THREE TEAM PSL KARTING PILOTS SCORE VICTORIES AT TEXAS PROKART CHALLENGE

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:16:20 -0400

Nathan Mauel, Parker Chase and Emiliano Richards put PSL/CRG on top in Texas

Trois-Rivières - Taking on a new series in 2013, karting powerhouse Team PSL Karting would make their presence known in the Lone Star State. Recently competing at the opening rounds of the Texas ProKart Challenge at the Dallas Karting Complex (DKC) in Caddo Mills, Texas, a trio of drivers would put the PSL/CRG package on top in three different classes. Totaling three victories and three additional podium finishes, Team PSL Karting would leave Texas with a bevy of impressive results.

"Parker, being only his second year in a nationally ranked series, was quite impressive." - Andrew Campbell

"This series is a real mix of drivers and chassis, and overall the CRGs were consistently in the top-three in all classes entered, including non-PSL branded karts," explained Andrew Campbell, PSL Karting USA Team Manager.

In the youngest Rotax Micro Max division, Mexican pilot Emiliano Richards showed lots of potential at the DKC event. Overcoming a disqualification in qualifying, the rising talent moved through the pack in the first heat to claim the second place and earn fast lap honours. Another DQ in heat two was quickly diminished when Richards would come charging to take over the lead on lap eight of the final. Leading the remaining laps, Richards was again the fastest kart on track en route to his nearly three second victory. The young gun would add a second place podium finish to his weekend on Sunday, after leading the majority of the race before falling back a position in the closing laps.

New PSL recruit parker Chase would be back in action with the team, taking on the competitive Rotax Mini Max class. In his quest for a Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals Mini Max invitation, the Texas resident would look to be on his game at the opening two rounds. Working with Campbell as coach and tuner, Chase would clock fifth quick in Saturday’s qualifying and post solid results of second and fourth in the two heats. Making a smart pass on the final circuit of the day's main event, Chase moved from third to the lead and claimed the victory at the checkered flag. Sunday saw Chase improve from sixth in qualifying to fourth in the one heat race, as heat two was eliminated in all classes. Showing the speed of his PSL/CRG in the final, Chase was able to add a third place podium finish to his weekend accomplishments.

"Parker, being only his second year in a nationally ranked series, was quite impressive," added Campbell, driver coach and tuner for Chase. "The young pilot is easy to coach, and takes to instructions like a veteran racer. With more experience, he could be a big threat for his competitors."

"PSL has been looking to make a real presence in the state of Texas." - Andrew Campbell

Rotax DD2 pilot Nathan Mauel added to Team PSL Karting's results in Texas. Having just received his DD2 chassis from PSL a few days prior to the event, and running a box-stock engine, the multi-time Team USA pilot posted seconds across the board on Saturday, earning a podium finish and taking fast lap honours in heat two. On Sunday, Mauel moved from third in qualifying to second in the heat, and was able to score the day's win in the DD2 class by 3.836 seconds.

ROUND 3 OF CALIFORNIA PROKART CHALLENGE PRODUCES NUMBER OF REPEAT WINNERS

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:53:31 -0400

The Russell Karting Specialties/L & T Manufacturing Route 66 Sprint Series presented by Bridgestone/Margay and Grand Products kicked off the 2013 season at New Castle Motorsports Park on May 4th and 5th in New Castle, IN. The event was sponsored by Bestway Drywall, Inc. 266 entries competed over the weekend under mostly dry conditions with only a few races on Sunday having to mount up the rain tires. Brandon Lemke was able to capture three class wins over the weekend in Yamaha Sportsman I and II and Komet Sportsman I. Double class winners included Mark Fineis in Yamaha Rookie I and II, Becker Reardon in Yamaha Junior Heavy and Lite and Billy Lewis in Leopard 125 I and the Jim Russell Memorial Leopard race.

The state-of-the-art New Castle Motorsports Park (NCMP) is a favorite among many racers due to the continued improvements done to the facility.
New bench seating lined the pit hot grid which replaced the old pit fencing.
After the completion of racing on Saturday, a free chicken dinner was served to all in attendance sponsored by Bestway Drywall/Branscum family. A trophy presentation was done before the dinner where the top five in each class
from Saturday’s races received their eagle and gold cup awards on the new
iKart awards podium. A big thank you goes out to Mike Adams and the
Dismore family for hosting the Route 66 Series at their great facility.

The first final racing on Saturday was the Hollywood Crane Service Kid Kart I Championship class paced by pre-final winner Carter Anderson. Camrin Cass took the lead on lap one and led every lap to take the win. An off track event early in the race coming out of the final turn dropped Donald Whorton and Carter Anderson back to second and third. Pierce Sondrup and Conner Churchill rounded out the top five in the 15 kart field.
The next final racing was the RLV Yamaha Senior Lite class with 16 entries. Pre-final winner and fast qualifier Camden Speth and Sam Cate paced the start.

Cate grabbed the lead into turn two with Speth, Ben Hewitt and Brad Brittin close behind. Speth moved to the point about mid-race and Brittin worked by Hewitt for third place. Cate took the lead back on the final lap however Speth (Arrow) drafted by Cate for the win on the final lap. Brittin, Hewitt and Adam Crepin rounded out the top five.

The Triple E Sales Yamaha Sportsman I class gridded next with a large field of 23 entries. Pre-final winner Brandon Lemke took the lead at the start followed closely by David Malukas and Zach Holden. The front trio would gradually pull away to a huge 14 second gap to battle for the win. The next pack of Alex Bertagnoli, Giovanni Bromante and Drew Lindley were battling for fourth place.
Sam Mayer, Austin Schaff, Luke Fineis, Jason Welage and Dillon Schwanbeck
joined the pack next battling for fourth through 10th. On the final lap, Holden drafted by Malukas into the final turn to claim second with Lemke (Merlin) taking the win by just .034 seconds. Fineis and Bromante rounded out the top five after
karts went about five wide through the final turn.

The Yamaha Junior Heavy class sponsored by Woltjer Racing Engines was up next with 15 entries. Pre-final winner Becker Reardon and Kenlen Morse paced the start. Morse grabbed the early lead however Reardon moved to the point by lap two followed by Olivia Horn and Killian Keaveny. Horn moved to the lead next until Reardon (Birel) would take the lead for good edging Horn by .684 seconds. Morse, Keaveny and Emily Hulbert rounded out the top five.

The Franklin Motorsports Leopard 125 I class staged next. Mark Dismore Jr. and Billy Lewis paced the field at the start. Lewis took the lead into turn two followed by Dismore, Crepin and Sam Cate. Dismore held second for most of the race until Crepin was able to work by him. Lewis (Ultimate Karts) pulled out to a small .971 second lead at the finish over Crepin. Dismore, Cate and Chase Jones rounded out the top five.

The next class racing was the Jet Karting Yamaha Rookie I class with 17 entries.
Mark Fineis took the lead at the start and began to pull away from the field. James Lynch was able to catch Fineis and draft with him for a while. Fineis (Birel) took the win by 1.5 seconds over Lynch with Andrew Castelucci, Caden Paskiewicz and Talan Drake rounding out the top five.

The Ballistic Designs Yamaha Masters class gridded next for their final with Matthew Roberts and George Wilson pacing the start. Wilson led the first few laps followed by Brian Zirves and Roberts. Roberts (Margay) eventually worked his way to the front and pulled away to a seven second win over Wilson, Zirves, Dave Timmerman and Brian Julien.

Next up was the Schwanbeck Family Racing Komet Sportsman I class with 13 entries. Pre-final winner Brandon Lemke and Alex Bertagnoli paced the field at the start. Lemeke grabbed the lead and gradually pulled away from the field leaving David Malukas, Sam Mayer, Austin Schaff, Bertagnoli, Giovanni Bromante and Stephen Dial battling for second. Lemke (Merlin) pulled out to a 11.5 second lead at the finish. Malukas edged Schaff at the finish for second place by just .082 seconds and Mayer and Bertagnoli rounded out the top five.

After the completion of the Saturday finals, a special 20 lap event called the Jim Russell Memorial Leopard race was held. Ten drivers were competing for the $750 first place check and special event trophies for the top three. Mark Dismore Jr. and Billy Lewis paced the field at the start. Dismore got knocked off the track on lap one and was working hard to catch the lead pack of Lewis, Armin Cavkusic, Adam Crepin, Chase Jones, Colton Ramsey and Jimmy Clark. Dismore eventually worked his way up to second place, however would fade to fourth by the end of the race. Adam Crepin worked his way into second place and was challenging Lewis for the win, however Lewis (Ultimate Karts) held of Crepin by .161 seconds at the finish. Clark, Dismore and Ramsey rounded out the top five. Clark also won a set of Bridgestone tires for qualifying in the fifth position.

At the Sunday morning driver’s meeting, a set of Bridgestone YLC tires was given away to Matthew Roberts in a drawing sponsored by Margay/Bridgestone. After one round of practice, eight classes of racing took place with 8-lap pre-finals and 10-lap finals.

The first final racing on Sunday was the Haddock Limited Komet class. A few small rain showers on Sunday had wetted down the track enough to call for rain tires. Pre-final winner Christian Besasie and Brad Brittin paced the field at the start. Brittin grabbed the early lead and Besasie was off the track on lap one. Kilian Keaveny (Top Kart) worked his way through the field and pulled out to a 15 second win at the finish. Ryan Weyer, Kyle Gluth, Brittin and Brenden Trent rounded out the top five.

Next up was the Express Karts & Parts Komet Sportsman II class with 13 entries.
The track was still wet enough to require rain tires. Austin Schaff and Sam Mayer battled for the lead early in the race followed by Dillon Schwanbeck. Mayer moved to the point mid-race and held the lead until the final lap where Schaff (Merlin) was able to draft by and take the win by .131 seconds. Schwanbeck edged Mayer for second followed by Brandon Lemke and David Malukas rounding out the top five.

The Hollywood Crane Service Kid Kart II Championship class was racing next
paced by pre-final winner Donald Whorton and Camrin Cass. The track remained wet enough to require rain tires. Whorton led the first few laps until Cass and Aidan Hinds drafted by him on the long straightaway. Hinds pulled out to a 2.5 second win over Cass followed by Christian Franchuck, Whorton and Carter Anderson making the top-five podium.

The next final gridding was the Laukaitis Racing Yamaha Senior Heavy class with 17 entries. The track had dried out enough that rain tires were no longer required. Sam Cate and Justin Vancil paced the start on a still somewhat slick track from the rain. Vancil, Collin Griffin and Cate mixed it up for the lead in the early going. Cate was able to break away to a slight lead until Nicky DeFronzo ran him down and passed him for the lead. DeFronzo got off the track in the last corner on lap seven allowing Cate (Tony Kart) to take the win by .631 seconds over Griffin with Vancil, Ben Hewitt and Adam Crepin rounding out the top five.

The Yamaha Junior Lite class sponsored by Comet Kart Sales was up next.
Pre-final winner Kilian Keaveny and Ryan Weyer paced the start. Keaveny and Becker Reardon were battling for the lead when Reardon slipped off the track coming out of turn 17. Reardon (Birel) was able to work his way back to the front and pass Keaveny for the win by just .11 seconds. Dillon Morley, Keneln Morse and Emily Hurlbert rounded out the top five.

The next class racing was the Switch Racing Engines Yamaha Sportsman II class with 23 entries. David Malukas took the lead into turn two followed by Brandon Lemke and Sam Mayer. Lemke (Merlin) moved to the lead on lap four and held off Malukas at the finish by 1.4 seconds. Zach Holden, Mayer and Drew Lindley rounded out the top five.

Next up was the Leopard 125 II class sponsored by Kart Lift paced by pre-final winner Colton Ramsey and Adam Crepin. Crepin took the lead into turn two followed by Ramsey, Chase Jones and Sam Cate. Cate would drop out on lap four leaving Crepin, Jones and Ramsey to battle for the win. Crepin (Merlin) held on for the win over Jones with Ramsey, Jimmy Clark and Armin Cavkusic rounding out the top five. Ramsey set the fastest race lap at 1:06.546.

The last class racing on Sunday was the Yamaha Rookie II class sponsored by CKT Racing Engines. Mark Finies (Merlin) dominated the race much like Saturday pulling out to a nine second lead at the finish. Andrew Castelucci, Carter Cass, James Lynch and Talan Drake rounded out the top five at the finish.

Merlin chassis captured the most wins over the weekend with six followed by Birel (3), Ultimate (2) and Margay, Arrow, Tony Kart and Top Kart with one win each. For the complete race results, visit www.mylaps.com.

The next round of the 2013 Route 66 Series will be held at Jet Karting at Michiana on June 14th and 16th. A special Yamaha Junior Shootout money race sponsored by QPS Employment Group will be held on Saturday after the finals. Pre-entries must be post marked by May 27 to receive the discount. Friday practice will be available. All entrants will have a chance to win a set of Bridgestone YLC tires in a drawing held at the Sunday morning driver’s meeting. For more information about Jet Karting at Michiana, visit www.jetkarting.com. For more information about the Route 66 Sprint Series, visit www.Route66KartRacing.com.

Lemke Triples at NCMP Route 66 Series Season Opener

Thu, 9 May 2013 15:45:32 -0400

The Russell Karting Specialties/L & T Manufacturing Route 66 Sprint Series presented by Bridgestone/Margay and Grand Products kicked off the 2013 season at New Castle Motorsports Park on May 4th and 5th in New Castle, IN. The event was sponsored by Bestway Drywall, Inc. 266 entries competed over the weekend under mostly dry conditions with only a few races on Sunday having to mount up the rain tires. Brandon Lemke was able to capture three class wins over the weekend in Yamaha Sportsman I and II and Komet Sportsman I. Double class winners included Mark Fineis in Yamaha Rookie I and II, Becker Reardon in Yamaha Junior Heavy and Lite and Billy Lewis in Leopard 125 I and the Jim Russell Memorial Leopard race.

The state-of-the-art New Castle Motorsports Park (NCMP) is a favorite among many racers due to the continued improvements done to the facility.
New bench seating lined the pit hot grid which replaced the old pit fencing.
After the completion of racing on Saturday, a free chicken dinner was served to all in attendance sponsored by Bestway Drywall/Branscum family. A trophy presentation was done before the dinner where the top five in each class
from Saturday’s races received their eagle and gold cup awards on the new
iKart awards podium. A big thank you goes out to Mike Adams and the
Dismore family for hosting the Route 66 Series at their great facility.

The first final racing on Saturday was the Hollywood Crane Service Kid Kart I Championship class paced by pre-final winner Carter Anderson. Camrin Cass took the lead on lap one and led every lap to take the win. An off track event early in the race coming out of the final turn dropped Donald Whorton and Carter Anderson back to second and third. Pierce Sondrup and Conner Churchill rounded out the top five in the 15 kart field.

The next final racing was the RLV Yamaha Senior Lite class with 16 entries. Pre-final winner and fast qualifier Camden Speth and Sam Cate paced the start.

Cate grabbed the lead into turn two with Speth, Ben Hewitt and Brad Brittin close behind. Speth moved to the point about mid-race and Brittin worked by Hewitt for third place. Cate took the lead back on the final lap however Speth (Arrow) drafted by Cate for the win on the final lap. Brittin, Hewitt and Adam Crepin rounded out the top five.

The Triple E Sales Yamaha Sportsman I class gridded next with a large field of 23 entries. Pre-final winner Brandon Lemke took the lead at the start followed closely by David Malukas and Zach Holden. The front trio would gradually pull away to a huge 14 second gap to battle for the win. The next pack of Alex Bertagnoli, Giovanni Bromante and Drew Lindley were battling for fourth place.
Sam Mayer, Austin Schaff, Luke Fineis, Jason Welage and Dillon Schwanbeck
joined the pack next battling for fourth through 10th. On the final lap, Holden drafted by Malukas into the final turn to claim second with Lemke (Merlin) taking the win by just .034 seconds. Fineis and Bromante rounded out the top five after
karts went about five wide through the final turn.

The Yamaha Junior Heavy class sponsored by Woltjer Racing Engines was up next with 15 entries. Pre-final winner Becker Reardon and Kenlen Morse paced the start. Morse grabbed the early lead however Reardon moved to the point by lap two followed by Olivia Horn and Killian Keaveny. Horn moved to the lead next until Reardon (Birel) would take the lead for good edging Horn by .684 seconds. Morse, Keaveny and Emily Hulbert rounded out the top five.

The Franklin Motorsports Leopard 125 I class staged next. Mark Dismore Jr. and Billy Lewis paced the field at the start. Lewis took the lead into turn two followed by Dismore, Crepin and Sam Cate. Dismore held second for most of the race until Crepin was able to work by him. Lewis (Ultimate Karts) pulled out to a small .971 second lead at the finish over Crepin. Dismore, Cate and Chase Jones rounded out the top five.

The next class racing was the Jet Karting Yamaha Rookie I class with 17 entries.
Mark Fineis took the lead at the start and began to pull away from the field. James Lynch was able to catch Fineis and draft with him for a while. Fineis (Birel) took the win by 1.5 seconds over Lynch with Andrew Castelucci, Caden Paskiewicz and Talan Drake rounding out the top five.

The Ballistic Designs Yamaha Masters class gridded next for their final with Matthew Roberts and George Wilson pacing the start. Wilson led the first few laps followed by Brian Zirves and Roberts. Roberts (Margay) eventually worked his way to the front and pulled away to a seven second win over Wilson, Zirves, Dave Timmerman and Brian Julien.

Next up was the Schwanbeck Family Racing Komet Sportsman I class with 13 entries. Pre-final winner Brandon Lemke and Alex Bertagnoli paced the field at the start. Lemeke grabbed the lead and gradually pulled away from the field leaving David Malukas, Sam Mayer, Austin Schaff, Bertagnoli, Giovanni Bromante and Stephen Dial battling for second. Lemke (Merlin) pulled out to a 11.5 second lead at the finish. Malukas edged Schaff at the finish for second place by just .082 seconds and Mayer and Bertagnoli rounded out the top five.

After the completion of the Saturday finals, a special 20 lap event called the Jim Russell Memorial Leopard race was held. Ten drivers were competing for the $750 first place check and special event trophies for the top three. Mark Dismore Jr. and Billy Lewis paced the field at the start. Dismore got knocked off the track on lap one and was working hard to catch the lead pack of Lewis, Armin Cavkusic, Adam Crepin, Chase Jones, Colton Ramsey and Jimmy Clark. Dismore eventually worked his way up to second place, however would fade to fourth by the end of the race. Adam Crepin worked his way into second place and was challenging Lewis for the win, however Lewis (Ultimate Karts) held of Crepin by .161 seconds at the finish. Clark, Dismore and Ramsey rounded out the top five. Clark also won a set of Bridgestone tires for qualifying in the fifth position.

At the Sunday morning driver’s meeting, a set of Bridgestone YLC tires was given away to Matthew Roberts in a drawing sponsored by Margay/Bridgestone. After one round of practice, eight classes of racing took place with 8-lap pre-finals and 10-lap finals.

The first final racing on Sunday was the Haddock Limited Komet class. A few small rain showers on Sunday had wetted down the track enough to call for rain tires. Pre-final winner Christian Besasie and Brad Brittin paced the field at the start. Brittin grabbed the early lead and Besasie was off the track on lap one. Kilian Keaveny (Top Kart) worked his way through the field and pulled out to a 15 second win at the finish. Ryan Weyer, Kyle Gluth, Brittin and Brenden Trent rounded out the top five.

Next up was the Express Karts & Parts Komet Sportsman II class with 13 entries.
The track was still wet enough to require rain tires. Austin Schaff and Sam Mayer battled for the lead early in the race followed by Dillon Schwanbeck. Mayer moved to the point mid-race and held the lead until the final lap where Schaff (Merlin) was able to draft by and take the win by .131 seconds. Schwanbeck edged Mayer for second followed by Brandon Lemke and David Malukas rounding out the top five.

The Hollywood Crane Service Kid Kart II Championship class was racing next
paced by pre-final winner Donald Whorton and Camrin Cass. The track remained wet enough to require rain tires. Whorton led the first few laps until Cass and Aidan Hinds drafted by him on the long straightaway. Hinds pulled out to a 2.5 second win over Cass followed by Christian Franchuck, Whorton and Carter Anderson making the top-five podium.

The next final gridding was the Laukaitis Racing Yamaha Senior Heavy class with 17 entries. The track had dried out enough that rain tires were no longer required. Sam Cate and Justin Vancil paced the start on a still somewhat slick track from the rain. Vancil, Collin Griffin and Cate mixed it up for the lead in the early going. Cate was able to break away to a slight lead until Nicky DeFronzo ran him down and passed him for the lead. DeFronzo got off the track in the last corner on lap seven allowing Cate (Tony Kart) to take the win by .631 seconds over Griffin with Vancil, Ben Hewitt and Adam Crepin rounding out the top five.

The Yamaha Junior Lite class sponsored by Comet Kart Sales was up next.
Pre-final winner Kilian Keaveny and Ryan Weyer paced the start. Keaveny and Becker Reardon were battling for the lead when Reardon slipped off the track coming out of turn 17. Reardon (Birel) was able to work his way back to the front and pass Keaveny for the win by just .11 seconds. Dillon Morley, Keneln Morse and Emily Hurlbert rounded out the top five.

The next class racing was the Switch Racing Engines Yamaha Sportsman II class with 23 entries. David Malukas took the lead into turn two followed by Brandon Lemke and Sam Mayer. Lemke (Merlin) moved to the lead on lap four and held off Malukas at the finish by 1.4 seconds. Zach Holden, Mayer and Drew Lindley rounded out the top five.

Next up was the Leopard 125 II class sponsored by Kart Lift paced by pre-final winner Colton Ramsey and Adam Crepin. Crepin took the lead into turn two followed by Ramsey, Chase Jones and Sam Cate. Cate would drop out on lap four leaving Crepin, Jones and Ramsey to battle for the win. Crepin (Merlin) held on for the win over Jones with Ramsey, Jimmy Clark and Armin Cavkusic rounding out the top five. Ramsey set the fastest race lap at 1:06.546.

The last class racing on Sunday was the Yamaha Rookie II class sponsored by CKT Racing Engines. Mark Finies (Merlin) dominated the race much like Saturday pulling out to a nine second lead at the finish. Andrew Castelucci, Carter Cass, James Lynch and Talan Drake rounded out the top five at the finish.

Merlin chassis captured the most wins over the weekend with six followed by Birel (3), Ultimate (2) and Margay, Arrow, Tony Kart and Top Kart with one win each. For the complete race results, visit www.mylaps.com.

The next round of the 2013 Route 66 Series will be held at Jet Karting at Michiana on June 14th and 16th. A special Yamaha Junior Shootout money race sponsored by QPS Employment Group will be held on Saturday after the finals. Pre-entries must be post marked by May 27 to receive the discount. Friday practice will be available. All entrants will have a chance to win a set of Bridgestone YLC tires in a drawing held at the Sunday morning driver’s meeting. For more information about Jet Karting at Michiana, visit www.jetkarting.com. For more information about the Route 66 Sprint Series, visit www.Route66KartRacing.com.

NICHOLAS BRUECKNER EXCELS AT TEXAS PROKART CHALLENGE SERIES OPENER

Thu, 9 May 2013 08:27:39 -0400

MRP-Birel America driver earns two pole positions and three wins at DKC

New Braunfels, TX - After claiming the 2013 Florida Winter Tour Rotax Mini Max championship title in March, MRP-Birel America pilot Nicholas Brueckner was back in action this past weekend. Taking on the first two rounds of the Texas ProKart Challenge at the Dallas Karting Complex (DKC) in Caddo Mills, Texas, the rising talent would leave with a bevy of impressive results. Contesting both the Rotax Mini Max class as well as the Mini Rok TaG Cadet class, Brueckner would emerge victorious in both and accumulate two pole positions and three main event wins.

