Canada’s premier karting series, the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, continues to strive towards building a better program for Canadian kart racers to compete in and prepare them for the National and International levels of competition. This week ECKC series’ officials announced that they have added Tim Hannen as the new manager of event operations for 2014. Hannen, a veteran in the karting industry known for his hard work and determination and brings new life to the ECKC program ands a dynamic piece that will only improve the series as a whole.
Hannen will work to increase participation levels in the series, while developing and conditioning the current ECKC program. He visualizes seeing not only more drivers at each event, but also better competition across the board and a more complete feeling in the paddock at all ECKC events moving forward.
He is a very enthusiastic individual and will ensure his presence is known in the paddock, something he is known for. For those who do not know Hannen yet, they can expect to meet him at the opening round in Mosport when he makes his rounds throughout the paddock.
Upon hearing the news, we had a chance to ask Tim a few questions about his new role with the ECKC and what his plans are.
CKN: For those who do not know you, can you tell us a bit about your past and your position in the karting industry?
TH: I have been the owner/operator of Oakland Valley Race Park and education based cart racing facilities in New York for the past five years. Prior to that I managed New Jersey Motorsports Park’s karting facility through its program development and the first number of years of operation.
I’ve held various Race Official positions for the Northeast Rotax Max Challenge, Florida Winter Tour, Rotax Can-AM ProKart Challenge, US Rotax Grand Nationals and Rotax Pan-American Championships. For 2013 I also worked at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in New Orleans.
I also coach and teach cart car and off-road motorcycle racing at a broad range of levels and ages.
As a child I spent many weekends at Mosport while my dad raced his Formula V and in the mid-1980s I began racing Karts in Batavia, New York.
CKN: What is your specific role going to be with the ECKC? Will you be at all four events this year?
TH: I will be a full-time member of the ECKC team and will be at each event from beginning to end. My role will ultimately be defined as it becomes more clear how I can be a positive force within an already dynamic team and community. I have been charged to help the programs race by race performance and maintain the same high standards that are expected.
CKN: Do you have anything already on your agenda to help the series succeed immediately?
TH: I think the title we have agreed upon is series director but in the same way a driver expects to perform at their very best over a race weekend we as the race administration are excited for the opportunity to provide a fair safe and competitive racing experience.
I look
forward to working to see that the racers continue to be satisfied with the management of the events, the teams are able to do their business in a harmonious environment and the facilities enjoy their partnership with the series.
Personally I would like to see an event exceed 200 drivers this year.
CKN: What are your long-term goals for the series?
TH: My goal for the not-too-distant future is simple. We would like to attract more drivers from outside of the region so that we don’t just increase numbers but continue to increase the competitiveness in all classes.
CKN: What are you looking for most this year in regards to the ECKC?
TH: I’ve had the opportunity to work with most of the members of the ECKC staff and management over the past 15 years, But not all at the same time! I am truly honored and can’t wait to get to Mosport. I haven’t been there since Noone’s diner was around!
The Eastern Canadian Karting Championship will kick off at Mosport International Karting, near Bowmanville, Ontario on May 16-18. Online registration for the event is now open. The four race championship will follow up with round two at Goodwood Kartways, near Stouffville, Ontario, on June 25-27. Round three will be on the popular streets of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec for Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres on August 1-3 with the season finale at the Jim Russell Karting Academy in beautiful Mont-Tremblant, Quebec on September 19-21.
For more information about the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, visit http://eckc.ca
