Congratulations to TNT Kartways in Taylor, Missouri for celebrating their 60th anniversary this year. Also a big thank you to track staff for hosting VKA races (August 5th, 6th and 7th) on its new state-of-the-art racing surface laid down in late 2020.
Thursday was an open practice day with the driving events beginning after lunch due to some rain delays earlier in the morning. There were 84 entries with 18 VKA classes represented. Heat #1 ran on Friday followed by a kart show and a fish fry.
Saturday morning practice was followed by Heat #2 and a tribute to the late Faye “Ladybug” Pierson. Track owner Terry Traeder began the tribute by reading an article on Faye that summarized her life in Bug kart manufacturing and racing. Local kart racer Avery Scott closed the memorial service by driving two laps around the TNT track in my 1962 Bug Fly reproduction kart built by Steve Welte. The 3rd and final heat and the awards ceremony followed.
Saturday was a “warm” day with the air temperature at 90 degrees. A big thank you to Jeff Miles and staff for all of their hard work, and to Christy Miller who provided the racing photos for this write-up.
Kart show. L to R front row: Donnie Cain, Tom Brabant, Shawn Welte, John Wall Jr., Ludovico Prelogar. L to R rear: Jason Kenney, Cameron Stock, Cody Brookman.
SASW racing action. #113 Tom Day, #632 Gene Lang and #47 Ron Brookman.Combined Yamaha Limited and Piston Port Heavy racing action.
Yamaha Piston Port action.* TNTYamaha Masters racing action. #4 Marty Weston, #9 Denny Scott and #23 David Drewes.100 CC Classic, Reggie Rowsey, #71.100 CC Classic, Steve Wager # 74.Dual Sidewinder/Dual Yamaha/150cc Sidewinder. #15 Ben Hamilton, #17 Daniel Birge and #00 Rodney Fish.Yamaha Piston Port Light. #23 Peter Vetter, #67 Jerry Fondrey and #3 Ron Funkhouser.100 CC Sidewinder. Dean Didion #3, Jerry Foundry # 67, Ludovico Prelogar #00 and Jim Rowe # 75.Yamaha Masters including #59 Lorenzo Dibacco, #23 David Drewes, # 75 Jim Rowe and #4 Marty Weston.Start of West Bend Sidewinder race. At left Randy Duncaff #68 and Kevin Rice. At right Tom day #113, John Konkle, Steve Welte and Cal Stafford.Start of combined Yamaha Piston Port Heavy and Limited race. Matt Roberts #4 and Ron Funkhouser #3 in front.Start of heat 1 Sportsman Sidewinder race. L to R are David Lovell # 23, Dean Didion # 62, Nick Kammueller # 117, Stuart Keller # 41, and Kevin Rice #7. In back are Bill McCornack # 6 and Jim Kammueller #04.Combined Sportsman rear, 80 CC MAC and Junior Race. Miles Frost and Vince Arconati.Combined Sportsman rear, 80 CC MAC, and Junior race. Jim Kammueller # 04, Rick Magnuson # 77, Shawn Welte # 6, Vince Arconati # 7, Tom Brabant # 49 and Ralph Potter # 20.The 4 cycle karts of the Hamilton and Vandermaiden families. Nathan Hamilton #55, Ben Hamilton # 85, Taylor Vandermaiden #V4 and Richard Vandermaiden # 22.Combined SASW and Over 60 Race. L to R front are Ludovico Prelogar, Tom Day and Ron Brookman.
By John Copeland, VKA Enduro Director Photos by Turn 13 and John Copeland
Tucked away in eastern Ohio Amish country, Nelson Ledges Road Course has been a favorite of sports car club racers since 1958. But since 2019 this hidden gem has been added to the AKRA Road Race Series, hosted by Dart Kart Club and Vintage Enduro Karters enjoyed it once again in 2021. Coming off the historic 942-entry triumph at Mid Ohio just a month earlier, Nelson Ledges was the perfect counterpoint; a more traditional club-type racetrack, a more laid-back atmosphere, and less pressure on the organizers with closer to 300 entries. Mind you, 300 entries would mark a successful road race event at any venue, and it was a good fit for the 2 mile, 7 turn Nelson Ledges.
Mike Schlager’s Twin B-Bomb Mean Machine
The track layout is all about speed, with long, sweeping, high-speed turns taken flat-out and only two (or one!) braking points. Many of the participants, including yours truly, thought it might be the most physically demanding track they had raced on. While most of the Midwest sweltered in a mid-summer heat wave, the tempering effects of breezes off Lake Erie made for more pleasant temperatures. But it also brought some rain off and on Saturday. The folks from Dart kart did their usual stellar job and managed to get all the Saturday races in by combining and shortening them. Sunday, predicted to be the worst weather of the weekend, turned out to be the best, with clear skies and comfortable temps.