The up-and-coming pilot would start off on the right foot, as he claimed the pole position on Saturday morning in the Mini Rok class. Posting a disappointing DNS in the first heat due to a mechanical issue, Brueckner then powered back in heat two, coming from the tail of the field to take the heat race win. Continuing to show his strength and race craft, the Texan then went on to earn his first main event victory of the weekend.

In the Mini Max class on Saturday, Brueckner would post P2 in timed qualifying and then follow that up with a third and second place effort in the two heats. His strong runs would be all for naught however, as yet another mechanical issue plagued the young driver. With his chain popping off early in lap one of Saturday's main event, Brueckner would be unable to finish and posted a DNF. Also suffering from a strained back on Saturday that was made worse by the higher g-forces and pressures of the Mini Max class, Brueckner was slightly off his game but came back on Sunday feeling much better and with a determined vengeance to improve upon his results.

And Brueckner's results on Sunday truly speak volumes. Clocking second quick in Mini Rok qualifying, Brueckner would hold station in the one heat race, with the second heat eliminated from all schedules due to time restraints. A dramatic last lap pass on the inside through turn ten in the main saw the MRP-Birel America team driver take the lead and the win, becoming a double winner in the TaG Cadet class.

The rising talent would then go on to complete the day's sweep in the Mini Max category on Sunday. Earning the pole position, Brueckner used his speed to run away with a three second victory in the one heat race. The final then saw Brueckner lead from green to checkered flag, never relinquishing the lead and winning again by a three second gap over the second place driver.

Nicholas Brueckner would like to thank his tuner and driving coach Tim Lobaugh with MRP Motorsport-Birel America for all of his hard work and support this past weekend, despite pulling double-duty with two karts, and the team at 3G Kart Racing.

Nicholas will be back in action at the third and fourth rounds of the Texas ProKart Challenge when the series resumes May 31-June 2 at the Gulf Coast Kartway in Katy, Texas.

For more information on Nicholas Brueckner, please contact Tom Zulim at tmzulim@att.net.

For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

PARKER CHASE VICTORIOUS AT TEXAS PRO KART CHALLENGE

Thu, 9 May 2013 08:25:27 -0400

New Team PSL Karting driver scores win and podium result at Dallas Karting Complex

New Braunfels, TX - After making the switch to the potent Team PSL Karting before the final round of the Florida Winter Tour, rising karting star Parker Chase was able to take the Saturday victory in the Rotax Mini Max class this past weekend at the Dallas Karting Complex (DKC). Taking on the first rounds of the Texas Pro Kart Challenge in Caddo Mills, Texas, Chase put his PSL Karting/CRG chassis in place for the win and topped the podium during Saturday's events making the "move of the weekend." Chase also earned a third place podium result on Sunday to complete a stellar weekend of racing.

Saturday's round one action saw the New Braunfels, Texas resident clock fifth quick in qualifying to start off his Texas Pro Kart Challenge effort. Two heat races would then ensue, with Chase scoring second and fourth place finishes in the wheel-to-wheel action. Making smart decisions in the day's main event, Chase emerged victorious with his 0.701 second win in his bid to claim a ticket to the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals (RMCGF) later this year. Awarded the "move of the weekend" for his calculated pass in the last corner of the last lap, Chase waited until the ideal time as he drove from third to first to score the victory and earn max points in his championship chase. Chase now looks to continue to challenge for race wins and podiums in the competitive Rotax Mini Max category as he has his sights set on competing in the invitation only event on the world stage later this year at the RMCGF.

Back on track Sunday, Chase would put his PSL/CRG #199 entry on the podium once again, this time with a third place podium result for the day's main event. Also of note, Chase and his friends contested the Friday night Team Endurance Race and emerged victorious during the opening festivities of the weekend.

Parker Chase would like to thank every one at PSL Karting, Andrew Campbell and Jared Beyer for an excellent start to the Texas Pro Kart Challenge series. Additionally, Chase would like to thank his Mom and Dad, and Addison and Terre for their support. The entire Chase Racing Team would like to extend their personal appreciation to the DKC Team and particularly Kevin Adds and Mike Jones.

Chase will next be on track for the third and fourth rounds of the Texas Pro Kart Challenge, May 31-June 2 at Gulf Coast Kartway in Katy, Texas.

For more information on Parker Chase, please visit www.chaseracing.com.

For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

SIZZLING HAT TRICK FOR RED HOT RACING AT DAYTONA 24 HOUR RACE

Thu, 9 May 2013 07:57:21 -0400

Nearly 200 of the country’s most experienced and competitive kart racers (28 teams altogether) took to the tarmac at Daytona Milton Keynes’ superb outdoor venue last Saturday (3 May) for the start of the Daytona Motorsport 24 hour kart race. This prestigious annual event never fails to attract kart racing’s elite with the majority of the grid regularly competing in top level karting events nationwide.

After 24 gruelling hours consisting of rain, sun, night and extreme tiredness, Team Red Hot Racing, took the chequered flag on Sunday 4 for the third year in a row. It was a fantastic result for four of karting’s most competitive drivers - James Pratt, Chris Hackworth, Joe Holmes and Steve Moody - all of whom are current front runners in this year’s Vodafone DMAX Championship.

Just shy of 90 seconds split Red Hot Racing and second placed Kempower Motorsport, an amazingly close finish in a 24-hour endurance race that covered an astonishing total of 31,131 laps, approximately 37,000 km. In the Pro-Kart category, Titan Motorsport stamped its authority on the race by taking victory 17 laps ahead of second place Super 6 Race Team. Daniel Truman broke the Milton Keynes circuit lap record for pro-karts with a lap of 67.558s. Daniel now takes the top spot on the Daytona Milton Keynes Superstars board above the likes of Sebastian Buemi, Anthony Davidson, Tom Cruise and several BTCC drivers who have all set fast laps here. (www.daytona.co.uk/venues/miltonkeynes/superstars.php)

Daytona Motorsport would like to congratulate the winners and thank everyone who took part for their professionalism and superb driving which contributed to making this the best ever Daytona 24 hour.

Jim Graham, Daytona Motorsport Marketing Director, said: “Phenomenal racing, great feedback from the teams and good weather for most of the race combined to make it the best Daytona 24 Hours yet. Roll on next year!”

If you would like to take part in the’ race of the year’ next year, (May 2014), Daytona Motorsport is offering substantial discounts for early bookings. Please contact Mark Wimblett on 0845 644 5503 for more information.

Checkered Motorsports News USPKS

Wed, 8 May 2013 08:17:35 -0400

The first round of the United States Pro Karting Series was a success for PCR and the Checkered Motorsports team. Displaying speed in both the wet and dry conditions, the PCR chassis were able to come home with a win in Rookie sportsman and quick pace in the Junior and Senior division.
J.P. Southern Jr. had quick pace all weekend. A disappointing qualifying run on Saturday meant a ninth spot start for the heats. The first heat Southern Jr. would get shuffled back to the 19th spot. The second heat he rebounded finishing in sixth. In the main event, the PCR cadet was on rails as he came from 11th to a 5th place finish. Sunday’s action was in a complete wet track conditions. After a podium finish on Saturday, the team was looking for more hardware to bring back home. In the rainy conditions, he did not hesitate to make his presence. After some fine tuning by the checkered motorsports staff and engine builder Daniel Woltjer, Southern Jr. took no time to put his PCR cadet back on top to finish in the top 5 in both heats. The opening laps of the main event saw JP out in the third spot. However, contact ended his day and recorded a DNF.

Stacked with a solid 38 entries??????, the Leopard Pro class lived up to its hype. Oliver Scigliano, Robert Bujdoso, and Andrew Bujdoso contested in the Pro division. Rookie Andrew Bujdoso led the way for the team on Saturday’s actions qualifying in 23rd. Both R. Bujdoso and Scigliano had a disappointing run starting in 33rd and 35th for Scigliano. After being in the dry for the first two heats, the Final was under wet conditions. This allowed R. Bujdoso to move up as high as the 12th spot in the final until brake failure caused him to fall back to 17th . Younger brother A. Bujdoso got involved in the first lap carnage and retired. Sunday’s action saw the PCR’s in p5 and p8 for qualifying. A. Bujdoso, starting in fifth in both heats would get shuffled around in heat 1 to finish 14th. The second heat looked to be more promising for the rookie until a driver error caused another DNF while running in fourth. R. Bujdoso and Scigliano both would move up in their heats to start fifth and 23rd in the main. The 12 lap main event saw five time national champion R. Bujdoso lead the way. Running as high as fourth, the veteran made a costly mistake which caused him to lose a pair of positions to finish sixth. A. Bujdoso followed with a 12th while Scigliano ran as high as 15th until a driver error made him settle with a DNF for the weekend.
“As a team we collectively performed up to our standards,” explained Checkered Motorsports owner Csaba Bujdoso. “I’m really happy with where our program is going right now. From the sportsman class to seniors, we had quick pace in the PCR on wet or dry conditions.”

The talk of the weekend was Rookie driver Nic Sheppard. Running with the North Polestar karting team, the young driver put his PCR on pole by .517 tenths on Saturday. Sheppard would go on to dominate the field by winning all of the heats and the main event.

The team will be contesting in the WKA Manufacturers Cup Series, Great Lakes Sprint Series, USPKS Series, SKUSA Supernationals, and the Pitt Race Karting Series. Tech support, transportation, and arrive and drive opportunities are available.
For opportunities and information on the new 2013 PCR chassis contact Csaba at:
checkeredmotorsports@yahoo.com

NUMBERS CONTINUE TO GROW AT ROUND THREE OF LAKC

Fri, 3 May 2013 09:06:02 -0400

Third round of racing for LAKC sees great attendance at CalSpeed Karting event

FONTANA, CA – The 2013 karting season in Southern California is rolling along with exciting numbers of racers at each round, and even more exciting racing as the Los Angeles Karting Championship (LAKC) held its third round of the season. Karters returned to the CalSpeed Karting complex that allows for multiple configurations. This round, they raced on the Nuovo layout, which features long sweeping corners and plenty of fast and exciting racing on April 28.

Racers filed in through the gates and ready to race on a beautiful sunny California afternoon. First up on track was the DR Racing Kart USA Junior 1 Comer class. Twenty-three karts came to the grid in Junior 1 at round two, and that number did not change for round three. Ryan Schartau, who dominated the previous round, picked up right where he left off in March. Schartau picked up the pole and the pre final win. In the main, Schartau was challenged by fellow front row starter, Trey Brown. Brown passed Schartau for the lead on lap seven and maintained the lead for three laps. Schartau took the lead back for the next three laps before Brown would mount a charge with two laps to go. Schartau held Brown off for the main event win, his second of the season. Brown crossed the line right behind Schartau for second place. Joseph Daniele rounded out the podium while Johnny Dresser, and Colin Queen rounded out the top five.

Next on the track were the combined classes of the Acceleration Kart Racing S4 Magnum class, and the TM Racing USA Open Shifter class. In the S4 Magnum category, March main event winner Steve Donia was unable to make the trip to CalSpeed this time around, leaving the door open for Rick McAllister and the rest of the S4 Magnum racers. McAlister secured the pole and the pre-final win in the class, but in the main event when it mattered for the championship chase, Sal Menudiado showed up. Menudiado won the main event, and cut Donia’s lead to only one point. Finishing behind Menudiado was Kevin Gilroy in second with McAllister in third. Jeff Horne and Ken Manning rounded out the top five. Just as in the S4 Magnum class, the point leader in the TM Racing USA Open Shifter class. The points leader Brian Shafer, a professional driving instructor, had to work and did not make the April race. Slava Prikhodko had a perfect day, after winning the pole, pre-final and main. Behind Prikhodko was Alex King and Rob Whitley rounding out the podium, with Tim Wyatt and Chris Curtis making up the top five.

The third class of the day was the PureKarting.com Comer Kid Karts, sharing the track with the HPD Honda Kid Karts. In Comer Kid Kart, the pole and pre-final was won by Dominic Gorden. The main even saw a race between Gorden and Cole Kieth in the early stages. The close racing between the two allowed Rylee Martinez, who had been lurking in third place, to slip by the two leaders and assume the point. After holding off a charge from Gorden, Martinez earned the main event win followed by Gorden in second, Kieth in third, Aden Dodge in fourth and Jake Daniele in fifth place. The HPD Honda Kid Kart class saw a different drive up front each session. Jaden Goetz took the pole after edging Ian Dodge out by only seven one thousandths of a second. Dodge pulled out the win in the pre-final, and in the main Kasey Gillis took the win ahead of Jaden Goetz and Maxi Saga. The win gave Gillis a one point lead over Goetz in the points. Skyler Geczi and Noah Warren rounded out the top five.

In the 2WildKarting S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto class, Billy Musgrave continued his reign over the world of SoCal shifter kart racing. Musgrave had another perfect weekend including setting what is believed to be a track record on the Nuovo circuit after laying down a 45.23 in qualifying. While Musgrave, who was coming off a wildly successful run at the 2013 Superkarts! USA SpringNationals earlier in April, dominated up front as a good race was had in both the pre-final and the main for second place. Chandler Campbell finished the pre-final ahead of Augie Lerch earning the second place on the starting grid for the main. After a poor start in the main, Campbell fell from second to fourth as Bobby Legate got around Campbell and Lerch for P2. Late in the race however, Lerch made a move on Legate for second place and brought Campbell with him. Musgrave would win the race, with Lerch in second and Campbell completing her first shifter main event with a podium finish. Bobby Legate and Gianfranco Casadei completed the top five. On the track with S2 was the MRC sponsored S4 Stock Moto Masters class. After sustaining a back injury just before first practice, point leader Willy Musgrave would not be in the kart at all on Sunday. Troy Butts was the first to step up in Musgrave’s absence in qualifying. Butts secured the pole over Erik Jackson. The pre-final saw Jackson get around Butts for the win and a clean run to the main event victory. Despite pressure from Butts, Jackson led every lap of the main event for the win. Butts came home second with Jason Chott completing the podium. Antonio Cianciardo and Ron Rossetti finished fourth and fifth. Jackson is the father of Campbell in S2 and it was great to see a father daughter team do so well.

Buddy Rice Karting TaG Senior saw Alejandro Fernandez have a perfect weekend. Securing the pole, pre-final win and main event victory ensured Fernandez an easy day, behind him the whole day was championship point contender Carlee Taylor. After running upfront amongst the leaders in the main event, Taylor was scored with a dead last finishing position with an unfortunate DQ due oil seepage on her clutch. John Wallace III would be classified in second with Cory Davison third, Pasha Mirhadi and Carie Homan rounding out the top five. The perfect day was certainly a boost for Fernandez the win still only gave him a two point lead over second place driver Carlee Taylor in the points, proving how close the racing has been this year. As the sole entry in the PSLSoCal.com Rotax Senior class, Andrew Wilson swept the day.

On the track next was the Fleming Racing Engines KPV-1 class. Ryan Schartau was on his way to a perfect weekend, after picking up the pole and pre-final win, but in the main event Schartau fell short to Dante Yu. Yu ran behind Schartau and Trey Brown at the start, lap seven Yu got around Brown and set his sights on Schartau. Yu would cut it close, getting to Scahtau and passing him with less than two laps to go. Yu would hold on for the win with Schartau and Brown below him on the podium. Dakota Tate and Julian Busick completed the top five. In the Hyper Racing Engines PRD Junior 1 class, Myles Farhan had a perfect race day, going P1 in all sessions. Gary Lyles finished the main behind Farhan with Mark Polunin in third and Johnny Dressler coming home fourth.

Mike Manning Karting PRD Pilot category welcomed 11 drivers to the field, improving on round two numbers. Logan Calvin was on his game all day, sweeping the event. Calvin led all 10 laps of the pre-final, going flag-to-flag in the 15-lap main event. The fight was for second as Karlee Polon nipped Eric Laifman at the line for the runner-up position. Stephen Barthelmass and John Barthelmass completed the top-five. The Valley Trophy Rotax Senior Pilot division saw Garrett Gaska cross the first. Gaska was the top qualifying, edging out round two winner Elric Navatel. The pre-final win was earned by Navatel, as he was able to match the pace in the heat race. In the feature, it was Gaska that held the edge and scored the victory over the current championship leader.

For the second time during round three Ryan Schartau had the opportunity to sweep a race after securing the pole and pre-final win as he competed in the OTK USA TaG Cadet class Sunday. But for the second time that day, Schartau would dominate early, and fall in the main. Schartau did go on to win the pole as well as the pre-final, and was leading the final until lap 12, when he fell out of the race. Jagger Jones inherited the lead and won the race. Joseph Daniele finished second. Myles Farhan drove up from a tenth place start to notch a third place podium finish, while Hayden Wagner and Jace Jones rounded out the top five.

Roy Steele secured a clean sweep in the Bridgestone Rotax Grand Masters category. Steele was at the front of the field all day, as he outran round two winner Michael Middleton and Kanji Takagi. John Bush appeared to have things locked away in the Phil Giebler Racing PRD Grand Masters division. After scoring the pole position and pre-final win, Bush had to battle in the final. Round one winner Paul Bonilla was the early class leader, before Bush regained the lead. As the 15-lap event wore on, Ron Rossetti continued to reel in Bush. Once into second with two laps to go, Rossetti sealed the deal with a last lap maneuver to earn the victory. Bush had to settle for second with Ralph Bush third, Bonilla fourth and Steve Hansen fifth.

The Empire Karts KPV-2 and the Mack Motorsports PRD Junior 2 fields were separated for their main events. In KPV-2, Andrew Murowatz won for a second straight month, pulling out to a 13-second advantage over Jonathan Eshom. Alec Karas was third with Josh Early fourth and Bryce Murphy fifth. A great battle went down to the wire in PRD as Nick Ramirez edged out Willy Axton and Skylar Estrada. Axton was the leader during much of the second half until Ramirez took over as they took the white flag, getting to the checkered flag first by a slim two tenths. Noah Garza and Zach Arthur completed the top-five.

Entries expanded to 25 drivers in the RLV / PRD USA Senior category for the April event, all chasing Lloyd Mack at the checkered flag. Eric Molinatti was the top qualifying by scant 0.010-seconds over Alejandro Fernandez with round two winner Paul Bonilla right there. The top three remained out front in the pre-final, as Fernandez took the win over Molinatti. The battled continued in the final until Fernandez retired on lap seven with ignition problems, allowing Mack to join the battle up front. Molinatti led the field the rest of the way, crossing the line first ahead of Bonilla. Officials however penalized both two positions for an infraction, putting the top two down the order. That moved Mack to the top step of the podium and the championship chase. Brandon Reed was classified second ahead of Molinatti and Bonilla with David Vasquez in fifth.

The fourth round of the Los Angeles Karting Championship is set for the May 19 weekend at the CalSpeed Karting facility in Fontana, California. For more information, be sure to visit www.lakc.org today and follow them on Facebook/lakc.org for race day photos and up-to-date information.

About the Los Angeles Karting Championship (LAKC):
Since 1985, the Los Angeles Karting Championship series has provided a family-friendly, sprint kart racing environment for all ages in the Southern California region. Our mission is to provide the most competitive, largest sprint kart classes in the region at the lowest prices in the industry. We are extremely proud of averaging of 2,400 competitive entries per year. Our series operates from the CalSpeed Karting Center located at the AAA Speedway in Fontana, CA. This premier, super-clean karting center provides our series with four race configurations. For more information about the Los Angeles Karting Championship please visit www.lakc.org

Swede Dreams For Strawberry In Belgium

Fri, 3 May 2013 08:56:59 -0400

The opening weekend of the BNL Karting Series took place at Genk last weekend (20/21 April) and saw Strawberry Racing’s Swedish siblings Jessica and Andreas Backman competing in the senior and DD2 classes.

The BNL operates around a double-header format, with qualifying, heats and finals taking place on both Saturday and Sunday.

A large grid had entered for the Senior Max class but reigning Swedish Junior Max champions Jessica was instantly on the pace, setting the 3rd fastest time in the qualifying.

She overcame her disastrous first heat by winning the second and making the cut for the A Final. A blistering drive, saw Jessica carve her way into the lead and from there pull away to win by over three seconds.

“It was a fantastic drive,” said Strawberry Racing team manager Warwick Ringham. “Jessica made a really good start and slowly picked off the drivers in front of her. Once she’d got to the front, she kept putting in really good lap times and just drove away from the chasing pack.”

On day two, two 4th place finishes demonstrated the young Swede’s consistency and turn of speed. However, a tougher race saw Jessica pushed down to 8th position and in a lonely position of neither having an attacking opportunity or defend from the driver one second behind her.

“Her intelligent driving and keeping out of trouble meant that she banked more valuable championship points,” explained Warwick. “Jessica’s now in a strong 2nd place in the championship and that’s a great start for her.”

With a different race schedule giving the DD2 class two finals - but no heats after time qualifying - on each day, Jessica’s older brother, Andreas, was able to demonstrate that he is a rising star in the burgeoning twin-speed karts.

He claimed a fine 2nd in the first final and completed the day with 3rd in the following race.

Like Jessica, Andreas found Sunday a slightly tougher proposition. His Tony Kart EVK chassis with Cream-tuned motor ensured that he was able to compete at the sharp-end of the grid but he was unable to repeat the previous day’s results.

However, his 9th and 5th places combined with the points from Saturday put him in a strong 4th place overall with two rounds remaining. The next race takes the drivers to Ostricourt in France (11/12 May) before returning to Genk for the August (24/25) finale.

“Andreas’ results did not do justice to his pace. If he can sort out his starts, then he will be in a better position to challenge for the wins that his natural speed deserves.”

For more information about OTK products and Cream’s preparation services go to www.strawberryracing.co.uk. Or call 0114 269 6215 / 0114 288 9933

ECKC Announces Additional Support for Briggs & Stratton Classes

Fri, 3 May 2013 08:51:30 -0400

In a continuing effort to promote four-stroke racing and develop its three Briggs & Stratton classes, the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship is excited to announce further support and additional changes today with the opening event now on the horizon. Racers will now find it less expensive to get on the grid, and the Master class can even do it packing a few more pounds!

A combined sponsorship package from C2 Kart Supply and Briggs & Stratton has been directly transferred to racers and allowed for a registration reduction in all Briggs & Stratton classes. Karters can now enter ECKC competition for just $75 per event, the same rate many pay when racing in their local club championships. An additional change has also been announced for Masters, where the required minimum weight has been increased to 375 pounds.

“The goal here is to raise the awareness of the Briggs LO206 program and show people that karting is both competitive and affordable at this level, and that Briggs has developed a product that can be club raced one weekend and the same engine can be competitive the next weekend at the regional level,” said Gord Costello, a partner in C2 Kart Supply with Rick Clark. “We're hoping with the changes and additional support, the ECKC will become more attractive to the average karter to participate in. I think they are great events for a racer to experience, both to see how larger National events are run and to experience the different tracks all at the cost of an average club race.”

C2 Kart Supply has been a supporter of the Briggs & Stratton LO206 since its inception, and by taking the step to support it at the regional level, Costello believes the program will take the next step in its development.

“We have worked very hard over the years to develop the Briggs program locally at Lombardy Karting and have had great success with it,” Costello continued. “So last year when it became part of the ECKC, we were very disappointed at the low turn out at some events. We knew at the time there wasn’t enough Briggs racers to take the jump to a regional series, and the situation wasn't aided by its class structure or cost. We're hoping now that by supporting the series and creating reduced entry fees, more drivers will be enticed to compete and the program will continue to grow.”

