DRIVER OF THE WEEK (Nov 6, 2010)
Lori Taylor, Powder-Puff Class, is the Callahan Speedway Driver of the Week for Saturday, November 6, 2010. Driver of #51, she’s been driving go-karts for about six months. Lori teaches seventh grade at the Middle School in Waycross, GA.
She lives in Callahan and drives about an hour each day to get to work. Her husband, Marcus, and one of her two sons, Garrett, 6, also drive go-karts. Her younger son, Marc, will probably start racing when he turns 5, the minimum age for go-kart racing.
Powder-Puff, open to ladies 18 years of age and older, requires a weight of 325 pounds for both driver and kart. This means a lot of lead weights on some of the karts as some of the ladies need a lot of extra weight to reach the required amount. The combined weight must be 325 pounds at the end of the race.
David Hicken, joint owner of Callahan Speedway, built the engines for all three karts. Hicken Power is often seen at Callahan Speedway. I counted more than seven in just one heat Saturday evening.
Lori Taylor, Powder-Puff Class, is the Callahan Speedway Driver of the Week for Saturday, November 6, 2010. Driver of #51, she’s been driving go-karts for about six months. Lori teaches seventh grade at the Middle School in Waycross, GA.
She lives in Callahan and drives about an hour each day to get to work. Her husband, Marcus, and one of her two sons, Garrett, 6, also drive go-karts. Her younger son, Marc, will probably start racing when he turns 5, the minimum age for go-kart racing.
Powder-Puff, open to ladies 18 years of age and older, requires a weight of 325 pounds for both driver and kart. This means a lot of lead weights on some of the karts as some of the ladies need a lot of extra weight to reach the required amount. The combined weight must be 325 pounds at the end of the race.
David Hicken, joint owner of Callahan Speedway, built the engines for all three karts. Hicken Power is often seen at Callahan Speedway. I counted more than seven in just one heat Saturday evening.
DRIVER OF THE WEEK (Oct 15, 2010)
Cole Ivey, 15 years old, is the Driver of the Week for Oct. 15. 2010. He is a 10th grader at Yulee High School and the son of Chris Ivey. Though he has raced for only one season, Cole was the Speedway's point winner for that season.
He hopes to earn a degree in the business area when he goes to college and has his eye on a job as a State Farm agent.
Cole and his fellow drivers were the first to take advantage of Callahan Speedway's newest innovation, a scanning system which keeps track of all karts and drivers as they pass under it. It's called a Karting Scoring System.
David Hicken, one of the owners of the Speedway, said this was the only such system in Florida for go karts. Drivers must have at least a “day” card but can purchase one good for “life.”
They place the card on their karts over the right front spindle and regardless of how long the interval of racing, one pass under the scanner will provide those interested with the driver’s name, class, sponsors, speed, and place in the race, just to name a few.
Since David and James Wofford (co-owner) have set up a local Wi-Fi Internet system, it’s possible to keep track of the race anywhere on the field with a computer or even a “smart” phone.
Since some of the races are for money (the Box Stock 375, for example, means $200 for the --- race winner), this system also helps keep track of what’s going on.
Normally closed for the month, Dave Hicken and James Wofford held a special race for the Northeast Florida Fair at the Callahan Speedway Friday (Oct. 14) night. They got to work about 10 a.m. and drivers began showing up about 4 p.m. Racing and practice heats began at 6 p.m.
Most of the karts arrived in specially equipped trailers. This is a serious sport and all drivers from the youngest to the oldest (6 to more than 70) are very serious about it.
Test
Your Subtitle text
Sports -- Callahan Speedway Driver of the Week
DRIVER OF THE WEEK (Dec. 11, 2010)
Michael Smith, a 2007 graduate of Baldwin High School, is the Driver of the Week for Dec. 11, 2010. He lives with his parents, Melvin and Kathy Smith, in Baldwin, FL.
Michael is attending Florida State College Jacksonville and will become an Alir Traffic Controller.
He's been driving karts since 2003. His number, 90, recognizes his teacher, Matt Walker.
Michael runs all adult classes and, tonight, is running Box Stock 375 and Pro Box Stock.
He's on the right of the photo with his pit crew, Jerry Gaskins (L) and Jimmy Chapman (C).
Michael's sponsors include Gaskins Racing Team, Radical Racing Engines, Prowler Karts and T.J. Newton Motorsports.