Vintage Piston Port Saturday was part of the 10-class combined race that was first off the grid on Saturday. Eight Vintage Piston Ports were entered and they spread out pretty quickly with Ben Eberhart in the lead, followed by Arthur McKinney and John Copeland. With dozens of karts of varying speeds on the track; TAGs and L0206’s, sit-ups and laydowns, there was never a shortage of people to race with. At the end of the 20 minute Vintage event the winner was Eberhart, McKinney, and Copeland , followed by Fred Stoll and Greg Hartley.
Fred Stoll in his super-quick Vintage Twin
Vintage Open Saturday was a seven-kart field and was another multi-class combined race. Fred Stoll took out whatever frustration he had from the Piston Port race by blistering the field by more than 2 ½ seconds per lap. Ben Eberhart climbed out of his winning Piston Port machine just long enough to pour in some fuel and took it right back to the grid to trail Stoll in 2nd. Arthur McKinney also tried back-to-back races, but retired after only 3 laps. That left Ben Eberhart’s father Duane in 3rd place, followed by John Konkle and Greg Hartley.
Mike Schlager practiced his Chaparrel with twin Mc 101’s, but raced his Mean Machine
The weather forecast for Sunday was for rain all day, but it turned out to be clear skies and warmer; a beautiful day for racing. Vintage Piston Port Sunday gridded the same 8 contestants as Saturday’s race, with largely the same results. Ben Eberhart was even faster than the day before and lapped all but 2nd place. Arthur McKinney was in the runner-up spot once again, with John Copeland rounding out the top three. Chuck Brewer edged Fred Stoll for 4th, leaving Greg Hartley 6th. Compared to the Saturday race, the track seems almost deserted with only 19 karts in the combined 8 classes taking the green, but the clearer track made for faster laps.
The 5th race on Sunday was another repeat of Saturday’s Vintage Open event, with 6 entries. Once again Fred Stoll was the class of the field, winning by 40 seconds. Ben Eberhart repeated in the runner-up spot, again running the Piston Port Yamaha he had won with just an hour earlier. Listening from the pit wall as Eberhart’s clutch slowly self-destructed was painful, but it hung on until the checker. Phil Reuter, back in a laydown kart for the first time in several years, adapted quickly and claimed 3rd ahead of John Konkle and Greg Hartley.
John Copeland in Vintage Piston Port
The 5th race also featured the only Vintage Twin as Mike Schlager hustled his Dart Mean Machine twin B-Bomb ride to everyone’s delight. Schlager’s laps, in the 1:22’s, are a tribute to his devotion to showcasing truly period-correct Vintage machine.
And so the AKRA/Dart Kart wrapped up another outstanding weekend of road racing. The AKRA Road Race circus moves on to Summit Point Raceway in August, and then the much anticipated mega-event at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, featuring the first-ever Vintage Enduro Kart Celebration in late September. Road Race karting is enjoying a much-needed resurgence as karters rediscover the unique sensation the laydown, high-speed racing brings.
John Konkle talks to another karter about the joys of Vintage Karting
Greg Hartley made the most of his return to Enduro Racing
Ben Eberhart was faster than many of the modern karts
Sugar River Raceway, Brodhead, Wisconsin July 8 – 10, 2021
By Bill McCornack Photos by Haley Morrall
Sportsman Sidewinder class – Vern Bergman #58 & Shawn Moore #88
Once again, the gods smiled on The Brodhead Historics and brought us perfect weather. It was overcast, but the temps were in the low 70s all three days. It was so pleasant in the park-like atmosphere of a track with five enormous trees in the circuit.
We had 93 class entries and began practice on Thursday. Friday morning brought more practice until the heats began at noon. We had two rounds of competitive heats. The Kart Show was held at 4:00 p.m. There were also special awards, the 50/50 raffle (which brought in a $530 donation to the VKA) and a catered dinner of beef and BBQ chicken at 6:30.
Saturday, we ran the last round of heats. Awards were given out and everyone was on their way home about noon.
Junior Class – Jadon Morrall leading Miles Frost
Four VKA board members attended: Gary Wlodarsky (President from Ohio), Deo Curts (Membership from Illinois) John Copeland (Enduro Director from Indiana) and yours truly (Midwest Coordinator from Wisconsin).
