ECKC: 26 Karts in Briggs & Stratton Masters at ICAR

A whopping 26 drivers entered the Briggs & Stratton LO206 Masters races this weekend at ICAR, host of the second round of both the Eastern Canadian Karting Champion and Coupe du Quebec. Only one entry less than their younger LO206 Senior comrades, the category continues to grow race after race and the larger numbers also increase the excellent racing that the LO206 power plant has been delivering over the past four seasons.

Saturday’s thriller saw a mix-up by the front two drivers, Corey Walsh (BirelART) and Steven MacVoy (BirelART) tangle exiting the tight turn seven hairpin, sending the group into a frenzy to avoid the stalled karts. The major benefactor was Mike Rogers (K&K Kart) who snuck through and created a large gap back to second place, Elie Arseneau (BirelART).

Coming through the field after a tough PreFinal and start to the Final, David Anderson (Intrepid) was also able to sneak through the wreckage and after disposing of Arseneau was in pursuit of Rogers as the laps counted down. Throwing everything he could in the closing laps Anderson found the rear bumper of Rogers in corner four on the final lap. Unable to make a move in corner seven it all came down to the sweeping corner nine. Slight contact slowed the two leaders up enough to allow Arseneau and Serge Boisvert (BirelART) to catch up in a drag race to the finish line.

Rogers held his own and executed the perfect block to hold on and claim the win while Arseneau and Boisvert both snuck by Anderson to steal the final podium positions with James Dunn (Margay) completing the Saturday top-five.

On Sunday Anderson and Arseneau led the way to the green and immediately a five-kart battle ensued for the lead with David Michaud (FA Kart), Walsh, and Scott Jefferies (Kosmic) in tow.

Some early race shuffling allowed Arseneau to sneak away while Anderson was forced to track him back down after fending off Guy Savard (FA Kart) who joined in on the action after Michaud, Walsh and Jefferies tangled.

With a little less action than the day before the laps counted down until the last lap sign where once again Anderson found himself in second and on the rear bumper of the leader. Fighting tooth and nail through the final circuit of the tricky ICAR circuit, it all came down to another drag race to the finish line with Anderson sweeping wide as the two exiting the final corner. In a photo finish featuring both drivers hopping at the finish line, Arseneau scored the win by a mere 0.012 seconds!

James Dunn overtook Savard late to earn his first podium of the season while Gerard Daniel (BirelART) rounded out the top-five. Steve Attard, Boisvert, Michel Forget, Kyle Aulenback and Eric Beltrami finished sixth through tenth.

It is also worth noting that this was Arseneau’s first ECKC and major karting event as the Nascar Canadian Tire Series Driver and driving instructor from the ICAR Circuit jumped at the opportunity to race on his home turf.

The race on Sunday came down to the wire between Arseneau (836) and Anderson (840) – Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN