Page 96 - Experience Magazine Spring 2023

GO-KARTS

ONE OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE LITTLE GARAGE CREATIONS

Like many of our favorite things in automotive Soon go-kart manufacturing companies began to
culture, go-karts originated in the 1950s in Southern pop up everywhere to meet this newfound demand
California. They were the brainchild of Art Ingels, and cater to those with interest who didn’t have the
who worked as a fabricator for Kurtis Kraft, which was technical know-how to build their own. This led to
responsible for building several winning Indy 500 the formation of the American Kart Manufacturer’s
cars, plus a host of successful midget cars – small cars Association in 1958 to govern the quality and to work
with a huge power-to weight ratio commonly used on alongside the Go Kart Club of America, or GKCA.
dirt oval tracks – and Bonneville speed record cars. Go-karts and go-kart racing have evolved significantly
Ingels crafted a steel-tube chassis in his garage in Echo since the early days. Today go-karts can be raced at
Park during the summer of 1956. The chassis was amusement parks and dedicated facilities, but they also
low to the ground, lightweight yet strong enough to provide a fast track into a racing career for many young
support the weight of an adult passenger and featured women and men looking to become professional
a wide track for stability. Ingels’ friend, Lou Borelli, drivers. Many different generations and styles can be
then mounted a 2.5-horsepower lawnmower engine to seen at Barrett-Jackson’s Automobilia Auctions.
the contraption. One of the earliest go-karts to cross the Barrett-Jackson

After working out the kinks, the pair took their racing block was a 1964 Go-Kart Brand 2400 Racing Kart at
machine to the pits at Pomona Raceway. It received the recent 2023 Scottsdale Auction. It was joined by
lots of attention, and soon onlookers began to create Lot #9586.4, the “Ultimate Custom Pickup Go-Kart,”
their own go-karts. Interest began to snowball and restored with incredible attention to detail by none
homebuilt go-karts led to the very first kart races in other than a 9-year old boy and a stark contrast to
1957, often at supermarket parking lots, which were a an early-model go-kart. Featuring a fully refinished
good source of flat, open pavement. chassis and a body modeled after a RAM truck with

96 BARRETT-JACKSON EXPERIENCE SPRING 2023