Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-10
Whole Families Now Race Go-Korts,
Latest Answer to Hot-Rodders' Prayer
BY CHARLES COVELL
.s ouidoor Editor

ny CkAfANtLEo NONEA<L
'~sf outdooF Editor
Get hep, Dad, TO the lat
est answer TO a hot-rod-
der's prayer, the Go Kart.
Dig the body English on
those screeching turns,
the speed down the
straishtaway. And all from g
hwn mower engine. Mani
z Not much bigger than q
klng-sized baby carriage. Co
KArts are being raced by
youngsters barely out Of baby
hood on up 10 mothers and
dads. II Is one Of the most
rapidly growing family sports,
or crazes n you will.
The average Go-Kart IL q
low. open. springless eontrap-
ton Of tubular steel with tiny
pneumatic tires. q steering
wheel and seat for the driver
behind which Is mounted a two
cycle engine, usually 2la horse
power. Sometimes there Is a
ron bar TO protect the driver
IN an upset. sometimes not.
Maximum speed Of these mo-
torized roller skates Is 35 10
90 miles an hour. although /
some Of those with souped-up |
engines used on the West Coast
can attain IS 10 so or more
miles an hour.
Raced on Any Asphalt
Go-Karts are raced by their
enthusiasts anywhere they can
md q big, nat asphalt surface.
typical is Northern Virginia
Group of the National Motor
NHrt Derby Association. It has
about 30 members In Arlington,
EAirfax and Alexandria.
1.-The Northern Virginians OBJ
tained permission from Ameri-
can Stores to use the huge park
i1g lot Of its new supermarket
q Annandale.
There every Sunday after
noon Go Kart fans assemble to
tune engines and run of pro-
gfams Of eight to 10 races for
youngsters and adults. A large
sNsctator area is roped OF and |
behind 1t invariably gathers q
row Of cars as curious passers-
~ stop to see the show.
Elsewhere in the District and |
II nearby Maryland similar |
groups are holding weekly |
races.
Headquarters of the associa-
ton is at 4033 Lawrence ave- |
nue.. Alexandra. It is headed |
by w. p. Saylor and has an |
electrical engineer, Samuel T. |
Scott. also Of Alexandria, as
national technical adviser.
H Mushrooming Now
Scott. employed in the re.
search division of General Serv- |
ices Administration, says that a
yer ago there were only three |
90 Kart owners In Virginia and |
nthaps q half dozen in the
district and nearby Maryland. |
Nw there are upwards Of 200. |
III saw one running on q
r6fking lot" he added, "and I |
VS. completely taken by it. I
EKer was interested in motor |
cFeles or racing cars, but there |
VS. something about this sport |
Tat couldn't get away from. |
6cott's wife, Lois, and three
sons. Samuel, Jr., IL; Johnny, |
u and George, 5. also drive. If |
its surprising that a 5-year-old |
Is driver, he's not alone.
Robert Estes of South Airing |
ton brings his sons, Ronald, II, !
and Donald. S. and his daugh- |
ter, Sue Ellen, IL, to the
Annandale parking lot to race.
Another team is composed of
Rupert L. Murphy Of Alexan-
dfia, q member Of the Inter.
state Commerce Commission, |
and his son.
Racing at Low Cost
Karting, as the sport is
known. provides all the thrills
q sports or race-car driving at |
Sfraction of the cost and with |
mere safety. Simplicity itself,
the average Go Kart can be
had for $50 up.
Go Karts had their origin in
Los Angeles about three years |
aRO. A machine named Art
Ineels bought lawn mower
engine, attached it to a tubu-
lar frame and a set Of seni-
automatic tires and set it in
motion on nearby parking
lot. The performance startled
him.
For a while Ingels attempted
TO interest individuals, includ-
ing his employer, Frank Kur-
tbs, builder of racing cars. but
without success. Eventually
three other hot rod enthusi-
asts, Frank Livingstone, Roy