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Kart Olympics ???
Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:51 am
by Jeff Campbell
I'm curious, what were "The Kart Olympics" ? as mentioned on this March 1962 magazine cover ....
ebay listing of March 62 kart mag
...I never thought to ask about the Quincy event name "Vintage Kart Olympics", was it named after the original event mentioned in this mag?
Jeff
Re: Kart Olympics ???
Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:53 am
by Tom Smith
Jeff, the first International Kart Olympics were held at the Hacienda Hotels' 1/2 mile track in Las Vegas. 131 karters competed in 4 events, a one hour marathon sprint race, a half hour marathon, a salom course event, time trials and sprint races etc. for points awarded decathlon style.
Sets Kanamoto was the overall winner driving an A-unlimited class Go Kart 800.
Pete Berlt won C-class with 3 wins on a Dart Kart with PP-58 engines.
Don Surwall set overall fast time driving a Max-Torque Special.
Other top finishers were Bob Petruzzi on a Mcculloch kart, Dick Connors on a Go Kart, and Tex Bell on a Go Kart,
I don't know if another Kart Olympics was held again but enduro racing became popular soon afterwards and Dick Connors won just about every race in the begining, first driving a Go Kart and then later driving for Caretta.