THE GO-KART YEARS  -   1979 - 1993

The son of Lenus, also known as "Peanut", and Kay Hestor of Middleburg, Todd began his driving career at the age of ten in 1979 while behind the wheel of a family owned go-kart. Actually, it was Todd's dad Peanut who first got Todd involved in auto racing at the urging of family friend, Cliff Loss of Penns Creek. Many may recognize Loss as the owner and proprietor of J C Specialty, one of the East Coast's best known suppliers of Karts and Karting services and accessories.

After attending various events throughout the East with Loss in the late 1970's, the latter began urging Peanut to enter his youngest son in some of the kart events that they were attending. And with that idea in mind, Peanut one day asked his son if he would like to race go karts. And from Todd, who spent years sketching sprint cars and winning awards for his drawings in local fairs, who idolized Bobby Allen and who years later would list his life's ambition in his Senior Yearbook as wanting to be a good and successful sprint car driver, came the answer that has today given us another top driver on the local sprint car circuit. "Yeah, yeah, I'll race," said Todd. And so it began.



One of Todd's earliest karts, which was kept in his mom and dad's basement (early 1980's)


Another early kart in the early 1980's


Todd proudly displays his first-place trophy after winning the first feature event of his career, having come at the Middlecreek Raceway. (early 1980's)


Todd celebrates his 13th birthday at the track in 1982 after wrapping up a championship at the Sunbury Raceway. The cake reads "When the green flag drops, the bullshit stops"


With great family support and an unmistakable racer's will to succeed, prosperity wasn't far behind and soon the checkered flags were falling Todd's way. And with those flags came the attention that all skilled chauffeurs need in the form of sponsorship.



Todd takes a break for the camera before karting at the Mifflintown Airport (early 1980's)


Todd proudly displays an issue of Area Auto Racing News with his name in it (mid '80's)


Todd takes a break while competing at the Park City Mall. Racing is a tiring sport! (mid 1980's)


Todd works his way to the front at Family Grand Prix Raceway in Leesport


Before long, Todd found himself karting on the road, racking up victories across the East Coast in six different states over the course of the next dozen years or so. From Pennsylvania to Ohio to New York to North Carolina, there are over 125 kart wins to his credit. The highlights of Todd's karting career occurred in 1989 and 1990 when he competed in the Eastern U.S. Burris Dirt Series and consequently won the championships.



Todd plots his strategy for the feature (1988)


Todd with good friend and engine builder, Henry Messimer, in 1988


Todd, in the No. 4, awaits the green flag at Banana Speedway in Lewistown in 1988


Todd leads the pack at Banana Speedway


Todd competes in a kart he designed and built at the Greenwood Valley Action track in Millville in 1990. It was a kart he had much success in and came to be known as "the money kart."