Are there any old go-karters out there or am I the only one?

Ruby Rose

Ruby Rose

Location: Canadian Prairies
When in Germany, my husband and I belonged to the Go-Karting Club on the Base. It was wonderful! We participated in races against other bases...the 'Brits' as we called them were really 'bad-a..'. When I was practicing on the Base in the evening...on the Parade square no less...I saw MPs coming after me...apparently, the parade square was not to be used as such...no one had told me before...they weren't using it at that time or day...ha ha. Anyways to make a long story short, they did not catch me as I took off everywhere on the Base and found an exit and away I went. The incident was mentioned in the weekly military paper. They were not amused! They didn't even know I was female as I was in my racing gear complete with helmet. Those were the days.
 
I've driven the little race car/go-karts twice on a proper track and had a ball.

Now, growing up as a child, there was a neighbourhood boy that owned a homemade gas-powered go-kart and we'd all take turns driving it.

I was never a tom-boy, but for a girl I used to love a lot of boy things, like pedal cars, go-karts, and watching my baby brother and his friends fly their Cox-powered airplanes.
 
My dad used to take me and my older brother to a little 1/4 mile figure-8 track close to a pro drag strip every mid-week, and if I remember right the drag strip wasn't far from the Sacramento Speedway, a NASCAR race track. Anyway, brother and I each had our own go-kart and competed with whoever else showed up. There were no prizes or anything. I don't even think there was a flagman. The main object was to see how well your Kart performed and how good you were at controlling it.

One time, on one of the sharper turns I cut across to the inside lane without looking behind me first and caused another driver to run over my rear wheel and up-end his kart. He wasn't seriously hurt but his father was furious, and I got suspended for 2 weeks.
 
Ruby Rose said:
When in Germany, my husband and I belonged to the Go-Karting Club on the Base. It was wonderful! We participated in races against other bases...the 'Brits' as we called them were really 'bad-a..'. When I was practicing on the Base in the evening...on the Parade square no less...I saw MPs coming after me...apparently, the parade square was not to be used as such...no one had told me before...they weren't using it at that time or day...ha ha. Anyways to make a long story short, they did not catch me as I took off everywhere on the Base and found an exit and away I went. The incident was mentioned in the weekly military paper. They were not amused! They didn't even know I was female as I was in my racing gear complete with helmet. Those were the days.
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Hahahaha, I love it! What fun you had. Loved the story. but I have none to add.
 
Murrmurr said:
My dad used to take me and my older brother to a little 1/4 mile figure-8 track close to a pro drag strip every mid-week, and if I remember right the drag strip wasn't far from the Sacramento Speedway, a NASCAR race track. Anyway, brother and I each had our own go-kart and competed with whoever else showed up. There were no prizes or anything. I don't even think there was a flagman. The main object was to see how well your Kart performed and how good you were at controlling it.

One time, on one of the sharper turns I cut across to the inside lane without looking behind me first and caused another driver to run over my rear wheel and up-end his kart. He wasn't seriously hurt but his father was furious, and I got suspended for 2 weeks.
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The one time we went on a proper track, Mur, it was raining, and the owner of the go-kart place wasn't going to let us take the cars out, but dear husband egged him on and away we went.

I wasn't pushing it but hubby was, and hubs knocked a few tires out around a few corners, and when we pulled the cars back into the stop, you could tell the owner wasn't happy. LOL!

We still laugh about it to this day. That was back in the late part of the 80's.
 
Murrmurr said:
My dad used to take me and my older brother to a little 1/4 mile figure-8 track close to a pro drag strip every mid-week, and if I remember right the drag strip wasn't far from the Sacramento Speedway, a NASCAR race track. Anyway, brother and I each had our own go-kart and competed with whoever else showed up. There were no prizes or anything. I don't even think there was a flagman. The main object was to see how well your Kart performed and how good you were at controlling it.

One time, on one of the sharper turns I cut across to the inside lane without looking behind me first and caused another driver to run over my rear wheel and up-end his kart. He wasn't seriously hurt but his father was furious, and I got suspended for 2 weeks.
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In Germany around 1963 I had just finished painting our kart complete with our number, when friends popped around and the man asked if he could have a ride on the go-kart. I looked at him and said, "Have you ever driven one before? Do you know how to veer into a turn?" and he poo-poohed me and said, "No problem! You don't need to tell me how to drive a go-kart!" My husband said, "Come on, let him have a ride," so we did. He got on that kart and zoomed down the hill from our house, missed the turn, went straight through a wooden fence and knocked himself out. I ran down the hill, not to check him out but to check the kart out because it was freshly-painted for the race. His wife came rushing down, balling me out...for not checking out her husband first! But he was okay, he just had the wind knocked out of him. They left, and we didn't see them for a long time, leaving me to touch up the go-kart with more paint. Then I sat down and laughed my head off.
 
Aunt Marg said:
I've driven the little race car/go-karts twice on a proper track and had a ball.

Now, growing up as a child, there was a neighbourhood boy that owned a homemade gas-powered go-kart and we'd all take turns driving it.