The 2013 Eastern Canadian Karting Championship opener at Mosport International Karting hits the track at the end of May. For all the latest news and information, please visit www.eckc.ca regularly.

2013 EASTERN CANADIAN KARTING CHAMPIONSHIP
Round 1 - Mosport International Karting, Bowmanville, Ontario
Friday, May 31, Practice
Saturday, June 1, Race One
Sunday, June 2, Race Two
www.mosportinternationalkarting.com

Round 2 - Goodwood Kartways, Stouffville, Ontario
Friday, June 28, Practice
Saturday, June 29, Race Three
Sunday, June 30, Race Four
www.goodwoodkartways.com

Round 3 - Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec
Friday, August 2, Practice
Saturday, August 3, Coupe du Quebec*
Sunday, August 4, Race Five
www.monacokarting.ca

Round 4 - Jim Russell Academie de Karting, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec
Friday, September 13, Practice
Saturday, September 14, Coupe du Quebec*
Sunday, September 15, Race Six
www.kartingjimrussell.com

DYLAN TAVELLA ENDS BUSY APRIL AND LOOKS TOWARDS THE REST OF THE 2013 SEASON

Fri, 3 May 2013 08:40:15 -0400

Regional events and national events highlight a busy month of racing
Massapequa, NY - With the annual Florida Winter Tour ending in March and the cold winter months finally breaking in his home state of New York, up and coming superstar Dylan Tavella would head south for some wheel-to-wheel action. With several national events held at the new Mooresville Motorplex (MMX) facility in Mooresville, North Carolina, Tavella would see action on three separate occasions at the new facility, as he would compete in some regional karting events as a tune up for his national campaign.
Competing this past weekend at the debut of the United States Pro Kart Series (USPKS), Tavella would step behind the wheel of a Yamaha powered Tony Kart, his first attempt in the Yamaha Cadet division. Looking to attain success early, Tavella was quick out of the blocks and was instantly one of the quickest drivers on track.
Showing his speed on Saturday morning, Tavella would take the premiere pole position in the Yamaha Cadet category and write his name in the record books. Continuing his march at the front of the field, Tavella claimed the victory in heat one and then again in heat two, garnering the pole position for the main event. Looking to sweep the day's festivities, it would be all for not for the New York resident as contact would relegate him down the running order. Battling hard to work his way forward, Tavella would cross the stripe in the third position and celebrate on the podium later that evening.
Back to the same MMX facility on Sunday, rain would greet the racers and Tavella would look to gain experience in wet weather competition. Starting the day off strong with a second place qualifying effort, fifth and eighth place finishes in the heat races would set him up for a top ten starting spot in the main event. Ending the day in ninth, Tavella will look to rebound at his next on track event in a few weeks time.
The weekend prior, April 20-21, Tavella would travel to the same North Carolina facility to test for upcoming events as he took on the MMX Karting Challenge club series. Looking to get up to speed as well as familiarize himself with the track for his first ever visit there, Tavella would flex his muscles and consistently run at the front of the field. Completing the day's sweep for Saturday's event with the pole position, prefinal win and final victory, the young gun was the driver to beat in the Rotax Micro Max division. Doubling up on Sunday with yet another sweep of the day, Tavella and crew are confident they can be on top of their game for upcoming events.

For more information on Dylan Tavella including news, profile, media and contact information, please visit him online at www.DylanTavella.com.
For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

Money Races Added to Plaza Grand Prix Street Race in Jacksonville Illinois

Fri, 3 May 2013 08:24:10 -0400

The Jacksonville Plaza Grand Prix, presented by Good Times Docs, has recently announced the addition of several money classes in addition to the Mid America Track Challenge (MATC) classes that will be racing. There will be three 25-lap cash payback races for the TAG, Yamaha Supercan and Clone Senior classes. The Sunday May 19th event will be held in downtown Jacksonville Illinois in conjunction with the Jacksonville’s May 18th Downtown Celebration, a festive day of music, food and fun in the heart of Jacksonville’s downtown. Food vendors and a beer garden will also be setup on Sunday for the kart races.
The race course is approximately one half mile in length. Michael Davis insurance of WKA has been secured for the event. Mid-State Kart Club (MSKC) will be providing the safety barriers for the course. Volunteers from the local FFA, Police Cadets and the Jacksonville High School football team are helping setup and staff the event along with MSKC and Quincy TNT kart racing members.
In addition to the title sponsorship from Good Time Docs, more local sponsors have stepped up to support the event. The sponsor’s funds will help provide the safety fencing and barriers, scoring trailer and class awards.
CORPORATE SPONSONSORS:
GoodTime Docs, A Gaudio & Sons, Don's Place, WJVO radio

PLATINUM SPONSORS:
Lomelino Signs, Bob Hawks Auto Body, Sablotny Floors, On The Rox, Second Gen Mechanical Inc., Higher Plain Staffing, Milnes Plumbing Heating & Air, TruLine Fire & Safety

GOLD SPONSORS:
David Large Painting, Slocums Auto Service, Reese Family Chiropractic, Cunningham Construction, Lifestar Ambulance, SAFECO, TruLine Communications, Mason Family Farms, Dodsworth Racing

SILVER SPONSORS:
TruLine Precision AG

BRONZE SPONSORS:
K.E. VAS, Bob Manker's 6 J's Construction, Johnson Plumbing, Jacksonville Firefighters Local 637
Mid-State Kart Club will be selling raffle tickets at this event for a new race-ready Margay Brava with a clone engine. Tickets cost $5 each or five for $20. The kart will be on display at this event.

Plaza Grand Prix Schedule - Sunday May 19th 2013
Registration - 8:00 - 10:00 am
Practice session #1 - 10:00 am (6 minutes each class)
Practice Session #2 - 11:30 am (6 minutes each class)
Driver’s meeting - 1:00 pm
National Anthem - 1:15, races to follow. There will be no Qualifying – Pill Draw for position. Standing Starts(after one warm-up lap). Races will be 20 laps for the Junior and Senior classes. 15 laps for Kid Karts, Clone Rookie and Yamaha Junior Sporstman classes.
Class Order: MATC and Mid-State Club Point classes(Bridgestone YLC – Only) will race first followed by the Pro races (open tire rule).
Entry Fee: Mid-State Members - $25.00, non-member/MATC - $50.00
Pit-Pass: $10.00
Transponder Rental: $15.00
MATC Classes: (race order to be determined based on multiple class drivers)
Clone Lite Senior
Kid Kart
Clone Rookie
Clone Junior
Yamaha Jr. Sportsman
Clone Heavy Senior
Yamaha Senior
TAG
Yamaha Junior
Pro Classes - Entry Fee- $75.00,
$25.00 goes to MSKC - $50.00 goes to CASH payout (1st - 60%, 2nd - 25%, 3rd - 15%) Five inch dia. wheels, no six inch wheels allowed in Pro classes.
Clone Senior – Weight 360 lbs - Open Tires – AKRA Rules
Yamaha Senior – Weight 345 lbs - Open Tires – WKA Rules (SSX CAN)
TAG Senior - Weight (WKA Rules on Weight, All TAG engines accepted)
(Leopard-365, PRD-350, Rotax-365, Sonic TX-400, Rok-TT-365, X-30-365) Open Tires.
For more information, visit www.MidStateKartClub.com, www.mid-americatrackchallenge.com and the GoodTimes Docs Facebook page of Jacksonville Illinois.

ANTHONY GANGI JR. EARNS TWO PODIUM FINISHES IN JUNIOR DEBUT

Fri, 3 May 2013 08:15:56 -0400

Rising star shines in new class at inaugural United States Pro Kart Series event

After a stellar first quarter of the 2013 karting season in the cadet karting ranks, standout driver Anthony Gangi Jr. would make his junior class debut this past weekend. Taking on a brand new series, the United States Pro Kart Series (USPKS), as well as a brand new class, the young gun was able to excel against a new set of drivers in the Yamaha Junior category. Earning a pole position, a heat race win and two podium results, Gangi Jr. showed he has what it takes to compete.
Taking to the 7/10-mile Mooresville Motorplex in Mooresville, North Carolina for the inaugural USPKS event, Gangi Jr. would turn heads as he clocked the fastest lap in Saturday’s qualifying to earn the pole position in his junior debut and his first visit to the Mooresville course. Falling back in the first heat to finish ninth, the GT7 Motorsports/GT7 driver posted fourth overall in heat two and also claimed fast lap honors. Lining up seventh for the main event, Gangi Jr. was again the fastest driver on track, able to clock laps two to three tenths faster than the leaders as he moved into contention for the win. Unable to catch the eventual race winner, Gangi Jr. was able to claim a second place podium result to start off his weekend.
Sunday would be a more consistent day for the 2013 Florida Winter Tour TaG Cadet champion, and run under wet conditions all day. Gangi Jr. placed second in the morning qualifying session, and used his position to take the heat one win. Riding the bumper of the leader for the majority of laps, Gangi Jr. was able to capitalize and pass for the win on the last lap. Heat two would see the rising star engage in a battle for the lead with two other competitors, with Gangi Jr. eventfully crossing in second despite again being the fastest driver. Lining up on the front row for the day’s main, Gangi Jr. fell back to third on the start. Quickly regaining his position, the young gun was unable to make up the deficit created by the leader and would again take second place podium honors and fastest race lap to complete his junior debut.
Up next for Gangi Jr. is the season opener for the Great Lakes Sprint Series May 10-12 at the New Castle Motorsports Park in New Castle, Indiana. Continuing his busy summer schedule, Gangi Jr. will be back in action the following weekend for the third round of the WKA Man Cup series at the same New Castle circuit.
Anthony Gangi Jr. would like to thank his long time tuner and driving coach Chris Perez and engine builder Daniel Woltjer form Woltjer Racing Engines for their assistance and support in his junior and USPKS debut. Additionally, Gangi Jr. would like to thank his sponsors Millwork Solutions, Holeshot Drive Systems and PKT Axles.

The GT7 Motorsports Team is proud to be a Tony Kart dealer, Vortex and a Rotax Max Service Center for the US North East. For more information on Anthony Gangi Jr. please check out his website at www.GangiJr.com. For more information GT7 Motorsports please visit their website www.GT7motorsports.com or contact Anthony Gangi Sr. at 516-635-8594 or email at agangi@mac.com.

About GT7 Motorsports
The GT7 Motorsports Team is a proud Tony Kart and Vortex engine dealer, as well as an authorized Rotax Max Service Center for the US North East. GT7 Motorsports will contest North America's most prestigious series and events in 2012, including the Florida Winter Tour, WKA Manufacturer's Cup and SuperKarts! USA SuperNationals with team drivers Anthony Gangi Jr. and Dylan Tavella. A complete e-commerce supported website is currently in development, complementing GT7 Motorsports trackside sales and support services.

P1 ENGINES SCORES THREE POLE POSITIONS IN USPKS DEBUT

Thu, 2 May 2013 09:44:22 -0400

P1 Engines impresses with three pole positions and three podium results

With a new series launching in North America, P1 Engines would travel back to the eastern half of the USA to take part in the United States Pro Kart Series (USPKS). Taking place at the pristine Mooresville Motorplex facility in Mooresville, North Carolina, P1 Engines powered drivers would close the weekend with some hardware. When the dust had finally settled and the last checkered flag had flown, three pole positions and three more podium results were garnered by the California based engine builder.
"There are a lot of series in the US and I plan on supporting my drivers across the nation," explained P1 Engines Jesus Vasquez. "The USPKS is something new and the turnout for the first event was great and the racing was pretty intense. The only thing I wish we could have changed was the weather and some of our podium results to race wins."
Always a threat for victory in every event, Yamaha Senior pilot Patrick Olsen would once again be at the pointy end of the field. Showing the speed right off the trailer on Friday morning, a disappointing result would ensue on Saturday as contact would take him out of contention for the win. Back to the track on Sunday, Olsen worked his way forward from a fair qualifying effort to stand on the second step of the podium.
Mason Chelootz would add another podium result for P1 Engines as he turned his poor qualifying effort into a second place result at the end of the day in Leopard Pro. Making his way forward through the heat races, the P1 Engines powered pilot would join his fellow engine builder teammate Olsen on the podium in the second position. Sunday would see Chelootz qualify in the second position and lead the first heat before electrical issues caused him to retire. Heat two would go much better as Chelootz won the race to the checkered and would start the day's main event in tenth. Looking to move forward and shoot for another podium result, the up and coming pilot would close the weekend with a fifth place effort.
Georgia's Chris Wehrheim was one of the fastest Leopard Pro drivers throughout the weekend as he consistently ran inside the top three. Running third in Saturday's main event, an axle failure would steal a podium result away from the P1 Engines powered driver. Not to be denied on Sunday, Wehrheim would return back to the podium with a third place finish and is looking forward to the remaining USPKS events.
Joining Chelootz and Wehrheim in the Leopard Pro division would be Cal Stewart who would set the pace in Sunday morning's timed qualifying. Looking to jump out to the lead early, Stewart would spin in the first corner of heat one and was hit by multiple drivers. Unable to recover from the contact and drive forward during the rest of the day, Stewart left Mooresville with only a pole position and will look to rebound at event two.
Davey Manthei would be one of P1 Engines in the Leopard Semi Pro category and he quickly made an impression on the series and fellow competitors. Scoring the pole position and two heat race wins on Saturday, Manthei would be caught out by the rain in the afternoon when the main event went green. Looking to come away with the debut victory, Manthei would have to settle for a sixth place result at the end of the day. Sunday would see Manthei qualify on the inside front row again, but two DNFs in the heat races put him deep in the field for the main event. With a never give up attitude, Manthei drove forward to score a top ten result coming home in ninth. Fellow Semi Pro pilot Austin Erickson also ran well throughout the weekend finishing ninth and sixth respectively.
P1 Engines will continue to offer trackside support and engine lease options for the USPKS, WKA Manufacturers Cup series, SKUSA Pro Kart Challenge, SKUSA Pro Tour and several other events throughout the United States. Interested parties are asked to contact P1 Engines at Champions@P1Engines.com.
For more information on P1 Engines or to book one of their national level engines for testing or event weekend use, please visit them online at www.P1Engines.com or contact P1 owner Jesus Vasquez at 951.662.3464 or via e-mail at Champions@P1Engines.com. Also, to follow up-to-date results and information on P1 Engines, become a fan of the "P1 Engines Fan Page" on Facebook.
For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

PARKER THOMPSON CLAIMS SUPER POLE AT WSK EURO SERIES

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:51:14 -0400

Canadian pilot adds another top five result to an already impressive season

Coming off his first European karting victory, Canadian born Parker Thompson and his Energy Corse team would travel to the International Circuit Napoli in Sarno, Italy for the third round of the WSK Euro Series. Riding a wave of high confidence, Thompson continued with his impressive string of results scoring a top-five result in the ultra competitive KFJ division. Not only did that continue his string of top-five finishes for the European rookie, Thompson also claimed the 'Super Pole' and would line up for all of his heat races from inside row one.
"Coming off of a huge career victory for me, my confidence was up heading into the weekend," explained Thompson. "I am no longer searching for juristic better ways to drive the kart; it is to the point where it is more about fine-tuning my driving style for the soft tires and KF engine package."
After progressing through the practice sessions showing the speed to compete, the team and Thompson were able to test a lot more setups due to the quick times right out of the box. Testing new stuff almost every session is a good way to get ahead of the competition and Energy is working hard to ensure they stay ahead of the curve.
Thompson proved to be fast when official qualifying got underway as he quickly was seen at the pointy end of the field in his group of drivers. Able to turn the second quickest circuit of the session, Thompson would advance to the Super Pole group, and would be one of only a handful of drivers to battle in an all-out session for the permanent front row starting position throughout his heat races. Flexing his muscles and showing the speed of his TM powered Energy Corse chassis, Thompson managed to claim the Super Pole.
Thompson continued, "I can't even describe how amazing claiming the Super Pole felt, it was kind of a personal thing. Everyone on my program knew I could race, but didn't think I had the raw speed yet in qualifying. Before I went out the last words I was told was, 'I know Super Pole isn't your thing, so just aim for top five.' Boy did I prove them wrong!"
With four heat races on the docket to determine the starting position for the prefinal, Thompson would look to turn his speed into some solid results. Claiming a second place result in heat one, the second wheel-to-wheel session did not go as well for the Canadian as he fell back to sixth. Looking for redemption in heat three, Thompson went on to claim the victory and better his chances for a front of the field starting position in the prefinal races. Heat four would be a disastrous one for the Energy Corse pilot. With a fast kart, Thompson fell to the tail of the field in corner three due to contact from another competitor. Showing his speed and determination to drive forward, the Super Pole winner would advance to the twelfth position before the checkered flag would fly.
With the combined results from the heat races setting the grid, Parker would start his heat race from outside row two in the fourth position. With the outside row not known for getting great starts, Thompson would fall back to eighth before refocusing and driving forward to claim fourth.
"We had unbeatable pace in the prefinal, but just due to the outside start position there wasn't much I could do. Everyone ran close times and when you are far behind the leading group, it is near impossible to make up ground when they are drafting and you are alone," added Thompson.
Advancing to the main event and starting from the eighth position due to his fourth place result in the prefinal, Thompson would get a great jump on the start, getting to the inside and slotting himself in the seventh position. With the top KFJ drivers running similar times, passing was difficult as drivers held station for the majority of the event. Able to gain a few positions on the final laps when drivers began to jostle for positions, Thompson would advance to fourth, before falling to fifth at the finish line.
Adding another top-five to his already incredible season, Thompson was happy with the weekend's results. Showing the race craft to compete on the European karting scene and having the speed to claim the Super Pole position is a potent combination and Thompson and his Energy Corse squad are looking forward to the remainder of 2013 and will be gunning for podium results and race wins.
Parker would like to thank his current supporters and partners: Energy Corse Factory, GFR Engines, TM Racing, Tillotson Carbs, Racing Against Cancer, Panigada Transport, Tillett Racing Seats, RLV, Douglas Wheels, Newline Racing Products, Bell Racing Helmets, Sparco, CanadianKartingNews.com and Sylvan Lake RV.

For more information on Parker Thompson including partnership opportunities, please visit him online at www.ParkerThompsonRacing.com or Parker Thompson Racing on Facebook and Twitter @parkertracing.
For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

LAKC BACK ON-TRACK FOLLOWING INCREDIBLE OPENING EVENT

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:25:21 -0400

Packed paddock expected once again as drivers return to CalSpeed for round two

FONTANA, CA – Throngs of SoCal karters will make the trek back to the CalSpeed Karting complex this coming weekend (April 27-28) when the Los Angeles Karting Championship hosts the second round of its 2013 schedule. The LAKC’s home track is located just outside the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California and the pit area is expected to be jam-packed. The LAKC is coming off a wildly successful opening round that saw over 215 entries hit the track to begin the new season. The saying “quality over quantity” has not been needed to describe the 2013 LAKC season, as both quality racing and a great quantity of entries has been the highlight. With the schedule now underway, so too are the battles for the championships as the primary contenders made themselves known during the opening round back in March.
The LAKC may be hosting its second round of the year this weekend, but this was originally scheduled to be the third race of the year, as the opening round of racing was cancelled when surprisingly strong winds kept the competitors off the track back in February. Despite being a round behind schedule, nothing is expected to keep racers away from CalSpeed this coming weekend as the weather promises to be perfect - sunny all weekend with temperatures in the low 80s. This will be about as perfect as you can get.
With the majority of the season still left on the schedule, most drivers aren’t overly focused on the championship chase, but with one round in the books, the point battles are already forming. The primary players made themselves known from the get-go. In the Junior and Kid Kart classes, several drivers are coming into the second event following perfect weekends in Round #1. Ryan Schartau is the leader in both the DR Racing Kart Junior 1 and the Fleming Racing Engines KPV-1 classes. In the two Kid Karts categories offered by the LAKC, Chance Gibson leads the way in the Pure Karting Comer C51 class, while Jaden Goetz sets the pace in the new HPD Honda Kid Kart program. Andrew Murowatz sits atop the points in the Empire Karts KPV 2 class after a completing a perfect opening round in March when he won the pole, pre-final, and final.
The LAKC’s TaG classes see a mix of both national and regional talent atop the standings in the different TaG categories. Myles Farhan is the championship leader in two classes - PRD Junior 1 and OTK Kart USA TaG Cadet. Michael Middleton leads the way in the Rotax Grand Masters class, while Paul Bonillia had a perfect weekend in the Phil Giebler Racing PRD Grand Masters class, earning him the point lead in that class as well as in PRD Senior, sponsored by RLV.
Not to be left out, the shifters have shown up in droves this season to compete with the LAKC. Brian Shafer sits atop the championship fight in the TM Racing USA Open Shifter class after running a perfect opening weekend last month. Steve Donia was looking at starting the season off in second place in the Acceleration Kart Racing S4 Magnum points after trailing Rick McAllister all day during the opening round. However, McAllister recorded a DNF in the main event, handing the win and the point lead to Donia. In the 2Wild Karting S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto class, and the MRC S4 Master Stock Moto class, no one had anything for the Musgrave family. Father Willy and son Billy each had perfect days in the Stock Honda classes, as Willy swept S4 while Billy dominated S2.
In the LAKC Team Series, the 2Wild Karting squad of Eric Molinatti, Carlee Taylor, Willy Musgrave and Billy Musgrave lead the championship ahead of the Hyper Racing Engines team of Joey Paonessa, John Wallace III, and Paul Bonilla.
For those fans of the LAKC that wont be able to make the second round of racing in person, the LAKC offers live timing on their website - www.lakc.org .

About the Los Angeles Karting Championship (LAKC):
Since 1985, the Los Angeles Karting Championship series has provided a family-friendly, sprint kart racing environment for all ages in the Southern California region. Our mission is to provide the most competitive, largest sprint kart classes in the region at the lowest prices in the industry. We are extremely proud of averaging of 2,400 competitive entries per year. Our series operates from the Calspeed Karting Center located at the AAA Speedway in Fontana, CA. This premier, super-clean karting center provides our series with four race configurations. For more information about the Los Angeles Karting Championship please visit www.lakc.org

PF INTERNATIONAL HOSTS 114 DRIVERS FOR THIRD ROUND OF VODAFONE DMAX CHAMPIONSHIP

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:09:50 -0400

Beautiful spring weather greeted the 114 competitors taking part in round three of the Vodafone DMAX Karting Championship last weekend at PF International Circuit in Grantham, Lincolnshire. After the torrential downpours at round two of the series at Daytona Sandown Park in March, the weekend’s dry conditions were a pleasant contrast. The Grantham-based track is one of the highlights of the Vodafone DMAX season. The DMAX drivers made full use of the extended circuit including the tunnel and bridge with some great racing throughout the day.

Series Director Jim Graham said: “Our Vodafone DMAX Championship offers a chance for serious kart racing enthusiasts to enter an affordable series that features the latest racing technology without the hassle or expense of owning, transporting and running private race karts. Another bumper grid is testament to that.”

Daytona would like to thank all involved for a great day’s racing and congratulate the following on well-deserved podiums. The next round of the Vodafone DMAX Championship will be at Rye House, Hertfordshire, on Sunday 19 May.

