Karting in Canada’s Capital Region is Strong at the LRKC

Over the weekend we travelled to Smiths Falls, Ontario to take in a day of club racing event at the Lombardy Raceway Karting Club and we were wowed by our experience.

The LRKC was formed in 2020 after the management of the Lombardy Karting track shifted hands and since that day, the sport has continued to grow and prosper. The track itself was built nearly 15 years ago and is in great condition.

This past weekend was a special double-header event that provided racers with two days of on-track action and two separate Finals for the points championship and it turned out to be the largest turnout yet for the LRKC! 46 entrants from Canada’s capital region took part, from Briggs Cadet to Briggs Masters, a few Rotax racers and an Arrive and Drive group as well.

Some miserable weather throughout the day Sunday didn’t seem to faze the racers and family members in attendance and the racing on the track was very close. A few bumps and tire scrubs here and there showed that regardless of how few racers were in a category, the competition was close when it came to battling for trophies. A pair of veteran officials kept a close eye on the racers and used some of the incidents as learning experiences instead of just dishing out penalties, the way they should be at club races, but all in all, it was pretty respectful on track.

We noticed a great inner club rivalry between Nonstop Racing and Premier Karting, two race teams that have supported karting in the Ottawa region for more than a decade. They had their racers going head to head in almost every category and were supportive at the podium celebration regardless of which team won. These two programs are so valuable at LRKC as new racers join the club and the sport and require some solid guidance.

The LRKC track is a fast one with only eight corners and most of them being high speed. A Briggs Senior lapped in the 37-second range and there isn’t much for a straightaway for a driver to relax, keeping you on your toes. With that being said, there were still four great passing opportunities and a number of races came right down to the finish line with two lines to utilize exiting the final two corners.

Taking home the victories on Sunday were: Ivan Chernyshov twice in Briggs Cadet, John Wade and Wyatt McNeely in Briggs Junior, Jake McNeely and Denver Craig in Briggs Senior, Sylvain Coursol and Richard Losier in Briggs Masters, Samuel Spurling twice in Rotax Junior, Tom Fredericks twice in Rotax Senior and Brandon Stephens twice in Rotax DD2. Taking the wins in Arrive and Drive were Calya Austin and Jeff Fernandez.

With a very busy summer season approaching, the club doesn’t have another point race until August 6, but on July 2 they will host their second annual Rick Hynes Memorial Enduro.

To learn more about the LRKC, visit their website https://lrkartingclub.com/.

To view our photo gallery from the day, click here!