Ageless Marc Stehle Scores Third Canadian Title in Briggs & Stratton Masters

As possibly the best race at last years Canadian Championships, Briggs & Stratton Masters had some big shoes to fill if they hoped to regain that status, but with a class full of youthful ‘Masters’ anything was possible.

From his outside pole-position starting spot in the Final Marc Stelhe (BirelART) jumped out to an early lead in the Briggs & Stratton Masters class National Final. Stehle along with Michael Rogers (K&K Kart) and Steven MacVoy (BirelART) broke free almost immediately while the a second pack made up a group racing for fourth including Eli Yanko (FA Kart), James Dunn (Margay), David Patrick (BirelART), Kyle Aulenback (K&K Kart) and Corey Walsh (BirelART), who had a spectacular start to gain ten positions, avoiding all kinds of melee on the opening lap.

Out front nothing changed over the first ten laps until Rogers and MacVoy pulled the trigger and relegated Stehle to third on lap eleven. But for MacVoy his chances came to a halt on the following lap with a tossed chain, eventually pulling off track on the exit of corner five and leaving the race up to two.

Like most of the moves for the lead, Stehle managed to find enough space on the inside of corner five to gain the spot, slowing the kart enough in the middle of the corner that Rogers was unable to counter and instead giving him enough of a bump to help him roll off the corner. With Rogers all over him through the next sector Stehle was hanging on for life including another shunt from Rogers in the final chicane as Stehle defended the position heavily. Erupting from the final corner in a drag race to the finish line, Stehle celebrated his third Canadian title, his first as a Master, chalked full of emotion, as witnessed when interviewed before his victory lap.

Rogers settled for second while Dunn came out on top in the race for third. Last years Champion David Patrick was fourth with Walsh completing the great comeback in fifth. Gerard Daniel (BirelART), Jeff Forsey (TonyKart), Aulenback, Stephan Goebel and Yanko completed the top-ten.

Unofficial Results | Photo Gallery

Briggs & Stratton Masters Podium from Left to Right: David Klaus of Briggs & Stratton, Michael Rogers (2nd), Marc Stehle (1st) and James Dunn (3rd) – Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN