Series News: Eastern Canadian Karting Championship Goes Big with Briggs

More news for the four-stroke racing community today as the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship is altering its class format to not only allow for more racers to participate at the regional level, but participate in the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship and be competitive in class!

Modifications to Briggs & Stratton Masters will see the class open to all drivers at 360 pounds, with no age minimum! The change will allow any driver to compete in the Master Class, with more now able to compete near optimum weight and thus challenge at the front. Masters will run on track combined with Briggs & Stratton Senior, with an option to separate the pair if numbers rise. Briggs & Stratton Senior will weigh in at 340 pounds with Briggs & Stratton Junior at 300. Tires will also match with a majority of Ontario Clubs with the ECKC running Vega Blue (Nord-Am) in 2013.

The moves are the latest in an ECKC effort to further develop its Briggs & Stratton four-cycle platform, and to get a racer’s perspective the series checked in with the top dog in the nation – reigning Briggs & Stratton Senior National Champion Gerald Caseley at PSL Moncton. A long time supporter of four-cycle racing and among the most experienced with the Briggs & Stratton Local Option 206, Caseley knows of what he speaks.

“Briggs from the beginning has been all about accommodating and entertaining racing,” Caseley said this week while reflecting on the latest news. “The price point and the restrictions help level the playing field and make it available for everyone to join, and I believe all club racers should be encouraged to attend. This 360lbs rule I believe further accommodates racers at ECKC events, and by providing flexibility with choice for competitors, I think it will be effective in getting more entrants. It’s all about people buying into the program despite preconceived notions. The program is inexpensive and this translates to more racers. All around it’s a really fun class to race at a regional and national level!”

Caseley is the reigning Canadian National Champion (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Further supporting the theory of equality, Caseley passed on a personal story from the 2012 National Championship, one that is music to the ears of many four-cycle racers.

“During the nationals last year we rented out the two motors we went up with and ended up using a brand new out-of-the-box motor,” he said. “This just shows that the motor is removed from the equation, and that an inexperienced karter has essentially the same motor as the top drivers. This forces drivers to gain time from the chassis and driving, which should be the concentration for developing karters anyways. This is another reason that club racers should attend regional and national events. It’s such a great opportunity to develop their skills going forward. I believe the field will be more competitive this year as more racers are buying into the program and the competition will be strong, providing an even more exciting product to the fans and racers involved.”

The 2013 Eastern Canadian Karting Championship opener at Mosport International Karting is just over seven weeks away. For all the latest news and information, please visit www.eckc.ca regularly.

2013 EASTERN CANADIAN KARTING CHAMPIONSHIP

Round 1 – Mosport International Karting, Bowmanville, Ontario

Friday, May 31, Practice

Saturday, June 1, Race One

Sunday, June 2, Race Two

www.mosportinternationalkarting.com

Round 2 – Goodwood Kartways, Stouffville, Ontario

Friday, June 28, Practice

Saturday, June 29, Race Three

Sunday, June 30, Race Four

www.goodwoodkartways.com

Round 3 – Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec

Friday, August 2, Practice

Saturday, August 3, Coupe du Quebec*

Sunday, August 4, Race Five

www.monacokarting.ca

Round 4 – Jim Russell Academie de Karting, Mont-Tremblant, Quebec

Friday, September 13, Practice

Saturday, September 14, Coupe du Quebec*

Sunday, September 15, Race Six

www.kartingjimrussell.com