Heats Lights
1) Christopher Hackworth
2) James Baldwin
3) Ryan Ould

Heats Inters
1) Joe Holmes
2) James Pratt
3) James Brunton

Heats Heav
1) Chris Carter
2) Simon Ross
3) David Vincent

Endurance Lights
1) James Baldwin
2) Tom Kempynk
3) Christopher Hackworth

Endurance Inters
1) Dave Clark
2) Joseph Ellis
3) Tim McKeegan

Endurance Heavies
1) Vince Cogzell
2) Andrew Haine
3) James Pender

Follow the link for full Daytona Vodafone DMAX Championship Round 3 results, race report and Championship standings: (www.daytonamax.co.uk/results/index.php)

VIDEO: GRC X Games Foz do Iguaçu

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:53:48 -0400

SCOTT SPEED – No. 77 OlsbergsMSE Fiesta ‘Star Car’ - YOUR REACTION TO QUALIFYING SECOND AT X GAMES GRC EVENT – “Qualifying went really great for us. We qualified second and really glad we were able to put down a fast lap when it counted. From my first lap on the track to now, I went from just trying to make the final event to feeling like we my have a shot at winning. I couldn't be happier and couldn't ask for a better team or better guys on my team. Andreas, Tanner Foust and Brian Deegan have been unbelievable in my transition into rally cross and without those guys this learning curve for sure would not have been as quick as it was. I am excited and ready to go tomorrow.”

REACTION ON THE X GAMES GRC COURSE IN BRAZIL – “Regardless of the track I feel like because of my background, in moto racing and that I've been racing my whole life, my instincts are to have a better feel to get the speed through the corner and not as much as the sideways driving. When I tried putting the car sideways it definitely looked cooler but it wasn't quite as fast. After trying sliding my car sideways, I went back to a natural form of racing. It’s kind of a hybrid, because these cars are four wheel drive, you can’t drive it like a normal car it’s more of an integration of driving and you still have to slide them. Myself and the other open wheel drivers are sliding a little less and I think this course will be good for us.”

ANDREAS ERIKSSON – OlsbergsMSE Team Principle – REACTION TO SCOTT SPEED QUALIFYING SECOND – “Scott did a great job. There are still things he needs to learn about the course and I’ve been working with him to keep him consistent on each lap. This is his first time in the rallycross Fiesta and I think he’s doing really good. He will now have to understand that when we start the race it will be different driving with pack of cars instead of one-by-one. I told him to just focus on one thing at a time and now he’s found the flow to get real speed. And here we are with him second fastest in qualifying. The track here in Brazil, is really hard to drive well on so the guys that are trained and drive a lot in the rallycross cars can’t get much out of it because the grip is not there. They can’t use the car in the right way and Scott uses his car great because he uses speed when he can and we will see how he continues to do in the race. “
The Global Rallycross Championship race at X Games Foz do Iguaçu airs on ESPN on Sunday, April 21, 2013 starting at 11:00 a.m. (EST)

TWO PODIUM FINISHES FOR SABRÉ COOK AT SKUSA PRO TOUR SPRINGNATIONALS

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 07:58:27 -0400

GRAND JUNCTION, CO – 2012 Superkarts! USA Pro Tour S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto champion Sabré Cook made her professional debut this past weekend in Tucson, Arizona. The SKUSA SpringNationals were held at the Musselman Honda Circuit, sporting a record number of competitors for the event and the series. The event was very successful for Cook, as she competed against the top shifterkart drivers in North America, leaving with more respect from her fellow competitors with an impressive double podium weekend. Sabré raced her way to third place finishes in both rounds of competition, placing her as one of the championship contenders and leading Rookie of the Year battle.

Cook and her CRG/DDR Stock Moto package was among the quickest drivers during the S1 practice rounds on Friday. She carried it over to Saturday for the first round of competition on the weekend, measuring up well against the top drivers in the class. She qualified in the third position, putting her directly behind the top two finishers in last year’s championship standings. Sabré remained glued to their bumper through the two heat races, placing third and fourth to start outside row two for the main event. With four drivers in the lead pack, Cook appeared to be the quickest on-track. The drivers seemed to be evenly matched, with Sabré making some excellent moves for position late in the race. Running as high as second, she crossed the line third and earned the fast lap honors for her first podium finish in her S1 debut.

The following day Cook fought her way back from early troubles to stand on the podium once again. A brake issue hampered her speed during the qualifying session, as she recorded the fifth fastest lap time but a penalty for a registration error dropped her two positions in the order back to seventh. As the opening heat race began, she launched off the line quickly, gaining a few spots as they reached the opening corner. Entering the second turn, she was spun around by another competitor. After making one more lap, she retired to save her equipment for the remaining two races. Cook started 17th in the second heat race, fighting her way forward to end up in the seventh position. Another great start allowed Sabré to strike early into the top five. Displaying great skill behind the wheel, she worked past a former Rotax Grand Nationals champion and the 2011 SKUSA Pro Tour champion to move into the third position. Unable to catch the top two, running similar lap times, Cook finished third for her second podium finish of the weekend.

“Overall, it was a successful and pleasing weekend for my S1 Pro Stock Moto debut,” stated Cook as she returned back to her studies at the Colorado School of Mines. “I couldn’t have done it without the grace of God and the support of my family and friends. My mechanic Ricardo Messana did a phenomenal job keeping my kart set-up spot on and many thanks to Jesse Dunham for his help with pre-race preparation. I’m really looking forward to the SummerNationals at my home track, where I feel I can compete for my first ever S1 and Pro Tour victory.”

Cook’s next race will be the opening rounds of the Superkarts! USA Rocky Mountain ProKart Challenge program, set for the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah on May 3-5. The SKUSA Pro Tour will continue on July 19-21 at her home track - Grand Junction Motor Speedway in Colorado. Sabré would like to thank CRG-USA, DDR Engines, K1 Race Gear, Gold’s Gym, Alpine Bank, Brett King Designs JH Precision, MG Tires, and Zamp Helmets for their support of her racing program. Visit www.sabrecook.com for more information and be sure to follow her on Facebook, search for Sabré Cook Racing.

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About Sabré Cook:
Grand Junction, Colorado’s Sabre’ Cook is a rising female motorsports star. Completing her tenth year in karting, the 18-year old earned the Superkarts! USA S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto championship in 2012. Growing up at the Grand Junction Motor Speedway, Cook has developed up the karting ranks and is nearing the top level. Over the course of her career, she has earned six Colorado State Championships, two TAG World Championships, a SKUSA Mountain Region title, represented USA at the Bruno Grana International Trophy event in France, and competed all across North America while maintaining a 4.1 GPA during her high school career. She enjoys basketball, golf, acting, singing, volunteering and is a member of the National Honors Society and the Future Business Leaders of America. Cook completed her goal for 2012 by earning the Superkarts! USA Pro Tour title. Visit www.sabrecook.com to learn more about this promising driver.

Rock Island Grand Prix hosts vintage kart races

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:05:36 -0400

ROCK ISLAND, IL – The Rock Island Grand Prix, presented by AT&T and Casey’s General Stores, has announced that vintage kart races will be featured as part of the race lineup at this year’s event.

During the past two years, with the help of Jim Thompson, vintage karts from the 50s, 670s, 70s and 80s have been featured as an exhibition race at The Rock. This year they will share equal billing with modern race classes. “We believe ours is one of the few places in the world where vintage and modern-day karts will race at the same venue,” said Roger Ruthhart, RIGP president. As a result, vintage karting will receive the same great public exposure as modern day racers – not to mention exposure to karters who may not be familiar with vintage racing.

Vintage karters will run a similar program to modern-day racers except their program will be contained to Saturday. They will not do timed qualifying but will run two Saturday morning practice sessions and a mid-day race. “We will do grid introductions and race play-by-play by Rob Howden just as we do for the other race classes,” Ruthhart said.

There will be some differences. Vintage races will be run as “gentleman” races. There will be no tech and how the karts will be grouped will be determined by the vintage racers in conjunction with Rock Island Grand Prix officials, based on the kart counts and entries.

The entry fee will be only $50 and there will be no purse paid, but trophies will be awarded. Transponders will be required and are available for rent. Vintage racers will be grouped in the back of the pit area near the city parking garage so that they can leave after Saturday racing. Some have indicated they intend to run soft tires and enter the Sunday Pro Open class. “With this setup, they will be able to enjoy the camaraderie that is part of a vintage kart weekend, but also be part of the excitement of the world’s largest karting street race,” Ruthhart said.

Vintage racers will certainly find a different vibe at Rock Island, with thousands of spectators lining the track. The race course is built within the city streets with runoff on both sides and two layers of plastic barriers, crash pillows, as well as a double layer of fencing. The track design does not appear technically challenging with five left hand turns one right. But variations in pavement, bumps in the street, shade from trees in some areas and bright sunshine in others, and a continuous build-up of rubber over the weekend give the track its own unique challenges. Straights are 750 feet which should give the vintage karts an opportunity to flex their muscles.

Vintage karters will be able to make reservations in the Grand Prix block at the host hotel, the Rock Island Holiday Inn, as well as Jumers Casino & Hotel and a wide selection of other area hotels listed on the HOTELS page of the Rock Island Grand Prix website. There are also campgrounds within a 10 minute drive.

“Many vintage karters began their racing career at the many street races and parking lot events that were held long before we had purpose-built kart tracks. Participating at the Rock Island Grand Prix will give them a chance to re-experience those roots while at the same time enjoying the festival atmosphere that only the Rock Island Grand Prix offers. We realize there are some conflicts, but we hope to see many of the vintage kart guys who want to get out and race at our event,” Ruthhart said.

Additional information can be found soon on the Rock Island Grand Prix website at rockislandgrandprix.com. Questions can be emailed to grandprix@qconline.com or posted on the vintage kart forums.

AT&T is the largest telecommunications company in the United States and one of the largest in the world. AT&T is the recognized world leader in providing IP-based communications services to business and the U.S. leader in providing wireless, high speed Internet access, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. As part of its "three screen" integration strategy, AT&T is expanding video entertainment offerings to include such next-generation television services as AT&T U-verse TV. With 55.8 million subscribers, AT&T provides international voice services to virtually every country and territory in the world. It is a global company that sets the industry standard for a new era of integrated communications and entertainment services. The AT&T Foundation has contributed more than $1.8 billion to nonprofit organizations around the country, putting it among the five largest corporate foundations in the United States. (www.att.com)

Casey’s General Stores, with headquarters in Ankeny, Iowa, operates 1,645 stores in 11 Midwestern states. The first store was opened in 1968 by founder Don Lamberti. The majority of the group’s stores are in communities with a population of 5,000 or less. Casey’s success has been attributed to clean stores, restrooms and the friendly employees who pride themselves on customer service. Casey’s customers know that inside each store they will find dedicated, helpful and well-trained employees, exceptional prepared food and a clean environment in which to shop.(www.caseys.com)

The Rock Island Grand Prix is hosted by the Downtown Rock Island Arts and Entertainment District which features retail shops, excellent restaurants, live entertainment, dinner theater, art galleries and comedy clubs all within walking distance of the host hotel. Jumer’s Casino & Hotel is just a short drive away. Rock Island is located on the Mississippi River three hours west of Chicago in an area known as the Quad-Cities which straddles the river and the Illinois/Iowa border. It is at the intersection of Interstate highways 74, 88 and 80 and is served by Quad City International Airport in Moline, Ill. (www.ridistrict.com

P1 ENGINES ADDS FOUR VICTORIES TO WKA MANUFACTURERS CUP WIN TOTAL

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:44:57 -0400

Four victories and seven pole positions

Traveling across the country from his California based shop to the second round of the World Karting Association (WKA) Manufacturers Cup program, Jesus Vasquez and P1 Engines would have another great weekend of results. Competing at the Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina, P1 Engines powered drivers would secure seven pole positions en route to four main event wins.

"We had a great showing in multiple different classes," expressed P1 Engines Owner Jesus Vasquez. "Not only did we win in KPP and TaG, we had some really strong runs and podium results with Yamaha, Parilla and X30 engines. It was a great overall weekend."

Patrick Olsen would continue his dominance in the Komet Pro division by sweeping Saturday's on track action. Taking the pole position, prefinal win and main event victory, Olsen would add to his overall series point total. Looking to make Sunday a carbon copy, Olsen was involved in an incident that would take him out of the running for another win.

Fellow P1 Engines powered Komet Pro driver Jonathon Kotyk would be near the front of the field throughout the weekend and would set fast time during Sunday's wheel-to-wheel competition and cross the line in the second position.

Garrett Johnston would get his first career WKA Manufacturers Cup senior victory on Sunday as he dominated the TaG Senior field by taking the pole position, prefinal win and commanding main event victory. Competing in a multitude of classes, Johnston would also set fast time in Sunday's IAME Senior division with his P1 Engines prepared IAME X30.

Unbeatable in the TaG Masters ranks, Scott Ferris would put on another dominating performance. With two pole positions and two prefinal wins, Ferris did not put a wheel wrong all weekend and would top the blocks after the final checkered flag would fly on both event days. Utilizing a P1 Engines prepared Leopard, Ferris would also claim two fast lap awards over the two days of competition.

Gathering great points towards the end of the year championship chase, Calvin Stewart would claim a pair of second place results in the IAME Senior ranks. Powered by a Leopard motor, Stewart would go on to set fast time in Saturday's IAME Senior main.

Jayden Larson had a great showing in the Yamaha Rookie class as he was in contention for the victory throughout the race weekend. Running inside the top five on Saturday, Larson would run into trouble in the main event and finish outside the top ten. Determined to better his result on Sunday, Larson would cross the line in fourth in the youngest division offered in the Manufacturers Cup program.

With the racing season now in full swing, there is no time off for P1 Engines as they will travel to the opening round of the Superkarts! USA Pro Tour this coming weekend. Taking place in Tucson, Arizona, P1 Engines will look to continue results from last year's TaG Junior, Senior and Masters Pro Tour championships.

P1 Engines will continue to offer trackside support and engine lease options for the SKUSA Pro Kart Challenge, SKUSA Pro Tour and several other events throughout the United States. Interested parties are asked to contact P1 Engines at Champions@P1Engines.com.

For more information on P1 Engines or to book one of their national level engines for testing or event weekend use, please visit them online at www.P1Engines.com or contact P1 owner Jesus Vasquez at 951.662.3464 or via e-mail at Champions@P1Engines.com. Also, to follow up-to-date results and information on P1 Engines, become a fan of the "P1 Engines Fan Page" on Facebook.

For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

JAY HOWARD TO OFFER DRIVER COACHING TO KARTING PILOTS

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:59:24 -0400

Multi-time motorsports champion to train the drivers of tomorrow

Always looking to stay involved in the world of karting, Jay Howard and Motorsports Driver Development (MDD) are offering driver coaching and training for today's up and coming drivers. Using MDD as an extension to his personal racing, Jay Howard will be open to working with drivers racing at any level, in any class and on any brand of chassis. While offering coaching and training, Howard will also continue to offer driver management and consulting services.

"I am looking to work with a few drivers throughout the summer months at local, regional and national events," explained Jay Howard. "I can bring a lot to the table including driver coaching, training, data analysis as well as one-on-one on-track sessions to help develop a youngster's race craft."

MDD's mission is to prepare each and every one of its drivers for the upper levels of motorsport. The core of this program is the ability to fine-tune each driver's skill set. Being a successful driver himself, Jay has the ability to give the ﬁnest details in his coaching. From corner entry to throttle and brake modulation and overtaking, to how to get the best jump off the start of a race and avoid on track incidents, Jay can provide the necessary tools to get drivers to the front of the pack. With his experience in multiple levels of motorsports, Jay is able to pass on many secrets and expertise that he has gathered throughout his career which started back in 1988. There are few who offer this type of detailed coaching, and even fewer that have the ability to verbalize their expectations to their protégés.

MDD's main focus is to develop the drivers, whether it's taking a driver from karts to cars, helping them make the transition, working with up and coming drivers to improve their skill set or whether it's helping drivers currently in cars make it to the top of the motorsports ladder, there are many services Jay Howard and MDD can offer.

Howard continued, "I can help drivers with understanding data, race craft, car/kart set up, building their own brand identity, sponsorship consulting, contract negotiating, web and social media, and much more."

Eastern Canadian Karting Championship Goes Big with Briggs

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:43:32 -0400

More news for the four-stroke racing community today as the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship is altering its class format to not only allow for more racers to participate at the regional level, but participate in the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship and be competitive in class!
Modifications to Briggs & Stratton Masters will see the class open to all drivers at 360 pounds, with no age minimum! The change will allow any driver to compete in the Master Class, with more now able to compete near optimum weight and thus challenge at the front. Masters will run on track combined with Briggs & Stratton Senior, with an option to separate the pair if numbers rise. Briggs & Stratton Senior will weigh in at 340 pounds with Briggs & Stratton Junior at 300. Tires will also match with a majority of Ontario Clubs with the ECKC running Vega Blue (Nord-Am) in 2013.
The moves are the latest in an ECKC effort to further develop its Briggs & Stratton four-cycle platform, and to get a racer's perspective the series checked in with the top dog in the nation – reigning Briggs & Stratton Senior National Champion Gerald Caseley at PSL Moncton. A long time supporter of four-cycle racing and among the most experienced with the Briggs & Stratton Local Option 206, Caseley knows of what he speaks.
“Briggs from the beginning has been all about accommodating and entertaining racing,” Caseley said this week while reflecting on the latest news. “The price point and the restrictions help level the playing field and make it available for everyone to join, and I believe all club racers should be encouraged to attend. This 360lbs rule I believe further accommodates racers at ECKC events, and by providing flexibility with choice for competitors, I think it will be effective in getting more entrants. It's all about people buying into the program despite preconceived notions. The program is inexpensive and this translates to more racers. All around it’s a really fun class to race at a regional and national level!”
Further supporting the theory of equality, Caseley passed on a personal story from the 2012 National Championship, one that is music to the ears of many four-cycle racers.
“During the nationals last year we rented out the two motors we went up with and ended up using a brand new out-of-the-box motor,” he said. “This just shows that the motor is removed from the equation, and that an inexperienced karter has essentially the same motor as the top drivers. This forces drivers to gain time from the chassis and driving, which should be the concentration for developing karters anyways. This is another reason that club racers should attend regional and national events. It's such a great opportunity to develop their skills going forward. I believe the field will be more competitive this year as more racers are buying into the program and the competition will be strong, providing an even more exciting product to the fans and racers involved.”
The 2013 Eastern Canadian Karting Championship opener at Mosport International Karting is just over seven weeks away. For all the latest news and information, please visit www.eckc.ca regularly.

2013 EASTERN CANADIAN KARTING CHAMPIONSHIP
Round 1 - Mosport International Karting, Bowmanville, Ontario
Friday, May 31, Practice
Saturday, June 1, Race One
Sunday, June 2, Race Two
www.mosportinternationalkarting.com

Round 2 - Goodwood Kartways, Stouffville, Ontario
Friday, June 28, Practice
Saturday, June 29, Race Three
Sunday, June 30, Race Four
www.goodwoodkartways.com

Round 3 - Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec
Friday, August 2, Practice
Saturday, August 3, Coupe du Quebec*
Sunday, August 4, Race Five
www.monacokarting.ca

Round 4 - Jim Russell Academie de Karting, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec
Friday, September 13, Practice
Saturday, September 14, Coupe du Quebec*
Sunday, September 15, Race Six
www.kartingjimrussell.com

FINAL FEW DAYS LEFT TO PRE-ENTER INAUGURAL UNITED STATES PRO KART SERIES EVENT

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 09:11:01 -0400

Entries continue to stream in for inaugural event scheduled for Mooresville Motorplex

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The United States Pro Kart Series is preparing for its debut event at the new Mooresville Motorplex, presented by GoPro. The April 26-28 weekend will be one of first, as the USPKS hosts its inaugural event and the North Carolina facility is set to welcome its first major United States event since opening just months ago. A collective buzz is spreading around the karting community as it is now down to just 21 days before this new program is a reality.

The final few days to submit a Pre-Entry for the inaugural United States Pro Kart Series event are just around the corner, with the deadline to have registration forms post-marked set for April 9. Competitors still have time to submit their Pit Spot Reservation forms (http://www.uspks.com/files/parkingUSPKSMoorseville.pdf) and send any questions to George Sieracki at 262-814-5400. Move-in, registration and safety tech will begin Thursday, April 25. Full details will be available on the USPKS website (http://www.uspks.com/schedule/). Competitors are asked to refer to the WKA rulebook regarding specifications for engine sealing procedures.

The United States Pro Kart Series would like to highlight further their age requirements for the 2013 season and beyond. The minimum age requirements for a specific class are determined for a calendar year. For example, a driver turning 12 years old anytime in 2013 may race in Cadet or Junior, however, once the driver moves up a level they may not go back down. On the maximum age limit, the date to remain in the lower level is set for April 1. An example of that is a 10-year old driver turning 11 before April 1 may NOT race at the Rookie level, another is a 12-year old driver turning 13 before April 1 may NOT race at the Cadet level, and a 15-year old driver turning 16 before April 1 may NOT race at the Junior level.

"Our mission is to ensure all competitors have a fair, balanced and simple rule structure in which to follow. Our simplified age requirements help make that possible," stated Rick Fulks, USPKS Series Director. "We want to make sure that competitors race in their respective age group and talent level, to provide the best competition possible throughout the year."

The pre-entry form for the opening event of the United States Pro Kart Series can be found at the following link (http://www.uspks.com/files/formMoorseville.pdf). Hotel information for the Mooresville Motorplex, and the remaining 2013 USPKS schedule, can be found under the Lodging tab of the website. For more specific information on the USPKS and to learn about exciting sponsorship opportunities during the upcoming season, contact Mark Coats at 217-529-7687. You may also contact Rick Fulks at 217.553.6626 or visit www.uspks.com any other information regarding the USPKS. Be sure to ‘Like’ them at Facebook.com/UnitedStatesProKartSeriesUspks

###

About United States Pro Kart Series:
The United States Pro Kart Series is committed to cultivating the growth of sprint karting by producing dynamic events, utilizing stable class and technical packages, and providing rewarding prize packages to the racer. This new and exciting program offers four events in 2013, traveling to North Carolina, Indiana, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, competing at four of the most popular and challenging facilities in the Untied States. The seven-category class structure and unique race format offer the most track time versus the cost of entry. Veteran industry members and officials will oversee the series to ensure the United States Pro Kart Series is among the most competitive and safest series in the country.

The USPKS would like to thank the following companies for their support in 2013: Bridgestone, Comet Kart Sales, DRT Racing, Emerson, Franklin Motorsports, Freem-usa.com, GoPro, Grand Products, KartLift, KartSport North America, L&T Manufacturing, Laukaitis Racing, Lonici Rental Group, Margay Racing, QPS Employment Group, Ribtect, Russell Karting Specialties, Steiner Electric Company, Weber, Top Kart USA, and Verde Speed Resources.

NKA's TrakBOOK 2013 SOON AVAILBLE IN PRINT

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 09:08:29 -0400

TrakBOOK was designed with the local track and karter in mind; for that reason we wanted it to be free! So, TrakBOOK was released onwww.nkaonline.com and as an Android App free for all to download and/or print off if they desired. However, we've had a great number of requests for a printed version of TrakBOOK!

"We wanted TrakBOOK to be a 'gift' to karting ~that's why it is free online and free of advertising," stated NKA's Mike Burrell. "However, demand from a number of our tracks and their racers required us to print the book. The print version is still ad free ~which keeps us from owing anyone favors in the rules."

