Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 61, Number 193, Decatur, Adams County, 16 August 1963 — Page 8

PAGE EIGHT

Kart Racing Grows In Interest Here —

By Mike Thoele Back in 1952 a man named Art Ingels from California bolted a lawnmower engine on a frame he had made from some old tubing and thus inaugurated a new American game. Ingels, by pirating his lawnmower and applying a little time and elbow grease, had not only freed himself from the drudgery of mowing, but in so doing he had concocted the first gq-kart and it was not long until the age-old combination of Yankee ingenuity and entepreneurship had plummeted the little motorized skates into a large and profitable business and put thousands of Americans behind the small steering wheels. About 25 or 30 of these Americans are located in the Decatur area and once every two or three weeks they hold forth at a little track located four miles south and one mile west of Decatur. Kart racing in the Decatur area is managed by a thrirteen-member group called the Decons. Neither a club nor a corporation, the Decons are an officer-less “mutual agreement” organization whose members have organized to promote a sport they all enjoy. The members include Bruce Schnepp, Art Krauss, Leo Ross, Don I4ay, Gordon Hisner, Parnell Hisner, Floyd Mcßride, Brad Mcßride, Ted Simon, Neil Keller, Dave Ross, Ronnie Hill and Roger Blackburn. One-tenth Mile Track The local track a one-tenth mile blacktopped course, is owned by Bruce Schnepp and is maintained and staffed by members of the group, who voluntarily mow the grounds and work on race nights. Racing of the speedy little buckboards,. which have undergone sweeping design changes since they were first invented, is an extremely sportsman like affair. As a rule there are no cash prizes, only trophies and usually plenty«of those so that over a period of time almost everyone is sure to win at least one or two. Most “karters” describe themselves as racing “just for fun” and arguments or disagreements between contestants are few and far between. More common is a sort of “espirit de corps" manifested in frequest loaning and borrowing of parts, advice and labor in the pits.’ In many instances go-kart racing has become truely a family sport. There are special children's or “junior” classes and bcasionally a “powder-puff” race for interested wives, daughters and girl friends is staged. The number of entrants in both these events is usually high. Nor has the sport been limited to the young. As Neil Keller, a member of the local group, points out, “The average karting age in the United States is 33.9 and going up.

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This average is really amazing when you consider that kids ca n start racing at 11.” Local Winners ' Keller; who works in the research and development lab of a Fort Wayne wire company, does much of the mechanical work for the go-kart enthusiasts in the area. Keller and three other drivers who run frequently at the Decatur track, Ronnie Hill, “Moe” Brewer, and Dave Prince, are consistent winners at several tracks in the area. Each of the four has amassed a sizable collection of trophies. Most of the members of the Decatur group race here, at Fort Wayne and at North Webster. All are members of IKF — the International Karting Federation — which provides rules, classes, safety regulations and insurance for competition events. The accident rate in karting is very low, being principally confined to occasional scraped elbows and bruises, when compared to the speed and action which characterizes the competition. Safety Regulations The Decatur track lap record time, held by Dave Diehl, is 11.85 seconds. The maximum speed which the cars reach on the Decatur track and most other tracks is about 60 miles per hour. A few are capable of more than this but IKF safety regulations prohibit straightaways longer than 300 feet, thus curtailing the speed. The regulations also require that drivers wear protective leather or vinyl jackets and gloves and approved safety helmets. All karts must be equipped with adequate brakes and other safety features and are subject to a rigid safety inspection. Since the cars and engines are so small driver weight is an important factor in competition and lighter drivers always fare Welland faster. Because of this gokarts are raced on a classification basis. Classes are determined by a combination of engine size and driver weight so that most of the competitors in a given race are evenly matched. There are about 25 or 30 go-karts in the Decatur area, though not all of them compete at the local track. About half of them are older and less speedy than the newer models. Consequently, the group which manages the track has already begun plans for initiating a new racing class for older machines next year. They hope to provide every kart enthusiast in the area with an opportunity to compete. Mid-season Championships The Decatur track has been in operation for three years: It was paved-two years ago and during the racing season, from April to October, races have been held there regularly. This Sunday the track will be the scene of the annual Decatur mid-season championship races, which is the biggest event that the local association stages, About sixty karts should be on hand for the event. Competitors from Fort Wayne and other neighboring cities will participate and an actionpacked afternoon is expected. There will be three heat races in each of five classes — junior, Astock, A-modified, B-single en-

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TIGHT CORNER — Several regular contestants at the Decatur go-kart track blast througn the curve at the west end of the blacktopped one-tenth mile course. The track's annual mid-season championship races are scheduled for this Sunday afternoon. —(Photo by Mac Lean)

