Fremont, Ohio, USA, August 30 and 31, 2025.
Running continuously, now for twenty four years and always over the American Labor Day weekend holiday, The Big One, is an event dedicated to remembering and preserving the karts and engines of American manufacture that were raced from 1956 to 1972, a period that some would say was the heyday of American karting.
Organized by Rob Voska and Bob Kurkowski, the principals of Rear Engine American Racers, the occasion attracted enthusiasts of classic historical karts from all parts of the USA and neighbouring Canada. The karts were mainly the marques that were made popular around the world by Rod and Custom’s Spencer Murray in his books Let’s Go Karting and the sequel, Karting Handbook, published in 1959 and 1960 respectively. There were Go Kart 800 and 1200’s, SAE’s, Bug’s, a Kavalla, a Rathmann, a RSK (Rolfe), original Foxes, Fox Mak’s and an example of a straight front axle Go Kart made by Fox after Fox acquired the Go Kart title, Dart’s, a Track Rabbit, a Cool kart, Lancer’s, Putt-Nik’s, Blackhawk’s, Hornet’s, Rupp’s, a King, Margay’s, an original Blitz and a Shoemaker Blitz. Engines were mainly McCulloch and West Bend with the odd Clinton.
What started as a few enthusiasts getting together to enjoy their old karts in 2001 has become one of the biggest vintage karting events in the world, and this year saw another bumper attendance. The Big One is two days of sideways sliding fun on the picturesque quarter mile asphalt track built sixty three years ago in June 1961 by the Hasselbach family in the town of Fremont, Ohio, about 30 miles south east of the city of Toledo. There’s no actual all out racing, just plenty of hot laps. Any American made kart and engine up to 1972, as well as home built or replicas are welcome. The engine must be located behind the seat and be fan cooled. Hard skinny tyres, a dry shoe clutch and a pipe or an oil shoe clutch and a can muffler are allowed. The event slogan is 'Run em the way they ran em'.
As well as two days of track time there is also one of the biggest vintage karting swap meets that you will ever visit. Here you will find the rarest and most interesting parts for old American karts and engines, not to mention early days karting literature.
A couple of famous exponents of American karting over the years attended the meeting. Notably, Jim Walter, a multi time winner of IKF Grand National Championships in the middle 1960’s and the early 1970’s. Duane Lieber, a works Big J Lancer kart team member from the same era and a winner of many major awards was another to stop by the event.
All the traditional features of the social side of the meeting happened as usual, namely the 50/50 drawing, as well as the ballots for the denoted prizes; not forgetting the tasty Lee’s chicken lunches both days.
The Fantastic Four Awards known as Biggies because of their small size took place after the Saturday afternoon lunch break. The owners of four outstanding examples of 1960’s racing karts were each presented with the coveted Biggie award to honor their dedication and commitment to keeping the spirit and the integrity of the early years of American karting heritage alive.
The recipients in no particular order were:
Vincent Boshar, Chelmsford, Massachusetts, 1962 Kavalla/McCulloch MC91;
Joe Kiene, Bluffton, Ohio, 1961 Lancer 'Charlie'/West bend 700;
Don Thompson, Chicago, Illinois, 1961 RSK Chicago Whistler/West Bend 580;
John Jessop, Loyall, Kentucky, 1960 Go Kart 800/Power Products AH58.
The Sunday free drawing open to all drivers at the meeting was this year for a Power Products engine that looked better than new. The motor was generously presented by Joe Kiene; Rick Violet was the lucky recipient of the fantastic prize.
All who attended owe a huge debt of gratitude to the founders of Rear Engine American Racers namely Bob Kurkowshi and Rob Voska for organizing such an outstanding celebration of the early days of American karting heritage.
Running continuously, now for twenty four years and always over the American Labor Day weekend holiday, The Big One, is an event dedicated to remembering and preserving the karts and engines of American manufacture that were raced from 1956 to 1972, a period that some would say was the heyday of American karting.
Organized by Rob Voska and Bob Kurkowski, the principals of Rear Engine American Racers, the occasion attracted enthusiasts of classic historical karts from all parts of the USA and neighbouring Canada. The karts were mainly the marques that were made popular around the world by Rod and Custom’s Spencer Murray in his books Let’s Go Karting and the sequel, Karting Handbook, published in 1959 and 1960 respectively. There were Go Kart 800 and 1200’s, SAE’s, Bug’s, a Kavalla, a Rathmann, a RSK (Rolfe), original Foxes, Fox Mak’s and an example of a straight front axle Go Kart made by Fox after Fox acquired the Go Kart title, Dart’s, a Track Rabbit, a Cool kart, Lancer’s, Putt-Nik’s, Blackhawk’s, Hornet’s, Rupp’s, a King, Margay’s, an original Blitz and a Shoemaker Blitz. Engines were mainly McCulloch and West Bend with the odd Clinton.
What started as a few enthusiasts getting together to enjoy their old karts in 2001 has become one of the biggest vintage karting events in the world, and this year saw another bumper attendance. The Big One is two days of sideways sliding fun on the picturesque quarter mile asphalt track built sixty three years ago in June 1961 by the Hasselbach family in the town of Fremont, Ohio, about 30 miles south east of the city of Toledo. There’s no actual all out racing, just plenty of hot laps. Any American made kart and engine up to 1972, as well as home built or replicas are welcome. The engine must be located behind the seat and be fan cooled. Hard skinny tyres, a dry shoe clutch and a pipe or an oil shoe clutch and a can muffler are allowed. The event slogan is 'Run em the way they ran em'.
As well as two days of track time there is also one of the biggest vintage karting swap meets that you will ever visit. Here you will find the rarest and most interesting parts for old American karts and engines, not to mention early days karting literature.
A couple of famous exponents of American karting over the years attended the meeting. Notably, Jim Walter, a multi time winner of IKF Grand National Championships in the middle 1960’s and the early 1970’s. Duane Lieber, a works Big J Lancer kart team member from the same era and a winner of many major awards was another to stop by the event.
All the traditional features of the social side of the meeting happened as usual, namely the 50/50 drawing, as well as the ballots for the denoted prizes; not forgetting the tasty Lee’s chicken lunches both days.
The Fantastic Four Awards known as Biggies because of their small size took place after the Saturday afternoon lunch break. The owners of four outstanding examples of 1960’s racing karts were each presented with the coveted Biggie award to honor their dedication and commitment to keeping the spirit and the integrity of the early years of American karting heritage alive.
The recipients in no particular order were:
Vincent Boshar, Chelmsford, Massachusetts, 1962 Kavalla/McCulloch MC91;
Joe Kiene, Bluffton, Ohio, 1961 Lancer 'Charlie'/West bend 700;
Don Thompson, Chicago, Illinois, 1961 RSK Chicago Whistler/West Bend 580;
John Jessop, Loyall, Kentucky, 1960 Go Kart 800/Power Products AH58.
The Sunday free drawing open to all drivers at the meeting was this year for a Power Products engine that looked better than new. The motor was generously presented by Joe Kiene; Rick Violet was the lucky recipient of the fantastic prize.
All who attended owe a huge debt of gratitude to the founders of Rear Engine American Racers namely Bob Kurkowshi and Rob Voska for organizing such an outstanding celebration of the early days of American karting heritage.