The printed version will be available the week of 4/8/13. Karters will be able to purchase the print version of TrakBOOK for $10 by contacting the NKA,

To download a free copy of TrakBOOK, visit:
http://www.nkaonline.com/trakbook-downloads.php

MICHAEL D'ORLANDO CLAIMS FIRST CAREER FLORIDA WINTER TOUR VICTORY

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 08:37:00 -0400

Younger brother Nicholas scores top ten finishes in TaG Cadet and Rotax Micro Max

Michael d'Orlando earned his first career national level victory in the TaG Cadet finale
(Photo credit: INTL-KartingMedia.com)

April 4, 2013 - Descending on the Ocala Gran Prix facility for the final round of the Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour (FWT), Team Koene USA and DRC Inc. supported pilots Michael and Nicholas d'Orlando would look to finish their winter karting campaign off on the right foot. With the season now in full swing, both drivers continued to show constant improvement with Michael d'Orlando standing atop the podium in the TaG Cadet class during the final round of the series.

"It was a great close to the Florida Winter Tour program," explained Sherri d'Orlando. "We are really happy with both Michael and Nicholas' progress and we have high hopes for them for the rest of the 2013 karting season."

After qualifying in the fourth position for round five of the TaG Cadet program, Michael would have a pair of consistent heat race results. Crossing the line in fifth and third, the eldest of the d'Orlando pilots would line up third for the start of the main event. Quickly working his way forward during the opening few laps, Michael would slot himself into the second position turning fast and consistent race laps. Unable to keep pace with the leader, Michael would finish second, matching his best result of the season.

Younger brother Nicholas would also compete in the TaG Cadet class over the weekend but a poor run in qualifying would hurt the day's overall results. Not being able to find a clear lap, the DRC Inc. pilot would qualify in the 20th position. Heat one would see the young gun be involved in a first corner incident and eventually be classified in 25th. Nicholas would not even get the chance to compete in heat two as a broken clutch would take him out of the race before the second pace lap had been completed.

Heading into the main event and starting near the tail of the field, Nicholas had nowhere to go but forward. Moving forward throughout the day's main event, Nicholas would cross the line in the 19th position.

Back to the track on Sunday for the final round of the Formula Kart program, Michael would have a career day scoring his first career national level victory. After qualifying in the second position and claiming the win in the first heat race, the up-and-coming driver would dominate heat race two before receiving a penalty post race. Jumping the start slightly, Michael would receive three seconds on his overall race finish result relegating him back to sixth.

With his two results, Michael would line up for the day's final on the inside of the front row. Looking to claim his first series victory, the Koene USA prepared machine would be in the front two positions for the majority of the race. Working hard with a fellow competitor to break away from the stout field of drivers, Michael would make his bid for the lead with three laps remaining and never look back.

Nicholas would also have a better day on Sunday as his morning qualifying effort set him up for a strong finish in a field of more than thirty competitors. After qualifying 11th and finishing his heat races in 11th and 12th, Nicholas showed his speed in the final and would run inside the top ten. Advancing forward as far as seventh, the future race winner would end the day in tenth.

With series points tabulated, Michael would end the Formula Kart Vortex TaG Cadet program as the Vice Champion while Nicholas would end up 15th overall out of a total of 49 drivers.

Back to the same Ocala Gran Prix facility the following weekend to close out the Rotax portion of the series, Nicholas would continue to run inside the top ten, this time in the Micro Max category. Saturday would see the young gun qualify in the 14th position and hold station throughout the day's prefinal. On track later in the afternoon for the day's main event, Nicholas would advance forward three positions to come home 11th.

With weather moving into the area on Sunday, Nicholas would run the entire day inside the top ten. Qualifying ninth and claiming stake to the fifth position in the prefinal, it looked as if the Rotax Micro Max driver would be on his way to a solid top five result. With the rain soaked final and slick conditions presenting themselves to the youngest drivers of the series, Nicholas took it all in stride and would run near the front half of the field. Falling back and moving forward throughout the main event, Nicholas would eventually finish his FWT campaign with a ninth place result.

Unfortunately, Michael d'Orlando would not be able to compete in the Rotax Mini Max class. After running inside the top three on Saturday and being taken out by an overly aggressive driver, Michael's actions would see him removed from competition on Sunday.

"I am very sorry for what happened on track between me and the other driver," explained Michael. "I know it was wrong and I will not let it happen again. I would like to thank the Florida Winter Tour staff and officials for a great series and I am looking forward to the remainder of the season and 2014."

Michael and Nicholas, and DRC Inc., would like to give a special thanks to Mike Maurini and Martijn Koene of Team Koene USA, DRC Inc.'s Adam Johnson as well as Matt Long for his assistance during the weekend.

d'Orlando Racing enjoyed one weekend off before traveling to Kershaw, South Carolina and the Carolina Motorsports Park this week for the second round of the World Karting Association Manufacturers Cup program. Both drivers will see action in the Cadet and Yamaha Junior Sportsman divisions.

For more information on Michael or Nicholas d'Orlando, along with partnership opportunities, please visit www.dorlandoracing.com. Be sure to follow Michael and Nicholas on Facebook (Michael d'Orlando Racing or Nicholas d'Orlando Racing) and Twitter (@dorlandoracing) to stay up to date on news, information, photos and results.

For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

2013 Italian Motors USA/Italkart USA SKUSA Lineup

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 08:35:58 -0400

For team Italian Motors USA, preparations are well underway for the opening round of the Superkarts! USA Pro tour in Tucson, Arizona. Italian Motors USA is set for 2013 with perhaps the strongest contingent of drivers on the grid. As one of the most successful teams for developing young drivers and launching careers in the motorsports world, Italian Motors USA/Italkart USA continues the tradition for 2013.
The TaG Sr. class will be led by veteran Michael Valiante and SuperNationals champion Andre Nicastro. In addition, SKUSA Tag Sr. Championship runner-up/race winner and Pirelli World Challenge driver Remo Ruscitti is sure to be in contention for a win. Floridian Dan Roeper has posted a slew of impressive results on his home turf, and Scott Hargrove will be looking to repeat his USF2000 wins on the SKUSA level. Both Jamie McAllister and Ron Hyde will also be joining Italian Motors for the race. From Brazil, Nicastro will be accompanied by Yurik Carvalho who will compete in the TaG Jr. class. After placing 6th in TAG Jr at the SuperNationals, Carvalho returned to his busy racing schedule in Brazil. In Tucson, he hopes to build on his SKUSA success with a good result. Don McGregor will represent the team on his Italkart shifter in S4 and will look to improve on his raw speed shown at the SKUSA SuperNationals.
All drivers will no doubt benefit from the IM Tuning engine tuning program led now by Kris Rodal (which is available to anyone who runs the Parilla Leopard), as well as the enlistment of a former Champ Car data engineer Luke Goldenstein. Luke’s experience working with drivers in Champ car and more recently ALMS will bring a whole new level of experience to the team. The feedback and information shared amongst the drivers will be invaluable.
Italian Motors USA will also be on hand supporting all Parilla Leopard customers and displaying the 2013 Italkart Rapido V. Stop by and visit!
Watch for the Italian Motor USA/Italkart USA Team in Tucson on April 11-14. For more information visit www.italianmotorsusa to learn more.

CRG-USA RACE TEAM PARTNERS WITH DARCY DECOSTE RACING ENGINES

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 08:27:26 -0400

North American CRG race team brings in Southern California engine guru to support team

GRAND JUNCTION, CO – CRG-USA operation is continuing to grow as the bulk of the 2013 season is on the horizon. The team had a busy month of March, wrapping up recently with a test weekend preparing for the upcoming Superkarts! USA Pro Tour SpringNationals in Tucson, Arizona. Aside from coming to grips with the new 2013 CRG chassis and product line, the operation is beginning a new partnership on the horsepower side of the race team. CRG-USA is happy to announce Darcey DeCoste Racing (DDR) Engines is now the official power supplier for the 2013 season.
Darcy DeCoste has many years of experience as a rider and racer of motorcycles, both dirt and road racing. He began working as a tuner and engine builder in the 90’s, gaining years of experience working with the multiple engine packages to gain a deep understanding of 2-cycle powerplants. Thru a friend, DeCoste began working on shifterkart engines in the early 2000’s, finding success quickly through race wins and national championships. The success sprung into a new business - Darcy DeCoste Racing Engines - and continues to be among the leaders in the sport today.
“We are happy to be associated with Darcy and his engine program for the 2013 season,” stated CRG-USA owner Stacey Cook. “His experience and knowledge with the Honda engines is second to none, and we are trilled to be able to offer his engine program to our CRG-USA customers on the Pro Tour. It’s another partnership that takes CRG-USA to the next level.”
The dealer network under the CRG-USA banner is expanding in the Lone Star state. The operation took part in the Lone Star Grand Prix at the beginning of month to support dealers in the state. RPM Motorsports in Austin County, Core Karting of Denton, and Texas Karts for the San Antonio area carry the CRG chassis brand and products through the CRG-USA dealer network. All three will support customers at the local tracks and regional programs, while joining CRG-USA at the national level events. CRG-USA is still adding to the dealer network, and anyone interested in becoming part of this growing program are encouraged to email info@CRG-USA.com today.
The operation is preparing for the upcoming SKUSA Pro Tour SpringNationals, set for the April 12-14 in Arizona. The team tested March 29-31 as the operation’s Stock Moto and TaG competitors come to grips with the 2013 CRG chassis and the track itself as twenty drivers will be competing under the CRG-USA banner next weekend. Leading the way is the S1 Stock Moto Pro drivers of Joey Wimsett, Jimmy McNeil and Sabré Cook. Wimsett was the 2012 vice-champion, where as McNeil was the California ProKart Challenge title winner. Both will be able to work with Cook, the 2012 S2 Pro Tour champion making her first S1 start. The S2 division will see SKUSA Pro Tour winner Christian Schureman join the CRG-USA program for 2013, including Pro Tour rookies Lindsey Brewer and Jerry Rhodes.
A total of nine drivers will compete aboard the successful CRG chassis under CRG-USA colors, including California PKC champion Robert Marks and Rocky Mountain PKC title winner Jet Davis. Texas PKC front-runner Steve McCaffrey, Darrel Tunnel, Scott Allen, Mike Rhodes, Rob VanDeren, Ben Johnston and Victor Jimenez complete the line-up. Evan Roshak will contest the S5 division with Austin Versteeg returning in TaG Junior. Riley Cook and Tristan Macleod round out the driver roster in TaG Cadet.
CRG-USA is an official K1 RaceGear, MG Tires, and DDR Engines race team, and ready to provide the best trackside service in 2013 at the Superkarts! USA Pro Tour, Rocky Mountain ProKart Challenge and other selected events and series. The company is also continuing to add to its growing dealer network with new locations throughout the United States. If you are interested in becoming part of the CRG-USA network, or becoming part of this growing professional race team, please contact Stacey Cook at info@CRG-USA.com or phone 855-TEAMCRG.

About CRG-USA:
Located at the Grand Junction Motors Speedway in Colorado, CRG-USA is the newest importer for the CRG chassis brand. Operated by Stacey Cook, the company will focus their distribution and marketing on the western and central portion of the United States. In addition, the operation is fielding a national race team program through the 2013 season at all the major karting events on the year. If you want to race with the best product in karting, jump on board with CRG-USA today. Visit www.crg-usa.com or phone 855-TEAMCRG (832-6274).

FINAL FEW DAYS LEFT TO PRE-ENTER INAUGURAL UNITED STATES PRO KART SERIES EVENT

Fri, 5 Apr 2013 14:20:20 -0400

Entries continue to stream in for inaugural event scheduled for Mooresville Motorplex

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The United States Pro Kart Series is preparing for its debut event at the new Mooresville Motorplex, presented by GoPro. The April 26-28 weekend will be one of first, as the USPKS hosts its inaugural event and the North Carolina facility is set to welcome its first major United States event since opening just months ago. A collective buzz is spreading around the karting community as it is now down to just 21 days before this new program is a reality.

The final few days to submit a Pre-Entry for the inaugural United States Pro Kart Series event are just around the corner, with the deadline to have registration forms post-marked set for April 9. Competitors still have time to submit their Pit Spot Reservation forms (http://www.uspks.com/files/parkingUSPKSMoorseville.pdf) and send any questions to George Sieracki at 262-814-5400. Move-in, registration and safety tech will begin Thursday, April 25. Full details will be available on the USPKS website (http://www.uspks.com/schedule/). Competitors are asked to refer to the WKA rulebook regarding specifications for engine sealing procedures.

The United States Pro Kart Series would like to highlight further their age requirements for the 2013 season and beyond. The minimum age requirements for a specific class are determined for a calendar year. For example, a driver turning 12 years old anytime in 2013 may race in Cadet or Junior, however, once the driver moves up a level they may not go back down. On the maximum age limit, the date to remain in the lower level is set for April 1. An example of that is a 10-year old driver turning 11 before April 1 may NOT race at the Rookie level, another is a 12-year old driver turning 13 before April 1 may NOT race at the Cadet level, and a 15-year old driver turning 16 before April 1 may NOT race at the Junior level.

"Our mission is to ensure all competitors have a fair, balanced and simple rule structure in which to follow. Our simplified age requirements help make that possible," stated Rick Fulks, USPKS Series Director. "We want to make sure that competitors race in their respective age group and talent level, to provide the best competition possible throughout the year."

The pre-entry form for the opening event of the United States Pro Kart Series can be found at the following link (http://www.uspks.com/files/formMoorseville.pdf). Hotel information for the Mooresville Motorplex, and the remaining 2013 USPKS schedule, can be found under the Lodging tab of the website. For more specific information on the USPKS and to learn about exciting sponsorship opportunities during the upcoming season, contact Mark Coats at 217-529-7687. You may also contact Rick Fulks at 217.553.6626 or visit www.uspks.com any other information regarding the USPKS. Be sure to ‘Like’ them at Facebook.com/UnitedStatesProKartSeriesUspks

About United States Pro Kart Series:
The United States Pro Kart Series is committed to cultivating the growth of sprint karting by producing dynamic events, utilizing stable class and technical packages, and providing rewarding prize packages to the racer. This new and exciting program offers four events in 2013, traveling to North Carolina, Indiana, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, competing at four of the most popular and challenging facilities in the Untied States. The seven-category class structure and unique race format offer the most track time versus the cost of entry. Veteran industry members and officials will oversee the series to ensure the United States Pro Kart Series is among the most competitive and safest series in the country.

The USPKS would like to thank the following companies for their support in 2013: Bridgestone, Comet Kart Sales, DRT Racing, Emerson, Franklin Motorsports, Freem-usa.com, GoPro, Grand Products, KartLift, KartSport North America, L&T Manufacturing, Laukaitis Racing, Lonici Rental Group, Margay Racing, QPS Employment Group, Ribtect, Russell Karting Specialties, Steiner Electric Company, Weber, Top Kart USA, and Verde Speed Resources.

CRG-USA RACE TEAM PARTNERS WITH DARCY DECOSTE RACING ENGINES

Fri, 5 Apr 2013 14:10:03 -0400

DAVID MALUKAS CLOSES FLORIDA WINTER TOUR WITH FIRST ROTAX WIN

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 07:32:27 -0400

OCALA, FL - An up-and-down Florida Winter Tour season ended on an extreme high note for David Malukas this past weekend at Ocala Gran Prix, where on Saturday Malukas completed a sweep of the Mini Max program to net his first-ever feature win in Rotax competition.
Malukas, driving an Iron Rock Motorsports-powered MRP Birel, timed on the pole in Friday's qualifying sessions for both Saturday and Sunday's Mini Max programs. The David Malukas Racing team entered Saturday's competition with nothing but a feature win on their mind.
David opened the day by wheeling his HMD Trucking sponsored entry to the win in the Mini Max prefinal, which included an exciting finish when dirt was kicked onto the track in the final corner and several of the lead drivers, including David, nearly lost control of their karts while wheeling through the soiled track surface.
After the prefinal, Malukas fans knew that David had the inside shot at his first Rotax win. Starting on the pole for the 18-lap final, Malukas proceeded to lead every lap of the main event and cross the stripe a handful of kart-lengths in front of his MRP Birel teammate, Nicholas Brueckner.
David ended the season a very respectable fourth place in final FWT Mini Max point standings. He finished seventh overall in FWT Formula Kart TaG Cadet, which runs each weekend prior to the FWT Rotax round.
Malukas's first Rotax win came less than a year after he notched his first WKA Manufacturers Cup win last spring at Pittsburgh Int'l Race Complex.
"Last year we did really good in WKA and this year we definitely wanted to prove we could run up front at the Florida Winter Tour," David commented. "We had some good runs and almost won at Palm Beach earlier in the season. We would have felt like something was missing if we didn't win a race in Florida this winter, so to get a win at Ocala made us really excited! I want to thank my dad, Jason (Birdsell), MRP, Birel, HMD Trucking, my family and everyone who helped out."
David actually has won three races in the Sunshine State since December. He opened the 2013 WKA Man Cup Series with two feature victories at Daytona KartWeek. The Malukas team, led by head tuner Jason Birdsell and owner Henry Malukas, will now turn their attention back to WKA competition.
Following this weekend's Easter break, Malukas will travel to South Carolina for round two of the Manufacturers Cup Series, an April 5-7 date at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, S.C.
David will run six classes at Kershaw, comprising daily programs for Cadet, Yamaha and Komet (KPV) Sportsman. After winning two races at Daytona, a strong weekend at Kershaw will have Malukas in solid contention for a potential Triple Crown Championship, the most prestigious driver award in WKA racing.
"We're looking forward to South Carolina," Malukas added. "I think we should run very well. There are a lot of good drivers in the WKA series and it will be tough, but if we can stay up front and get in contention to win, I think we'll be in good shape."
Friday, April 5 is a full day of practice at Kershaw. Malukas will run Cadet, Yamaha and Komet programs on both Saturday and Sunday, April 6-7.

David Malukas is an 11-year-old national sprint go-kart racer from Chicago, Illinois. Malukas is a feature winner and multi-time top-five finisher in Junior Sportsman divisions in national World Karting Association Manufacturers Cup competition, a multi-time feature winner in WKA Great Lakes and Route 66 sprint regional series and now a feature winner in Florida Winter Tour Rotax racing.
For more information on David, visit DavidMalukas.com.
Malukas rides No. 79 MRP Motorsport Birels and is proud to be sponsored by HMD Trucking.

PSL ATLANTIC DRIVERS SCORE A WIN AND PODIUM FINISH AT FLORIDA WINTER TOUR FINALE

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 08:35:19 -0400

Fredericton, NB - March 26, 2013 - After closing out the Rotax Challenge of the Americas (COA) series on the west coast a few weeks ago, three PSL Atlantic pilots would contest the final rounds of the 2013 Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour (FWT). The Fredericton, New Brunswick operation would make the trek down to the Ocala Gran Prix facility in Ocala, Florida this past weekend, taking in a mix of sunny weather and spring showers, all while the PSL Atlantic team would find their familiar spots at the front of the field.
Leading the charge for PSL Atlantic was Phoenix resident Alan Rudolph. Recently earning the COA Rotax DD2 Masters championship title and his place on Team USA for 2013, Rudolph would take in some east coast action during the FWT finale. Starting off official competition with Friday's qualifying sessions, which set grids for Saturday and Sunday's wheel-to-wheel action, Rudolph would clock fourth quick in both sessions as he took on three former world champions in the category. Saturday saw the reigning Florida Winter Tour DD2 Masters champ post fourths across the board. A wet final on Sunday produced a victory for the karting legend, as Rudolph was able to run unchallenged to the checkers. Rudolph was also honoured on Sunday as the recipient of the Dan Wheldon/FWT Karting Ambassador Award.
After contesting the Rotax Senior division for the first two weekends of the FWT, PSL Atlantic sponsored driver Fritz Leesmann would take in some DD2 action in Ocala. Fresh off his COA Rotax DD2 championship title and Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals (RMCGF) invite, Leesmann would make steady progress against the deeply talented DD2 field at the FWT. Clocking seventh in both qualifying sessions on Friday, Leesmann would finish fifth in both the prefinal and final during Saturday's action. Sunday saw the karting standout move up to third in the prefinal. Torrential rains in the final allowed Leesmann to showcase his wet weather skills, as he was able to move up to second and earn a podium finish to finish his FWT campaign
Nathan Kelly would use his one-off FWT event to take on the stacked field of Rotax Senior competitors. Posting solid results in the qualifying sessions, Kelly would endure a penalty in Saturday's prefinal, putting him last on the grid for the feature race. Powering through the field, Kelly managed to pass a staggering 20 karts to finish a respectable 14th overall. Sunday's prefinal proved more successful for Kelly, as he was able to move into the top-15 before falling back to 22nd in the final race.
"I am really proud of all our drivers' efforts this weekend," noted PSL Atlantic team principal Mike Dobbelsteyn. "To come home with a victory and a podium finish in our one-off event at this year's Florida Winter Tour is truly an accomplishment. Also, congratulations must go out to Alan for being named the recipient of the Dan Wheldon/FWT Karting Ambassador Award. Alan is a class act and very much deserving of this special honour."
PSL Atlantic will now being preparations for the remainder of the 2013 karting season, as well as the start the Canadian karting season.
For more information in PSL Atlantic or to inquire on team driver opportunities with the PSL Atlantic team, please call Mike Dobbelsteyn at 506-458-9357 or email mdobbelsteyn@dobbelsteyns.nb.ca.

TEAM COYOTE HAS A BIG MONTH OF MARCH

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 08:06:39 -0400

WSK Euro Series in Zuera.
SPENCERPORT, NY - The Coyote Motorsports shop is abuzz with energy and enthusiasm after a terrific March that featured great success at two big 4-cycle sprint national events.
Team Coyote had been preparing for the 2013 season openers throughout the long, cold winter in the Rochester, N.Y., area. The preparation and hard work paid off, as Coyote racers won seven feature races at the March 8-10 World Karting Association RLV Gold Cup Series opener at Jacksonville, Fla., and a big win in the Pro Clone headliner at the March 22-23 King of the Castle event at Indiana's New Castle Motorsports Park.
"We're really pleased with the start to the season," Coyote owner Jim Lipari said. "Jacksonville was a great start to the Gold Cup and to win the Clone race at New Castle was outstanding. I have to thank everyone who supported us through this busy month. We wouldn't have been able to do this without the help of Brad Farmer, Ben Wagenhals, Scott Meier, Barry Hastings, Mike Fauci Sr. and all our supporters, customers, friends and the families.
"We're looking forward to another great season," Lipari added. "All of us here at the shop have been working tirelessly on the new 2013 line of chassis that has a state of the art front end, computer engineered and tested to increase corner speed and give the driver a better feel behind the wheel, not to mention that it shaved a great amount of weight off of the kart. The new kart has proved itself already in the first 2 races of the season and we couldn't be happier. We feel that the interest in 4-cycle sprint karting is very high, from what we can tell. I think we'll see some great racing this summer at the upcoming events."
At the popular 103rd Street Sports Complex in Jacksonville, Jason Yarborough (two wins), Scott Kleman, Sean Meier, Joshua Stiefel, Tim Stiefel and young Nick Fauci all captured feature wins to kick off the new WKA Gold Cup national tour.
Yarborough, a Florida native, wheeled his sleek, new No. 24 Coyote XP to two wins in the Junior category. Jason won Junior Lite on Saturday and Junior Medium on Sunday. In Saturday's Lite class, Yarborough bested fellow Coyote racer Sarah Luoma for the score. Tyler Stiefel was fourth on his Coyote. In Junior Medium, Yarborough won a close race over Tanner Lee. T. Stiefel again came home fourth and Luoma was seventh. Adding to Yarborough's stellar weekend, he won the Pole Award in Junior Lite and Junior Heavy.
The Stiefel family, which includes father Tim and sons Tyler and Joshua, had a fine weekend in North Florida. Tim, who was awarded his 2012 national championship laurels at Friday night's Gold Cup banquet, began his defense of the Masters championship with a win in Sunday's Animal Masters. He also finished fifth in Animal Heavy on Saturday.
Joshua Stiefel opened the weekend with a strong fourth-place run in Friday's Money Race. Joshua finished just ahead of fellow Coyote pilots Dylan Zobkiw and Brad Farmer in the Money Race. On Saturday Joshua had a spirited battle with his dad in Animal Heavy, which saw Tim best his son for the fifth spot by only a couple of kart-lengths.
Sunday's racing saw Joshua run well in Animal Medium, coming home sixth in the 10-kart field. Josh capped the weekend with an impressive win in Animal Amateur on Sunday in a close race with fellow Coyote racer Cayla Chapman.
Sunday's racing also saw Tyler Stiefel finish a close second in Restricted Junior.
Sean Meier and Scott Kleman earned feature wins in the Senior divisions at Jacksonville. Meier, driving the No. 24 XP out of the Coyote trailer, had an up-and-down weekend competing in the traditional methanol and new Pro Gas Senior Animal classes. In Animal Medium and Heavy, Meier recorded finishes of fourth and third in the mains.
An opening-lap incident in Saturday's Senior Pro Gas Animal feature took out two Coyote racers in Meier and Zobkiw. Meier recovered to make it back to third before the checkers waved, while Zobkiw wasn't able to continue after he challenged for the win in the prefinal.
It all came together for Meier in Sunday's Senior Pro Gas Animal. Meier, Patrick O'Neal and Michael Greiner waged a great three-kart battle for the win. Meier was able to sneak past O'Neal and Greiner in the final laps to take his first and only victory of the weekend. The new Pro Gas class started 10 karts and was one of the most competitive races of the weekend.
Speaking of O'Neal, this report wouldn't be complete without mentioning his fine weekend. While O'Neal wasn't able to score a win on his Coyote, he had a number of impressive runs. O'Neal was battling for the win with Greiner in Saturday's Pro Gas Animal 1 main before he had engine problems with only a couple laps to go, forcing him to retire. O'Neal finished a close third to Meier in the aforementioned Pro Gas Animal 2 main. In Senior Clone 1, O'Neal finished a close fifth in a very competitive 13-kart Clone field.
Scott Kleman made the long haul from his Michigan home to Jacksonville, where he picked up a big win Saturday in Animal Lite. Kleman battled hard with veteran Zachary Linsell throughout the Lite main event. Linsell led in the early stages of the race before Kleman muscled his red Coyote past the Pennsylvania racer. Kleman hit his marks throughout the race's late stages to earn the win. He also scored the Animal Lite Pole Award.
Nick Fauci delighted the Coyote camp Sunday afternoon with his feature win in Sportsman 1 Heavy. Nick had a great race with Matthew Miller and made a slick last-lap move on Miller to pick up the win. Fauci was also competitive in the new Sportsman Pro Gas Animal classes, recording finishes of third and fourth in the impressive 13-kart fields. He set the fast lap time in Sportsman Pro Gas Animal 1.
Nick also was awarded the 2012 Most Improved Junior Driver award for his strong performances and noticeable improvement behind the wheel throughout the 2012 Gold Cup season.
Fauci wasn't the only Coyote driver to find success in the new Sportsman Pro Gas classes.
New York's Joshua Stark recorded finishes of seventh and eighth, respectively. Stark also finished a very strong second and third in the pair of Sportsman 2 methanol divisions. Josh had two chassis at Jacksonville, one a new 2013 XP. He'll look to continue his improved driving at round two of the Gold Cup this May in Indiana.
Cameron Clifford, Evan Bovee and T.J. Vargo each pulled double duty at Jacksonville. The three racers competed in the methanol and Pro Gas Sportsman divisions. Clifford came away with a terrific fifth-place finish in the Friday Sportsman Pro Gas Shootout. He also recorded a pair of fourth-place runs in Sportsman 2 Lite and Heavy.
Bovee, a newcomer to the Gold Cup, ran a strong fifth in Sportsman 1 Lite, sixth in Sportsman 1 Heavy and ninth in Sportsman Pro Gas Animal 2. Vargo, another New Yorker to gain experience on the national Gold Cup tour, ran sixth and seventh in the pair of Sportsman 1 methanol divisions and soldiered to a couple of 12th-place runs in the two Sportsman Pro Gas mains.
The Chapman family was another team that made a trip from Michigan to race at Jacksonville. Cayla Chapman was fast all weekend and easily experienced her best Gold Cup national weekend since she began running the series a few years ago.
Cayla nearly scored the win in Sunday's Animal Amateur feature, but was edged out by fellow Coyote pilot Joshua Stiefel. She ran strong in Saturday's Animal Lite, as well, rounding out the top five in the fifth spot. Cayla is eying a push toward the Animal Amateur championship with the help of her crew chief, former Gold Cup national champion Kaytlyn Fauci.
Cayla's father, Michael, switched from the Masters division to the new Senior Pro Gas classes. Michael raced his Coyote to finishes of sixth and eighth in the pair of Pro Gas Animal main events.
Tyler Woods - another Michigan racer - had a solid weekend on his sleek XP. Woods entered the new Junior Pro Gas Animal divisions and came away with second-place finishes in each class's final. Woods ran third in Restricted Junior on Sunday and was sixth in Saturday's Junior Heavy main event.
These Michigan racers surely are happy round two of the Gold Cup will cut their travel time some 20 hours! The event comes this May at JET Karting in South Bend, Indiana, an awesome facility located just south of the Michigan / Indiana border.
North Carolina's Joey Kuley made his return to the Gold Cup after a couple seasons focusing on WKA's National Road Racing Series. Kuley rented a Pro Gas Animal engine from Kart City Performance for Sunday's Pro Gas main, and came away with a respectable fourth-place finish. The Kuley family is already talking about running the Rockingham Gold Cup season closer this October.
T.J. Vargo and his family traveled south from their New York home. Vargo raced his Coyote to finishes of sixth and seventh in the Sportsman 1 main events as he continues to learn and improve behind the wheel of his Coyote.
Jacksonville veteran Brad Farmer - a loyal Coyote dealer in the Sunshine State - had a strong weekend at his home track. Farmer finished fifth and sixth in the Senior Clone main events. He also ran sixth in the Friday Money Race and helped Patrick O'Neal accomplish his solid weekend as O'Neal ran his Coyote out of Farmer's trailer.

New Castle
A number of Coyote racers traveled to east-central Indiana for the first-ever Pro Kart Tour Right-Turn Edition event. A cold weekend at New Castle forced officials to run the full weekend's events on Saturday before predicted snow arrived on Sunday.
The event's headliner - a Pro Clone class - saw Coyote veteran Ryan Cassity make his return to sprint racing and bag the winning prize after a heated battle with favorite Gary Lawson. Cassity had his Coyote working throughout Friday's practice and Saturday's program. Cassity qualified second to Lawson before finishing second in the prefinal. Fans witnessed a classic battle between two veterans in the main event, which Cassity prevailed by a narrow margin over Lawson.
"I want to thank Jim Lipari and Coyote, Turner Racing Engines, G-Man, my dad and Rob Smith," Cassity said. "It was cold but we had a great time and it was good to get back behind the wheel at a great track like New Castle."
Other Coyote racers in attendance at New Castle included Steven Kilsdonk, another sprint racer who's done a lot of Road Racing over the last couple years. Kilsdonk qualified an impressive third in Pro Clone and came away with a fine fifth-place finish of 27 starters in the main event. WKA Manufacturers Cup regular Cal Stewart finished fourth on a Coyote while Kyle Capodice was ninth on his Coyote.
Team Coyote will now return to the shop in preparation for some northern races this spring. Round two of the Gold Cup is May 24-26 at JET Karting in South Bend, Ind., while round three will be July 5-7 at G&J Kartway in Camden, Ohio.
The local season will be starting up soon at Genesee Valley Kart Club in Avon, N.Y. The WKA Divisional Series will run this spring at Avon, where Coyote will be on hand with their support trailer.

About Coyote Motorsports
Coyote is one of the original production go-kart chassis manufacturers in the United States.
Based in the Rochester suburb of Spencerport N.Y., Coyote is now owned and managed by longtime kart racer Jim Lipari. In addition to chassis manufacturing, Coyote is a full-service kart shop and machine shop capable of in-house manufacturing nearly all of the components on its popular line of karts.
Coyote is proud to conduct nearly all of its services at its home shop, including bending tubing with a computer-operated Pines 1000 tubing bender, TIG and MIG welding and painting with a state-of-the-art Nordson powder-coating system.

WSK EURO SERIES AT ZUERA (E) - FINAL RACES

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 07:59:53 -0400

WSK Euro Series in Zuera.

The Spanish round was particularly rich of important information which is now useful to understand the real potential of teams and drivers of this year's WSK Euro Series. The races - which finished today - on the Circuito Internacional de Zuera in some cases confirmed the expectations of the first phase of the long, Spanish racing weekend, while in other cases these expectations were not fulfilled.
Verstappen wins again in KZ1. The Dutch Max Verstappen (CRG-TM-Bridgestone) was the driver to beat in KZ1 today too. The British Benjamin Hanley (ART GP-TM-Bridgestone) learnt it the hard way: at the start of Final 2 - this afternoon - he tried to gain an early lead but was closely pursued by Verstappen and, after two laps, the Dutch driver passed him. Behind them, the other British Jordon Lennox-Lamb (CRG-Parilla-Bridgestone) was outstanding; despite a bad start he pushed hard to close the gap and to recover seven positions. His terrific performance brought a further podium position to CRG: he arrived third behind Verstappen and Hanley.
Zanchetta dominates in KZ2. Marco Zanchetta (Maranello-TM-Bridgestone) is always in the top positions of the KZ2 standings. He won again in Final 2 today, after winning yesterday's final 1. But it is the Italian driver himself who points out how another Italian driver, Riccardo Negro (DR-TM-Bridgestone), is a tough rival. Negro made Zanchetta's race unpredictably hard when, at the start, took the lead. Zanchetta gained the leadership only at the end of a short but gripping duel. Third place went to the Czech Jan Midrla, who stole the podium from the French Maxime Roy (both on Birel-TM-Bridgestone). To achieve their results they both had to pass the Norwegian Emil Antonsen (DR-TM-Bridgestone) at the beginning of the race.
Tiene comes back to victory-lane in KF. Armand Convers (Kosmic-Vortex-Vega) and Dorian Boccolacci (Energy-TM-Vega) tried to challenge the Italian Felice Tiene (CRG-Parilla-Vega), who seemed particularly competitive throughout the whole weekend. At the start of the final, the two French drivers got the lead of the race, with Convers first and Boccolacci second. However, their leadership lasted only one lap: in fact, the Italian driver passed them both almost immediately and kept the first position until the end of the race, even though he was aware that the race was no piece of cake given the great skill of the drivers behind him. In fact, the Polish Karol Basz (Tony Kart-Vortex-Vega) joined the battle and was second for a short time. Boccolacci and Convers, in this new order, closed the gap with the leader but, at the end of the race, it was Kevin Lavelli (Top Kart-TM-Vega) who snatched the third place from Basz and Convers. So, Lavelli finished third behind Tiene, the winner, and Boccolacci, whose weekend was definitely as good as Tiene's.

Norris is not afraid of his rivals in KF3. KF3 final started with the duel between the British Daniel Ticktum (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega) and the Russian Nikita Sitnikov (Tony Kart-BMB-Vega). They led the race during the first laps, while their stongest competitor, the Londonian Lando Norris (FA Kart-Vortex-Vega) was trying to close the gap from the eighth place after a difficult start from the front row. Norris confirmed to be the promising talent of the category: he recovered position after position and then attacked the two leading drivers. At half race, the mission was finally accomplished when Norris passed Ticktum and gained the lead of the race. The latter was the runner-up, while Sitnikov was third.

On Rai Sport 2 special report from the WSK of Zuera. The classic after race appointment with WSK and Rai Sport 2 is on next Friday, 29th March. News from the track and from the paddock of Zuera will be dealt with during the 30' special report from 11.55pm.

PARKER CHASE SET FOR FLORIDA WINTER TOUR FINALE

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:54:22 -0400

New chassis and new team for Mini Max pilot in Ocala
Parker Chase will switch to a PSL Karting/CRG Mini Max package for the final rounds of the 2013 Florida Winter Tour
Coming off a strong performance at the second stop of the 2013 Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour (FWT), Texas-based pilot Parker Chase/Chase Racing will take on the finale rounds with a new chassis brand with a new team. Hoping the switch will match results with Chase's performance and positive attitude, the 12-year-old will be gunning for podium finishes at the Ocala Gran Prix facility in Ocala, Florida this coming weekend.
Joining forces with the potent Team PSL Karting aboard a championship-caliber CRG chassis, Chase Racing will make the switch to the karting powerhouse team for the final two rounds of the FWT Rotax schedule. With PSL's storied history and strong Rotax Mini Max program, Chase's new package may be just what he needs to propel to the top of the time sheets.
In his first FWT Rotax campaign, Chase has shown to be an up-and-coming force in the ultra-competitive and challenging Rotax Mini Max category. Though results have not shown his full potential, Chase continues to improve week in and week out, and always maintains a positive attitude. Able to battle his way through the pack in Homestead for rounds three and four after qualifying down the running order, Chase has the technical know-how and racing savvy to put his new PSL/CRG entry on top in Ocala.
Chase will take on the 0.6-mile Ocala facility this week for unofficial practice, leading up to Friday's double qualifying sessions. Saturday and Sunday will see the young gun take in two days of warm-up, prefinal and final action as he wraps up his 2013 FWT campaign. Live video and audio, as well as timing and scoring will be available via the FWT Live! page: http://floridawintertour.com/fwtlive/2013

For more information on Parker Chase, please visit www.chaseracing.com.
For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

NKA 4-cycle Tech Group Announced 3Daly to make his GP2 debut in Malaysia

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:45:32 -0400

Noblesville, IN -- American Conor Daly will make his GP2 debut this weekend at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia where he will pilot one of two new team entries for German based, Hilmer Motorsport. Daly conducted three days of testing recently in Barcelona, Spain for the new team and goes to this weekend's event with high hopes.
"This off season has been crazy for me," said Daly. "The GP2 testing in Spain two weeks ago was a surprise and I got about two hours notice on Tuesday night to pack my bags. I learned just about enough in Spain to jump at this opportunity - and the added bonus is that I learn another Formula One track."
The German squad whose Team Principal, Franz Hilmer already owns Formtech GmbH - a supplier for several Formula One teams - joins the thirteen team field in replacement of Ocean Racing Technology.
"Conor was recommended to us before we tested in Barcelona and although there was a lot to learn, we were very impressed with him," said Franz Hilmer. "For a rookie he was fantastic, made no mistakes, and we wanted to have him in our car in Malaysia."
The first two races of the year in Malaysia are regarded as the toughest of the year because of the extreme humidity and also the risk of monsoon-like downpours. The track surface at Sepang is abrasive and very high energy loads are put through the cars and drivers. A GP2 car is only about 10 seconds per lap slower than a Formula One car in Malaysia, and Pirelli has changed the tire compounds and the construction of its tires to reflect the characteristics of its new Formula One tires. This offers more performance and deliberately increased degradation. This provides a bigger performance gap between the GP2 compounds, which opens up more possibilities for different pit stop strategies. Daly will encounter pit stops for the first time.
Live Timing is available on the GP2 Series website at; http://www.gp2series.com/Live-Timing/ for practice, qualifying and the races. The schedule is as follows (all times listed are EDT)
Practice: Thursday, March 21st at 11:55PM EDT
Qualifying: Friday, March 22nd at 3:55AM EDT
Race 1: Friday, March 22nd at 11:15PM EDT
Race 2: Sun March 24th at 12:15AM EDT

NKA 4-cycle Tech Group Announced

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:00:18 -0400

NKA is happy to announce our 4-cycle tech team is complete with an All-Star cast leading 4-cycle karting into 2013 and beyond! The purpose of the 4-cycle Tech Team is to bring stability and consistency to rules for 4-cycle karting as well as train tech officials working at NKA sanctioned tracks. The team consists of three members all of whom not only bring great experience and knowledge of 4-cycle karting, but also are known for their high integrity and ethics.

"We're very excited to announce this tech team on our 4-cycle side," stated NKA CEO Joe Janowski. "They all came highly recommended for their integrity and knowledge of the engines. Both were very important factors in our decision process to be added under the NKA banner ~especially integrity as we insist NKA be positioned as not being in anyone's 'back pocket'."

Leading the NKA 4-cycle Tech Team is Boyd Maloney of Shelby, North Carolina. Maloney has served as a tech official for every major karting series in the Southeast. Additionally, Maloney owns Longbranch Engineering and is the promoter at Carolina 120 Speedway.

Tom Stiverson of Hillsdale, Michigan owns a small engine repair shop and has been involved in karting since the 1960's. He has been a tech inspector for many high profile series and events since the early 1990's. Stiverson came highly recommended for his vast knowledge of small 4-cycle engines (and the fact he does not build engines for competition any longer).

The final member of the Tech Team is Jeff Jones of Des Moines, Iowa. After an 11-year sprint-car racing career, Jones switched to karting to spend time with his son. He has been part of the Newton (Iowa) Kart Klub (NKK) since 1992. Additionally, he has been tech director for major series in Iowa and Nebraska, promoted races, and been a co-race director.

TEAM KOENE USA VICTORIOUS AT FLORIDA WINTER TOUR

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:53:01 -0400

New karting team scores maiden win at FWT Formula Kart finale

With four podium results to their credit heading into the finale round of the 2013 Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour (FWT), Team Koene USA was able to score the team's maiden victory at the Ocala Gran Prix facility in Ocala, Florida. Taking on the TaG Cadet class, team driver Michael d'Orlando was able to secure not only his first ever FWT victory, but also the team's first in their very short existence having only been together for a total of five event weekends.
"It is a great feeling to get the team's first victory," explained Koene USA's Mike Maurini. "It shows that hard work, quality equipment and proper coaching can lead to great results. It only took three event weekends to get our first podium and five event weekends to get our first win. We are looking forward to the remainder of the 2013 season. Congratulations to Michael d'Orlando on his first national victory."
Coming off of two podium results from the February rounds at the Homestead Karting Complex, d'Orlando started his final Formula Kart weekend with yet another second place podium position in Saturday's final. Sunday saw d'Orlando put his Team Koene USA entry on pole for the day's final, after winning a heat race and showing he had the speed to win.
Holding onto the point through the opening complex of corners at the Ocala facility, d'Orlando was able to break away quickly from his rivals in the final. With the second place driver slowly reeling him in, the Team Koene USA member would fall to second but stay on the bumper of the leader. Making a smart and calculated pass, d'Orlando went back into the lead. Continuing to battle for the top spot, d'Orlando finally made a pass stick as he cruised to the victory for Team Koene USA, the first FWT victory for the driver and the first for the team in their short three month existence.
Michael d'Orlando was also able secure Team Koene USA with the Vice-Championship title in the ultra-competitive TaG Cadet category, showcasing the strength of the team's philosophy of focusing on performance to obtain consistent, strong results.
Younger brother Nicholas d'Orlando was also able to show progress, as the fellow Team Koene USA member finished with a solid top-ten finish in Sunday's final.
Team Koene USA will now focus on the final rounds of the Rotax portion of the 2013 FWT schedule this weekend in Ocala. Looking to use momentum gained from this past weekend, as well as a podium result from Homestead, the team and drivers will be gunning for more podiums and race wins as the FWT wraps. Koene USA will also continue to provide trackside sales for OTK, Tony Kart, MG, Mojo, Rotax and Alpinestars products.

For more information on Koene USA and their online store, please visit www.KoeneUSA.com or contact company representatives at 317.270.8723 or via e-mail to Info@KoeneUSA.com.

For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

UNITED STATES PRO KART SERIES UPDATES RULES STRUCTURE, BEGIN PRE-ENTRY FOR OPENER

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:47:58 -0400

The European KF2 and KF3 Championships, which are henceforth held over 2 rounds, will be settled this weekend in Great Britain, at Brandon, on the PF International track. On a modified and lengthened circuit, in particular with the creation of a bridge, the granting of the European crowns in the Hopefuls’ category (KF2) and in the Juniors’ class (KF3) will be thrilling.

After the organisation of the North European Trophy in 2011, the PF International circuit is now preparing to host a fully-fledged European Championship. To be able to organise this major event the owners of the PF International circuit did not hesitate to carry out the necessary work, notably by extending the length of the track to 1,382 metres. In addition to the lengthening of the course, the creation of a bridge and of a banked up corner have brought to PF International a touch of originality which makes it a unique course. The Drivers who have had the opportunity to try the circuit in its new version all seem to appreciate it, and there should be a most intense spectacle in the county of Lincolnshire.

In their country which is ceaselessly revealing new talents year after year, the Brits are determined to take advantage of their knowledge of the venue to make the difference. Although they do not lead either of the Championships before this decisive meeting, with two races scheduled for Sunday and a total of 3 results retained (out of a maximum of 4), everything remains possible.

KF2: Verstappen favourite, but…

Fastest in both dry and rainy conditions at the first round of the European KF2 Championship, organised in Germany, Max Verstappen (Intrepid-TM) is tipped as the big favourite before the second and last event. With a second place and a win at Wackersdorf, the Dutchman has indeed put up an almost faultless performance, but a small mistake on the drenched track of the first race enabled Charles Leclerc (ART GP-Parilla) to be victorious as well, the Monegasque thus preserving all his Championship chances in spite of having a harder time in the second race. Max Verstappen will also have to beware of Benjamin Barnicoat (ART GP-Parilla). The young Briton, who achieved an incredible recovery during the German weekend, will perform on home ground. PF International is “his own” track! The protégé of the Racing Steps Foundation therefore seems in a position to fill the gap that currently separates him from the leader.

On the provisional podium, this trio of young Drivers who however are only in their maiden KF2 season (in this, the category of the so-called “Hopefuls”) will undoubtedly be tipped as favourites. Karting is however anything but an exact science! We have therefore probably not heard the last of the Dane Thomas Krebs (Maranello-TM) or of Norway’s Dennis Olsen (Energy-TM) who also both tasted the joys of the podium in Germany, or of the regular “Speedy”, aka Antonio Fuoco (Tony Kart-Vortex), currently 6th in the ranking.

The deletion of the least good result in the final count also allows other Drivers who have been unable to score in either of the German races to retain a small hope. Such is in particular the case of France’s Anthoine Hubert (FK-TM), Britain’s Tom Joyner (LH-BMB), Denmark’s Nicklas Nielsen (Kosmic-Vortex) or Poland’s Karol Basz (Birel-BMB). The latter competitors however know that they do not hold all the cards and that a possible feat also depends on a counter-performance of the favourites.

KF3: Palou, Russell and Boccolacci are the best placed

Over two months after its opening at Varennes-sur-Allier, the European KF3 Championship – the category of 13-15 year-olds – will give its verdict on Sunday in England. Having dominated the first race in France, Britain’s George Russell (Intrepid-Vortex) could have come to his home land as leader. But George was the unfortunate victim of a very eventful start in the second race and his tally thus remains at the 25 points of his initial win. So the Spaniard Alex Palou (CRG-BMB) did not let slip his chance and won Race 2, which has enabled him to take the reins of the competition. Will he be able to keep them until the end? Apart from Russell, the Spaniard will have to take account of the Frenchman Dorian Boccolacci (Intrepid-TM), who was also pushed out of the track in the second race in France whereas he had finished the first one right behind George Russell. These two Drivers will undoubtedly have a taste of revenge in their mouths…

The Romanian Dionisios Marcu (Top Kart-TM) and the Croatian Martin Kodric (FA Kart-Vortex), who were with it in Varennes-sur-Allier, want to confirm that their performance had nothing to do with luck. This is also true of the American Santino Ferrucci (Energy-TM) and of the Belgian Amaury Bonduel (Kosmic-Parilla), currently 6th and 8th in the Championship provisional classification as they constantly remained in the top 10 in France. It will also be worth keeping an eye on the Brits Daniel Ticktum (Zanardi-Parilla), currently 7th, Alex Gill (SWRD-Parilla) and Nathan Aston (Intrepid-TM). In the country of Queen Elisabeth II, the awarding of Karting’s European medals will therefore not lack suspense!