A special “Thank You” needs to be given to all the volunteers and staff and particularly to Mike and Joann Morrall who handled registration and safety inspections in addition to kart show set-up. They also served beer and wine during the kart show and so much more. Events like these can’t be successful without volunteers. Thank you for making our event run so smoothly.
Sugar River Raceway’s historic past includes the 1965 IKF Nationals, WKA’s first National in 1972 and WKA’s Nationals again in 1981.
And we can’t forget that this track was Danica Patrick’s training ground for her racing career. If you haven’t already seen it, check out the You Tube video, “Danica Patrick and the Ladies of Sugar River Raceway.”
Chef Jim Donovan (Max - Torque clutches) cooking for the Troops
Drivers & Pit crews
Longest Distance Traveled" award : Richard Sohn (Texas)
Outstanding Vintage Karter award : Jerry Nagel (Ohio)
Oldest Driver" award : Gene Paulus (Wisconsin) 79 yrs. old"
People Choice award : Chuck Meyers (IL) Rupp Grand Prix / Maico engines (German)
Yamaha Limited class - #8 Troy Cozad & Steve Lovett (Yamaha Piston Port class in rear)"
Sugar River Raceway's patio for fine dining"
Marty Weston (red) & Jim Ryder (yellow) celebrating their wins with Champagne in Yamaha Masters classes - Lt. & Hvy.
On the heels of their record-setting Enduro event at Mid-Ohio, Dart Kart Club and AKRA will present the “Vintage Enduro Kart Celebration” during their September event at the Pittsburgh Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania. Organizers anticipate another huge event after they hosted 942 entries at Mid-Ohio in July.
This special 20-minute event will be run on Friday, September 24th at the conclusion of the Friday practice sessions and will feature 4 Vintage classes; Vintage Piston Port/USA, Vintage Open, Vintage Twin, and Vintage Exhibition and will run on Pitt’s 2.8 mile long course. There will be special trophies and other awards for top finishers and entrants.
Organized by Arthur McKinney and Steve Benford, Jr., the Vintage Enduro Kart Celebration gives those who have older enduro karts sitting in the garage, as well and those who have already been racing in the Vintage enduro races, a chance to showcase their older iron and to revisit the glory days of Road Racing. “We’re urging as many vintage karting enthusiasts to enter their karts as possible; there will be a place for everything vintage, enduro and psrint, and it will be a great opportunity to showcase your kart,” McKinney said. “ Our goal is to make this a true celebration of vintage karting. With the Pittsburgh event growing in numbers every year, it seems fitting we have our inaugural celebration at this outstanding track. Many thanks to Dart Kart Club and AKRA for working with us and allowing what we hope will be many Vintage Enduro Karting Celebrations to happen.”
For more information and specifics about the events surrounding the Vintage Enduro Karting Celebration, please go to the AKRA website at AKRAracing.com or the Dart kart Club site at dartkartclub.com.
After covering New Castle (without a kart), I was glad to get back on the track. Nicholson is close enough so I could commute each day. It’s an easy drive over the iconic Chesapeake Bay Bridge … when there aren’t any jumpers like last year.
It was a small but enthusiastic crowd. Classes were combined into five groups. As with New Castle, the weather was “iffy” for Saturday. A good decision was made to adjust the schedule to allow two Heats to be run on Friday.
As is customary at VKA events in the NE, the participants gathered at a local restaurant to enjoy Maryland crabs and other seafood. The gathering was organized by the track manager, Joe Weisner, at the iconic Harbor Shack in Rock Hall. It is on the water and was a fun time for all. All 24 people enjoyed the seafood menu and socializing that is always plentiful when vintage karts start bench racing.
The Nicholson staff provided seamless flow of both Heats followed by a very well attended Kart Show. The Show was organized and managed by Natalie and Kurt Bogerman with assistance from judges John Wolkiewicz, Sr. and Bruce Ristow.
On the heels of their record-setting Enduro event at Mid-Ohio, Dart Kart Club and AKRA will present the “Vintage Enduro Kart Celebration” during their September event at the Pittsburgh Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania. Organizers anticipate another huge event after they hosted 942 entries at Mid-Ohio in July.
After covering New Castle (without a kart), I was glad to get back on the track. Nicholson is close enough so I could commute each day. It’s an easy drive over the iconic Chesapeake Bay Bridge … when there aren’t any jumpers like last year.
The Nicholson staff provided seamless flow of both Heats followed by a very well attended Kart Show. The Show was organized and managed by Natalie and Kurt Bogerman with assistance from judges John Wolkiewicz, Sr. and Bruce Ristow. 
