PR: Team News: Intrepid North America ECKC Mosport Report

Intrepid North America was back racing close to home over the weekend as the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship made its second visit to Ontario for races four and five. Mosport International Karting was the venue for the doubleheader, and fifteen Intrepid North America team members were in action scoring two more wins and nine more podiums. One of those podiums was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, as Micro-Max driver Xavier Harris scored his first National victory.

“It is always a great feeling to see the young drivers get their first big win,” said Team Manager Marco Di Leo. “They’re just beaming up there on the podium, as happy as can be. It’s awesome, but to me it’s just as sweet to see the proud look on daddy’s face at the podium. Great job to Xavier and Randy on their first National win!”

In fact all of Intrepid’s young drivers performed well, despite shrinking fields, as along with Harris, Matthew Barry was on Micro-Max pole position and had a pair of second-place finishes, Austin Riley was second and third in Mini-Max, and Jacob Ewaniuk had a third in Mini-Max as well – all four standing on the podium at some point, and all four graduates of the Goodwood Kartways Arrive-and-Drive Rookie Program in past years.

“They’re just a great group of Rookie Series graduates proving they can not only drive the wheels off identically prepared rental karts, but tuned Intrepid racing karts as well,” said Di Leo. “It’s great to see them advancing up the racing ladder, and awesome to see the teams and families getting rewarded for all the hard work they put into being successful at the track.”

Speaking of being successful at the track, Di Leo was exactly that himself at Mosport as after opening the weekend with a new track record in Rotax Senior qualifying, he powered his own HRS/Intrepid package to a win and a second-place finish, regaining the championship lead in the process. He now heads to the series’ finale with a hat trick of wins on the season and will be looking to make it a hat trick of ECKC Championships as well.

“We’ve definitely been having a strong season to this point, and couldn’t ask for much more,” Di Leo said after his latest win, the seventh he’s scored in ECKC competition. “My father and I just focus on our own program and work to improve the HRS/Intrepid package. When we get it right, I always have a chance to win and that’s our objective. Now we’ve got the opportunity to defend the title and make it three-in-a-row, and we couldn’t be more excited for the finale at Trois-Rivieres. I have always liked temp tracks because there is no track knowledge or home track advantage and all the drivers start fresh. This year is a brand new track as well, so it should be a great race week for the whole team.”

Another member of that team looking forward to the finale is Marco Signoretti. A former Mini-Max race winner and championship contender, Signoretti was snake-bitten through the first three races of the season but the tide began to turn at Mosport, and after a P12 on Saturday he put all three sessions inside the top ten on Sunday and now sits eighth in the Championship.

“I was happy with the weekend because with the luck we’ve been having it really boosted our team’s morale,” Signoretti said after finishing ninth on Sunday with no problems. “I wish we knew a few more things to make the kart faster before we went out for the final races, and we can always improve, but I am happy. I wanted to be top-ten in points and at the moment I am, so I feel that I am accomplishing my goal. Hopefully we’ll have a good result at Trois-Rivieres and secure that top-ten finish overall.”

After a nightmare start to the season, it’s a credit to the ability of driver and team that they have climbed to eighth at this point with one race to go. Signoretti was sent to the back after qualifying both days at Goodwood, yet stormed forward to finish 11th and 7th. The bad luck continued in Quebec when he was collected in turn one, yet he remains upbeat and looking ahead.

Signoretti’s luck finally began to change in races four and five. (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)

“Goodwood was difficult for me and my team because on both days I had to start last for the PreFinals,” Signoretti recalled. “I had my work cut out for me and I did alright on Saturday, but we really had the kart setup for Sunday. At ICAR we were struggling all weekend to find a sweet spot, then in the final I got involved in an incident in first corner and bent my chassis. Overall the season has not been picture perfect, but I am happy with my top-ten finishes and I have learned from my mistakes. I’m excited for Trois-Rivieres and know the atmosphere will be great, just like it was in 2010.”

The Eastern Canadian Karting Championship concludes July 26-29 at Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres. After test days on Thursday and Friday, the team will contest a round in the Coupe de Quebec on Saturday before the ECKC finale on Sunday. For more information on how Intrepid North America can assist you there, please visit intrepidnorthamerica.com.

*Team Facts: Intrepid North America is based at Goodwood Kartways in Stouffville, Ontario, Canada, where drivers can progress from turning rental kart laps to world championships. The Intrepid North America race team represents the facility at National and International Championships like the Florida Winter Tour, Pan-American Rotax Max Challenge, Eastern Canadian Karting Championship and Canadian National Championships.

It has also had drivers contest the SuperKarts! USA SuperNationals, the World Karting Association Manufacturer’s Cup, the Rotax European Championship, the Rotax International Open Championship and the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals. Intrepid North America operates in conjunction with Intrepid Kart Technology, HRS Racing Engines, IMAF Racing Seats, VPD and Intremax.

Intrepid North America Team Results, ECKC Races 4 and 5

Rotax Micro-Max
Xavier Harris – 1st, 3rd
Matthew Barry – 2nd, 2nd

Rotax Mini-Max
Austin Riley – 2nd, 3rd
Jacob Ewaniuk – 3rd, 6th

Rotax Junior
Marco Signoretti – 12th, 9th
Tyler Kashak – 10th, 13th
Tyler Rushton – 20th, 20th

Rotax Senior
Marco Di Leo – 2nd, 1st
Reid Arnold – 5th, 12th
Max Preston – 7th, 20th
Alejandro Liverant – 8th, 17th
Bryson Schutte – 19th, 9th
Lauren Fortune – 18th

Rotax DD2
Enrico Menotti – 9th, 5th

Rotax DD2 Masters
John Cariati – 5th, 4th