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Post by Calvin on Jan 8, 2023 19:59:05 GMT -5
Back in the day when I use to race karts competitively, I experience a lot of wild things on the track. Back in the early 2000s, the city of Clarkson, Washington put on a street race, and create a 1/2 mile street course, right along the Snake River. The mayor of Clarkson would attend and also the radio station. A decent crowd would attend as well. I was always jacked up for this unique event each year, I loved racing on the streets, it was tricky as the walls left no room for mistakes. In my first year racing at this event I hit the wall and broke a wheel. šµ The next year I gained some experience and won. In 2003 the city modify the track and made it longer and faster. During practice, I was just on it and completely satisfied with the handling and qualified on the pole. Out of 8 others. Then won both heat races. I started on the pole for the main event. At the start of the race, I pulled out a lead. Then on lap 3, I came out of turn 5 to get on the straightaway and to my surprise, a PASSENGER CAR was diving down the middle of the race track!!! I quickly caught up, going 50mph, I looked over and it was two grandparents in a Buick out for a Saturday afternoon drive. š³ I put my hand up, thinking what the heck?!? After I blew past them and the rest of the field raced past the Buick, the race officials jumped on the track, completely freaking Out! Yelling, "get off the track!" We all instantly pulled into the pits as the Buick tried to figure out what was going on? š¤¦ It's beyond me how a car got on the racetrack, they had police officers and the streets were blocked off. š¤·āāļøš But they did restart the race, I won going away as 2nd place blew a clutch halfway. I won a jet boat ride up the Snake River for winning the race. And I somehow dodged the radio interview š¶ Biggest race-winning prize I've ever won, with the craziest story š   |
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Post by Gary Davis on Jan 8, 2023 20:11:47 GMT -5
Man Calvin...what a great story and memory. I'll bet those older folks in the Buick was pooping their pants...looking over at you and in a racing cart with a helmet on looking like Darth Vader!!!  I wonder if they ever figured it out? Wonder if the officials figured out how they got on the Track in the first place. |
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Post by Calvin on Jan 8, 2023 23:11:33 GMT -5
Man Calvin...what a great story and memory. I'll bet those older folks in the Buick was pooping their pants...looking over at you and in a racing cart with a helmet on looking like Darth Vader!!! I wonder if they ever figured it out? Wonder if the officials figured out how they got on the Track in the first place. For the life of me, I still can't figure out how they got in. Im guessing some side road and they maneuver around lots of haybales...(  ) Im sure they were confused when go-karts started passing them!  I think Roger Penske summed it best back in 2018 when the pace car crashed...."come to the races, you'll see anything" |
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Post by Calvin on Jan 8, 2023 23:16:35 GMT -5
I think Im the first Karter in the history of Kart racing to pass a Buick lesabre on a race track during a competitive race.
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Post by bobbyc on Jan 9, 2023 5:44:45 GMT -5
That's crazy! Back east here there was a street race in Milford, Delaware that took place each Memorial Day. It was like our Indy 500. I still have fond memories of those races. I didn't know that other states also had them. I hope you didn't wake them up! LOL
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Post by kyledehart5 on Jan 9, 2023 8:13:09 GMT -5
Man Calvin...what a great story and memory. I'll bet those older folks in the Buick was pooping their pants...looking over at you and in a racing cart with a helmet on looking like Darth Vader!!! I wonder if they ever figured it out? Wonder if the officials figured out how they got on the Track in the first place. For the life of me, I still can't figure out how they got in. Im guessing some side road and they maneuver around lots of haybales...( ) Im sure they were confused when go-karts started passing them! I think Roger Penske summed it best back in 2018 when the pace car crashed...."come to the races, you'll see anything" This guy had to go and ruin it for amateur pace car drivers everywhere. Lol. Iāll never forget that. However, I canāt see Iāve ever seen a Buick on a racetrack before. Thatās nuts. The old folks were probably just as confused as everyone else. Lol. Similarly crazy, at a sprint car race here in Indiana at a local dirt track, some genius officials managed to send the water truck out onto the track while a heat race was going onā¦under green flag conditions. Nobody hit it thankfully but it was wild. Still not sure how they screwed that up. |
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Post by bobbyc on Jan 9, 2023 8:41:20 GMT -5
Damn! That's nuts!
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Post by kyledehart5 on Jan 9, 2023 11:32:42 GMT -5
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Post by raceparke on Jan 9, 2023 11:49:19 GMT -5
Calvin, looking forward to a Kit of your Kart. The diorama possibilities are breathtaking.
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Post by Calvin on Jan 9, 2023 12:04:05 GMT -5
That's crazy! Back east here there was a street race in Milford, Delaware that took place each Memorial Day. It was like our Indy 500. I still have fond memories of those races. I didn't know that other states also had them. I hope you didn't wake them up! LOL Yeah, we've had a few go kart races street races up here in the pacific northwest, over the years. Lol the older couple driving the Buick had to go through turn 6 and 7 and the officials were able to lead them out of the track. š¤¦ |
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Post by Calvin on Jan 9, 2023 12:07:49 GMT -5
This guy had to go and ruin it for amateur pace car drivers everywhere. Lol. Iāll never forget that. However, I canāt see Iāve ever seen a Buick on a racetrack before. Thatās nuts. The old folks were probably just as confused as everyone else. Lol. Similarly crazy, at a sprint car race here in Indiana at a local dirt track, some genius officials managed to send the water truck out onto the track while a heat race was going onā¦under green flag conditions. Nobody hit it thankfully but it was wild. Still not sure how they screwed that up. Now that's extremely crazy. |
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Post by Calvin on Jan 9, 2023 12:09:24 GMT -5
Calvin, looking forward to a Kit of your Kart. The diorama possibilities are breathtaking. Lol I sure hope my racing legacy isn't just with me passing two old people in a Buick. |
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Post by raceparke on Jan 9, 2023 14:40:37 GMT -5
I really did rotflmao at the image of āThe Machineā on track with a LeSabre.
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Post by Art Laski on Jan 10, 2023 1:00:49 GMT -5
That's crazy, Calvin! I ran a couple street races down here, too, but I wasn't in the Buick class!
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Post by racerbrown on Jan 10, 2023 8:24:51 GMT -5
Heck, it was probably your parents in the buick just checking up on you!
Duane
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Post by Calvin on Jan 10, 2023 10:51:28 GMT -5
That's crazy, Calvin! I ran a couple street races down here, too, but I wasn't in the Buick class! Lol yeah, I didn't realize It was the Buick class. Lol only on track pass I made during the race. š |
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Post by Calvin on Jan 10, 2023 10:54:59 GMT -5
Heck, it was probably your parents in the buick just checking up on you! Duane Lol no. š my parents aren't "cotton heads" yet. My dad was in the pits, stressed out. And mom was 108 miles away at home. |
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I wonder if they ever figured it out? Wonder if the officials figured out how they got on the Track in the first place.
) Im sure they were confused when go-karts started passing them! 
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