From: kent@stanley.nde.swri.edu (Kent D. Polk)
Newsgroups: tx.motorcycles
Subject: Re: Karts (was Re: AAahhhh, wipe-out!)
Date: 6 Jan 1993 19:19:22 GMT
Organization: Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas
Distribution: tx
NNTP-Posting-Host: stanley.nde.swri.edu

In article <3249@devnull.mpd.tandem.com> dunham@mpd.tandem.com (Jerry Dunham) writes:
>In article <1icuscINN67b@swrinde.nde.swri.edu] kent@stanley.nde.swri.edu (Kent D. Polk) writes:
>]
>]Nope, Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  This was in the early '70's. Don't know
>
>I still find this hard to believe.  I LIVED there from the mid-forties until
>1971, and tried to keep track of happening even after that, but I never knew
>of any kart racing at the Speedway.  Are you sure this was a real RACE, not
>just a demo or trial of some sort?  Or are you confusing karts with CART cars?

I'm not really sure if the ones held at Indy were sanctioned races. 

>]A Reagan HS group (from the auto shop) built a 'drag cart' using one of the
>
>The guy I was talking about who built his from the Suzuki 125 cc twin was at
>Churchill H.S. at the time.  Was San Antonio a hotbed of such activity back
>in the '70s?

Don't know. I lived in Austin from '60 till '72. Then had to move up to
'Egypt' (Oklahoma) and build some pyramids for ten years. Then spent five
years in the 'wilderness' (Babcock&Wilcox in Virginia) where I had lots of
fun riding in the mountains, but almost fried myself in the burning sun of
B&W mismanagement. Now I've been back here close to the holy land (Hill
Country) for another five years. It's about time to settle down and live for
a change.

>]>What?!  And give up on the MiniCoopers?
>
>Hmmm....  I wonder if you could stuff a Subaru engine in a Mini....

:^) might be interesting. I think Subaru engines would be an interesting
change. They have a fairly flat power curve, but provide Lots of low end
torque.  I could burn rubber in 3rd gear in my old 1800cc when I dropped the
clutch.  Darned quick at 0-40mph and are easy to high-gear out of a turn,
which fits in pretty nice with Gymkhana racing. The horz. opposed engine
shafts directly into the transaxle. Both are so low that the spare tire is
stored on top of the tranny. Drop and beef up the suspension components and
some tires to match...

>Or how about a Subaru SVX engine in a 914?  I know where a 914 is available....

What are you doing? trying to get serious here? :^) Say, maybe we ought to go
in together on something here. Unfortunately I'm out of money and time.
Gotta figure out how to become independently wealthy so I can leave this
(#@%$#%) job and get my life back together so I can do things like this.

>](DoF #)  : Eternal bliss can be obtained anywhere. I just forgot how.
>And I forgot that it was even available....

And I forgot what it looks like. I just keep telling myself... Maybe I'll
come across it someday. For now, riding or pedalling through the absolutely
beautiful Hill Country, or canoeing down the Guadalupe is pretty darned
close. BTW, I haven't had a chance to pursue the MC/bike carrier, but what do
you think about a MC/canoe trailer???

Kent Polk: Southwest Research Institute (will disavow any knowledge of me)
Internet : kent@swrinde.nde.swri.edu
(DoF #)  : "Ashaaamed of his monstrous form, the Beast concealed himself inside
			  his castle with the magic mirror as his Ooonly window to the outside
			  world."
Newsgroups: tx.motorcycles