CKN’s 24 Days of Karting Christmas

It is the holiday season and that means that we are slowly wrapping up another great year of karting. With so much happening this year we have created our own version of  the 24 days leading up to Christmas with the #CKNs24DaysofKartingChristmas. Each day from December 1 to 24 we will post on our social feeds a photo and caption that highlights something from almost every event we attended this year.

You can follow along each day right here along with on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

#CKN24DaysOfKartingChristmas 24/24 – In our final race of the season we returned to Sin City for the SKUSA SuperNationals. In a new venue, the event was just as exciting and unpredictable as years past in Las Vegas. Our final photo celebrates the SKUSA Pro Tour Championship that Canadian Lachlan Defrancesco claimed in TaG Cadet, his third major title of the season! Congrats Lachlan. We hoped you enjoyed our season recap through our 24 Days of Karting Christmas. We also want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season! See you in the new year!

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 24, 2015 at 9:03am PST

#CKN24DaysOfKartingChristmas 23/24 – Immediately following the US Open we boarded a plane to the beautiful Oceanside city of Portimao, Portugal, host of the Rotax Grand Finals. In our second visit to Portimao (they hosted the grand finals in 2012 as well), we covered the eleven Canadian drivers taking part in the annual Rotax event that draws nearly 300 drivers from around the world. It was a tough week for our Canadian drivers but overall it was another spectacular experience. #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 23, 2015 at 7:53am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 22/24 – In our first of two trips to the fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada we returned to a familiar facility with a whole new outlook. The RIO All Suites Hotel and Casino played host to the final round of the Inaugural US Open Championship and the event organizers took it a whole new level during Halloween week. The fantastic event capped off a great year for MaxSpeed Entertainment and we couldn’t be more proud to be associated with them. We also can’t wait to see what they have in store for 2016! #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 22, 2015 at 7:54am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 21/24 – After a short break between the end of September and early October we kicked off a 40-day international voyage. Starting in Lonato, Italy we attended the ROK Cup International Final where four Canadian drivers and a large contingent of American drivers competed against the worlds best Vortex ROK drivers. The event was a spectacle to see with event organizers sparring no dime to impress their competitors!

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 21, 2015 at 11:06am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 20/24 – Closing out the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, drivers travelled to Mont-Tremblant, Quebec in September for a weekend of unpredictable outcomes. Weather played a factor in the crowning of nine #ECKC Champions, with four drivers also earning invites to join Team Canada for the Rotax Grand Finals.

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 21, 2015 at 11:00am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 19/24 – For a lot of Canadian karters the entire month of August was focused around Mosport Kartways, host of the 2015 Canadian National Championships. The facility also played host to the Champion Ron Fellows Karting Championship the weekend prior, featuring more than 215 different drivers, the largest turnout of the season, anywhere in Canada. The Nationals were spectacular to say the least. Picture perfect weather, stout competition and battles in every category and a positive atmosphere that has been absent in recent years. It truly was the highlight event of the Canadian season! #BecauseKarting #karting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 19, 2015 at 9:33am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 18/24 – There were many events this year that were new to CKN, with one of the Canadian highlights happening near Ottawa, Ontario this summer. Enrico Valente put in months of time and effort to develop the first annual Capital Karting Grand Prix, featuring the Mayors Cup of Wishes and we were very happy to be a part of it. And plans are already full throttle for a bigger and better 2016 event. #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 18, 2015 at 9:52am PST

#CKN24DaysOfKartingChristmas 17/24 – Racing with heavy hearts at the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship Mosport round, the Lupien brothers almost missed Sunday’s action altogether. With the passing of their Grandfather earlier in the week, the family was to return to Montreal for the Sunday funeral. However their family members urged them to stay in Mosport and race in memory of their late Grandfather. With that extra bit of passion, both Cedrik and Samuel delivered, scoring three victories and a second place. The weekend also helped put both drivers in position to claim the #ECKC championships in their respective classes. #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 17, 2015 at 10:02am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 16/24 – The fresh Mosport Kartways hosted a large array of events this past summer, including the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship in July. The first major test for the track upgrade was an instant success on track but it was very political off track, in an event highlighted by controversy and far too many races being decided in the stewards office well after the checkered flags flew. #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 16, 2015 at 1:05pm PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 15/24 – In mid-July we travelled to our first west coast race of the summer and it was a dandy. The Greg Moore Raceway in Chilliwack, BC always provides great racing and once again hosted the CAN-AM Karting Challenge for their biggest event of the summer. Most notable from the weekend was in the influence and interest in the Briggs LO206 class which drew nearly 30 competitors and a spectacular race showcased how close and competitive the program can be, no matter the chassis, track or location.