I was never a tom-boy, but for a girl I used to love a lot of boy things, like pedal cars, go-karts, and watching my baby brother and his friends fly their Cox-powered airplanes.
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I have to tell you, Aunt Marg, I was a tom-boy! It came naturally having five brothers!
 
a baby brother. i've never liked the normal girly stuff. once i got past the barbie phase i never looked back. i don't wear dresses and make up is only light and for special occasions. i don't like diamonds, credit cards or shopping. i don't like being outside though either.

edit added: i like a lot of guy clothes too. lol! when i was married i was always stealing his tshirts and socks.
 
MarciKS said:
a baby brother. i've never liked the normal girly stuff. once i got past the barbie phase i never looked back. i don't wear dresses and make up is only light and for special occasions. i don't like diamonds, credit cards or shopping. i don't like being outside though either.
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I wasn't a tom-boy, nowhere near, and surprisingly, never did warm-up to dresses, skirts and jewelry.
 
Aunt Marg said:
I wasn't a tom-boy, nowhere near, and surprisingly, never did warm-up to dresses, skirts and jewelry.
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i don't do earrings or necklaces. i will wear rings but i prefer ones that are like plain bands. right now the only thing i have is those new silicone rings. i like those. and the one i bought recently says Marvel on it with a comic book scene printed on it.
 
My boyfriend is into go-karts presently. His grandson is racing and Sonny is working on the motors and going to the races. They are really into the RC racing too. His great granddaughter (12 years old) has been doing that too. His family has been into stockcar racing for years and they have done many different types over the years. Now the youngest generation is showing interest.
 
MarciKS said:
I've never go-carted but I've always loved drag racing. If I'd had a car and the money I would've loved getting into those quarter mile drags.
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I was a drag racer for 30 years. Mostly mid west stuff. I have also competed in auto cross (Like go carts except with a sports car)
I have driven a car on a NASCAR track (30 laps) on several occasions.
A couple friends of mine actually made it to TOP FUEL. We are all retired from racing now.

Want to know how to retire from NHRA TOP FUEL with a Million dollars? Start with 8 million!


Racing is very expensive.....
 
J.B Books said:
I was a drag racer for 30 years. Mostly mid west stuff. I have also competed in auto cross (Like go carts except with a sports car)
I have driven a car on a NASCAR track (30 laps) on several occasions.
A couple friends of mine actually made it to TOP FUEL. We are all retired from racing now.

Want to know how to retire from NHRA TOP FUEL with a Million dollars? Start with 8 million!


Racing is very expensive.....
Click to expand...
Yes I know.
 
J.B Books said:
I was a drag racer for 30 years. Mostly mid west stuff. I have also competed in auto cross (Like go carts except with a sports car)
I have driven a car on a NASCAR track (30 laps) on several occasions.
A couple friends of mine actually made it to TOP FUEL. We are all retired from racing now.

Want to know how to retire from NHRA TOP FUEL with a Million dollars? Start with 8 million!


Racing is very expensive.....
Click to expand...
I honestly believe it was the speed of go-karting that attracted me...there was something about it! I was really bummed one time when I was barred from a race because I was pregnant...just barely, and ended up being a recorder at the side of the track. Afterwards to the pub we went where I amused everyone with my 'racoon eyes' compliments of the track exhaust and dust. Boy, was I dirty but happy!
 
katlupe said:
My boyfriend is into go-karts presently. His grandson is racing and Sonny is working on the motors and going to the races. They are really into the RC racing too. His great granddaughter (12 years old) has been doing that too. His family has been into stockcar racing for years and they have done many different types over the years. Now the youngest generation is showing interest.
Click to expand...
Bottom line...it is a lot of fun! I regretted selling our cart in Germany before heading back to Canada but there were military restrictions.
 
Aunt Marg said:
I wasn't a tom-boy, nowhere near, and surprisingly, never did warm-up to dresses, skirts and jewelry.
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I guess I was both...tomboy and 'girlie' if you will. Having a French Maman, do you honestly think she would allow me to pass that phase? I dressed to the nines and loved dresses, high heels etc etc. But then I was able to switch back to the 'tomboy' and play with my brothers. Speaking of brothers, they used to borrow my hairspray for their wave and duct-tail style. Living here is a different story...hard to wear a dress about. Perhaps one day!
 
katlupe said:
My boyfriend is into go-karts presently. His grandson is racing and Sonny is working on the motors and going to the races. They are really into the RC racing too. His great granddaughter (12 years old) has been doing that too. His family has been into stockcar racing for years and they have done many different types over the years. Now the youngest generation is showing interest.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a super family connection! I love the sound of it all!
 
J.B Books said:
I was a drag racer for 30 years. Mostly mid west stuff. I have also competed in auto cross (Like go carts except with a sports car)
I have driven a car on a NASCAR track (30 laps) on several occasions.
A couple friends of mine actually made it to TOP FUEL. We are all retired from racing now.

Want to know how to retire from NHRA TOP FUEL with a Million dollars? Start with 8 million!


Racing is very expensive.....
Click to expand...
Right on. It used to be fun back in the 60's. But, even then, money became the issue.
Of course, getting into roundy round racing wasn't much cheaper. 🤪

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Watching Olympic Women's Bobsleighing yesterday made me feel so jealous! 'Twas that speed element again. I have actually dreamed being on a super bobsleigh going down those narrow, twisting, banked iced tracks...exhilarated all the way. If I was younger, I would simply love to participate in the women's bobsled competition. The last time I was on a bobsled I was but a young teen, but now it seems so Mickey Mouse compared to what they do now. That speed element!
 
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