The facility at Speedsportz Racing Park in New Caney, Texas, just north of Houston, is a model that should be copied by any new facility in the design stage. The venue features separate rental and competition tracks, which allows for events to be run simultaneously. This dual track set-up stops the track from losing valuable rental revenue when competition kart racing events are being run. It also puts our discipline of the sport on display for those visiting the rental track to burn some laps – have fun on track for a session, then watch the ‘pros’ do it while you’re waiting for your next turn. Drawing drivers from rental racing into kart ownership and competitive karting is a huge side benefit of the two-track design.

Engelking during his early years in karting – notice the engine is behind the seat.

One example of this opportunity is a very unique one. In this instance, the rental kart track is actually bringing a veteran karter back to his roots. Ken Engelking is 80 years-of-age and has been running at Speedsportz’ rental track for years. Last season, he finished second in their League Championship, and he finished second in the track’s one-hour Iron Man endurance race in February in 40-degree weather, just two days after his birthday. Ken is calling the 2022 season his ‘80th Birthday Kart Racing Tour’, and he’s trying to race at as many kart tracks as possible, both indoor and outdoor.  This month, he’s already run solo in another one-hour Iron Man and will then make his Speedsportz Track Series debut in 206 Masters this Saturday (August 20). He’ll follow that up with a league race on August 25.

“Ken is guy who has a passion for karting that has lasted for over 60 years,” commented Speedsportz co-owner and racing school owner Alan Rudolph. “He does it for the love of the sport – what else could you ask for? On-track, he’s very smooth and methodical. When he’s out there, you wouldn’t know that he’s 80 years old. You can definitely tell that he knows that he’s doing.”

Engleking now calls Speedsportz home, competing in the Briggs 206 Masters class.

Engelking is not new to karting, having bought his first kart in 1959. Ken was working part-time at Sears when he bought his first kart – a Hellcat – which led him to working at the first rental kart track in Houston, owned by Jim Teflos. An offer to teach the track owner’s nine-year-old son Johnny to drive evolved into Ken racing around the country for the next five years, winning races and championships in a Hornet sprint kart, and later a Hornet Marauder laydown. Ken left karting for the SCCA, and drove stock cars, supermodifieds, and Dwarf cars for many years, but started back up in karting in 2001, at the age of 59.

Fast-forward to 2012 and Ken worked as a driving instructor at the Pole Position indoor karting facility, but suffered a heart attack while racing in 2013. After triple bypass and two months of therapy, he was back at Pole Position once again. When the track closed a couple of years later, Ken began running league and endurance races at the Houston Karting Complex before starting up at Speedsportz Racing Park when it opened in 2017. Ken is now a regular in Speedsportz’ leagues and one-hour Iron Man endurance races.

Engelking may be 80, but karting is keeping him young. The EKN staff wishes him the best as he tackles the Briggs 206 class this weekend at Speedsportz.

Share on Facebook

Tweet