First Annual "U.S. Open for Pro Drivers" Kart Race

Barnesville, GA, February 29, 1976

Photos from the Haddock and Thompson collections

Cover of the Souvenir Program
The original qualifying results - saved by Dicky Wilson
Event ticket
The grid awaits practice
John-Boy and other members of the Haddock team
Lynn Haddock was off the pace all weekend
Pre-race entertainment
Ken Yagi's Hartman kart
The first qualifying heat - Group A vs. B - lines up for the start
Dicky Wilson and Randy Righettini bring the field around
Qual heat 1 ready for the green
Groups C vs D led by Junior Neal and Pete Michel head to the green
Neal and Michel are followed by Adkins, Speed, Haddock, and Dismore
Junior Neal leads Adkins and Haddock into the Wilson Twister
Same group with Bud Roll entering the frame
Terry Traeder leads Neal, Adkins, and Dave Thomas in the #25 in the Group A vs C heat
Dicky Wilson and Pete Michel lead the A vs D heat - Traeder and Speed on row 2
Michel leads Wilson, Traeder, and Speed at the end of the backstraight
The stands were packed for the first U.S. Open pro kart race
Neal leads Adkins, Haddock, and Ken Yagi
Adkins and Haddock battle for position
Michel leading Speed and Dismore
Scott Goodyear runs over Mike Popashell in the 17
Bud Roll and Doug Myer spin off at the end of the backstraight
Roger Smith leads Speed, Howard Combee, and a pack through the Twister
Roger Smith from Chattanooga
Jim Kutschenreuter on kart 7 trails Rick Williams in 32 and Wes Graves in 22 among others
Runt Denson (far left) comes by to see why Righettini is so fast while Bill Adkins turns wrenches
Righettini came from California and was fast all weekend
Too much excitement for this karter
Lynn Haddock straps on his helmet
Two Chattanooga drivers - Haddock and Smith
Someone on their head in turn one
More turn one action - notice there are spectators in the trees!
Goodyear and Popashell tangle again, this time at the other end of the track
Group B lines up on the outside - Righettini, Combee (46), Tony Colver (hidden), Rodney O’Meara (49), and Charlie Bellavia (10)
Righettini and Adkins bring the field down for the first final
Lake Speed leads Lynn Haddock onto the main straight
Righettini leads the field down the backstraight
Adkins leading Righettini and Dismore
Righettini leads Adkins and Dismore
Righettini ahead of Adkins and Combee
Tuner Bill Adkins, Randy Righettini, and Kyle Adkins
Righettini, Adkins, Dismore, and Thomas come to the green for the third final

The checkered falls at the end of an action-packed day

**Qualifying Results for the 1976 U.S. Open Kart Race**
Position	Kart No	Driver	1st lap	2nd lap	Best	Group
1	2	Dicky Wilson	23.95	23.74	23.74	A
2	34	Randy Righettini	23.81	23.75	23.75	B
3	35	Junior Neal	24.00	23.76	23.76	C
4	40	Pete Michel	23.90	23.79	23.79	D
5	3	Terry Traeder	26.04	23.84	23.84	A
6	46	Howard Combee	23.91	23.85	23.85	B
7	47	Kyle Adkins	24.06	23.87	23.87	C
8	25	Dave Thomas	24.32	23.90	23.90	D
9	12	Lake Speed	24.05	23.90	23.90	A
10	51	Tony Colver	24.57	23.96	23.96	B
11	1	Lynn Haddock	24.23	23.99	23.99	C
12	11	Mark Dismore	24.18	23.99	23.99	D
13	48	Bud Roll	24.53	24.09	24.09	A
14	49	Rodney O’Meara	24.31	24.09	24.09	B
15	52	Ken Yagi	24.58	24.15	24.15	C
16	44	Gary Hartman	24.69	24.18	24.18	D
17	18	Roger Smith	24.73	24.23	24.23	A
18	10	Charlie Bellavia	24.32	24.34	24.34	B
19	4	Scott Goodyear	24.40	24.33	24.33	C
20	13	Jerry McCart	24.46	24.35	24.35	D
21	7	Jim Kutschenreuter	24.84	24.35	24.35	A
22	32	Rick Williams	24.56	24.36	24.36	B
23	17	Mike Popashell	24.94	24.40	24.40	C
24	36	Jere Winegardner	24.83	24.40	24.40	D
25	22	Wes Graves	24.98	24.42	24.42	A
26	53	Jackie Harrison	24.44	24.76	24.44	B
27	54	Doug Cochran	24.71	24.51	24.51	C
28	20	Jeff Stafford	24.80	24.54	24.54	D
29	55	Mike McAllister	24.94	24.57	24.57	A
30	56	Leonard Carter	24.83	24.57	24.57	B
31	37	Chuck Young	24.94	24.59	24.59	B
32	31	Gary Woodbury	26.36	24.67	24.67	C
33	16	Johnny Baxley	24.70	25.43	24.70	D
34	5	Kenny Butener	25.04	24.80	24.80	A
35	50	Roger Mulwee	25.05	24.80	24.80	B
36	15	Chuck Detwiler	24.95	24.83	24.83	C
37	24	Paul Graybrook	27.12	24.85	24.85	A
38	19	Dan Sweigart	25.02	24.85	24.85	D
39	45	Greg Trimmer	24.86	25.26	24.86	B
40	39	Doug Mayr	25.22	24.87	24.87	D
41	6	Jack Webb	25.00	24.87	24.87	C
42	8	Ronnie Crabtree	25.65	24.98	24.98	A
43	9	Bill Love	--.--	25.00	25.00	C
44	23	Mark Gerke	25.09	25.07	25.07	B
45	28	David Tawzer	25.23	25.10	25.10	C
46	38	Greg Mayr	31.90	25.25	25.25	D
47	33	Terry Hayes	25.28	25.88	25.28	A
48	43	Jeff Palms	25.66	25.44	25.44	B
49	26	Stan Hutson	25.62	25.85	25.62	C
50	21	Bill Kalfas	25.64	25.66	25.64	D
51	30	Jay Cowley	26.51	26.30	26.30	A
52	27	James Harrell	27.24	26.94	26.94	B

A second page of recently discovered photos from the 1976 Barnesville Pro race

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