The first kart, a Sears & Roebuck model. I'm six years old.
A new helmet and the white gloves are because Herb Lewis raced in white gloves.
1965 and Mom and Dad have detailed the wheels and it's now powered by a Mc9.
It's 1966. Now we have a King Kart and the first trophy.
The number is made from electrical tape. Fancy!
Taken on track at Walter Hill the way it raced through the 1966 season.
Late in the '66 season - the trophy count is now at 4.
1967 and we switched to Komet power, sitting in pit out at Walter Hill.
1968 brought a new King Kart, a rule change brought a Mc49 engine,
and I'm at the Fairgrounds filming a show for WDCN public television.
All the class winners at a great little track in Loudon, TN, that was soon bulldozed for I-75.
I'm in the middle of the front row.
The summer of 1969 and the wins are starting to come.
Racing in the Fairgrounds coliseum during intermission of the motorcycle races. Teresa Gammoms, Brett Palmer, and me.
This place was slick as ice, narrow, and so much fun to drive!
Early in 1970.
We got a Bug Stinger in 1971. This was the setup for 1972 when we ran a Mac. I was in bad need of more leg room!
This was the setup for 1972 when we ran a Komet. Notice the steering wheel - we ran one of the
first adjustable pipes at Barnesville that year.
My first big win - the 1972 IKF Winternationals in Memphis in Reed Jr. driving for Tommy Crosby.
Same kart in 1973 but we added a "front porch" for more leg room,
the new Bug orange paint job, and the engines were now rotated 90 degrees from the old days.
My first 125cc engine on the Bug at Walter Hill.
Same setup and a little older me.
One of my most embarrassing moments - I clipped a haybale on the second lap of practice in a parking lot outside of Cincinnati.
Snapped the front axle and we were done for the weekend. That was a long trip for nothing.
The first "modern day" kart race at the Fairgrounds in April 1974.
I started 25th and won on TC's kart we prepared that afternoon. Darrell Waltrip started 27th on my kart and finished 2nd.
This combination started on the pole and finished 3rd at the 1974 IKF GrandNationals in Memphis.
After winning a race at the Huntsville Speedway in 1978 with my buddy Jeff Harwell.
1979 and we now have a Magnum kart. This was a shakedown run.
This setup with the Magnum and Atlas worked for over 10 years.
The insanity of the Owensboro, KY, street race. One year they loaded me in an ambulance, one year I won. What a fun race!
1980 at Tunnel Hill, GA, and the first season on sticky tires.
April 1981 and the Magnum is in "superspeedway trim" for the first race on the 5/8ths at the Fairgrounds.
1983 and I'm driving for William Owens on a Margay at Memphis and one of my first races on a Yamaha.
More street race craziness, this time in downtown Birmingham in late '83.
These races never seemed to run the full distance because there was always a huge crash and red flag.
Back to Birmingham the next season for some high-speed action at the Fairgrounds oval.