SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Vintage Karting Association will be back at one of the most historic sprint kart tracks in the Midwest the last weekend of April…
You may know him as the Editor of the VKA Magazine, FirsTurn, or the driver of the blue and orange Fox Kart #4, or you may know him as Rolf Hill. What you may not know is that he started karting when he was about 13; raced for six years at Upper Marlboro, MD and 75/80 kart track in Monrovia, MD. He took a 45-year break for college, family, and a career. In 2010, he was retired and wanted to renew his interest in karting and according to Rolf “rebuild my memories in karting.”
This next phase of his life included total immersion in the Vintage Karting Association. At first it was 10 events a year, three Fox Karts that he restored to look like his original, then five engines, so he had “spares,” (something he learned at his first VKA event at Barnesville in 2011), and ultimately enough “spares” to run a dual.
To keep his life organized (and so his wife would know of upcoming events), he created a wall calendar, complete with pictures. “It turned out pretty good, if you ask me, and I thought some of my new friends might like a copy.” So, if they sent him $15, he would print one off on his home color printer and mail it to them. As requests increased, Rolf started to take pre-orders and used a professional printer. For the first five years, Rolf donated the profits to VKA. Then things changed.
“Nobody has heard of Friedreich’s Ataxis (FA),” says Rolf. “It is classified as a ‘rare’ disease. Only one in 50,000 people have FA. ‘Rare’ or not, when it strikes someone you love, how ‘rare’ it is, doesn’t matter. It is real.” In 2016, his 12-year-old granddaughter was diagnosed with FA … a neurological, degenerative, condition that affects balance, speech, and other physical attributes. [If you want to know more, check out the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) website: www.curefa.org/whatis.] Since that time, her youngest sister also has been diagnosed with FA. Profits from the 2017 Calendars (and beyond) have gone and will continue to go to a non-profit organization to help find a cure and to help others with Friedreich’s Ataxia expenses. Visit www.burrows-hill.org to see how the money they collect is spent.
Each year’s calendar has had a theme: Peoples’ Choice winners, virtual kart show winners, unique and one-of-a-kind karts, etc. The 2022 theme is VKA tracks and Rolf has expanded his fund-raising efforts to include them. Track supporters will get a full-page aerial photo and 10 free calendars. Rolf hopes the 2022 calendar will be attractive to modern karters as well as vintage karters who use those tracks.
According to Rolf, “In the last five years, profits have gone to the non-profit to find a cure and help with FA-related expenses. Since 2017 vintage karters have raised nearly $13,600 from sales, advertising, and donations. My goal for the 2022 Vintage Karting Calendar is to exceed $20,000 for the 5-year total contribution.”
“I couldn’t be more grateful for all the support I’ve gotten from vintage karters. Any support, large or small, is welcome. Every dollar helps. It could be the last one we need to find a cure,” according to Rolf.
The 2022 Vintage Kart Calendar will go on sale in October. Mailing is scheduled for early December … just in time for Christmas. If you are interested, contact Rolf at KartNumber4@yahoo.com.
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.
Since the beginning of Vintage Enduro Racing, the Dart Kart Club in Ohio has been a strong supporter. As part of the 2021 AKRA Road Racing Series, Dart kart will host two very special events; June 18, 19, & 20 may be the largest karting event ever hosted at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course. At the time of this writing there are nearly 600 pre-entries, and more coming in every day. AKRA and Dart Kart Club support classes for Vintage Piston Port/USA, Vintage Open, and Vintage Twin, with all classes running races on both Saturday and Sunday. While Vintage Enduro karts will be only a small fraction of the karts entered, organizers have recognized the importance of showcasing the history of the sport and these beautifully restored machines.
A special attraction this year will be the “B-Stock Battle of the Twins”. Organizers are hoping to attract the largest field of twin-engine karts of any race since the 90’s. The “Battle of the Twins” is scheduled to go off the grid at noon on Saturday June 19th.
For those of you who have not experienced Mid Ohio, it is a rolling 3 ½ mile course with long straights, elevation changes, and some technical turn combinations. If you’ve been waiting to get your Vintage Enduro out on the track, wait no longer. VKA Enduro Director John Copeland will be there to provide any support you need. Check the VKA Guidelines for specific rules (there aren’t many), and log onto www.dartkartclub.com or www.akraracing.com for more details.
Gus Traeder’s secret to staying young – surround yourself with women!
Most of the karting universe knows Faye’s racing history and prowess at running a karting business. Faye’s driving career spanned the late 1950,s and the 60’s when karting was growing and new innovations came hard and fast. She and husband Tom would create Bug, and then Team Bug, and proceed to drive headlong into the history books of kart racing.
I began racing karts in 1985. While I had seen Faye in the pits from time to time, I didn’t really formally meet Faye until my first IKF Sprint Grandnationals in 1987 held at Garnett, Kansas, where I won my first Duffy. I began running a Bug the following year and my husband Rick would convert to Bug shortly thereafter. Rick and Faye would spend vast amounts of time discussing chassis and tires. Faye’s Husband “Big” Tom Pierson and I would become close friends too, and the four of us would remain close buds, and frequently meet up to catch up.
Rick and I stopped racing in the late 1990’s to early 2000’s, but never lost touch with Tom and Faye. After Tom’s passing, I would drive down for a night or weekend just to spend time with Faye. She was heartbroken and felt a little lost without Tom. But Faye threw herself into the business, with a whole lot of support from sons Tommy and Jon, she moved ever forward, as was her nature.
Quincy 2005 – Faye’s ready to ride!
A couple years later Faye called me one afternoon to tell me that she had been asked to attend a vintage karting event in Quincy, Illinois. She had promised Gus Traeder that she would attend, and Faye then explained that IKF Director Deb Harper had set up their travel plans. Deb was going to attend with Faye and write articles for interested karting publications. But, Deb had something come up and could no longer make the trip. It was just a couple of weeks away, so Faye asked if I would go with her, and to please bring my driving gear because she really didn’t know if she could do more than one heat race (Quincy in the heat you know…). She wanted me to be her backup driver; which would turn out to be the VERY LAST THING Faye needed.
And what an adventure it turned out to be – Faye would soon name us the “Thelma & Louise” of vintage karting. We had the absolute time of our lives together. We couldn’t attend an event in Quincy without stopping to put our feet in the mighty Mississippi River, which is how we discovered Hannibal, MO. Over the years it became ritual, after which we would eat at the amazing catfish house in Old Town.
On some of those trips to Quincy together, and the many other tracks around the country, Faye and I would get so tickled and begin laughing so very hard we had to pull over. Our friendship grew immeasurably during these times.
So after that one phone call, that one trip, I watched Faye’s glow come back as she was once again in her element. She was hooked, and I can tell you that she loved vintage karting most dearly. She cherished all of the incredible new memories through her time in the Vintage Karting Association and being at the tracks with all of you.
Faye always carried a notepad to each event so she could keep up with those she met along the way. After deciphering her notes and reminiscing about each event, we talked about all of y’all. Way, way too much to tell, and some things…I will never divulge – but it makes me giggle to this day.
Before vintage, we were friends who enjoyed and respected each other. But after our years of running amok together, the bond went well beyond friendship. I sincerely thank all of you for making our time with you so special. As her son Jon told me recently “What a run you two had together” and it’s so very true.
Obviously death is inevitable, but Faye was a super hero to me. Faye “Lady Bug” Pierson was truly a lady, she was poised and practical, a bit daring, forever playful, smart, sometimes downright sassy, she was so dear to all, she was my friend.
Prairie City 2002 – Faye with Tom Medley and his Faller kart