The team from Goodwood Kartways kept its Eastern Canadian Karting Championship momentum rolling a week ago as the series hit Quebec for the first time this season. Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres was a doubleheader this year, and the Goodwood crew was certainly toeing the line as four different drivers scored double podiums! Zachary Claman DeMelo, Tyler McCullough, Dave Anderson and Tyler Kashak each went up the podium steps Saturday and Sunday, and the Goodwood/Intrepid contingent scored four wins and nine podium results.
“First of all our thoughts and prayers remain with Ayrton Climo,” said Team Manager Marco Di Leo, of the Rotax Senior driver who was injured during practice. “We so rarely see serious accidents in our sport, that when they happen the community really rallies together, as it is now. We’re all sending positive thoughts and the best of wishes for him. As for the Intrepid guys, things just kept on rolling. Wins in Rotax and Briggs, guys setting fastest laps, podiums; It was another solid step to build on. We’re really looking forward to Nationals, and the ECKC finale in September.”
While Claman DeMelo and McCullough are reigning National Champions and regular winners, and Kashak is no stranger to podium steps, Anderson is certainly a different case altogether. Returning to the sport this season in the Master class, a win on Saturday was the first for Anderson in over a decade and the culmination of a huge personal goal.
“It still feels like I am stuck in a dream,” Anderson said this week. “Words can’t describe how big of a personal accomplishment this is for me. I was 20 pounds over weight at Goodwood just over a month ago and I knew that was adversely affecting me. But I put my nose to the grindstone and hit the gym, and just like that, four weeks later, I made weight. At the end of the day whether it’s your job or racing – hard work always pays off.”
The effort certainly did pay off, as Anderson qualified on the front row, moved to pole in the PreFinal and won the Final on Saturday with the fastest lap in the field. One day later he was right back on the front row, moved to pole again in the PreFinal with the fastest lap and finished third in the Final, his second podium of the weekend; all of it coming after just a few tweaks to his Intrepid/Briggs package.
“In first practice we really struggled and were over a second-and-a-half off,” Anderson recalled. “Then my dad and I put our heads together and made some changes, and just like that we were setting the pace. Then the key was just to stay out of trouble and to stay focused. Minus a few small things, we were running the kart set-up right out of the box and it just works!”
The win was very reminiscent of his last National win, one that will ring the ears of the sport’s history buffs.
“It was at the Innisfil round of the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship in Honda Senior Heavy in 2002!” Anderson noted. “Things were so hooked up that day. I qualified pole, won the PreFinal and had a great battle with Warren Young in winning the Final. It still feels like yesterday! Hard to think it’s been over 12 years. But I was never retired. Every day for 12 years I wanted to race!”
Much different was the case of DeMelo, who ran off his fourth and fifth consecutive wins in Rotax Senior, also winning both PreFinals and setting the fastest lap in each Final. The Intrepid/HRS Engines driver is now on the cusp of his fifth series’ championship, one that would see him complete back-to-back titles in Rotax Senior and add to the Goodwood/Intrepid Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals’ roster. Claman DeMelo has taken a title each year since the inception of the ECKC, beginning in Mini-Max, adding two in Junior, and last year taking the Senior crown as a rookie. With two events left to run, Claman DeMelo is just 55 points from clinching.
McCullough nearly matched the double-win performance, as he took the Saturday event in Briggs Junior and was joined on the podium by Goodwood driver Nicholas Hornbostel, who set the fastest lap and finished third. The pair nearly repeated the feat on Sunday, as McCullough was second and Hornbostel fourth, once again with fastest lap. Both remain in the championship hunt headed to Mont-Tremblant and will also factor at Nationals to be sure. Full team results from Le Monaco can be seen below.
The Eastern Canadian Karting Championship concludes September 20/21 at the Jim Russell Karting Academy in Mont-Tremblant. For more information on how Goodwood Kartways can assist you there in Rotax or Briggs & Stratton classes, please contact Team Manager marco@goodwoodkartways.com and visit goodwoodkartways.com
Goodwood/Intrepid Driver Results – ECKC 3, Le Monaco
Briggs & Stratton Junior
Tyler McCullough – 1st, 2nd
Nicholas Hornbostel – 3rd, 4th
Briggs & Stratton Senior
Marco Di Leo – 6th, 4th
Darryl Timmers – 9th
Christopher Proietto – 20th, 19th
Elvis Stojko – 13th
Briggs & Stratton Masters
Dave Anderson – 1st, 3rd
Rotax Mini-Max
Christopher Chanko – 4th, 5th
Xavier Harris – 9th, 4th
Rotax Senior
Zachary Claman DeMelo – 1st, 1st – Championship Leader
Tyler Kashak – 4th, 15th
Rotax DD2
Tyler Kashak – 3rd, 3rd
Max Preston – 4th, 6th
Elvis Stojko – 9th
Rotax DD2 Masters
John Cariati – 4th, 11th
*Team Facts: Goodwood Kartways is in Stouffville, Ontario, Canada, where drivers can progress from turning rental kart laps to world championships. The Goodwood Kartways race team annually represents the facility at National and International Championships like the Florida Winter Tour, Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, Canadian National Championships and SKUSA SuperNationals.
It has also had drivers contest the Pan-American Rotax Max Challenge, the World Karting Association Manufacturer’s Cup, the Rotax European Championship, the Rotax International Open Championship and the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals. Goodwood Kartways operates in conjunction with Intrepid S.r.l. in Verona, Praga Kart, HRS Racing Engines, IMAF Racing Seats and Vega Tires.
