February - 2003

• International Racing Association awards 2002 Champions in grand style!
  he Carol Stream Holiday Inn was the site of the IRA 2002 Awards Banquet this past January 25th. This year's banquet was expanded to two rooms due to increased attendance of over 400 drivers, team members, families and sponsors. Receiving awards on this night were all three divisions of the IRA: the Burris Circle Tour (BCT), the MG Tires Championship Enduro Series (CES), and the SSC Racing Shifter Kart Pro Series.
• Midwest Racing Expo packed them in on Super Bowl Sunday
  This year's Midwest Racing Expo & Swap Meet was a full house for the better part of the day this past January 26th at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in West Suburban Chicagoland. Booth spaces were packed full with exhibits, merchandise, information and more. Many organizations, shops, companies and clubs were in attendance answering questions, discussing new products and selling merchandise.
• RIGP - The kart racing world is about to get a bit smaller
  Representatives of the Rock Island Grand Prix street race, in anticipation of becoming licensed by the FIA/CIK in 2003, visited 8 karting manufacturers and 2 tracks in Italy. Their goal was to learn more about the international karting classes that will be added to the 2003 Grand Prix lineup, and the equipment and specifications associated with them. The Rock Island Grand Prix has applied for a license and been inspected with plans to become the only CIK-licensed track in the United States.
• Badger Kart Club to race at Blackhawk Farms
  Badger Kart Club has announced that they will run a BKC Bridgestone Tire Championship points race at Blackhawk Farms the weekend of July 12-13, 2003. Running in conjunction with the Championship Enduro Series, both organizations will share the track, running practices in the morning and races in the afternoon on both days. Blackhawk Farms Raceway is a scenic 1.95-mile track located directly west of South Beloit, Wisconsin just below the Wisconsin-Illinois border.
• MRP's Racing Program nets six podiums in first round of SKUSA Florida Winter Tour
  MRP Motorsport has picked up where they left off when it comes to helping customers step up their game. MRP provided complete technical services for six entries in the opening round of the SKUSA FL Winter Tour at Homestead Raceway, a proven warm-up for the racing season, and each driver enjoyed a podium celebration.
• Jamie Bach & B-K Motorsports sit on the pole and are runner-up in PRO tune-up at site of opening round
  In their first event since winning the SCCA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP last September, Jamie Bach and his B-K Motorsports team got 2003 off to a flying start today at the famed Sebring International Raceway in Florida. The weekend started to look like every one of the last five outings for Jamie Bach and B-K Motorsports. The team had the car dialed in and Jamie went out in qualifying and put it on the pole for the sixth event in a row (dating back to July 2002).
• 87th Indianapolis 500 features traditional three-week format
  Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials announced Jan. 29 the schedule for the 87th running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, with the traditional three-week format culminating in Race Day on May 25. Qualification action starts on Saturday, May 10 with Pole Day. Drivers will compete for the coveted MBNA Pole Award and the accompanying $100,000 bonus and other prizes.
• What they're saying about the IRL IndyCar Series name
  Quotes from selected team owners, drivers, racetrack executives and other officials about the new name of the premier level of racing in the Indy Racing League, the IRL IndyCar Series. Indy Racing League President and CEO Tony George unveiled the new name and series logo during a media conference Jan. 7 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• Formula car racing gets brand new publication
  North American formula car racing is set to enjoy an unparalleled level of media exposure in 2003 thanks to the introduction of a brand new publication dedicated solely to open wheel road racing. 'FormulaCar Magazine' will make its debut in March and will focus its editorial on the junior formulas of the sport, bringing print coverage to racing programs that have been virtually ignored in the past. Veteran motorsports journalist Rob Howden will produce the new publication.
• Complimentary circulation set to launch new publication at three major venues
  With its launch plans released to the racing community last week, the staff at FormulaCar Magazine has been working overtime. The official release date has been set for the week of the '12 Hours of Sebring' in mid-March and the team's focus has now turned to production and distribution of the inaugural edition. Over 4000 complimentary magazines will make the trip to Sebring for free delivery to the sport's enthusiasts.
• Condor Motorsports announces line-up for 2003 Fran-Am 2000 World Championship Winter Series
  Condor Motorsports today announced their driver line-up for the 2003 Fran-Am 2000 World Championship Winter Series. Chris Festa and Jeff Simmons will be behind the wheel of Condor's two Fran-Am entries for the 5-race Florida-based Winter Series starting January 24 at Sebring International Raceway. Festa, a shifter kart ace from Atlanta, Georgia, recently completed a successful test with Condor in early January.
• Britain's Robert Bell takes victory in Round One of Winter Series
  British driver Robert Bell captured victory in the opening round of the 2003 Fran-Am and Formula Renault 2000 World Championship Winter Series held Saturday at Sebring International Raceway. The race was hard-fought, especially at the front of the field. Ponte - who competed in the Italian Formula Renault Championship last year - and Bell - a two-time British Formula Renault Winter Series Champion - battled fiercely for the lead all race long.
• SKUSA and new CIK Bodywork Homologation for 2003
  The 2003 SKUSA Rulebook effectively was written in July of 2002 reviewed for two months and published in October. The purpose for this sort of timetable is to allow competitors and business' associated with the sport to have a rather clear understanding of what the rules would be for the following season. Much of this effort is to minimize the financial impact of last minute rule announcements. Motor Sports will never be cheap and will likely not be as inexpensive in the future as it is today.
