro; Bill Shelly

ENDURO

1973 Bug Stinger; MC-91; Dewey Brewer

PEOPLES’ CHOICE

1971 Blackhawk; Bill Shelly

Can you image how loud this thing would be? Bob Barthelemy’s ’61 Go-Kart 800 has a pair of West Bend 610s with huge megaphones. It won the “Unrestored” class in the Historic division. Would be quite the restoration project, but it’s plenty cool just the way it is.
When you look up go-kart in the dictionary, you will see a photo of Robert Rizzuto’s Mac-powered 61 Rupp A Bone. He won the “Restored” award in the Historic division.
“Rear Restored” went to Blain Young’s ’70 Hornet with dual Mac 91s. The attention to detail and workmanship is incredible! Looks like it has a lot of leg room for a rear-engined kart and the seat looks “couch-like” comfy.
Chris McMullen’s ’74 Bug Wasp looks like it just needs a motor to be track ready. This survivor won the “Unrestored Sidewinder” award.
That unique flared seat can mean only one thing – Margay Cheetah. And Dewey Brewer’s ’71 model features a Mac 91 with a beautiful overhead pipe. Dewey walked away with best “Restored Sidewinder”, the first of two awards he took home from the Barnesville show.
Rick Williams’ Yamaha-powered, 1987 Coyote Bullet captured the “Modified Sidewinder” award, and it looks like it would be all business on the race track. Yamaha sidewinder like Rick’s were the backbone of sprint racing in the eighties.
You’ll never get tired of gazing at Past Champion Bill Shelly’s twin Mac-powered ’69 Margay endure.
Dewey Brewer was a double award winner too scoring his second win in the “Enduro” category with his ’73 Bug Stinger with a MC-91 for power.