By Sherri Ellington Engines will be roaring and go-karts will be flying around the track as the Georgia Sprint Karting Association and Vintage Karting Association hold the 2011 Vintage Kart Winter Nationals at the Lamar County Raceway March 24-26. Vintage kart classes expected to be racing in the fifth annual event include two classes of single rear engine, five single sidewinder classes, two sportsman classes, three dual classes, a junior class, Clintons and power products. ’There were 26 WKA and IKF Winter National events held here from 1966 through 1991,’ said former GSKA president Bob Barthelemy. The GSKA revived the races at the track in 2007 with volunteers cleaning up and restoring what is now known as the Black Hills Circuit track. The track was originally built in the late 1950s by native Barnesville resident and businessman Richard Wilson and enlarged to its current configuration by him in 1965. There will be some celebrities on hand. Lake Speed, a 19 year NASCAR Winston Cup driver, will be in attendance along with Duffy Livingston who is credited with starting the sport of racing go karts at the Rose Bowl Coliseum parking lot in the early ‘˜50s. Lynn Haddock of Chattanooga Tenn., will have his vintage engine collection on display. Concessions and sandwiches will be available Thursday through Saturday. Thursday’s events include technical inspections and practice. Friday will hold more safety and practice events in the morning followed by a heat sprint demonstration. Saturday a Kart show will begin at 9 a.m., followed by group practice, more heat and feature sprints and demonstrations before awards are presented at 5:15 p.m. Last year the races included 93 entries and over 120 karts.
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