By Kim J. Harmon

These are not 700-horsepower Chevys and Fords whizzing around a 2.66-mile oval like Talladega at 200 miles an hour, but it looks the same.

Only on a much smaller scale.

Every weekend at the Richard L. Shelton Speedway on Route 110, right there on the Monroe/Shelton line in a place known to many as “The Little Bristol of the Northeast,” drivers ages 5 to 62 strap themselves behind the wheels of their 9-horsepower machines and race around a 1/10th of a mile oval at 30 miles an hour while – like their NASCAR counterparts Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart – chasing after a championship.

A Nutmeg Kart Association championship, that is.

Nicholas Kopcik of Newtown is in his first year of karting with his sons Nicholas, 11, and Stephen, 9. Kopcik had this crazy notion that he was going to be spending much of the summer boating out on Candlewood Lake or Lake Zoar or someplace, but several months ago something happened.

His kids ran a few races.

And they loved it.

“The intention was to race a few times and then spend some time out on my boat,” said Kopcik. “But that has gone by the wayside. I’m probably going to have to sell my boat.”

The Nutmeg Kart Association was formed in 1973, founded by Richard L. Shelton. The Shelton family still owns the track, which the NJA – a non-profit association – rents.

John Latte of Newtown is in his fourth year with the association and currently serves as president. He also had four kids who operate a few of the 75 or so karts that hit the track each weekend and he likes what the association is all about.

“It is very much family oriented,” he said. “We have a 16-race season, a championship, and then a really big banquet at the end of the year. With the five year olds, we like to give them trophies that are bigger than they are.”

Kopcik also liked what he saw when he first went down to scout the NKA.

“I’ve known about the track for a long time,” he said, “and I went over there to take a look because I was concerned about what kind of atmosphere there was. But it was definitely a family atmosphere.”

That’s because the kids, the drivers, work on the karts with their parents. Like NASCAR, there are strict rules and regulations about karts and how they are built – not to mention how they are propelled. The karts buzz around the track at speeds better than 30 miles an hour and making them faster and better is what it’s all about.

“We buy the frames and then assemble the different combinations of tires, rims and motor,” said Kopcik. “You try to find the right combination. If you do, you win.”

There are 12 different divisions, from Kid Karts and Junior 1 Rookie up to Senior, Junior 1 and Junior 2. There may even be a smaller introductory division next year, according to Latte, in order to showcase karting for those who may be interested in giving it a whirl.

Sundays are typically race days and it takes a group of volunteers to make it all run smoothly. The NKA has a few people on the track crew and a few more doing the pre-tech and post-tech safety and equipment inspections.

It’s like a mini NASCAR.

“We’re having fun working the cars together and getting them to handle better and better,” said Kopcik. “The people there are excellent and we’ve made a lot of new friends.”

Besides the Kopciks and Lattes, the Danuszars of Newtown – Nick and his daughters Morgan, 11, and Kelsey, 7 – also hit the track regularly.

Stephen Kopcik, who won his first Junior 1 race last weekend, is third in his division with 1,160 points. Evan Latte, 11, is fourth in Junior 1 with 1,060 points. Morgan Danuszar is fourth in Junior 2 with 930 points while young Nicholas Kopcik is eighth with 510 points.

Kelsey Danuszar and Cole Latte race Kid Karts.

The parents get into the racing thing, too, racing the Super Heavy, Heavy and Lite divisions.

The season began in late April and ended last week and the banquet is coming up in November. And besides being a family-oriented association, the NKA is also a community-oriented one. It tries every year to give back to needy families, like raising some $2,500 last year to help a local woman recovering from ovarian cancer.

More people would no doubt like to become involved, but the initial investment in karting can run a little high – maybe around $1,000 to $2,000 for a used kart with safety equipment and the weekly fees adding a bit more.

But for Kopcik, it was worth it.

“My two kids have been riding quads and what not for a long time,” he said, “and they have been asking about dirt bikes. But karting seems to be a lot safer – and the track is right in our back yard.”

The 2007 season may be over, but a new one is right on the horizon.

Are you ready to hit the Speedway?