Hey CKN Nation, I’m back!
Two weekends ago I attended the first round of the 2019 Coupe De Montreal series at SH Karting in Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec! This race was my first official National event as a Briggs Senior, the excitement was high and I was eager to get the year started!
My adventure began early Thursday morning as I left my residence in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia at an early 5:30 am to begin the 12-hour haul. Things got busy at the track early Saturday morning, as it stormed all Friday and I was unable to go on track. The Gerald Caseley Racing team was pumped up to get practice rolling and so was I! It had been a year since I was at SH Karting so practice was definitely crucial to get in some laps to prepare for Sunday’s races. Although it took a large part of the day to get used to the track again, practice went well and I was excited about the race!
This race was definitely going to be a special one for me. Not only would it be my first national race as a Briggs Senior, but I would get to race against two of my biggest mentors and role models. Gerald Caseley Jr. and Michael Adams made the haul from Ontario to join GCR in Briggs Senior. Having the opportunity to race against these two made me even more excited and ecstatic to get racing started!
Sunday began on a high note after pulling the fastest lap in qualifying only a mere 0.058 of a second ahead of my former coach and mentor Gerald. This result lit a fire within me, making me feel more confident in my capabilities for the races to come. The Pre-final ran smoothly, getting a great start from pole position I led every lap of the race and held off challenges on the last lap. Don’t get me wrong this was no walk in the park, my competitors definitely gave me a run for my money. This left me excited for the Final but definitely nervous.
As the day went on, it was time for the Final. Although tensions were high I felt ready and prepared for the race to come. As we lined up for the race start adrenaline was pumping, I didn’t get the best start ever but still managed to come out of the first corner in the first position. My competitors took no time to get things started as I was challenged by a pass on lap 3!
To say the least, this was definitely a nerve-racking race for me, but exciting to watch! The battle continued on between Gerald Jr. and myself, all the way down to the last straightaway. Gerald and I came out of the corner neck and neck heading for the checkered flag. To be quite honest things were so close I had no clue what was going to happen. Until out of nowhere my fellow lady driver Sabrina Caron gave me a push from behind, securing my win, (girl power!!!).
This win was huge for me! Not only would it be my first big win this year but my first big win in Briggs Senior!
Overall, I had an amazing weekend, not only did I qualify on pole, win the PreFinal and the Final but I managed to lead every lap of the whole entire weekend. This definitely gives me more confidence in my capabilities and the drive to succeed again. The Coupe De Montreal has really grown and is continuing to grow, which leaves me super excited for the next round this weekend at SC Performance! I would like to thank Gerald Caseley Racing, PSL Karting, all my teammates, my family and all my followers for all the support and encouragement over the weekend!
P.S.: Don’t forget to follow Hann Racing on Facebook, and KelseyHannRacing on Instagram for race updates!
That’s all for now!
Kelsey Hann
