Kart racing pioneer, promoter, founder

Hot-rodder and road racer Frank “Duffy” Livingstone (although he’d fight you about the title) is recognized as the father of the global karting phenomenon, launchpad for today’s top drivers. Seven-time F1 champ Michael Schumacher got his start at his father’s kart racing track in Germany. The many inductees who began in karts include Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, Scott Pruett, Michael Andretti, Tommy Kendall and Al Unser Jr. Livingstone friend Art Ingels built the first kart in 1956 at inductee Frank Kurtis’ race shop. When Ingels opted not to manufacture them in quantity, Livingstone did. Founded in 1958, Livingstone’s Go-Kart Manufacturing Co. in Irwindale, CA, was the first kart constructor and gave the vehicles their name, spawning imitators worldwide. Shortly thereafter, Livingstone opened the first purpose-built kart track, Go-Kart Raceway, and formed the Go Kart Club of America to promote the burgeoning sport. Now known as the International Kart Federation (IKF), it remains one of its foremost sanctioning bodies. The IKF’s national championship trophy is known as the “Duffy.”