Motor Racing : Go-Karting Struggles to Establish Respectability in World of Racing

For most people, Go-Kart racing conjures up memories of a borrowed engine from the family lawn mower, a healthy, running push down the alley from your big brother, a traffic citation from the neighborhood motorcycle cop and an angry father upon his return home from work.

Aw, gee whiz, Dad! Grounded? For a whole month?

And that’s probably why real Go-Kart racing has found it difficult to establish itself as a bona fide competitive endeavor for racing enthusiasts, according to Richard Taylor, director of public relations for the L. A. Kart Club.

“Very unsophisticated and very small,” Taylor said, describing most people’s perception of Go-Karts. “The lawn mower’s missing its motor and you’re out in the street. Go-Karts have been around a long time. But these guys take it seriously.”

One is Marc Nixon, 27, of Val Verde, who began Go-Karting 1 1/2 years ago. Yet, he, too, is battling adolescent stereotypes.

“It’s related to children,” he said. “People think of 8-year-olds and Malibu Grand Prix and ‘Haven’t you grown up yet?’

“But honestly, it’s a very pure form of racing.”

Welcome to the world of racing with your backside just a few inches above the pavement. But this, your father might be surprised to learn, is real racing. Go-Karts, may be small, but they’re fast, some reaching speeds of 80 m.p.h.

This morning, the LAKC will make its regular monthly visit to Saugus Speedway. The 60-member club will navigate a makeshift road course on the one-third mile paved oval from 9 until noon.

With two remaining dates on this season’s schedule, Nixon trails points leader Larry Margules of Northridge by 50 points in the Econo Heavy division--the second of the club’s five divisions. Doug Polito, 24, of Calabasas, with two consecutive second-place finishes, is third with 980 points.

Under the club’s scoring system, 240 points are awarded to the winner of a 24-kart main event. And with 10 points separating each subsequent finisher, the Econo Heavy division’s points race is about as hot as a 100cc Go-Kart engine.

“People kind of don’t know what to think of karting because they’ve never seen it,” Polito said. “But some drivers have learned everything from karting.” Two familiar names in racing circles--Michael Andretti and Al Unser Jr.--trace their driving roots to Go-Karting, LAKC’s Taylor said.

Saugus’ regular Saturday night crowd has been treated to Go-Kart action in the past. Earlier this month, Taylor and the LAKC appeared for a well-received exhibition during intermission.

“It’s amazing how many fans wind up walking to their cars talking about Go-Karts and not the stock car races,” Nixon said.

Including stock car drivers. Alas, the image of the back-alley racer may never elude Go-Kart drivers.

“The drivers that aren’t into Go-Karts are rude to you and they laugh at you,” Nixon said. “You know how that goes. Go-Karts are just little and people think they are cute and funny.”

Add Go-Karts: Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of Go-Kart racing is the speed the tiny vehicles achieve. Karts with 250cc engines typically travel about 75-80 m.p.h.--a speed comparable to that of stock cars that race regularly at Saugus.

Go-Karts also have simplified engines and no shock absorbers. “They’re very simplistic,” Nixon said.

The most attractive aspect, however, is the relative inexpensiveness of running a Go-Kart.

“I used to go to Saugus and watch the regular street races and I didn’t know Go-Karting was available,” said Taylor, 42, who began racing Go-Karts in 1986. “I was a racing enthusiast and this was the cheapest form around.

Said Polito: “If I had the money, I’d go into quarter midgets or three-quarter midgets and work my way up to Indy cars. That’s my goal. I’m learning.”

Fills the bill: Saturday night’s program at Saugus will be a loaded one, thanks to last week’s postponement because of rain.

Last Saturday’s schedule will be added to this week’s bill, creating a program with a season-high six main events in the final points races of the season.

Main events include: Sportsman division (40 laps), Street Stock oval (25 laps) and figure 8 (15 laps) Hobby Stock oval (25 laps) and figure 8 (15 laps).

Also scheduled is the Sportsman “Clash for Cash,” in which 15 drivers will compete in an added 20-lap main event with an overall purse of $2,000.

Champions of the Sportsman, Street Stock and Hobby Stock divisions will be crowned during the evening.

In the Sportsman class, Keith Spangler of Northridge (334), Will Harper of Tarzana (331) and Dave Phipps of Simi Valley (316) are atop the points standings.

In the Street Stock division, Steve Nickolai of Simi Valley, (291), Dale White Jr. of Simi Valley, (290), Russ Beckers of Sepulveda (286) and Craig Rayburn of Simi Valley (286) all have a shot at the title.

In the Hobby Stock race, Brian Kelley of Arleta (192) has all but wrapped up his first track championship. Scott Wade of Burbank has 169 points.

Motocross: Mike Kiedrowski of Canyon Country, along with teammates Jeff Stanton of Sherwood, Mich., and Jeff Ward of San Juan Capistrano, won the Motocross des Nations in Gaildorf, West Germany, on Sunday, Sept. 10. before a crowd of 30,000.

The Motocross des Nations is recognized as the most prestigious single-day motocross racing event in the world.