Kart tracks of 60s and 70s where are they?

[Chris Gilbert]

My Dad raced karts in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio in the 60's all IKF sanktioned. I raced in 1970, 1971 at a track in Decatur Indiana and one in Edwardsburg Michigan. Both tracks I am sure are gone today, If anyone has any pictures or information please share.
Chris Gilbert

[Mark Brubaker]

Chris,, I've lived in Indiana all my life. I did a little racing in the late '60's and early '70's around here but not at the IKF level . I guess my racing would have been on local level or outlaw tracks. I regret that I don't have any pictures to admire or share. I raced at North Webster mostly. That track is still there but has not been used or kept up for years and years. On alternate weekends we raced at Auburn. I was only at Auburn a couple of times, I doubt I could find where it was if I had to. Some other tracks that I was aware of were Portland, Indiana (I know they had some IKF events there). I was at a track somewhere west of Decatur in the late '60's. It was an asphalt layout. It was in the middle of farm country and not far to the south of hwy. 224 as I remember. I'm unaware of it's existence anymore. Karts used to be raced some at Baer Field raceway. I was at a track at Palestine Ohio a few times. It was nice and had a good attendance as I remember. I knew their was a dirt track at Cridersville Ohio. I'm sure their were others but that's all I can think of at the moment.
You might want to contact Bob Ferguson at Leesburg. I'm told he has a LARGE collection of vintage stuff, and he and his boys were involved back in the day. I'm sorry I don't have his number. Google Ferguson Farms, you'll find it.
I hope this helps a little bit. If you can add to my short list, please post what you find.

Mark

PS- does that sound like the track you raced at Decatur?

[Rob Voska]

Portland was owned by Comet Kart Sales and they sold it years ago (90's) and I think it has a building built on it.

Cresent Raceway in Toledo Ohio has a building on one end and equipment parked on what's left of it.

Hasselback's Kart Track in Fremont Ohio is where The Big One is held every year. Laid in the fall of 60 or 61 It has had racing every year. Was repaved in the mid 70's and again in 2005ish.

Harrisburg is grown over.

Linden Valley aka Kuglers Raceway aka Akdins Raceway is Kyle's private track with no racing anymore.

[Rick Chapman]

Through the years, we have lost quite a few tracks around the Akron, Ohio area.
Blackhorse Kart Track, between Kent and Ravenna, was a close duplicate to Fremont, closed around 1966.
Navarrre Kart Speedway, north of Canton, closed around 1974.
Colunbiana Station, south of Cleveland, closed in the late 60's.
8's the Place Kart Track, Kent, Ohio, closed 1984.
Cloumbiana Kart Track closed around 1995, I think.
Courtney Road Speedway, which was rated as the Premire asphalt oval in the US in the day, in Alliance, Ohio, closed late 60's.
Dragway 42 Kart Track, closed early 60's.
Seville Kart Track, closed mid 60's, it was west of Akron.
and of course, Dart Kart Speedway......
Rick

[Chris Gilbert]

Chris,, I've lived in Indiana all my life. I did a little racing in the late '60's and early '70's around here but not at the IKF level . I guess my racing would have been on local level or outlaw tracks. I regret that I don't have any pictures to admire or share. I raced at North Webster mostly. That track is still there but has not been used or kept up for years and years. On alternate weekends we raced at Auburn. I was only at Auburn a couple of times, I doubt I could find where it was if I had to. Some other tracks that I was aware of were Portland, Indiana (I know they had some IKF events there). I was at a track somewhere west of Decatur in the late '60's. It was an asphalt layout. It was in the middle of farm country and not far to the south of hwy. 224 as I remember. I'm unaware of it's existence anymore. Karts used to be raced some at Baer Field raceway. I was at a track at Palestine Ohio a few times. It was nice and had a good attendance as I remember. I knew their was a dirt track at Cridersville Ohio. I'm sure their were others but that's all I can think of at the moment.
You might want to contact Bob Ferguson at Leesburg. I'm told he has a LARGE collection of vintage stuff, and he and his boys were involved back in the day. I'm sorry I don't have his number. Google Ferguson Farms, you'll find it.
I hope this helps a little bit. If you can add to my short list, please post what you find.

Mark

PS- does that sound like the track you raced at Decatur?

The kart track in Decatur was southwest of town on a farm and even had lights for night racing. The Portland track is still there and running in Portland I think OVKA sanktioned by wka. IKF was big in the 60s and early 70s. I ran, I think what was called The IKF Tri state midwest series. It's sad but when my Dad passed away, all of the memoribilia he had IKF magazines, his and my trophys and such had to be auctioned off with his estate, I am sure I would have placed the highest bid on that stuff had I been thinking! Thanks for the reply

[Mike Reller]

Hey Rick, You are such a pavement guy. You never mentioned Newton Falls, or Rootstown. Newton Falls was without a doubt the bumpiest (almost motocross like) track in history. The micro midgets would tear it up to the extent that it was hard to keep it straight, on the straights. cornering was a real adventure.
Rootstown was probably the best maintained dirt track I've ever seen. The owner's father would disk it up every week, drag it, water, then roll it. There was so much oil, and calcium in the ground that nothing has probably grown there since they shut the place down in the middle 60's. Everybody ran ungrooved slicks, and we ran clockwise. It had a real old time feel, with Australian pursuit, and wrong way races. It was also where I showed up with a Flexo U-weld-it, with a 3 port West Bend, and didn't get laughed at. Tons of people helped get me on the right track, and into a Bantam with a Mac 8.
The memory of the people in karting, is what is bringing me back.

[Rick Chapman]

Newton Falls was an oiled track and use to award an up side down trophy for the karter who flipped.
Once, we raced there on a Saturday night and then when we went to race at Blackhorse Kart track, on Sunday. Butch Kavanagh and I had to scrape the oil off our tires before they would let us on the asphalt track. Our tires would actually get bigger as the night races went on.
Ah, the good old days..

[roger santee]

Eagleville kart track about 5 miles south of Austinburg and interstate 90 is still there. Closed in the mid 60 to late 60's. They even had night races, and the lights are still up. We used to run a dirt track in the late 80's south of Canton. Think it was called Bearcreek, don't know if it is still there or not. It was alot of fun. Raced at night and they would water the track.

[Gary Wlodarsky]

just to add a couple more tracks in Northern Ohio...Vermilion Ohio VFW Track had a great lttle 1/8 mile paved oval(maybe a little bigger)....I cut my teeth on that one..Insterstate Hiway took that one , can still see part of it as you pass on the intersate west of Vermilion ..Port Clinton had a super smooth and always fast dirt oval( the best part no 4 strokes,before thier time) and Gibsonburg Ohio...another fast dirt oval....
and Dart Speedway...Mickey Rupps home track....I ran at Fremont alot,owned the track record there for a couple of years.... kinda considered it my home track after Vermilion.....

[Chris Marchand]

Was chatting with Steve Ohara at Adams this weekend . seems he won his 1971 IKF title in Camden , Ohio . Where is/was that track ? Thx Chris