Leonard "Pops" Haddock ­ 1915-2003 Tribute courtesy of Ekartingnews - www.ekartingnews.com There were few people who've traveled the karting circuits over the past 44 years who didn't know and adore Leonard Coleman Haddock, father to the legendary kart racer, Lynn Haddock. "Pops" and "Pop," as he was lovingly called by many, passed away peacefully at his Chattanooga, Tenn., hometown June 3 at the age of 87. He is survived and missed by his eldest son, Lynn, daughter, Sarah, daughter-in-law-Donna and grandchildren, Jody and Jennifer Haddock and preceded in death by his loving wife Jean, his parents and numerous brothers, sisters and racing friends. Long before Nike came up with their "Just Do It" slogan, Pops was saying, "Just pass 'em" to his son and other racers he would root for. With his simplistic nature, it's no wonder he and Lynn went on to become the highest achieving father-and-son team in karting's history with well over 100 titles in IKF and WKA competition. The trophy room at his Oak Street home in Chattanooga is a museum of karting history in itself with memorabilia dating back to karting's inception. No doubt, along with those forty plus years, are many cherished memories and stories to recount. The man, who was often recognized at races with his sideways-cocked cap, was a devoted father, husband and grandfather with simple needs and successful ideals for a winning combination. "Pops" was born as one of eight children Nov. 11, 1915 to Jesse and Murtle Haddock in Cohutta, Georgia. After enduring The Great Depression, he married his loving wife, Jean, in 1947 and their first child, Lynn, was born in 1950. Sister Sarah followed four years later. By trade, he was an extermination specialists and owner of Chattanooga Terminix Company, a successful business started in 1952 and sold in 1988. During his retirement, "Pops" continued on the racing trail with Lynn and made daily stops down the street to Haddock, Ltd., to check in on things and help out where he could. Lynn and his sidekick began racing in 1958 when Lynn was eight years old. Pops recalled in a 1983 KartTech feature written by Mary Emrich. "We were driving along one Sunday afternoon, saw a crowd of people, and stopped to see what was going on. Turned out, it was a go-kart track that just opened. We climbed up in the stands and watched. Lynn thought he was in pig heaven." In the following weeks, Lynn couldn't shake his thoughts of that Sunday afternoon and was well on his way to dismantling the family lawn mower to build his own kart. As Emrich described, 'Pops saw the writing on the wall, put the family lawn mower back together and bought him a fun kart intended just for fun.' Over the course of the ensuing months after destroying their yard's grass, they ventured out to an empty road way and then for practice days at the track. They promised Mom it was safe and they would 'take it easy' and wouldn't race. Eventually, they lost control of their promise and entered a race. After a while, it became difficult for the two to hide their Sunday racing adventures as word leaked out to Jean through the grapevine of their small town in Tennessee. "My name was mud and his too," said Pops. "We were both in the doghouse, but from that day on he was racing," he added. Realizing her son's successes and the relationship it provided the two, she eventually approved, rooted them on in their racing activities, but only came out to watch Lynn race on one occasion. It didn't take long for the two to figure out how to win and since their beginning years, "Pops" was not only a father, but a teacher, right arm and friend to the karting champion who accompanied his son throughout the world to racing events. "It's weird, I don't feel as if I've lost my dad, it's more like I lost my best friend," described Lynn. Pops took the good with the bad and never put pressure on his son. By the time Lynn reached his twenties, "Pops" main role was support and assistance, taking in both the wins and losses with equal doses and bringing the crew home behind the wheel during many late night drives back home. Throughout those years, he also "dodged the hangman on numerous occasions" as Lynn lovingly recalled. In the mid '70s, both suffered extensive burns after a barrel of fuel exploded on them at the Haddock, Ltd., shop in Chattanooga after taking a level peek with a drop light. In the late '80s, a trailer tire exploded during inflation, sending "Pops" to the hospital for stitches in his hand and later in 1992, he endured open heart surgery. Just two years prior in 1990, Jean unexpectedly passed away with an aneurism. In recounting his tales of their days together, it was easy to grasp he was an adoring and loving husband who suffered silently through the loss of his long time companion in his remaining years. For many years, he and Jean hosted an annual open house holiday celebration at their home for racers en route to Daytona for the WKA World Karting Championships. The Haddock home was certainly the place to stopover and site for many fun memories from kart racers who bypassed through Tennessee from throughout the country. Jean was the force behind the "trophy room" in the Haddock household and while the dust acquired on the collection after she passed, it was easy to feel her spirit amidst the cherished memories carefully placed throughout. Today, the peaceful spirit of "Pops" joins her in their pride for all of their family. "Everyone I know adored "Pops" and in the 20 years I knew him, I never once heard him say a bad word about anyone or visa versa," said Rhonda Mims-Brown, editor of Ekartingnews and friend of the Haddock family. "He was always in a friendly and positive frame of mind and a great support to Lynn and all the racers they befriended through the years. If you needed help or just someone to chat with, he was always there," she added. He was also ageless in the eyes of many where his appearance changed little from the mid '80s to early 2001. Even in his later years, "Pop" continued to travel with Lynn with his last race at Charlotte in March of 2002. Seldom did he complain, except when it came meal time and the rest of the gang was still bench racing in the hotel bar. Once fed, he'd happily retire and awake to a new day of racing that he so enjoyed. At the track, his favorite lawn chair conversations were prideful stories about Lynn, Sarah and of Jennifer's drag racing career and Jody's excellence in school. Over the past year, his physical condition began to deteriorate gradually but he remained active for a man of his age. He attended Jennifer's high school graduation the week prior to his death and drove his car down to check in at Haddock Ltd., to see what was up at the shop just the Wednesday prior his passing. Karting's legendary father was tops when it came to karting dads. Memories of his quiet and gentle sideline support will be relived and missed by many for a long time to come.