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 16, 2015 at 1:00pm PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 14/24 – It may be the most picturesque karting track in North America. Playing host to the second stop of the new US Open Championship, Grand Junction Motor Speedway was simply stunning with 360° mountain views and perfect blue skies. While some crazy weather cancelled our connecting flight en route, a fellow karter helped get us there on time for the spectacular event. It was very hot in Colorado with track temps exceeding 150°F but it didn’t slow anyone down from enjoying another great event! #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 14, 2015 at 8:47am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 13/24 – There was some uncertainty surrounding the second round of the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship as the original host venue Point du Lac wasn’t up to par in the weeks leading up to the race, forcing series organizers to switch last minute to the ICAR circuit near Montreal. Featuring a fresh new track layout and Abu Dhabi like paint outlines, ICAR was a superb venue and played host to a great event for all ECKC classes along with the addition of the ROK Shifter category. #BecauseKarting #ECKC

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 13, 2015 at 7:29am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 12/24 – The opening round of the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship followed immediately after the #CRFKC at Goodwood and what a weekend! Superb racing and perfect weather was something out of the ordinary for Goodwood, thanks in part to a later starting date. Quite possibly one of the races of the year went down in Rotax Senior (pictured) as Marco Di Leo came out on top after a knuckle busting 20-lap main event! #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 12, 2015 at 9:38am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 11/24 – With a new season came a new karting series in Ontario as the legendary icon Ron Fellows made his way back into the Canadian #karting scene as the namesake of the Champion Ron Fellows Karting Championship. A series promoted and catered to the club racing weekend warrior, the #CRFKC was an instant hit with great numbers at all four races, especially in the Briggs & Stratton categories where large packs became the norm and classes like Novice and Jr Lite regained momentum after many years outside of the spotlight. #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 11, 2015 at 12:41pm PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 10/24 – The month of May was very busy for CKN. Our next stop took us to another new venue, this time in Dallas, Texas. Kicking off the inaugural US Open Championship, drivers converged to the beautiful Dallas Karting Complex. While Mother Nature challenged everyone with ever changing weather conditions and more than enough rain, so much so that organizers weren’t even sure if they we’re going to get the races in on Sunday, the event was still a major success thanks in part to the hard work of the organizers of the MAXSpeed Group and DKC. #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 10, 2015 at 1:09pm PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 9/24 – The kickoff of the 2015 Coupe du Quebec Championship at SRA Karting was a major eye-opener for what used to be Canada’s most popular karting province. Scarce numbers in all categories left many pondering the future of karting in Quebec and discussions quickly turned into what needs to be completed in order to revitalize the sport.

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 9, 2015 at 7:46am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 8/24 – We officially kicked off our Canadian karting season in Quyon, Quebec as part of the Ottawa-Gatineau Karting Championship. A new venue to CKN that was quite enjoyable as we got to meet many new racers and their families. It was also abig day for Briggs & Stratton racers as it was the very first event for the Briggs Weekly Racing Series in Canada. #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 8, 2015 at 1:00pm PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 7/24 – By mid April, the long Canadian winter was complete and drivers were anxious to get on track across the country, especially at Mosport Kartways, which re-opened in the first week of May with a fresh coat of asphalt, a slightly adjusted configuration, new management and a massive facility upgrade. The changes were very welcomed and Mosport hosted a great season of racing including the ASN Canadian National Championships. #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 7, 2015 at 7:51am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 6/24 – The North American karting scene was shocked early in the year when we found out that PSL Karting had been dropped by CRG after more than 20 years of loyalty to the Italian brand. It took a little longer than expected for PSL to decide their next move but ultimately they partnered with BirelART before the FWT was complete and went on to have a very successful season in 2015.

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 6, 2015 at 7:42am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 5/24 – The @floridawintertour Finale weekend was very special to us for so many reasons. This past March, Ben Cooper, who now calls Mont-Tremblant, QC home, was awarded the Dan Wheldon Ambassador Award for his dedication and passion for the sport of karting. The emotional ceremony was delivered by Mike Maurini, his wife Elena and Chris Wheeler, all very close friends to the late Indycar driver and we couldn’t agree more that Ben was a deserving recipient. #BecauseKarting

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 5, 2015 at 7:02am PST

 

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 4/24 – It was a very busy winter season for CKN but one our proudest moments came when Steven Szigeti delivered a fabulous performance in Rotax Senior to score the victory at the @floridawintertour Championship Finale while sporting our CKN / @Coldstone livery! #FWT #BecauseKarting

 

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 4, 2015 at 10:39am PST

 

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 3/24 – Kicking off the #FWT Rotax Max Challenge in Homestead, Rotax DD2 was plastered with Motorsports talent throughout the entire grid. World karting champions, international standouts, factory drivers, and European car racers all lined up for battle with @jordonlennox stealing the show for @birel_art.

 

A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 3, 2015 at 7:41am PST

#CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas 2/24 – Race two of our very busy season sent us to the sunny southern state of Florida where MaxSpeed Entertainment made their debut as the new operators for @floridawintertour and also introduced the FWT ROK Cup to replace the previous Formula Kart weekend of the popular winter series. The event drew great numbers and included the likes of @rubarrichello and @piquetjr alongside some of karting’s best.   A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 2, 2015 at 9:21am PST

Introducing the #CKN24DaysofKartingChristmas! Each day leading up to Christmas we will highlight a race or event from our calendar this year and recap a defining moment. 1/24 – To kick things off we go all the way back to January and the first race of the year in Tucson, Arizona where Canadian Cedrik Lupien earned a victory in his Rotax Senior debut via the Rotax Challenge of the Americas. A photo posted by CanadianKartingNews.com (@ckn_live) on Dec 1, 2015 at 12:37pm PST