One of Canada’s most decorated Rotax DD2 drivers is making his official shifter kart debut this weekend at the SKUSA WinterNationals in New Orleans, USA.
Whitby Ontario’s Jeff Kingsley is off to a hot start in 2017, scoring back-to-back Rotax DD2 wins in the Florida Winter Tour and he hopes to continue the momentum when he jumps into a PSL Karting powered BirelART chassis with six gears instead of two.
He is racing against North Americas best semi-pro shifter kart drivers in the S2 category, which is one step down from the premier S1 category. It will be Kingsley’s first time grabbing gears from a Stock-Honda engine as well as standing starts, but nonetheless he is excited for the new challenge.
“I am definitely excited to be racing in S2 at round one of the SKUSA WinterNationals. It’s not a familiar territory for me, so everything will require much adjustment to comprehend. I drove in one ROK Shifter race three years ago and do not remember much about it at all. My focus over the years have been on DD2, but putting that aside for the weekend is obviously required. With six gears, more speed, and lots of drivers, it will definitely be quite a different scene from my recent DD2 racing. So far this year I’ve been two for two in race wins, and its my goal to keep that streak going.”
‘my initial thought was, ‘wow, that is nothing like a DD2!’
-Jeff Kingsley
No stranger to the NOLA facility, Kingsley scored a US Open victory there last year and competed in the Rotax Grand Finals there in 2013. But even as a rookie he is still focused on the podium and achieving the best result possible, which is something we’ve come to expect from Kingsley whether it’s competing in a Briggs & Stratton race or the Rotax Grand Finals.
“I go in to every race weekend hoping to win, but first we’ve got to get comfortable with the chassis and engine. I have done a few practice sessions today and my initial thought was, ‘wow, that is nothing like a DD2!’ It will take time to adjust to the package, but a win or a good result for myself and PSL Karting is the intention.”
And of course, he’s thankful for the opportunity to continue his racing passion.
“I look forward to what the weekend has to offer, and I must thank my family, PSL Karting, and Whitby Toyota for making it all possible. It is my hope to bring Canada another trophy back across the border. “
The SKUSA WinterNationals kicks off today with practice ahead of two complete race days of action on Saturday and Sunday at NOLA Motorsports Park. The WinterNationals is the first of three SKUSA Pro Tour races on the agenda in 2017 all leading up to the SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas!
