Neilson, Smith-Harden big winners at Grand Prix of Karting

June 7, 2021 | By J. Robert Gough, Publisher

Tony Neilson took home three Gussies and Devon Smith-Harden won three races over the course of the weekend to dominate the field at the Grand Prix of Karting in Quincy’s South Park.

Smith-Harden won two Gussies in the Shifters on Sunday and also won the Shifter kart sprint on Saturday.

The Gussie is the trophy given to the winner of the Sunday main events. It is modeled after the late race founder and karting legend Gus Traeder, who still watches the race every year from his spot in Greenmount Cemetery, just across 12th Street from the entrance to South Park.

**Gus Traeder’s grave across from South Park is decorated with checkered flags on race weekend. The Gussie was molded in his honor.**

There were 362 drivers from 19 states at this year’s event, the largest since it was resurrected in 2018. The first Grand Prix was held in 1970 and ran through 2001. The year with the most karts during that stretch was 1994 with 625.

Several Quincy drivers placed and took home trophies including Philip Smith Avery Scott and Riley Scott (who each nabbed second place finishes) as well as Tucker Cory, Jeff Scott, Bryan Smith and Bryan Strackeljohn. Full results are listed in the blue link below the video.

Former five-time South Park winning driver and current Grand Prix Race Director Rick Fulks and driver Mike Birdsell were also inducted into the World Karting Hall of Fame. Event President Terry Traeder also talks about the weekend.