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Goodhope Speedway gives kart racers a place test their skills
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: June 17, 2013
Tucked away on Columbiana Road just off State Route 165 in New Springfield in Mahoning County is a different kind of track, where kart-racing enthusiasts of all ages descend on Saturday evenings during the warmer months to test their skills and perhaps walk away with a prize.
“Sometimes people race for trophies, sometimes for money,” said Dave Rutana, who has owned and promoted Goodhope Speedway for three years.
Rutana said the track has been in existence for about 18 years.
“Kart racing has a real following,” he said. “There is an entire social network that has sprung up around the sport. They have their own website, 4cycle.com.
“We get racers from all over—Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and as far away as New York and Maryland.”
The track at Goodhope Speedway is oval shaped and spans one fifth of a mile.
Rutana began racing at age eleven at Columbiana Speedway, which was about 15 miles from Goodhope.
“Columbiana closed about 15 years ago,” said Rutana. “We (Goodhope) have a dirt track, the one at Columbiana was made of asphalt.
“I met a lot of nice people who taught me some important driving skills at Columbiana Speedway, and now my two sons are racing as well.”
There are twelve different classes of racers at Goodhope Speedway, depending upon a person’s age, engine preference and experience, Rutana said.
“We follow the World Karting Association as well as Burris National Speedway Series rules, which include wearing safety gear like a helmet, neck brace, fire suits, racing gloves and special shoes.
“All of our racers pay for an insurance policy on the day of the event,” said Rutana.
The Springfield Township Volunteer Fire Department owns the property on which the track sits.
When the track is in use, there is always an ambulance on the premises. It is staffed by emergency services personnel, which includes a paramedic and an emergency medical technician. The township provides the crew and ambulance.
“The track pays a small fee to the township for the use of the ambulance and the crew is paid by track,” said National Registry Paramedic, Karen T. Philibin, who serves as chief of the Springfield Township Emergency Medical Services Division.
“We have been doing this ever since the track opened in the late ‘90s,” said Philibin.
She said the track is always crowded and it is quite common to see many residents racing with their families.
“It is a friendly, family-oriented and safe environment,” said Philibin. “The people who run the track are very good neighbors to the township. Any time a call comes into the township, they are always willing to let the ambulance go. Another ambulance and crew replace it immediately so there is always one on the premises.”
Unlike the go-karts that are featured at many amusement parks or backyard carts that may be limited to 16 miles per hour, racing karts can vary with some Superkarts reaching over 160 miles per hour. It takes just seconds to go from zero to 60 with a 125 cc shifter kart that has six gears. This kart is capable of reaching a top speed of 115 miles per hour on long circuits.
Art Ingels is considered the father of karting. A veteran hot rodder and race car builder at Kurtis Kraft, Ingels created the first kart in Southern California in 1956. Since then, Rutana said the sport has not only caught fire in the United States but it has spread to other countries as well, and is popular in Europe.
Rutana said karting is considered one of the most economic forms of motorsport available on four wheels, with the cost of a used vehicle around $1,500 and a new set up running about $5,000.
Most people have their own vehicles and protective gear, Rutana said, but it is possible to rent both at Goodhope Speedway.
“Depending on the class it costs about $75 to rent a kart, protective equipment, and take out an insurance policy,” said Rutana. “If you have your own vehicle the cost is about $25 per person.”
Goodhope Speedway operates from April to October on Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
“The top speed at our track is about 50 miles per hour,” Rutana said. “We recommend that people who are interested come here first and see what it is all about so they are familiar with the track and our age brackets.”
“My youngest daughter, Emily, has been racing since she was 12,” said Amy Clow, who lives in Columbiana County. “She is now 19 and has won seven championships. My oldest granddaughter, Sophie, is five and she is racing in the kids kart division.
“It’s great fun and we always know where our child is on a Saturday night,” said Clow, who is also the track’s photographer.
“There is some danger involved but if the racers have a general idea of what they are doing that helps eliminate it. Before I put my granddaughter on the track we had her practice in a kart in our yard. Goodhope also allows families to stay together in most areas, whereas other tracks do not.”
About a year ago, Kent resident, Jeff Kurtz and his young son, Jeffrey, decided to check out the track, and now the nine-year-old is a regular every Saturday night.
“My son has spina bifida so he does not have use of his legs and needs full-body braces to walk,” said Kurtz. “He wanted to do something where he could compete with children who did not have disabilities.
“We enjoy watching NASCAR and I had heard about this place so we decided to check it out.”
The younger Kurtz now drives a kart that has been adapted with special hand controls.
“It took a lot help from great sponsors and knowledgeable people to get involved in helping to build the kart so that my son could use it,” said Kurtz.
“Jeffrey loves it here. It is just like one big family, all the children are friendly and he really feels accepted.
“He is in the purple class and recently he won $6. He chose to donate it to the victims of the Cleveland kidnapping. That is the kind of kid he is. Goodhope really gives him something to look forward to. During the winter, he was counting down the days until it would open,” said Kurtz.