Racing is all in the family for the Stockwells. Avery, 9, and Howard, 12, are enjoying their third season of go-kart racing at Claremont Speedway. Their father, Kip, ended his career as a driver in 2008, driving in the NASCAR Busch North, K&N Pro and ACT series. Kip’s father, Lennie, raced at Thunder Road in Barre, Vt., in the late-1960s. Lennie’s late father-in-law, Alton Corey, raced in Concord, Vt., in the 1950s.
Working from Lennie’s one-car garage in Braintree, Vt., all of the family’s racing effort now goes into the go-karts. On a recent Saturday afternoon, Kip and Lennie work to set up the suspension for both of the Ohio-built karts, including setting them on scales to be sure the weight, including its driver, is within the rules.
It’s the same shop where Lennie and Kip built race cars to compete across the country, including Busch all-star races at Irwindale Raceway in California in 2003, 2005 and 2006. “We did really well against them, with what other teams had to spend,” Kip said.
Avery and Howard, who live in Randloph Center, keep plenty busy with go-kart racing and they also bowl competitively, play baseball, Avery races motocross and both boys race radio-controlled cars. And their father runs a repair and towing business their grandfather started and teaches diesel technology part-time at Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center.
The first of the Claremont Karting Series’ 14-race season was rained out on May 1 — which was fortunate for the Stockwells, because Avery and Howard were competing the same day at a bowling tournament in Bennington, Vt.
Two weeks later, the -mile track at Claremont Speedway was dry but cold — temperatures had dropped 20 degrees overnight. Trucks and trailers lined up for the pit gate to open at 10 a.m. Racers ranging in age from 5 years old to adults had traveled from as far as three hours away in Connecticut. The Stockwells pulled up in Frankenstein, their vintage delivery truck, with an enclosed motorcycle trailer containing their go-karts and tools.
After signing in, there’s the driver’s meeting. Introductions were made, race sponsors were thanked and officials stressed fairness and sportsmanship. “Everybody has an interest in the races, and everybody has a say,” said promoter Bruce Batchelder, of Springfield, Vt. Racers are split into seven divisions, dependent on their age and driving abilities. Go-karts range in price from a $1,500 used to $5,000 new.
Grandfathers Mike Orticari, of Randolph, and Lennie helped prepare Avery and Howard’s go-karts. After a couple of practices, adjustments are made to Avery’s car by his father, using feedback from the driver and a data-logging computer attached to the kart. Howard had one practice before the chain snapped due to loose bolts holding the engine on his new go-kart.
The drivers, cars and track may be smaller, but the intensity of the competition is the same. Vying for position on the track, racers work to make a pass that will either work — or not. When there’s a crash, they slide off the track and a corner worker picks up the back of the go-kart, points it in the right direction and they’re off again.
While both brothers are interested in racing, they have different approaches to the sport. “Avery’s a kid who still thinks like a kid. Howard’s all business,” Kip said. “Avery doesn’t want to work on them.” He said they have two different driving styles. Howard thinks through what he’s doing; Avery drives more freely.
Howard spent his heat and final race getting used to his new car, finding his way. Avery placed third in his 10-lap heat, followed up with a race to the front in the 25-lap feature race. On the last lap, Isaiah Hogan, 10, of Canaan, passed Avery on the left to win the race. “When you passed me, I almost peed my pants,” Avery told Isaiah after they were out of their karts.
While NASCAR teams are known to sign 10-year-olds to contracts because high school seniors are competing in their upper series, Kip Stockwell is happy to give his children a chance and see what happens next. “We just don’t know where this is going to take us,” Kip said. “We might get lucky.”
The Claremont Karting Series resumes their races today at Claremont Speedway. Gates open at 10 a.m., with practices starting at 11:30 a.m. There is no charge to watch the races from the grandstands. For more information, to go claremontspeedway.net.