Savaglio Sweeps the Weekend in 40-kart Senior Lite Division

A massive 40 drivers entered the Briggs Senior Lite division on the weekend in the second and final round of the 2022 Cup Karts Canada Division Championship at Goodwood Kartways. Taking home the top spot in both Finals was Gianluca Savaglio, a regular two-cycle racer with a solid history of Briggs competition, while retired racer Marco Di Leo was crowned the class champion following four races where he never finished lower than fifth place.

Split into two groups for Qualifying and the heat races, it wasn’t until Saturday’s Final that all forty drivers took to the track simultaneously. Jon Treadwell (BirelART) set the tone in Qualifying to score the pole position, and after the heat races it was Treadwell remained on top and was joined by Savaglio (Kosmic) on the front row for the Final.

It was a chaotic start that saw karts scrambling everywhere to avoid a number of spinning karts between corners four and five on the opening lap and the action didn’t slow down from there.

While Treadwell led lap one, Di Leo (Intrepid) vaulted to the top on lap two when Kevin King (Kubica Kart), Treadwell and Maddox Heacock (Awesome Kart) all tangled before corner seven.

After leading for four laps with Brennan Taylor (BirelART) on his bumper, Di Leo was freight trained in corner one by Taylor, Logan Ploder (CL Kart) and Treadwell while Savaglio worked by Di Leo later on in the lap.

Taylor and Ploder were able to break free when the race for third slowed up Treadwell, Di Leo and Savaglio and then it all came down to the final lap.

A smart lap ensured by Taylor did not allow Ploder any opportunity to get by and they crossed the finish line 1-2, followed by Treadwell and then Savaglio while Mike De La Plante (TNT Kart) worked his way by Di Leo on the final lap to take fifth.

However, the podium was adjusted when officials learned that Taylor, Ploder and Treadwell all passed the race leader while the yellow flag was waving and they were all accessed three-second penalties. This moved Savaglio to the top, De La Plante to second and Di Leo onto the podium in third followed by Taylor, Christian Savaglio (TonyKart) and then Ploder.

Cup Karts Canada Goodwood Briggs Senior Lite Saturday Final Results

While Saturday’s races were all under bright sunshine and hot temperatures, Sunday featured an awful mix of wet and dry conditions, changing nearly every time the Senior Lites hit the track.

De La Plante was able to post the quickest time on the wet track in Qualifying but the heats saw Taylor, King, Di Leo and Gianluca Savaglio take the wins under wet conditions. This lined up Di Leo and Savaglio on the front row for the final and it was back to slicks.

Di Leo and the inside line had a great start while Savaglio fell way back and this time there was no chaos on the opening lap.

King came knocking on the door for the lead on lap three and grabbed it with Di Leo slipping back to fifth as Michael Ing (Awesome Kart), Heacock and Savaglio were also able to take advantage.

Two laps later, Ing moved into the lead and King slipped back to fourth.

The next time there was another new race leader, Gianluca Savaglio and he brought Di Leo with him to the point, knocking Ing back to third.

Getting impatient, Ing tried Di Leo for second place on lap eight and the two went wheel-to-wheel for a few corners before Di Leo held on to the position but this allowed Savaglio to get away.

Four quick laps later, the checkered flag was waving and Savaglio scored his second win of the weekend while Di Leo ran out of laps to close the gap. Third went to Heacock after overtaking Ing with two laps remaining, while King and Nicky Palladino (Exprit) completed the top five.

Cup Karts Canada also crowned their inaugural class champions at Goodwood. In Senior Lite it was Di Leo coming out on top with King and Palladino finishing second and third. With the title, Di Leo earns an entry to the Cup Karts Grand Nationals in New Castle, Indiana to represent the Canada Division at what is expected to be the largest Briggs event in the world.

Cup Karts Canada Goodwood Briggs Senior Lite Sunday Final Results