ECKC: Wet and Wild Briggs Racing on Sunday at Goodwood

While Mother Nature delivered a perfect day for Saturday’s activities at Goodwood Kartways for the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship opener, Sunday was a completely different story as drivers arrived to a wet track with a morning drizzle. The cloud cover continued throughout the morning and just when everyone thought the track would dry out, another spurt of rain would fall sending everyone into a frenzy to switch their tires. Finally, just as the PreFinal racers were coming to a close, and with the majority of Briggs Senior on dry tires, the skies really opened up and it poured rain.

Following a short delay to let the heavy rain pass and to clear some puddling waters, the Final races hit the track as drivers battled for race two of the ECKC.

Here is our Briggs & Stratton Report from Goodwood Sunday. Click here for the Sunday Rotax Max report.

Saturday Results | Sunday Results | Photo Gallery

Briggs Junior Lite

Sunday was Jake Cowden’s day in Junior Lite. The Karts & Parts driver managed the rain incredibly well and led every lap of the Final to cruise to the victory. Anthony Boscia did all he could to pressure the leader and stuck with him throughout the entire race, but never had enough to make a move while Nicholas Scarfo completed the podium. Saturday winner Nicholas Christodoulou wound up fourth after spinning on the opening lap, relinquishing the second position when he touched the curb on the entry to turn four and spun into the grass.

Jake Cowden

Briggs Junior

In a similar feat to Cowden’s run in Junior Lite, Zachary Vanier was a young man on a mission in the Junior Briggs Final. He jumped out to an early lead in the Final and while he was pursued by William Chayer and others, Vanier simply pulled away from his competitors and secured the win. It was the third year in a row that Vanier has secured an ECKC win after getting his first in 2015.

The race for second featured a flurry of action as drivers slipped around each other. A big pack at first eventually dwindled down when karts would slide off the track trying to find any grip they could during the heavy rainfall.

Ultimately it was Chad Webster who secured the spot after passing Chayer. Owen Clarke completed the podium with a great effort while Kelsey Hann crossed in fourth, right on the bumper of Clarke. Saturday winner Jordan Prior could only manage an eighth place effort.

Zachary Vanier

Registration is open for ECKC round #2 in Mont-Tremblant. Tire purchase no longer required during the registration process! Get your entries in now on ECKC.ca.

Briggs Senior

As mentioned, the skies really opened up during the Briggs Senior PreFinal when all but two drivers had opted for slick tires on the drying track. A smart move by Alex Murphy and Frederick Sylvestre earned them a front row starting spot for the Final with their decision to stick with rain tires.

In a mad flurry of a start, it seemed everyone pushed a little too hard into turn four as Murphy and a group of others steered wide on the exit with Alex Da Silva erupting with the lead followed by his Energy Kart teammate Marco Signoretti.

On a mission early, Joshua Conquer was pushing forward and attacked Signoretti. It took three laps, but he finally found his way by when Signoretti ran wide in corner one and Conquer used his momentum to get by.

Next up for Conquer was Da Silva, who had opened up a small lead. But it didn’t take long for Conquer to close in. Da Silva tried to defend but Conquer’s kart was hooked up and he quickly disposed of the leader.

Clean laps from there led Conquer to a 3.5 second victory as the rookie Senior scored his first win in impressive fashion. Da Silva held on to second while Signoretti out-smarted Murphy in the final laps to keep the third step of the podium.

Saturday winner Michael Glaze could only manage a sixteenth place effort after spinning on the opening lap.

Joshua Conquer

Briggs Masters

Marc Stehle led the charge into turn one of the Briggs Masters field until Sal Ditta worked his way into the lead on lap three. However it was short lived as Ditta touched the outside curb on the entry to turn four and spun wide, collecting Stehle with him and opening up the door for Eli Yanko and Corey Walsh.

Walsh kept close to Yanko in the closing laps but couldn’t muscle up enough to get close enough for a pass.

This meant Yanko secured the win while Anthony Castro completed the podium. Ditta wound up sixth with Stehle two spots back in eighth. It was a disaster of a run for Saturday winner Steve MacVoy who finished thirteenth.

Eli Yanko

The Eastern Canadian Karting Championship will resume in two weeks time when the series shifts to the province of Quebec. The Jim Russell Karting Academy in beautiful Mont-Tremblant hosts round two on June 2-4. Online registration is now open on ECKC.ca.