An interview with, TIM CINDRIC, AJ ALLMENDINGER, AND MIKE KELLY

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:36:49 -0400

THE MODERATOR: Thank you for joining us today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. You probably all saw the news this morning. We're happy to welcome AJ Allmendinger back onboard with Team Penske.
We're joined with three distinguished guests, Tim Cindric, who is the president of Penske Racing; AJ Allmendinger, who we announced this morning will be driving the No. 2 IZOD Team Penske Dallara Chevrolet at the Indianapolis 500 and Barber Motorsports Park; and Mike Kelly, executive vice president of marketing, and oversees the IZOD brand and many other apparel brands.
Tim, we'll start with you. Obviously we've been working on this for a while. Can you give us an overview of how the opportunity arose with AJ and how we were able to pull things together.

TIM CINDRIC: It's always cool to have a new chapter in Roger's book. When you look at the things that we've been through over the years, this kind of marks another day.
When we looked at this and said, How do we put this together in a short period of time? Mike's help, the support that IZOD put together really in a very short period of discussions, as we looked at how to take advantage of that, we discussed a bit about what about AJ Allmendinger, when you look at the best available guys out there. Mike, he didn't even hesitate. He said, I'm all in. I think that's a great idea.
For us to be able to sit back up here, he and I have been through quite a bit in the last 15 months. To sit back here and have another chapter, another opportunity to win this place is really cool.

THE MODERATOR: AJ, obviously a very exciting day for you. You've been through a lot in the past year. To work your way back here with Penske Racing in this place, talk about looking forward to the Indy 500 as well as Barber coming up.

AJ ALLMENDINGER: For me it's amazing to go through the last year of what happened, get back to this point. For me to be able to run Indy is amazing, but the fact to have Roger Penske, everybody at the Penske organization, Tim, to ask me to come back, still be a part of the family. Roger told me the first day when I signed with him last year, Once you're in the family, you're always in the family.
As everything occurred to go through that, have Roger not just say those words but act them, not with this, but every week calling me to make sure I'm all right, make sure I'm doing the right things, just more than anything being okay, that to me meant the world.
To have him ask me to come back and ask me to drive one of his IndyCars here at the Speedway, and in general, that means more than anything I could have imagined. At that point, Roger didn't need to help me if he didn't want to. To have him do that, have Mike and IZOD come aboard and take a shot with me at this, it's fantastic.
I feel excited about it. Just the short amount of time we've spent together, dinner last night, learning about the company, just being a part of it, for me it's kind of a second coming of a dream come true in a lot of different days.

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back.
Mike, talk a little bit about having this guy represent IZOD and what you're looking forward to.

MIKE KELLY: We couldn't be happier. We get to race, first off, at the Indy 500. That in and of itself it's amazing. This track is so cool. To race with the Penske organization, to be with Roger, then to support AJ to get a shot at an American drinking the milk, being in the winner's circle, we couldn't be prouder.
Take any one of those three, racing at the Indy 500, be with Roger Penske, Tim and those guys in the office and in the pit, then AJ, he's an interesting cat, an interesting guy, this is going to be a lot of fun. I found out that last night.

AJ ALLMENDINGER: Not sure how to take that (laughter).

MIKE KELLY: It's going to be a lot of fun.

THE MODERATOR: I also want to take the opportunity to welcome all the fans watching on the Internet. Glad you could be a part of this as well.
We'll open it up for questions from the audience.

Q. Will AJ be in all the races? Any conflicts NASCAR-wise?

TIM CINDRIC: Right now we have two IZOD races for AJ, Barber and Indianapolis. Mike, can we have some more?

MIKE KELLY: That's called: Being put on the spot (smiling).
We got Barber, we got Indy.

TIM CINDRIC: It's our goal to put together more races. Whether or not they're IZOD races or what have you, it's our goal to expand in whatever way we can.

Q. Tim, does Penske Racing have a drug test policy within its own boundaries?

TIM CINDRIC: We do. I think it was pretty well-documented when we went through this situation last year with AJ, as we looked at it, it was very difficult for us to put the driver in a different scenario than the rest of the expectations of us.
So there was really no choice but to have things play out the way they did. The difference, and some people missed this, AJ has looked at that whole situation, he's gone through what's required of him, and he continues to be I guess selected to be sure that everybody's behind him and he's doing the right things.
Those assurances, there was a timeout there for a while, he's paid his dues, he's assured everybody he's on the right track, and we totally support that.

Q. AJ, when you were sat down initially, did you have any indication that if you follow a certain track, you may get the call back or was the call back a surprise?

AJ ALLMENDINGER: I mean, you speak from Roger himself? As it all went down, I wasn't worried about a call from anybody, honestly. The first things I had to go through was figure out the process and what was expected of me, what I had to do to get back in racing as quick as possible, which is all I wanted to do.
Honestly, through that process, there's a lot of things that for me I had to go through as a person. We all know that anybody that has been around me, I always put the most pressure on myself. I always have or always will, whether it's the biggest strength of mine or biggest weakness.
Last year I was driving for Roger Penske, things weren't going right, I was stressed, I wasn't myself. First things first, I had to figure out if I wanted to race anymore. Finally for the first time in my life for the first time in 25 years I wasn't racing every weekend. In a way it was good because I had to figure out if I wanted to continue doing that. I quickly learned as I watched races on TV, I did.
I had to be happier first before I got into a racecar. I always looked at it, if racing is going well, that will make everything else happy. Well, for me it's the total opposite. When you get in the racecar, you're totally focused, physically, mentally, everything that goes with it.
I wasn't worried about a phone call from anybody, getting a chance. I had to make sure if I got the chance, if and when, I was ready to go. That time period, going through that, is what I focused on.
There's no secrets. Nobody's perfect in life. Unfortunately mine was played out on TV over one dumb mistake. But with that mistake, you can do two things: you can keep making those mistakes or learn from them and be a lot better.
I said it when I started, I'll say it every day, I'm a lot better for it. I'm a lot better mentally and physically for whatever opportunity.
No, I wasn't expecting the opportunity to be at the Indy 500 with Roger Penske, but that was something for me I had to work hard on. Like we all go through, certain days are good, certain days are bad.
I feel a lot better for going through it. I can actually look at Tim Cindric, Mike Kelly, Roger Penske in the eye and say, I'm ready to go and I'm going to work hard. I'm going to do all the right things. Whether that's good enough in the end? I hope so. If not, I can look myself in the mirror and be happy with it.
I went through a lot in the last few months for the good. Certain people may wonder why you get a second opportunity, but for me it's just through hard work and being happier away from the racetrack. When I'm at the racetrack I'm really happy.

Q. AJ, now you're on this big stage, assuming you're going to be able to handle the position, talk about the challenges that this track presents for a person such as yourself.

AJ ALLMENDINGER: I've been told I'm not supposed to hit the brakes when I get down to the end of the straightaway now. I'm so used to that in a stockcar. It's going to be the first challenge, to hold my foot down (laughter).
No, I mean, it's just the challenge of not being in one of these cars in seven years. It's a lot different. When I tested at Sebring, it's a lot different than what I remember. There's a lot of work that goes into that.
Obviously being around this place in its own right it's completely different than anything I'll do. Fortunately enough, there's a lot of great people on this team. I'm with the best organization to start with, and they have Rick Mears, Helio, just everybody, Roger, everybody that has been a part of this great place for so many years that can help me out.
The good thing about Indy is you get a couple weeks leading up to the race to keep working on that. There's a lot of challenges, not just one little challenge. It's about putting it all together.
Luckily we'll have a test in Barber, the race in Barber. Obviously it's not an oval, but it's getting used to the car. I'll be prepared as much as possible as I can be before I get on the racetrack. Once I get on here, it's about trying to learn and take it step by step.
For me, I'm fortunate enough to have a lot of great people in this organization that will be there to help me.

Q. (No microphone.)

AJ ALLMENDINGER: No, there's no added pressure with the name. As I said, the most pressure comes from myself to go out there and perform. If I didn't think I could be here and have a chance to win this race, I wouldn't waste these guys' time and money. There's no point in doing that.
But I know at the same point there's a lot of work that's going to go into that. There's no pressure except for myself.
It's funny, I never met A.J. until the Sebring test. I walked downstairs in the hotel in the morning. He was sitting there having breakfast. I thought it was a great opportunity to go meet him. A.J. Foyt, my dad told my mom, if it's a boy, the name has to be A.J., if it was a girl he didn't give a crap what the name was.
Mine stands for Anthony James, and A.J. is Anthony Joseph.

Q. AJ, when you were running Champ Car, Franchitti was also in CART, he never paid attention to the Indy 500. He started running here, it became a huge deal. Named for A.J. Foyt, being an open-wheel guy, then you went to NASCAR, did you think you would never run the Indy 500 again?

AJ ALLMENDINGER: I mean, it was tough back in Champ Car because when the two series were split, not having that opportunity to race here, honestly I felt as a kid growing up when I was 10, 11, 12 years old, when it was the heyday of CART, I loved the Indy 500. I thought the best of the best showed up. It was great to see.
I felt like obviously with the split, it took away from the prestige of the Indy 500 because the best of the best weren't there the whole time.
So for me, honestly, it was like I kind of lost a little bit of the concept of what Indy really was until I got here for the first time in a stockcar and pulled out in pit lane and realized, God, this is what Indy is all about, coming down the front straightaway for the first time. My mind immediately went back to, What's it like in an IndyCar, coming down at 240 and turn into turn one?
I didn't think I'd never have a chance to run there, I just didn't know what the opportunity would be. I've always wanted to be here at the Indy 500. It's still the biggest race I think on this planet. You look at the crowd when it shows up on race day and just everything that leads up to the Indy 500, what it means, the names that are on the Borg-Warner trophy, the prestige here.
I'd love to be part of it. It's going to be amazing to be a part of it as a driver being introduced, but it would be a lot better, as Mike has told me several times in the last 12 hours, it would be a lot better to win that. I got that.
Yeah, I'm real excited about it.

Q. Tim, you obviously sat with Roger and assessed the risk. How big do you think the risk was and why did you take the risk when Penske has the pick of any driver that they would want?

TIM CINDRIC: Well, I'm not sure we have a pick of any driver.
I think with regard to the confidence that we have, again, we were pretty close to his whole situation. When you look at it, yeah, you take calculated risks throughout this business every day. For us it's not really a risk. We look at it and say, If you're sitting in his shoes, you've gone down the road to recovery, the only other road there is is a dead end. There's nothing there.
I feel like Roger has always been a loyal guy, always been somebody that's been there for anybody. There's a lot of stories like this that a lot of people don't know about, a lot more than you think, in terms of giving somebody a second chance, being there for them when they're needed.
When you look at this thing, we talked about it, there's more good that can come out of it than bad. At the end of the day, the worst thing that can come out of it is we get another driver, in some ways, when you break it down to the very simple aspects of it.
But when you look at situations like last night, perfect example. A friend of mine calls me, a good friend in the business, and he says, Hey, man, I've got somebody that's in the business that has a son. That son is a great athlete. He's got a scholarship. He's at the top of his game in high school sports. This kid hung out with the wrong buddies, wrong friends, and ended up making a mistake, got tested. Now he's got his whole future on the line, his scholarship, his athletics, everything else. His parents have talked to me to see if there's a way if he can talk to AJ Allmendinger to see how he can go through that process to see if their son can do that.
To me that was like really cool and brought the whole thing full circle as I'm driving back from Savannah last night about why we're doing this.

Q. AJ, you can see a mistake can be humbling. Racecar driving itself will make you humble. Have you discussed the mistake you made with some of your colleagues, friends, drivers? Could you share with us some advice that someone may have given you?

AJ ALLMENDINGER: I mean, as you said, the sport will always humble you. Most of the time you'll have more downs than ups. It's the ups that make the downs worth it.
When it all happened, I feel like for a while I kind of closed off because I was trying to figure it out myself. The thing that really helped was I had a lot of family and friends that were there, my parents, people like Roger, that were close to me that helped me get through it.
A lot that helped me get through it was the people I was racing against at that time in NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart. Those guys reached out to me and saw how I was, just told me advice, whether it was just be honest, tell the truth, do what you have to do, or just events that they went through. Whether people have seen or haven't seen behind the scenes the stuff they went through, the fact that they trusted me more than anything.
Guys like Ryan Hunter-Reay, for instance, I hadn't talked to him much in the past because obviously our paths were going down a different way. He reached out to me. A guy like Will Power, Helio, all those guys, even guys I hadn't spoke to a lot that reached out. There was a lot of support there from them. That helped me get through it.
Family and friends are obviously really important in life. But at the same point when you're racing against people at over 200 miles per hour, those are the ones that have to trust you. If they don't trust you to start with, you're not going to be back in the sport or not. They're going to be the ones that determine whether they want you there or not.
It was those people that meant so much because they trusted me and they said, Just do what you do, get back. Do whatever it is that you have to do, whatever the process is, and get back as quick as possible. That to me has meant more than anything.
As Tim talked about, with a situation like that, I'm not scared to talk about it. I think sometimes people get scared to bring it up and discuss it or anything like that, or people try to shy away from it. It's happened. It's out there in the press. Nothing's going to change about what was said in the past, what people are going to determine in the future. I learned through all of this, all you can do is work on yourself. If you're happy with yourself, in certain ways it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks.
I'm always open to talk about it, whether it's people that are going through it, people that made mistakes, people that just want to discuss it, it's something to be open about, something to be open from, it's life.

Q. Mike, I know you're a huge race fan. Several years ago IZOD made a huge commitment to this series. It's my understanding this is the last year of that contract. Moving forward, have there been discussions internally about where to take this thing?

MIKE KELLY: It's our sixth year. We're proud of the series. I'm a huge fan. IZOD is a fan of the sport. It's an amazing product. What goes on here, the 500 alone. But each of these races, I don't know how many there are this year exactly. Each of the races, the road courses, ovals.
Today is about AJ, our relationship with Penske. We're not here to talk about our deal with the league.
But we're supportive of everything that's going on here, especially this idea. The idea of getting an American in the winner's circle at the Indy 500 is great for the sport, great for the league. What's good for the league is good for us because we've got our name on it.

Q. Tim, you said initially early on that you have your own testing program. What did you say when NASCAR says, Uh-oh, the red flag is up?

TIM CINDRIC: Maybe you misunderstood in terms of the drivers and that type of thing. They have a program that's right in parallel, if not more so, than what we have to do as employers. In that case, Roger was actually on an airplane on his way back from Europe. Roger knows I only call him when I need something. I usually wait for him to call me. If I'm calling him, it's pretty cool, because he usually takes my call because I don't call him very often. He'll check in daily for the most part.
The process to do that, you have to go through air traffic control, so forth, then he calls you. I just talked to him 30 minutes ago. He had taken off, was on his way back from Europe.
Anyway, I get ahold of him. So what did you forget last time we talked? This probably isn't the way you want to come back from your vacation, but in the next couple hours we have to decide who is going in this car at Daytona, went through the situation. His response was, Hey, nothing I can do about it from here so figure out the next steps. That was kind of how that all took place.
With regard to the drivers, the sanctioning bodies, you have such a stringent program for them, one that's very random, that to do that across the masses isn't really practical. We rely on the sanctioning bodies a lot relative to the drivers.

Q. Mike, I applaud your decision to back AJ. Top flight American drivers are an endangered species. AJ, did the potential accelerate to come back to IndyCar, that you might like to go back to open-wheel again?

AJ ALLMENDINGER: I always told Roger, I told him every day, if he wants me to drive one of his racecars, I'm not going to be dumb and say no.
We were focused on the Cup program, trying to go out there and win races. At that point the year hadn't started off very well. What was tough was I felt like we were actually making headway right before it all happened, starting to have some of our better runs.
Once something like that happens, for me I'm open to all opportunities. At that point last year Roger asked me to come to Fontana as a guest of his and come back to an IndyCar race, see what it was all about. At that point the championship was on the line. It had been a great season for IndyCar in general when it came to the racing aspect of it.
For me I have a lot of great friends still in IndyCar, so I keep up with it every weekend I can, every race they have. It was just an opportunity to show up and say, What's out there? What opportunities might there be? What chances are there going to be, whether it's IndyCar, NASCAR, GRAND-AM, whatever? I've learned quickly in life, you don't say no to anything. You kind of look at all options and see what is best in life.
For me it's just been about finding out what that opportunity is, whether it's IndyCar or NASCAR. Be competitive, have chances to win races and just enjoy it, just have fun being in a racecar no matter what it is.
Did I think it would lead to this? I didn't know. Generally I just take every day as it comes now. I'm not surprised by anything. As I said, more than anything, I'm just trying to make myself ready, whatever those chances are. Be physically, mentally, emotionally ready to go. When I get a call to go in a racecar, I can know I'm 100% committed to it. That's what I feel like now.
The fortunate thing is at least my phone has kept ringing. It hasn't been silent. Ring, somebody call me. There's not enough adjectives to say what I feel now. Amazing, excited, nervous, just pumped up to have this chance, to be back with Roger and the Penske family, to have IZOD take a chance and say they want to be a part of me and they want me to be a part of them.
So I'm ready to go. Anything better would be maybe get some more golf clothes. I'm a huge golfer, too. Just throwing that out. Checking out their stuff on the course. If I have to represent them out there, too, I will. Just saying, whatever you need. I think you have a couple of good golfers you represent. One lives by me. So if you want to throw that out there. We could do some TV stuff, whatever you want. Just throwing it out there, thinking ahead (smiling).

Q. AJ, compare what you'll feel the day you'll go out on the track in an IndyCar compared to a stockcar. Roger expects a lot from his drivers beyond most owners. Is that an added pressure or do you accept that?

AJ ALLMENDINGER: I mean, the first part of that question, I'm not going to lie, I'm going to be nervous as hell rolling out. It was the same way when I was in a stockcar. For me, when I haven't done something before, I have those nerves. I think it's a good thing. If I wasn't nervous, I wouldn't care.
The anticipation of rolling out there first day, rookie orientation, it's going to be fun and nerve-wracking, so many emotions wrapped together at the same time. It's going to take a few laps to get used to it. Once I get used to it, it's down to business.
With your second question, Roger, yeah, he demands a lot from his drivers, but he's one of the easiest guys to work for, which surprised me last year. I was so stressed out at the beginning of the year, things weren't going right, we were having mechanical issues. He was going to be on me saying, We got to go out there and do it this weekend. He was at ease more than anybody else. It takes time, don't worry about it, things will come together, you're doing fine, just relax.

TIM CINDRIC: The drivers, they got it easy.

AJ ALLMENDINGER: He might have been in the next room with Tim going, What the hell is he doing out there? Get on him.

TIM CINDRIC: Free pass.

AJ ALLMENDINGER: No, he's a great guy to work for.

THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, thank you very much for your time. Very excited about the upcoming season. Happy to welcome AJ, to the team.

CHAMPION RACING 2013 LSGP RACE REPORT

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:27:53 -0400

Lockhart, TX - Intrepid North America importer Champion Racing provided factory track support at the 2013 Lone Star Grand Prix held in Lockhart, TX March 2nd & 3rd, 2013 and is very pleased with the race results and podium finishes by the team members.
Brett Berryhill oversaw the trackside program managing the engines, data acquisition and data analysis.
Jesse Woodyard won the #1 top podium spot in both Tag Junior and Stock Honda Junior with the help of his father and mechanic Tory Woodyard. In Tag Junior qualifying Woodyard was 1 second faster than Cole Glasson in P2, won the pre-final with a 13 second lead and repeated the performance in the 12 lap final with more than 20 seconds between him and Cole Glasson. In Stock Honda Junior the competition was a lot closer and Woodyard qualified in P2 just .046 seconds behind pole sitter Derek Scott Jr. Woodyard won both the prefinal and the final heats with just 2 seconds between him and Derek Scott Jr.
Ryan Kinnear teamed up with mechanic Jordy Vorrath for the weekend. Kinnear did not qualify or run in the pre-final in 125 Modified/ICC so he could concentrate on the Stock Honda Light class. However, after starting in the back he finished in 2nd place in 125 Modified/ICC in the final heat! Kinnear qualified 6th in Stock Honda Light, finished the pre-final in 5th place and came in 2nd place, for the second time that day, in the final heat just 2/10th of a second ahead of team member Alex Tartaglia.
Alex Tartaglia had his father mechanic Paul Tartaglia helping him. Alex qualified in 3rd place in Stock Honda Light and was consistent all weekend, finishing 3rd in the pre-final and 3rd again in the final heat right behind team member Ryan Kinnear.
Gary Butler, teamed up with mechanic Aaron Senters, made a strong come back after not racing for 6 years. Butler qualified 6th in the 23 kart TAG Master class, 6th in the pre-final and finished the final heat in the 4th podium spot.
Tyler Fling with mechanic Rodney Berryhill qualified 9th in Stock Honda Light. Fling was in 6th place in the pre-final when he was collected in an accident in the last lap of the heat. After starting the final from 21st place he made it up to 6th place before a reed broke causing him to limp across the finish line in 9th place.
Rey Ferreyro, with the help of his mechanic dad Rey Ferreyro Sr., qualified in 3rd place in Tag Junior, retired early from the pre-final in 5th place and finished the final heat in 3rd spot.
For more information about Champion Racing and Intrepid karts call 405-579-2777 or email rodney@championkart.com

PRI Releases FAQ On Consolidation of IMIS Into PRI Show

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 08:24:51 -0400

To help answer any remaining questions racing professionals may have, Performance Racing Industry has compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding SEMA's purchase of the IMIS Show
The goal is to fully communicate what the racing industry can expect regarding consolidation of the IMIS and PRI shows into the 2013 PRI Trade Show in Indianapolis
"It's important to have open channels of communication regarding any concerns that racing professionals may have," said John Kilroy, producer of the PRI Trade Show. "So, we've produced a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document to keep the industry informed.
"PRI will remain PRI, and provide an outstanding trade show experience for the racing industry once again in 2013," said Kilroy, noting that the PRI team continues to operate out of its longtime headquarters in Laguna Beach, California. "We are working with the considerable resources of SEMA to explore ways to improve the Show, and I believe racing professionals will enjoy the new things we're planning when it comes to our seminars and events."
Among other topics, the FAQ provides the following information:
*   The PRI Trade Show will remain a hardcore racing trade show.
*    PRI will provide the same great customer service to all of its exhibiting companies, irregardless of whether a company may have exhibited only in the IMIS previously.
*   Neither attendees nor exhibitors will be required to join SEMA to participate in the PRI Trade Show.
*   The safety and technical educational programming of IMIS will continue at the 2013 PRI Trade Show, much of it in the new Race Safety & Technology Center.
*   The PRI Trade Show will be racer-friendly, as it expands its attendance beyond racing businesses to include race teams.

For the entire FAQ, go to www.prishow.org/IndyFAQ. For more information, visit www.performanceracing.com or www.sema.org.