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REPAIRS — Action in the pits is often fast and furious with other participants pitching in to help keep their fellow contestants in the running. Here John Bartkus, Bruce Schnepp, Parnell Hisner and Leo Ross make some hurried adjustments during a recent race. —(Photo by Mac Lean)

gine and B-duaT engine. If time permits there will also be a pow-1 der-puff race. A large crowd is expected for i the event and members of the De- I cons are hoping to set records for; both attendance and the number of I karts participating in the races. | Activity will start Sunday morn- 1 ing, with qualifications scheduled 1 to open at 11 am. The first heat race will get the green flag, at about 1 p.m. St. Mary's Township Rate Is Cent Higher A rate of 16 cents has been proposed for St. Mary's township, one cent higher than the present 15 cent rate, and a cent lower than the rate proposed last year, according to township trustee Noble Roudenbush. Doubling of fire protection, from 5600 to $1,200. a increase r n rare of cemeteries, from $225 to $300.) a cut of $125 to $250 for books,' stationery, printing and advertis-, ing, and a cut in miscellaneous expenses from $940 to $862, led to a budget proposed of $4,035, compared with $3,533 for this year. The 16-cent levy will raise $3,525, compared with $3,312 to be collected this year; $3,150 in 1962; $3,197, 1961; and $3,012 in 1960. If you have something to sell or rade — use the Democrat Want ids — they get BIG results.

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Supreme Court Judge Denies Jiminez Plea WASHINGTON (UPD — Supreme Court Justice Arthur J. Goldberg today removed the last apparent obstacle to extradition of former Venezuelan dictator Marcus Perez Jimenez for trial on embezzlement charges in his homeland. A Venezuelan police mission has been standing by in Miami, Fla., with a chartered plane for several days awaiting the outcome of last minute litigation by attorneys for the millionaire expresident. He faces trial in Venezuela on ■ charges of embezzling $13.5 mil. ■ i lion from the national treasury while president. > Goldberg, in announcing orally. . his decision rejecting' the latest effort of Perez’s attorneys to de- , lay the extradition, said that . Perez had received a “full, and fair hearing.” He added, "There is no merit to the legal argument now being pursued and a stay of extradition at this point could only delay and not prevent his ultimate departure." This was the third time the former dictator had appealed to the high court in maneuvers aimed at preventing him from be-

Winners Are Named In Tractor Pulling Keith Honegger of route 4, Bluffton, and Harold Dick of Decatur, were the two first place winners in the lightweight and heavyweight tractor pulling contest held Thursday at the annual Monroe days celebration. Honegger won first place in the 8500-pound lightweight division. The other winners in that division, in the order in which they finished, were: Joe Lehman, route 3, Bluffton; Walter Hildebrand, route 2, Decatur; Steve Hildebrand, route 2, Decatur; and Don Weber, route 2, Decatur. Dick won first place in the 10,000 - pound heavyweight division. The other winners in that division were: Eugene Weber, route 2, Decatur; Walter Hildebrand, route 2, Decatur; Arlen Mitchel, Monroe; and Steve Hildebrand, route 2, Decatur. Contestants pulled a lafge wooden sled loaded with a tractor and sandbags for 250 feet. As they passed down the cement course about 30 men boarded the sled. Weight was continually added until all tractors but one in each division were elimnated. Prizes paid in each division were: first, S2O; second sls; third, $10; fou;th, $5; and fifth, $3. ing turned over to officials of the present Venezuelan regime. “At some point litigation must end or ‘due process of law’ deteriorates into ‘abuse of process of law, - ” Goldberg said. The justice said he assumed that Perez Jiminez would be tried in Venezuela only for embezzlement and that he would be accorded all rights, including “a full and effective defense and counsel of his own choice.” Goldberg noted that Venezuela had assured the United States that these conditions would be met. During long consultations betweent he two countries concerning the ex-dictator, Venezuelan authorities agreed to drop murder charges against him and try him only for financial crimes. Federal courts held that these crimes were not “political" and therefore constituted grounds for extradition under the U.S.-Vene-zuelan extradition treaty. The action of Secretary of State Dean Rusk, in announcing Monday that the United States would extradite Perez, marked the first time that this counry had agreed o force a former head of state to be returned to his homeland. Burnt Food If food has burnt in a pan, shake soda into it, fill with cold water, and allow to stand on the back of the stove until the pan may be easily cleaned.

