Program moves to three weekend championship spanning Washington, British Columbia and Oregon.
The book has been closed on the 2015 season for karting in North America, and now the focus turns to another exciting year in 2016. Can-Am ProKart Challenge is preparing for its fourth season, and is happy to announce the schedule and classes that will compete for pacific northwest racers in the Summer of 2016. The now three-weekend program begins in May with some of the best racers from the United States and Canada scheduled to be in attendance for the Rotax Max Challenge and Superkarts! USA categories, along with the grassroots Briggs & Stratton LO206 categories and a new Local Option TaG division.
Class structure for the 2016 Can-Am Karting Challenge will be very similar to that of last season. Five Rotax Max Challenge categories will compete at all three weekends, ranging from the Micro Max division up to the Masters ranks, with the DD2 categories eliminated from the series due to the lack of support in the previous seasons. Two Stock Moto divisions from Superkarts! USA return for 2016, with the S2 Semi-Pro division and S4 Master Stock Moto class set to compete on the new Evinco tire. Senior and Junior categories utilizing the growing Briggs & Stratton LO206 engine are returning (once again on MG Red tires), as numbers soared last year in the second half of the season reaching over 30 at the finale weekend. A new Local Option TaG class has been added to the roster for 2016 which will include a spot for Junior, Senior and Master drivers, open to all engine brands, running on MG Yellow tires.
“Our focus for the last three years has been with the Rotax Max Challenge categories,” stated series promoter Mike Rolison. “We provide racers from the United States and Canada here along the west coast a chance to compete against one another to race for wins and championships, while also preparing them for the major events schedule for the rest of the year. Shifterkart racing is very cool, and our Can-Am program gives the regional racers the opportunity to come together and compete. The Briggs categories grew substantially in 2015, and it should be another great category to watch with how evenly matched the engine program is and the talented drivers we have competing.”
“The goal of the new Local Option TaG class is exactly what it states. We want local racers to come out and enjoy themselves outside of a regular club event,” continued Rolison. “No matter what engine package you may have, be it a Rotax – new and old, X30, Leopard, Rok, Motori, X125, we welcome them ALL! This is our chance to give ‘Joe Karter’ a chance to be racing at an international-level event with the same kart, same engine they compete with at the local track. It’s a very similar concept to what we are doing with the Briggs category, except this time its for the faster TaG engines.”
The 2016 season will open up once again at the Horn Rapids Kart Track. The Richland, Washington facility is home of the Tri-City Kart Club, and the 34-year old facility was a new destination for the Can-Am series in 2014. The Greg Moore Raceway fills out the Canadian portion of the Can-Am program. Just across the US-Canadian border located in Chilliwack, British Columbia, the Greg Moore Raceway is a 12-turn course that runs 7/10 of a mile in length and features 10 different configurations. Easily one of the most historic facilities in all of karting, Pat’s Acres Racing Complex will be the Can-Am finale location. The Egger family owns and operates this 8/10 of a mile track that will put drivers and tuners skills alike to the test. Pat’s Acres is tight and technical, yet blindingly fast track.
Format for the Can-Am Karting Challenge championship chase will be similar to 2015, with only three events counting toward the five-round title chase. The first two weekends will host two rounds of racing, including qualifying, Prefinal and Final each on Saturday and Sunday. The series finale is a championship format, featuring qualifying, three heat races along with a Prefinal and Final to determine the 2016 champions.
For the Local Option TaG and the Masters Max division, competitors will be able to enjoy a reduced entry fee throughout the season. Each class is now $195 for the entire weekend, including Friday practice, Saturday racing, and Sunday racing which equates to just $65 per day. The Masters Max division is also not required to purchase tires from the series, with new or old Mojo rubber now allowed for all three weekends.
“We are trying to bridge the gap from regional racing to the club level,” added Rolison. “There are a lot of racers in the Pacific Northwest area, and a lot of karts in the garages just itching to be on the race track. The Can-Am Karting Challenge is here to fill the needs of those racers looking to compete against the best in the region, but also provide a place for racers who just want to race. It’s a challenging formula to balance, however, we feel this year’s platform for the series can do just that. No matter what you have, get your kart and come out to race with the Can-Am Karting Challenge. You won’t regret it.”
The Can-Am Karting Challenge has been the gateway for karting stars to compete on the world stage at the Rotax Grand Finals. In 2016, the championship drivers in Senior Max and Junior Max divisions will receive a ticket to compete at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, scheduled for October 16-22, 2016 at the Circuito Internazionale di Napoli in Sarno, Italy. The rest of the prize package for the 2016 season will be announced in the next month, with special prizes geared toward the new Local Option TaG group and the Briggs LO206.
More information regarding the 2016 season can be found at www.canamkartingchallenge.com.
2016 Can-Am Karting Challenge Schedule
May 20-22: Horn Rapids Kart Track – Richland, Washington
July 8-10: Greg Moore Raceway – Chilliwack, British Columbia
September 9-11: Pat’s Acres Racing Complex – Canby, Oregon
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About: Can-Am Karting Challenge
The Can-Am Karting Challenge is the newest and growing regional racing program, focused around supporting the western coast of North America with drivers and teams coming from Canadian and the United States. The three event program offers categories of the Rotax Max Challenge, Superkarts! USA along with Briggs & Stratton. This program provides a unique atmosphere, formatted much like a national summer series program.