The 2013 Performance Racing Industry Trade Show takes place December 12-14, in the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. It will feature exhibits by 1100 racing companies. Approximately 40,000 racing professionals are expected to attend from across the US, and 72 countries.
Founded in 1963, the SEMA trade association provides services and resources to businesses in the automotive specialty equipment industry. Members include manufacturers, distributors, retailers and marketers of products that enhance the styling and functionality of cars, trucks and SUVs. In addition to producing the premier automotive accessories trade show, where more than 100,000 individuals come to do business, SEMA offers education, research and several publications specifically targeted to the industry. The association also represents its members with a legislative advocacy group.

UNITED STATES PRO KART SERIES OFFERS MORE VALUE FOR RACERS IN 2013

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 08:03:37 -0400

Growing prize package announced with updates on rules and opening event announced
SPRINGFIELD, IL – In just over a month, a new era will begin for karting in the USA as the United States Pro Kart Series kicks off its inaugural season. The series opens at the new Mooresville Motorplex in North Carolina on April 26-28, presented by GoPro. Pieces to create and operate a new racing program are coming together quickly, based on the principle of value for the racers. Prize packages are coming together for the seven categories offered, industry leaders are showing their support, final tweaks of the rule structure to ensure each and every class is competitive and fair have been made, and more details regarding the first event are being finalized.
“Our mission is to provide the best value for the racers and the teams in the eastern half of the United States,” added United States Pro Kart Series CEO Mark Coats. “Racers new and old have been looking for something different offered on the national level, and that’s what we are putting together. Looking at the numbers, we are estimating that competitors cost per lap in entry fees and tire cost will be half of what they are used to spending, roughly $3 for each class and $4 in the Pro category. Racers will experience more track time, more fun, more prizes for less money.”
The series is building an amazing prize package for the 2013 season, and has begun by announcing the minimum guaranteed payout for Leopard 125 Pro and prize for the Leopard 125 Masters champion. The podium finishers in each of the Leopard 125 Pro feature races will split $1,550 in cash - $750 for first, $500 for second and $300 for third per day - providing $3,100 per weekend. If the same driver wins both main events on the same weekend, that driver will receive a $500 bonus. This incentive will grow every weekend until it is won.
The Leopard 125 Masters champion will be awarded an entry into the Championkart International Final, held in Jesolo, Italy on October 6. The USPKS champion will compete in the Over category consisting of drives 32 years and older, utilizing a spec Parolin chassis with FIM engine. Support will be provided by Russell Karting Specialties and the Parolin Management Team, including a hotel room with the team (driver will be responsible for international license, passport, flights, meals and crash damages). Additional prizes and cash payouts will be announced in the near future.
A number of additional companies, both inside and outside of the karting industry, have pledged their support for the 2013 United States Pro Kart Series. DRT Racing and Ribtect will be the presenting sponsors for the New Castle Motorsports Park in June. Freem-usa.com, Lonici Rental Group, QPS Employment Group, Steiner Electric Company and Verde Speed Resources have also been added to the growing list of companies lending their support in 2013. Comet Kart Sales, Franklin Motorsports, KartLift, KartSport North America, Laukaitis Racing, Margay Racing, Motorama Kart Part, and Russell Karting Specialties are among the early supporters of the USPKS.
As the season draws closer, the USPKS staff is making the final tweaks to the rule structure for 2013. One point of emphasis is the age clarification for Leopard 125 Pro and the advancement of minor drivers. Competitors in the Pro category must be at least 16 years of age on the date of the race. A minimum of one year of national level competition is required to compete. It is the Race Director’s discretion to determine a driver’s qualification for the Pro class. Those unable to match the pace of the field may be asked to compete in the Leopard 125 Semi Pro class, and some may be asked to move up to the Pro class pending their pace and skill level. Drivers are not allowed to compete in both categories.
Minor drivers of at least 9 years of age whose birthday qualifies them to move up to a class may do so under two conditions; 1) birthday occurs by June 30 of competition year may advance to class of next higher age requirement at the beginning of the competition year; 2) birthday occurs after June 30 of competition year may advance to class of next higher age requirement on or after their birthday and complete the competition year.
Engine tech regarding the Yamaha and Leopard powerplants will include a ‘blowdown’ rule for each engine. The Yamaha ‘blowdown’ rule includes a minimum of 0.380” and a maximum of 0.410” as measured with the LAD tool. The Leopard measures a minimum of 0.395” and a maximum of 0.405”. More specifics on the ‘blowdown’ rules will be posted on the website. The spec fuel for the series will be Sunoco leaded 110. A fuel truck will be at the track or can be purchased from your local shop.
Another rule implemented for the series will be a practice ban prior to each event. Testing Monday thru Thursday the week of the event will not be permitted for competitors in their own kart or someone testing a kart competing in the event. Anyone violating this rule will not be allowed to practice on Friday, forced to qualify and will start at the back of their heat race.
Details for the Mooresville Motorplex event, presented by GoPro, are taking shape day by day. Competitors who will be in the area over the next few weeks can contact the track to learn about practice hours and fees for March and April. Trailer storage is also available at the facility for a $50 fee to help cover extra security measures. Reserved pit spots are available for the weekend, and are asked to contact George Sieracki of Franklin Motorsports at 262-814-5400. The USPKS will host a Friday cookout following the practice schedule on track, and everyone is invited.
Registration is open, with drivers from 14 different states already registered. The first 100 drivers to enter will be given a free drivers pass and all pre-entries post-marked by April 3 will receive inaugural series t-shirt designed by TJ Koyen of Oktane Visual. Beginning March 15, the USPKS will begin taking credit cards for entry in addition to personal checks.
The pre-entry form for the opening event of the United States Pro Kart Series can be found at the following link (http://www.uspks.com/files/formMoorseville.pdf). For more specific information on the USPKS and to learn about exciting sponsorship opportunities during the upcoming season, contact Mark Coats at 217-529-7687. You may also contact Rick Fulks at 217.553.6626 or visit www.uspks.com any other information regarding the USPKS. Be sure to ‘Like’ them at Facebook.com/UnitedStatesProKartSeriesUspks

About United States Pro Kart Series:
The United States Pro Kart Series is committed to cultivating the growth of sprint karting by producing dynamic events, utilizing stable class and technical packages, and providing rewarding prize packages to the racer. This new and exciting program offers four events in 2013, traveling to North Carolina, Indiana, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, competing at four of the most popular and challenging facilities in the Untied States. The seven-category class structure and unique race format offer the most track time versus the cost of entry. Veteran industry members and officials will oversee the series to ensure the United States Pro Kart Series is among the most competitive and safest series in the country.

THE MARGUTTI WINS

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 07:55:05 -0400

The drivers presentation ceremony, with 180 drivers on the home straight, opened the final stage greeted by warm sunshine. Oddino Domenichini gave a beautiful speech in remembrance of Andrea at the presence of Andrea’s mother Patrizia and the Pellegrini family, in charge of organizing the Trophy since 1991. In his speech, Domenichini underlined that this event has been the first to break in the international karting scene, attracting the world’s best kart drivers, just like a world championship. And so it was that the Margutti was nicknamed ‘Mondialito’. On the occasion, former World Champion Danilo Rossi gave a brief speech in which he emphasized the importance of so many drivers still participating in this event despite the difficult times karting is going through, besides the importance of being crowned the final winner.
60 Mini Prefinal
Cicognini powers off, Martinez in trouble
Already in the formation lap Martinez showed problems. Cicognini grabbed the lead at the start pulling away few laps later. Behind him Vidales was the best of the rest, while a three-kart train fought hard for row 2 with Colombo coming back from 12th on starting grid has the better of Mizevich and Cobellini. Abrusci ran short of luck in the early stages dropping several positions and closing 8th at the flag.
KFJ Prefinal
Aubry pulls away
The French driver sneaked in Sitnikov before the end of the first lap to lead the group. The Russian shadowed him but had to fend off the attacks from Norris, who moved past him allowing Aubry to pull away in the meantime. The two would switch position several times, but the Russian grabbed row 1 start ahead of Daruvala, Ticktum, Norris and Alessio Lorandi.

KZ2 Prefinal
Habulin unbeatable
Giulietti took advantage of Habulin’s hesitation at the start to grab the lead. But the Croatian wasted no time and took it back right away dominating the race. Giulietti tried to stay with him but lacked something in the final stages and had to give in to Dante and Lundberg. Good performance also by Tilloca who ends in 5th.
KF Prefinal
Corberi over Boccolacci
The race was tainted by a race accident that involved driver Martin Kodric and a member of the medical personnel while crossing the track.
It all happened before the end of the first lap when a first aid staff crossed the circuit unaware of the approaching group of drivers led by Boccolacci. The French driver managed to slide past the imprudent medical staff as opposed to Kodric who could not avoid the impact. Thankfully, besides few bruises, the member of the medical staff was unharmed, but a blameless Kodric found himself out of contention for the final win.
The upset of Kodric team Ricky Flynn Motorsport with Race Direction turned into a sidetrack heated quarrel while the race went on with the Slow sign out for an unprecedented 10 laps. Undoubtedly, the accident compromised the race of the Croatian. After the race resumed, Luca Corberi managed to defend well from the pressing attacks of Boccolacci at the chrono tower corner.
60 Mini Final
Cicognini has no rivals
With Martinez well behind the leading group, Cicognini found no rivals and dominated the final. Behind the fight is all for 2nd place between Vidales and Colombo, with the former dropping down the field in the heat of the battle. Mizevich took advantage of it, but the Italian came back up in the later stages to grab the runner-up title. Martinez pulled off a good comeback but it was just not enough to grab the final podium position.
KFJ Final
Tickum at the last lap
The race seemed decided already after the very heated first lap. Aubry kept the lead at the start building a big margin over Tickum, Daruvala, Lorandi and Sitnikov. But the 20-lap race was only at the beginning when Ticktum started to make up ground on the French leader, managing to shadow him in the final few laps, followed by Sitnikov, the fastest driver on track. And just before the chequered the duo managed to move past the French, with Lorandi and Daruvala completing the top five.
KZ2 Final
Habulin impeccable
Habulin had a good start, but at the turn near the paddock Lundberg muscled his way through to the lead. Habulin didn’t rush his move waiting for the best opportunity while keeping Dante at bay. Came lap 5 and Habulin moved to the lead, while Bonetti and Tilloca proved to be very fast lapping below the 42” mark. The Croatian powered by Modena Engines wasn’t able to pull away tailed by Dante and Lundberg all the way, and from lap 19 he managed to lap consistently into the 41”9 grabbing the win. An impeccable race for an undisputable victory. Too bad for Tilloca, forced to retire on lap 11 while strongly in 5th fighting with Bonetti, and for Juodvirsis, finished just off the podium.
KF Final
Boccolacci outsmarts Corberi
Final monopolized by the duel between Boccolacci and Corberi. After a difficult start of the weekend the number 1 of KF managed to impose his rhythm thanks to a set-up ideal to keep high performance in the last part of a very long 25-lap final. Boccolacci had only one spot where he could overtake the Italian Kosmic driver, at the chrono tower corner where the Energy driver did in fact manage to make up ground. Corberi closed the door time and again, but at the last lap Boccolacci chose the outside to get back at him in the following hairpin, the two made a slight contact and the French gained few meters, enough to close first at the chequered flag. After an exciting battle vith Pukema, Stupenkov completed the podium.

SwedeTech Customer Updates

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 06:39:30 -0400

Wilton, CA – The weekend of March 2, 2013 was very busy for SwedeTech and their racing customers. SKUSA ProKart Challenge, Lone Star Grand Prix, Florida Karting Championship Series, and the NCK Road Race at Thunderhill events had racers with the familiar yellow and blue SwedeTech logo on the track. SwedeTech personnel were in attendance for the SKUSA California ProKart Challenge, assisting all of their engine customers.
In the S1 Pro category, Fritz Leesman placed his SwedeTech Stock Honda on pole, followed by Jimmy McNeil. Fritz and Jimmy maintained their qualifying spots, finishing 1-2 in the first heat. In the second heat, Fritz had to conserve his engine after a failed head gasket caused his engine to heat up. Jimmy held on to the second spot, followed by Cody Hodgson. The main event was made interesting by Fritz. Starting in the back of the field, Fritz drove his way up to fourth, being the only driver to post a sub 43.00 second lap time in the main event. Jimmy and Cody would secure the second and third podium spots.
In the S2 category, Robert Marks narrowly missed the pole position spot. He was followed by six fellow SwedeTech customers; Curtis Paul Jr, Troy Diede, Don Whittington, Trevor McAllister, Cody Diede, and Augie Lerch. In the first heat race, the 2nd through 8th spots were once again filled with SwedeTech Engines, with Cody Diede and Curtis Paul leading the group. Heat 2 also had 7 of the 8 top spots filled with SwedeTech engines, with Augie Lerch and Robert Marks finishing 2nd and 3rd. Trevor McAllister made strides in the main event to work his way to a 2nd place podium finish, followed by Cody Diede, Robert Marks, Troy Diede, and Curtis Paul Jr.
If you know S4 drivers, Ken Schilling and Darrell Tunnell, these are two drivers you always pull for. Ken did a great job qualifying 3rd and Darrell placed his SwedeTech machine in the 5th spot. Both drove consistently and had very strong heat race results.
The S5 category is gaining strength and filling out with talented young drivers. In qualifying, Jarred Campbell, Garrett Dixon, and Jim McKinney filled spots 2nd through 4th for a strong start to the event. Maintaining top five spots all day put these three drivers in a great position for the main event. At the flying checkered flag, Jarred Campbell captured the win. Garrett Dixon and Jim McKinney finished a solid 3rd and 4th.
Luke Bianco maintained a solid championship lead with his commanding performance in the S4 Magnum class.
Tag Sr is always a very competitive class in ProKart series, and Alex Keyes has made his presence known on the West Coast. Placing his SwedeTech Rotax on pole, he continued through the day with three solid 2nd place finishes. This will greatly help his championship chase effort.
Over to the Thunderhill event hosted by the NCK Road Racing Association were SwedeTech Stock Moto power dominated the event. Erik Maxfield claimed the win in the WC Super Stock CR125, followed by Jonathan Shaw and Joseph Hollinger grabbing the 3rd and 4th spots. Boyd Ferry carried the SwedeTech banner to the front of the pack with his overall win in the Formula 80cc class. Erik Maxfield brought home two 1st place trophies, the second one grabbed in the Super Stock CR125 class. Jonathan Shaw and Joseph Hollinger also repeated with strong finishes with a 3rd and 4th place finish.
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For more information on our service, or to supply SwedeTech with your race results, contact Jason at info@swedetechracing.com .

Since 1998, SwedeTech customers have amassed over 30 SuperNational victories. Many more National championships have been added to the resumes of SwedeTech customers participating in many different sanctioning events and associations which include IKF, WKA, Stars of Karting, and the Rock Island Grand Prix.

In addition to offering superior kart engine packages and customer support, SwedeTech Racing Engines offers engine services for all two-stroke racing applications such as ATV’s, Snowmobiles, Jet Skis, Motocross, and Grand Prix Bikes.

www.swedetechracing.com (technical site),
www.shopswedetech.com (official online store).

Daly Fastest in Barcelona

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:49:29 -0400

Noblesville, IN --American Conor Daly recorded the fastest time of the day with a 1:34.578 at Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, this afternoon where the second official pre-season test for GP3 series cars was held.
Drivers were treated to a wet and soggy start to the day but the afternoon session was dry and clear. Daly's time set a new lap record for GP3 cars, now running in second generation guise with a 400 HP Renault V6 engine.
"We had a lot to figure out with the new GP3/13 car at the first test in Estoril and I believe now we have found a great set-up and a nice balance to achieve that one hot lap. I am extremely happy and it was a nice surprise to be P1. I feel really positive about the second generation car, it's much more fun to drive and certainly makes you question yourself before you add more throttle. I love having more speed!"
Daly will do a second day tomorrow before the next official test in England on April 3rd-4th.
Daly, the 2010 American Formula Star Mazda Champion, is sponsored by: VBrick Systems, Inc., Delavaco Capital Inc., Callcap, Merchant Services LTD, and Tom Lange Company with additional support from; St. Vincent Sports Performance, Alpinestars and Aspin Group.

NKA 4-cycle Tech Group Announced

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:35:11 -0400

NKA is happy to announce our 4-cycle tech team is complete with an All-Star cast leading 4-cycle karting into 2013 and beyond! The purpose of the 4-cycle Tech Team is to bring stability and consistency to rules for 4-cycle karting as well as train tech officials working at NKA sanctioned tracks. The team consists of three members all of whom not only bring great experience and knowledge of 4-cycle karting, but also are known for their high integrity and ethics.
"We're very excited to announce this tech team on our 4-cycle side," stated NKA CEO Joe Janowski. "They all came highly recommended for their integrity and knowledge of the engines. Both were very important factors in our decision process to be added under the NKA banner ~especially integrity as we insist NKA be positioned as not being in anyone's 'back pocket'."
Leading the NKA 4-cycle Tech Team is Boyd Maloney of Shelby, North Carolina. Maloney has served as a tech official for every major karting series in the Southeast. Additionally, Maloney owns Longbranch Engineering and is the promoter at Carolina 120 Speedway.
Tom Stiverson of Hillsdale, Michigan owns a small engine repair shop and has been involved in karting since the 1960's. He has been a tech inspector for many high profile series and events since the early 1990's. Stiverson came highly recommended for his vast knowledge of small 4-cycle engines (and the fact he does not build engines for competition any longer).
The final member of the Tech Team is Jeff Jones of Des Moines, Iowa. After an 11-year sprint-car racing career, Jones switched to karting to spend time with his son. He has been part of the Newton (Iowa) Kart Klub (NKK) since 1992. Additionally, he has been tech director for major series in Iowa and Nebraska, promoted races, and been a co-race director.

TrakBOOK 2013 Released:

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:33:42 -0400

Rule changes are minor, but stabilize classes
TrakBOOK was designed with the local track in mind. The intention was to provide a rulebook around the needs of local tracks: stable rules, built around practical engine packages, and without the influence of national series or sponsorships that your track does not benefit from...
TrakBOOK is catching on quickly in dirt karting in the Southeast! Karters and track promoters alike see the goal and philosophy behind TrakBOOK. "Our #1 goal for 2013 was to have the 4-cycle tech group begin the process of developing a more stable platform for OHV200 (formerly known as Clone)," states NKA's Joe Janowski. "We believe they've moved a lot closer to this with the updates Boyd, Tom, and Jeff have made. Work will continue during this season that will see the OHV200 class have a very stable set of parameters that will allow the class to mature and grow beginning in earnest in 2014".
NKA encourages all member tracks to investigate using TrakBOOK for their local events, and feel free to contact us with questions and/or areas where we can improve TrakBOOK. We believe most, if not all, the engine rules will encompass the vast majority of engine platforms raced in the US currently.
Even if your facility is using a different set of engine specifications, NKA's safety guidelines are in Section 4 of TrakBOOK and these apply to all NKA member facilities.
To download a free copy of TrakBOOK, visit:
http://www.nkaonline.com/trakbook-downloads.php

7 WINS, 8 RACES FOR ANTHONY GANGI JR. IN FLORIDA WINTER TOUR

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 09:14:25 -0500

GT7 Motorsports driver goes four-for-four in feature wins at Homestead rounds after doubling up in Rotax action
March 1, 2013 - Proving time and time again he is hard to beat, young gun Anthony Gangi Jr. made it four-for-four during his trip to the Homestead Karting Complex for the second stop of the 2013 Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour (FWT). After earning both final victories the weekend prior during in the Vortex TaG Cadet class, Gangi Jr. added two more during the ultra-competitive Rotax event in the Mini Max category. Making that an incredible seven wins out of eight races in 2013 FWT action, the 2012 US Rotax Grand National Mini Max champion continues to prove his prowess in the cadet karting ranks. With three feature wins to his credit in the FWT Rotax events, and all four in TaG Cadet, the Brookville, New York resident will look to add more championship titles to his already impressive resume during the series finale in March.
Starting off with two qualifying sessions on Friday to start official on track action, Gangi Jr. slightly missed the mark as he clocked ninth quick for Sunday’s wheel-to-wheel action. Bettering to fourth fast in the afternoon session, which set the grid for Saturday’s events, Gangi Jr. would need to be on his game once the lights went out and racing got underway.
Gangi Jr. was able to do just that, as the lighting-quick driver drove a calculated prefinal race on Saturday. Taking the lead by lap eight of 12, the 11-year-old posted fast lap of the race and put himself on pole for the day’s feature. Leading every lap of the final, Gangi Jr. was able to take the victory by 1.3 seconds over the field of 37 international pilots.
Starting deeper in the field for Sunday’s prefinal race, Gangi Jr. used the speed of his GT7/Tony Kart and his racing skill to steadily make his way to the leader. Again earning fast lap honors, the rising star ran out of laps after passing for second on the last lap. A racy battle for the top spot in the final then ensued, with Gangi Jr. edging out his competition for his second victory of the weekend.
Gangi Jr.’s double victory during the Rotax weekend added up to seven feature wins out of eight races during the 2013 Florida Winter Tour. Heading into the finale rounds at the Ocala Gran Prix in March, Gangi Jr. leads the Rotax Mini Max points by 15 markers and holds a sizeable lead in the Vortex TaG Cadet championship standings with a buffer of 376 points. Gangi Jr. will look to become a double 2013 FWT champion when the Tour wraps up March 16-17 for the Formula Kart weekend and March 22-24 for Rotax.
Anthony’s success would not come without the help of his long time tuner and driving coach Chris Perez and engine builder Daniel Lambert (Disco Dan). Additionally, Gangi Jr. would like to thank Sargeant Motorsports for their continued support along with sponsors Millwork Solutions, Holeshot Drive Systems and PKT Axles.
The GT7 Motorsports Team is proud to be a Tony Kart dealer, Vortex and a Rotax Max Service Center for the US North East. For more information on Anthony Gangi Jr. please check out his website at www.GangiJr.com. For more information GT7 Motorsports please visit their website www.GT7motorsports.com or contact Anthony Gangi Sr. at 516-635-8594 or email at agangi@mac.com.

About GT7 Motorsports
The GT7 Motorsports Team is a proud Tony Kart and Vortex engine dealer, as well as an authorized Rotax Max Service Center for the US North East. GT7 Motorsports will contest North America's most prestigious series and events in 2012, including the Florida Winter Tour, WKA Manufacturer's Cup and SuperKarts! USA SuperNationals with team drivers Anthony Gangi Jr. and Dylan Tavella. A complete e-commerce supported website is currently in development, complementing GT7 Motorsports trackside sales and support services.

Goodwood Kartways - IPK North America FWT Homestead Report

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 08:41:03 -0500

After working with the PCR chassis over the last four years, Checkered Motorsports has made a big step forward by acquiring import rights for the PCR chassis which has seen much success in the World Karting Association ranks. PCR has already claimed six championships in just three years in Manufacturers Cup Series competition - claiming victories in classes ranging from Junior Sportsman to the highly-competitive TaG class.
“This is a great opportunity for us,” offered Checkered Motorsports team owner Csaba Bujdoso. “We have worked with PCR since 2009 and this is a step forward for PCR and the team. This has been a work in progress and I’m confident that the team will deliver outstanding service to our customers’ wants and needs.”
The 2013 season is underway and Checkered Motorsports is already focusing on the rest of the season. The Ohio-based team will once again be contesting the WKA Manufacturers Cup Series, SKUSA SuperNats, Great Lakes Sprint Series, and the USPKC series. For arrive and drive programs, kart rentals, tech support, and PCR dealer inquiries contact Csaba Bujdoso at: Checkeredmotorsports@yahoo.com