Kart

CSOT: First Kart NA season finale notes

Team First Kart comes home with three podium finishes. TORONTO, ON. (NOVEMBER 7, 2003) -- The First kart North America Race Team performed well, coming home with three podium finishes this past weekend at the CART Stars of Tomorrow season finale ...

Edited: Apr 23, 2005, 8:43 PM

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Team First Kart comes home with three podium finishes.

TORONTO, ON. (NOVEMBER 7, 2003) -- The First kart North America Race Team performed well, coming home with three podium finishes this past weekend at the CART Stars of Tomorrow season finale that was held in Beaumont, CA. Originally scheduled during the Champ Car season finale at California Speedway, the race was moved 30 minutes north due to the raging forest fires in the Southern California area. The beautiful Moran Raceway hosted the event that featured East and West coast drivers battling head to head for their respective national championships. First Kart pilots were in attendance to win and did not disappoint.

First Kart factory pilot Bobby Wilson of Dousman, WI entered the final event with one thing on his mind, the Championship. Even though he had all but wrapped up the title, he was not out of the woods yet as there was only one driver that could catch him, Jason Bowles. Wilson had done his math and knew that if Bowels did not win the event then there was no chance of him losing the title race, but if he did, Wilson would have to finish in the top 13. Still determined, Wilson was looking for the feature win to add to an already impressive array of titles in the 2003 season. Clearly the hottest North American karter, Wilson set out to achieve his goal and did so in fine form. After struggling during practice, Bobby and his crew refocused themselves and came up with a solid qualifying effort that would slot the 22-year-old close to the front of the grid. Bobby worked his way through the heat races to start on the front row along veteran karter Darren Elliot.

"I was going to enter the race with caution knowing that I needed to finish to secure the championship" explained Wilson. "But when I came around on the first lap and saw that Jason (Bowles) was out of the race I had to go for the win." Wilson and Elliot went toe to toe for the entire feature event as they pushed hard every lap, increasing their lead on the rest of the field. These two drivers put on a show and in the end it was Elliot taking home the race win two tenths of a second ahead of Wilson, who wrapped up the headline ICC championship.

Usual First Kart tuner Trevor Daly of Brampton, ON joined Wilson on the podium as he drove to an exciting win in the Rotax division. In only his 4th race of 2003 Daly was fast right out of the box turning quick times that were competitive with the front runners. A late race pass on the eventual runner-up this young gun secure his first national win in 2003. "This is a great accomplishment for me" stated an ecstatic Daly. "I can't thank the First Kart team enough; they have done so much for me over the year."

Previous Stars of Tomorrow race winner and championship contender Nelson Mason came home with a strong 3rd place finish. Mason ran a smart race but could not keep pace with eventual winner and class champion Kevin LaCroix and runner up Kyle Rahal. "We had some trouble earlier in the weekend" stated Mason. "I thought we would have everything sorted out by the final but it just did not come together the way we had hoped."

Other First Kart drivers that put in strong runs were Illinois resident and gearbox rookie Darin Marcus and Ontario resident Marco Di Leo. Both Marcus and Di Leo have shown the speed needed to perform well at the national level but have not found the racing luck. Both drivers will look to rebound next week and be in the hunt for the win at the SuperKarts! USA SuperNationals that are being held in Las Vegas, NV.

In other driver news, First Kart pilot Bobby Wilson was awarded the Jim Trueman Award. The award is given to a driver that shows the necessary talent to be an aspiring open wheel racer. A $25,000 cheque will go to Wilson that will help him advance his career and move up the motorsports ladder.

-www.firstkart.com

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