Gavin Goldie takes a Double Win after a tricky Saturday Qualifying

Article co-written by Emily Billings.

Spectators applauded Gavin Goldie at the podium after taking over the Point Pelee Karting track with his first-place win in KartStars Junior on Saturday as well as in Briggs Junior on Sunday at the second round of the KartStars Canada Championship.

In his first visit to the circuit nearing Canada’s most southern point, Goldie drove like a veteran in both Finals, controlling the field from the front and never looking back.

Saturday’s KartStars Junior Qualifying was the only hiccup in his weekend, as an unexpected rain shower dropped just before his class was set to hit the track. A quick scramble by all the drivers and mechanics to change tires and setups saw local driver Ayden Ingratta (Exprit Kart) lead the way ahead of Sam David (Intrepid), while Goldie was down in fifth.

After working his way forward in the dry heat races, it was Goldie alongside Ingratta for the start of the Final. A good jump allowed Goldie to gain the advantage into corner one, while Ingratta was forced to the grass before corner two and regained well down the order. David moved up to second on lap two but was quickly overtaken by Braedon Fowler (Intrepid) on lap two.

Goldie was able to build up an advantage over Fowler who slipped out of the draft but still had a gap back to third, allowing the leaders to pull free to the finish, while the excitement built up for third.

Nathan Dupuis (Intrepid) was doing well holding his own as a Junior Lite competing amongst the Juniors, but he had his hands full of Christian Savaglio (TonyKart), David, and a charging Ingratta.

Holding on until the final lap, Ingratta was finally able to slip by Dupuis for the final podium spot with Savaglio also getting by before the checkered.

However, it was for naught as Ingratta was disqualified after the race for an improper spark plug, an item that has changed since his last Briggs start almost two years ago. This put Savaglio up onto a well-deserved podium.

KartStars Canada Point Pelee KartStars Junior Final Results

The overnight rain didn’t stop Goldie for Sunday’s Briggs Junior race either, as Goldie told CKN after the race, “we had a good pace all weekend, the grip really came down so we had to free up the kart, but it all worked out.” The racer’s qualifying and heat races became a slight challenge Sunday thanks to the heavy rainfall, but Goldie made the adjustments where needed and “got some consistent laps in” when it mattered.

The Briggs Junior Final started off strong, considering a number of racers wiped out during the pre-final, but quickly after the drivers got into the opening lap, we saw Ayden Ingratta (Exprit) clip Michael Schwab’s (Intrepid) kart in the middle of the pack, sending both off the track in corner three. Ingratta worked his way back on the track, but Schwab was done. Goldie (Intrepid) held the first place position to complete the opening lap while Michael Ing (Awesome Kart) and Fowler kept under Goldie’s tail as they continued to fight neck and neck for second.

All drivers kept pretty consistent for most of the race; until when the end was almost in sight and there were five laps to go. Natalie Parker (BirelART), who was holding the fourth position, had to give in after her throttle cable snapped, giving her P4 position to Savaglio. As some of the crowd stood on the edge of their seats in dismay of all the events, we entered the final lap, and that checkered flag waved racers in for the finish.

Goldie claimed his second victory for the weekend with his exhilarating first-place win and best lap in Sunday’s Briggs Junior Final. Almost three seconds behind him were racers Ing and Fowler who took second and third place.

The KartStars Canada Championship now shifts to Shannonville Motorsports Park in three weeks for the sports first visit to the iconic racing facility in nearly a decade to race for the Bear.

KartStars Canada Point Pelee KartStars Junior Final Results