RMCGF Team Canada Driver Preview: Stuart Clark

Last but certainly not least in our 2014 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals Team Canada driver previews is Campbellville, Ontario’s Stuart Clark. Like Ben Cooper, Clark followed up his 2013 Rotax Grand Finals in New Orleans with a victory in the Rotax DD2 Masters division at the Las Vegas SKUSA SuperNationals to solidify his fourth invitation to join Team Canada.

Qualifying an entire year in advance allowed Clark to shift his attention just a bit in 2014 where he split his karting duties with a few starts in the Canadian Touring Car Championship with Blanchet Motorsports.

In the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, Clark was forced to miss race #1 when the schedule ran late and he had to jump into his CTCC machine and surrender the pole-position, but he stormed back in race two to claim the victory.

But it all went down hill from there as Clark was plagued with bad luck and misfortune. Unable to defend both his ECKC and Canadian National titles, Clark has shaken off the Canadian season and is now looking forward to putting the pedal down in Spain.

Clark pulled double-duty in 2014, racing karts and a Canadian Touring Car, including both at Mosport in May (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)

Driver Bio:

Name: Stuart Clark
Division: DD2 Masters
Age: 42
Hometown: Campbellville, Ontario
Years Racing: 7
Race Team: Maranello North America/Prime Powersports
Past Trips to RMCGF: 2011 United Arab Emirates, 2012 Portugal, 2013 United States
Career Highlights: SKUSA Super Nationals Champion (2013, DD2 Masters), 2-time Canadian National Champion (2012 & 2013, DD2 Masters), 2-time ECKC Champion (2012 & 2013, DD2 Masters) and Rotax Pan American Champion (2011, DD2 Masters)

After the disappointing season in 2014 Clark is determined to have a good showing in Valencia to close out the year. “My goal is to win. Having previous experience at the RGF is huge, knowing what to expect on and off track helps ease your mind and helps you manage each day leading up to the Final.”

He will be supported by Trevor Wickens, who manages the Maranello North America team he races with back home, along with Alessandro Levratti from the Maranello factory. “Trevor is like family and Al should be a huge asset.”

Stuart Clark has had 12 months to prepare for the 2014 Rotax Grand Finals after qualifying at the SKUSA SuperNationals in November 2013 (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)

Having the experience from 2013 where he competed on the same Praga chassis that his will race this year has Clark confident he can get up to speed quickly and set himself up as an immediate threat. He is also a fan of the track layout as the fast and flowing circuit is suitable to his driving style.

And advice for the first time members at the Rotax Grand Finals, he’s kept it simple. “Best advice I can offer is to manage your expectations, keep your mind relaxed.  It can be frustrating with the level of competition, as well as the pure number of competitors on track.  Try to see past it all and do what you are good at, drive!”

Through the month of November CKN has full coverage of the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals and Team Canada. CKN will be trackside in Valencia, Spain from November 23-30 to bring you all the action on https://www.canadiankartingnews.com and on our social networks: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.