Checks Out Report Os Troubled Plane Adams county sheriff Roger Singleton made a check of the Hartford township area from the air Thursday evening, after reeelving reports of a plane sounding “in trouble” by several families last week. The state’s civil air patrol has been searching for a Muncie family of five since last week, after the plane had been reported as m'issing. Dr. and Mrs. George E. McCoy and their three sons had left Gallipolis, 0., Friday, August 9, and have not been seen since. * The civil air patrol has concentrated searches around Columbus, 0., Cynthiana, Ky.,’ and Versailles after original searches in the area of Connersville and then Richmond turned up no leads to the missing plane. The searches are now being concentrated 'in the area of Madison, in the southern part of the state on the Ohio River. Reported Thursday Singleton said this morning that he received a report late Thursday afternoon from Hartford township residents of a low-flying plane. Five or six families in the southeast portion of Hartford township reported hearing or seeing the plane which they described as “appearing to have engine trouble.” Sheriff Singleton checked previous reports on the missing plane and discovered that the Muncie family had left the Ohio town around 5 p.m. on the 9th. The Hartford township residents reported seeing the plane arour g ,7 p.m. on the same date —a, though the sheriff’s department was not contacted until yesterday. Air Search The local sheriff said today that he contacted Andrew Appelrnan, 123 S. Tenth St./who flies a private plane, Thursday and that Appelrnan took him on an air trip over the southeast portion of Hartford township. Singleton said today, however, that they searched for some time and were unable to spot any plane wreckage, or anything that would give a clue as to a plane crash. Although the Hartford township residents saw or heard the plane on the 9th, none of them reported hearing anything that would resemble the sound of a crashing plane. Youth Ordered To State Boys' School A 16-year-old Decatur youth was sentenced to the state boys school in juvenile court proceeding this morning, the second local boy to be sent to the school in the past two months. Barry Bodie, 16, who resides with his parents at 939 N. Tenth St., was sentenced to the boys school at Plainfield until the age of 21, for violation of his probation. Bodie was found to be delinquent in the local juvenile court June 6, for breaking into the Girl Scout cabin in Hanna-Nuttman park with another Decatur youth. Both were sentenced to the boys school at that time, but the sentence was suspended and both were placed on probation to Adams county probation officer Chris H. Muselman. House E«try The youth was recently taken into custody on suspicion of breaking into the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Thomas, route 1, Monroe, and he later confessed to the illegal entry of the home. Bodie signed a statement admitting breaking into the home Sunday, July 28, in the afternoon. He did not take anything. He also admitted breaking into the same home about three or four weeks previous, at which time he took a silver dollar. He entered the home both times by putting a stick through a small screen and lifting its hooks, and then tilting the screen and taking it out. He is the second 16-year-old to be sentenced to the boys’ school at Plainfield until the age of 21 for probation violation. Just recentlly Harold Curtis of this city was sent to the school, as he too had violated his probation. Three-Cent Hike In Monroe Twp. Rate A rate of three cents for fire protection will raise the proposed Monroe township rate from five to eight cents a check of the legal advertisement submitted by Charles Wulliman, trustee, shows. In 1963, $1,400 was required for fire fighting. Proposed for 1964 is a budget of $2,278, necessitating a three-cent rate increase. Also increased in the township budget was an addition of SIOO for care of cemetries, bringing the total amount to S2OO, and s4l increase in civil township expense, bringing that to s6ll. The township fund, excluding fire fighting, will be $3, 781, compared with $3,640 for 1963.

No Ruling Yel On New Trial Motion Severin H. Schurger, attorney for the now defunct school reorganization committee, said this morning that he had heard “no word” from Huntington circuit court Judge Ray Ade on the motion for a new trial filed by the north group opposed to formation of the North Adams school district. Those' opposing reorganization filed their motion for a new trial. Tuesday, July 30, at which time Judge Ade was out of the state on vacation. The Huntington circuit court judge has returned from vacation but is presently presiding at a murder trial in that court. Hie murder trial concerns a young man who allegedly killed an elderly woman in Warren, in Huntington county. Should the judge overrule the motion for a new trial, the north group would then be able to file an appeal with the supreme court, as their praecipe reads. On Tuesday, July 2 the Huntington judge dissolved a temporary injunction against formation of North and South Adams community schools. The motion for a new trial in no

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way interferes with the operation of North Adams community schools. Making Plan The North board continues to move ahead with plans for the coming school year. At a meeting on Tuesday evening of this week, the board liad a very productive meeting, and decided to continue both Monmouth and Decatur grade high schools for the coming year. The board also set attendance policies, transporation routes, registration rqutes, let coal and oil bids, etc., at that meeting. The exchange of records and funds is practically completed, Gail M. Grabill, superintendent, said Wednesday. At that time, Preble, Washington and Union townships had turned over their assets, and Root township was nearly completed with theirs. Decatur Residence Filled With Smoke An overloaded wire became hot and filled the Jack Philpot home, 13th and Patterson streets, with Smoke this morning. , The fire department was called a little after 9 a.m., but there was no actual fire, just a house full of smoke. No fire damage was done to the home.