Briggs Senior: Morrow Delivers a Masterclass in the Rain

Briggs Senior was the class to watch all weekend long at the Canadian Karting Championships in Hamilton.

Every time the category took to the track, the sidelines were packed as these racers put on a show from the top to the bottom of the running order. Following in the footsteps of a stellar 2024 race, the Senior’s were queuing up for another epic showdown on Sunday afternoon as the headline event to cap off another spectacular Canadian Karting Championships.

And then lightning struck.

Drivers on the grid getting ready to roll out were sent back to their pits for a lightning delay and during that delay, the skies really opened up and rain poured down on the Hamilton Karting Complex.

After about 20 minutes the drivers were called back to the grid and unlike earlier in the day, the track was soaking wet and everyone required rain tires, even with the sun peeking back out.

The lights went out and pole-sitter Jon Treadwell (Kubica Kart) led everyone through the first corner. From the outside of the front row, Jordan Prior (BirelART) slid wide and did a spectacular job of keeping his kart pointed in the right direction before corner two, but unfortunately he slid well down the running order after contact in corner four as their field barreled into the first heavy braking point.

Treadwell managed to lead the opening lap with David Barnes (BirelART) hot on his heels, and Logan Ploder (CL Kart), Dylan Reny (CL Kart) and Mitchell Morrow (BirelART) in tow. It was a chaotic first lap as the first time most of these drivers had driven in the rain all week.

Barnes worked his way by Treadwell on the following lap as Morrow moved by both Ploder and Reny. Morrow then got Treadwell on the following lap to move into P2.

Alex Murphy (BirelART) spun from P5 on lap five and on the following lap, Ploder spun in the same spot to give up his position within the top five as the drivers were pushing to the limits.

Tip-toeing around the circuit, Barnes was in control until his teammate came charging. Morrow was hooked up and he swiftly moved into the race lead on lap six.

All Barnes could do was watch as Morrow drove off into the distance with the perfect chassis setup for the conditions.

Another driver on the move was Maddox Heacock (CL Kart). After starting 15th, he was in third by lap six and eyeing up Barnes for P2. Two laps later he gained that spot but Morrow was well out of reach by then.

The lead three had broken free and were running on their own with only a couple of lapped karts to navigate. With a drying track late in the race, it was all about staying consistent and on track.

After 22 laps, Morrow had pulled away for a 7.1-second margin of victory, finally securing a major race win after coming so close, so many times.

Heacock cruised in the second half to stay ahead of Barnes and take P2 while Barnes completed the race in P3.

A late race charge from Anthony Quezada (Kubica Kart) earned him the fastest lap of the race and a P4 result while Blake Nagy (TonyKart) completed the top five with a great drive as well.