Few people know that the little city of Red Bluff is the birthplace and hometown of Outlaw Sprint Karts. These are not traditional play karts, or shifter karts that run on asphalt, these are more like miniature versions of the sprint cars that race at Chico’s Silver Dollar Speedway and in the World of Outlaws series. Caged, winged, high tech karts that simply fly around dirt tracks at speeds as high as 100mph.

More than 30 years ago, a number of race car drivers needed something to do during the winter off season so they gathered together and raced homemade go karts on a small dirt track. From that humble beginning the races slowly grew in popularity becoming a weekly event with dozens of racers coming out to race. In the past 20 or so years mostly due to the hard work and diligence of Bob Carrel and his family the sport has exploded into an international phenomenon. They have formalized the kart designs, making them amazingly safe; they have created racing protocols and regulations that have brought this sport to the forefront of the motorsports world.

At the end of the 209/2010 season Bob and Pat Carrel passed the torch of promotership to their son-in-law Ali Abbassi. “My wife Theresa and I are extremely excited and really looking forward to this season. This not only a unique but an amazing opportunity, and an amazing sport ….I’ve been involved in the Outlaw Kart racing for the past 22 years, And have watched a generation of kids and now their kids learn and grow in the sport …. I look forward to expanding the sport and working with all the race teams, sponsors, staff and other racing facilities across the country and abroad, hoping everyone has fun fulfilling experience enjoying first class racing.

October will mark the first official race in the Annual Winter Red Bluff Outlaw Kart Season. Hundreds of drivers, pit crews and fans will pour into the fairgrounds to watch some of the most exciting racing imaginable. The Red Bluff Outlaw Drivers’ ages range from 5 to over 60. Racers are divided into several divisions based on age, weight and skill. The weekly races have become a focal point of many families’ social schedules, traveling to as many as 100 races every year. Young racers learn good sportsmanship, self-confidence, as well as enjoying quality time with family and friends. Dozens of the Red Bluff Outlaw drivers have gone on to compete on a world-wide scale, competing in such series as The World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series, USAC, National Sprint Car and Midget Championship races, and every NASCAR level including the Sprint Cup Series. It is estimated the over 5000 drivers have run the Red Bluff outlaws in its nearly 30 year history.

If you enjoy racing, and if you have never been to the Red Bluff Outlaws, or haven’t been in several years, you owe it to yourself to come down and experience this incredible sport firsthand.