Running continuously, now for twenty five 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. Report and Photos: Frank Weir
Published: 15 September 2026
Columns: Legendary kart
Fremont Raceway Park, Fremont, Ohio, USA, September 4/5/6, 2026
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 at TBO were mainly the marques that were made popular around the world by Karting World, published from 1960 to 1968.
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 five 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.
This year the Saturday lunch was provided by Max-Torque, the Chicago based manufacture of clutches used on the majority of vintage karts. The lunch was actually cooked at the event by Max-Torque’s Vice President, Jim Donovan, ably assisted by Dean Kanocz, who had travelled from Phoenix, Arizona.
The Fantastic Four Awards presentation, known as Biggies because of their small size, took place after the Saturday lunch break. The owners of four outstanding examples of early 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:
Chris Jessop Louisville, Kentucky, 1963 Percival Hellcat/Power Products AH61;
Mike Schlager, Buffalo, New York, 1969½ Rupp K Sprint/McCulloch MC91B1’s;
John McCorvey, Atlanta, Georgia, 1961 Putt-Nik Phantom/West Bend 580;
Randy Mapus, Castalia, Ohio, 1959 Dart (with factory rear axle conversion)/ McCulloch MC91B1
This year an additional Biggie, titled Achievement Award, was presented to Tom Kelley, Lindenhurst, Illinois, to mark the extraordinary successful effort he put into getting his 1961 Gilson /McCulloch MC10 running at the circuit.
The usual Saturday and Sunday free raffle drawing was open to all drivers at the meeting and on Sunday a free raffle was dedicated to the ladies at the meeting. Prizes included kart related lighted signs, T-shirts, tools, tires, oils, tire pressure gauges, kart covers and more.
Following the traditional Sunday TBO lunch of Lee’s Chicken, provided free by the promoters, it was time for more free raffle drawings. Dale Krashenko, from Sheffield, Ohio, known to all at TBO as Dr. Krash, won the Sunday bonus raffle for a Bell helmet bag. Items packed into the helmet bag were a Klotz vintage oil can, a bottle of Klotz oil, 2 rear T-shirts plus an assortment of vintage karting related decals, a TBO soda can cooler, a tool box plaque, a new Max-Torque clutch, a copy of the recently published book titled Pioneering American Karts and $250 in cash.
It was fitting that Dr. Krash was the winner of the bonus raffle as his wife had organised the production of a huge number of cookies decorated with TBO information marking the silver jubilee of the event.
On both days a 50/50 was operated resulting a cheap weekend for two TBO participants.
All who attended the meeting owed 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.
© Report and Photos: Frank Weir
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 at TBO were mainly the marques that were made popular around the world by Karting World, published from 1960 to 1968.
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 five 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.
This year the Saturday lunch was provided by Max-Torque, the Chicago based manufacture of clutches used on the majority of vintage karts. The lunch was actually cooked at the event by Max-Torque’s Vice President, Jim Donovan, ably assisted by Dean Kanocz, who had travelled from Phoenix, Arizona.
The Fantastic Four Awards presentation, known as Biggies because of their small size, took place after the Saturday lunch break. The owners of four outstanding examples of early 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:
Chris Jessop Louisville, Kentucky, 1963 Percival Hellcat/Power Products AH61;
Mike Schlager, Buffalo, New York, 1969½ Rupp K Sprint/McCulloch MC91B1’s;
John McCorvey, Atlanta, Georgia, 1961 Putt-Nik Phantom/West Bend 580;
Randy Mapus, Castalia, Ohio, 1959 Dart (with factory rear axle conversion)/ McCulloch MC91B1
This year an additional Biggie, titled Achievement Award, was presented to Tom Kelley, Lindenhurst, Illinois, to mark the extraordinary successful effort he put into getting his 1961 Gilson /McCulloch MC10 running at the circuit.
The usual Saturday and Sunday free raffle drawing was open to all drivers at the meeting and on Sunday a free raffle was dedicated to the ladies at the meeting. Prizes included kart related lighted signs, T-shirts, tools, tires, oils, tire pressure gauges, kart covers and more.
Following the traditional Sunday TBO lunch of Lee’s Chicken, provided free by the promoters, it was time for more free raffle drawings. Dale Krashenko, from Sheffield, Ohio, known to all at TBO as Dr. Krash, won the Sunday bonus raffle for a Bell helmet bag. Items packed into the helmet bag were a Klotz vintage oil can, a bottle of Klotz oil, 2 rear T-shirts plus an assortment of vintage karting related decals, a TBO soda can cooler, a tool box plaque, a new Max-Torque clutch, a copy of the recently published book titled Pioneering American Karts and $250 in cash.
It was fitting that Dr. Krash was the winner of the bonus raffle as his wife had organised the production of a huge number of cookies decorated with TBO information marking the silver jubilee of the event.
On both days a 50/50 was operated resulting a cheap weekend for two TBO participants.
All who attended the meeting owed 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.
© Report and Photos: Frank Weir
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