• UPDATE on CIK Bodywork Homologation for 2003
  Having an opportunity to delve deeper into the bodywork subject by speaking to representatives of WKA, STARS, importers and other key people in the industry, many new facts have surfaced on the topic. The bodywork is only a part of a much larger CIK Chassis homologation program. Aside from the three year cycling of CIK homologation programs, additional effort is being made for clarification of this subject. Randy Kugler of the WKA and a member of the CIK Sporting Regulations Committee, will be attending CIK meetings in Paris in a few weeks where this clarification will be sought.
• SKUSA, IRL & NASCAR share Fort Worth in June
  Within the Ft. Worth/Dallas area is a motor sport facility that attracted the attention of the motor sports world as a whole. This facility hosts approximately 100,000 spectators for the June Indy Racing League event and is second only to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in single day IRL attendance. The Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) will be the host facility for a SKUSA North American ProMoto event this June 6-8.
• 2002 SuperNationals live HDNet TV footage goes on sale in VHS
  Over the last 60 days much editing work has been contemplated in developing video offerings of this event in both VHS and DVD formats. While there are strong feelings about editing available footage into special "shows" on a class by class basis and potentially a "Best Of" version, it is clear, by the many phone calls that the first thing SKUSA needs to do is offer the entire 6 hours initially.
• Champ Car Stars announce regional programs
  The Champ Car Stars of Tomorrow karting series released preliminary 2003 regional championship information today. The regional series serve to support the national series by providing driver training, track time, and support to the karting business infrastructure. Regional promoters and coordinators reflect a breadth of experience in karting, from Enzo Chiovitti, Tom Johnson, and Sally Mangham in the east to Mike Manning, Tim Holden, Kevin Williams, and George Durbin in the west.
• 3,300 plus Karters invade Daytona
  Competing in four different styles of kart racing 3,347 karters entered this year's WKA/Daytona Kart Week December 26-30 at Daytona International Speedway and Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium kicking off the 2003 season for three national series, WKA/Dunlop Tire National Road Racing Series WKA/George Kugler Manufacturer's Series presented by Bridgestone and WKA/Briggs & Stratton Speedway Dirt Series.
• Kartfest 2003: Bigger and better than ever
  Despite snow covered roads leading from every direction to Hickory, NC on Thursday January 23rd a record 10,412 karting enthusiasts visited this year's KartFest 2003 Trade Show and awards banquets at the Hickory Metro Trade Center and Holiday Inn Select Ballroom surpassing last year's record breaking attendance by 1,400. Hundreds of exhibitors had the latest in karting technology on display for visitors to see.
• TAG USA program & class development
  Introducing the most exciting class innovation in karting this generation.....the TAG program. Short for "Touch And Go", the innovative new high powered TWO CYCLE engines feature water cooling, increased 125 cc size and an electric starter. Cost effectiveness is the second feature. Rev limiters keep RPM's down which provides greater longevity. Simply, less maintenance and more racing for your investment. TAG is the class for the masses.
• SLKA Kid Kart Nationals to be held at I-55 Raceway Complex
  The St. Louis Karting Association proudly announces it's first annual "Kid Kart Nationals". This event, to be held July 26th and 27th, will be a full weekend focusing on our next generation of up-and-coming racers. The races will be held at the SLKA's newly constructed kart track at Missouri's I-55 "Thunder Valley" racing complex in Pevely, MO.
• The St. Louis Karting Association holds 2002 Awards Banquet
  The historical 2002 season for the St. Louis Karting Association officially came to a close Saturday, January 11th with their annual end of the year awards banquet. Nearly 200 racers, family and friends gathered at the Knights of Columbus Hall in St. Charles County to celebrate the season's champions.
• EasyKart America announces banquet date inaugural season
  EasyKart America is very happy to announce the time and location of the 2002 Year End banquet. This is a very important event for all Easykart owners, driver and dealers where EasyKart will not only announce the 2002 Regional Championship Series winners but also the 2003 schedule and many other important announcements. All EasyKart drivers and owners should not miss participating in this great event; it will be an afternoon of fun and prizes for everyone.
• KLS Racing announces the RossoKorsa Kart to U.S. karting market
  KLS Racing officially announced today the inclusion of the RossoKorsa Kart to their available chassis line as they have secured rights as a U.S. importer for the United States market. KLS Racing owner, Scott Jeffery, struck an agreement with the EA Company in mid-December to import the chassis line as well as the accompanying component and clothing lines.
• Mid States Super Series Announces 2003 Schedule
  The Russell Karting / Dunlop Tire Mid States Super Series committee has announced its 2003 race schedule. Five organizations; Badger Kart Club, Indianapolis Kart Club, Karters of America Racing Triad (KART), Michigan Kart Club, and River Valley Kart Club will cooperate to help run the six race series.
• Female driver eyes full-time Ford Focus effort
  Samantha Weakley, 22, of Indianapolis, Ind. is the first female driver to commit full-time to drive in the USAC Ford Focus Midget Car Series. A two-time National Go-Kart Champion and veteran of Kenyon Midget Cars and Dirt Modifieds, Samantha will campaign a car entered by 3-K Racing, Inc. in the Indiana series which debuts April 6 at the Anderson (Ind.) Speedway.