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Pit board 2010-05-25

WKA's Pit Board - 05.25.2010 *** Clarification on Unlimited 2-Cycle Dirt specs 05.25.2010 - As competitors prepare for the upcoming itsTV.tv Nationals June 19 at Margarettsville Speedway in Margarettsville, N.C., WKA officials want to clarify ...

WKA's Pit Board - 05.25.2010

***

Clarification on Unlimited 2-Cycle Dirt specs

05.25.2010 - As competitors prepare for the upcoming itsTV.tv Nationals June 19 at Margarettsville Speedway in Margarettsville, N.C., WKA officials want to clarify one of the specs for the Unlimited 2-Cycle class. Despite a listing for gas in previous specs, this class is alcohol, and will continue to run as an alcohol class for the balance of the year and beyond.

As an added reminder, the Unlimited 2-Cycle class is also a national point class, beginning at the Bordeaux Dyno Cams Nationals last month at Hurricane Raceway in Alma, Georgia. The results and points from Daytona will not count toward the overall outcome, as this class was listed as a local option at that time.

To view the updated info for the itsTV.tv Nationals, go to www.worldkarting.com/downloads/eb-2010/0618_marg_dirt.pdf .

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Sato preps for Indy 500 with iRacing.com

05.25.2010 (BEDFORD, Mass.) - International racing star Takuma Sato impressed everyone in the IZOD IndyCar Series paddock at Kansas Speedway earlier this month with a strong race performance in the Road Runner Turbo 300, running in the top five in his first-ever oval-track race before getting taken out by another driver's miscue. In September Sato will be racing in the Indy Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi. But next on his calendar there's the matter of another race in the American Midwest, where Sato and his #5 Lotus-KVRT Dallara-Honda are preparing for Saturday's pole qualifying and the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 30.

"Many people think that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a simple track, just four 90-degree left-hand turns," Sato said. "But at speeds up to 370 kph (230 mph) each turn is unique, with many subtle differences that make them completely different."

Even a small mistake at those speeds can prove very expensive, and with the iRacing.com Motorsports Simulation service Sato had the chance to become familiar with the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway and its four challenging almost flat 90-degree sweeping corners before he ever slid into the cockpit of his real racecar.

"Like many of the other IZOD IndyCar Series drivers, I use iRacing.com to get to know these tracks better, before I get out on the actual track," Sato said. "I am very impressed with the realism of the iRacing.com online racing simulation. Plus it's a lot of fun at the same time!"

Sato, a former British Formula 3 champion and for six years a Formula One regular, is helping Interush, Inc. introduce iRacing.com to Japanese driving game enthusiasts.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of more than 40 race tracks in the U.S. and around the world that are represented in the iRacing.com internet-based motorsport simulation service. The service is inexpensive and intended to let motorsport fans and racing games enthusiasts from all around the world practice and, if they wish, compete against friends and other fans in organized races.

The tracks and cars in the service are modeled so accurately that a professional racing driver can use them to learn a track he or she has never seen before. iRacing.com uses survey-quality laser-scanning to capture data, so the finished track is accurate to within two millimeters. Every tiny bump or change in road camber is accurately represented in the virtual version of the track.

Other Indy 500 drivers who are iRacing.com members include Justin Wilson, Will Power, Ryan Briscoe, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dan Weldon, Tomas Scheckter, Danica Patrick, Mike Conway, Rafael Matos, A.J. Foyt IV and Sato's fellow IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Simona de Silvestro.

Then there's the purely fun side of iRacing.com. Wilson, Power and Scheckter are regular participants in the informal 16th Street Racing League, named for the street address of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Using iRacing.com's "hosted racing" feature, these three IZOD IndyCar Series stars and 40 of their friends spent the past winter participating in a series of 10 races featuring the same Dallara Indy car that they and Sato drive in the real world and a mix of current and past Indy car venues.

"Because we're internet-based, our members can compete with people all over the world," said John W. Henry, co-founder of iRacing.com and principal owner of the Boston Red Sox baseball team. "We now have iRacers in more than 70 countries outside North America, including Japan and representing about 40% of our membership. We'll continue to develop content from North America as we expand our focus to include more international tracks and cars, including several from Japan, where we already have several hundred members."

Henry also noted that iRacing.com has made it very easy to get on the track. "If you have a PC or Mac with Windows and a gaming wheel and pedal set, in just a few minutes you can be racing."

In addition to the upcoming Japanese content, during the past several months the service has also added to its inventory Australia's Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Brands Hatch in England and the Dutch Circuit Club Zandvoort - joining Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix - and will soon introduce England's Oulton Park and Belgium's Circuit Zolder in addition to Australia's historic Oran Park. Henry said that iRacing.com currently offers its members 40 tracks with a total of more than 100 configurations and 18 different racing cars, adding that more than a dozen tracks and a half-dozen additional cars are in various stages of development.

"We never stop improving the iRacing experience," Henry said, noting that the company continues to invest heavily in the development of enhanced graphics and more sophisticated physics engine and tire modeling.

About iRacing.com

The company was founded in 2004 by Dave Kaemmer and John Henry. Kaemmer was co-founder of Papyrus Design Group, developers of award-winning racing simulations including "Grand Prix Legends" and "NASCAR 2003." Henry is principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and co-owner of NASCAR's Roush Fenway Racing. iRacing.com has developed numerous corporate relationships in the motorsport industry, including partnerships with NASCAR, Indy Racing League, International Speedway Corporation, Speedway Motorsports, Volkswagen, Ford, and General Motors. iRacing is open to racers and fans of all skill levels from top-level pros to complete beginners. To join in the fun, go to www.iRacing.com.

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CKI sponsors eight drivers from Round 2 of WSK North American Series

05.25.2010 (TEMPE, Ariz.) - Continuing its support of karting at all levels, Championship Karting International this week honored eight drivers with free entry into the series of their choice, as a result of their participation in the WSK North American Series by CKI, Round 2 at Phoenix. The first-of-its-kind program offered drivers participating with CKI for the first time, the opportunity to receive free entry in their regular series once they travel back home.

"CKI has always supported karting at the local and regional levels," series director Kevin Williams said. "We are thrilled to continue this support by contributing to these drivers' local programs, and feel we really hit the mark supporting this great group of drivers."

Drivers from all around the western United States participate in this unique program, which was supported by teams across the country. Here is a breakdown of the lucky seven participants.

Clovis, California resident Carter Williams came to Phoenix to run Leopard Junior against some of the nation's best. Normally running locally in Buttonwillow and Bakersfield, and coming off three California State Championships in a row, Carter was thrilled to step up to the WSK North American Series.

Cave Creek, Arizona resident, Chad Brassfield, a graduate of the inaugural 2008 VW Jetta TDI Cup Series, came to Phoenix aboard his Buddy Rice-prepared Tony Kart in KF2. Relatively new to the Category, Chad ran against the likes of a tough KF2 field of Phil DeLao, Arie Ouimet & Joey Wimsett, scoring fourth in the overall Event Totals. Chad will utilize his CKI Sponsorship at the Phoenix Kart Racing Association for the balance of the 2010 Calendar.

Second on the weekend of first-time entrants, Kosmic driver Lucas Barnett, a local of the PKRA facility, entered the event in TaG Senior. Although Lucas regularly runs with the PKRA Club, he has scored a pair of seconds in the competitive IKF Southwestern Super Series. Although a regular regional racer, Lucas had this to say about the weekend, "The CKI Event is really cool! A lot of goo competition." Lucas will also benefit from CKI's First-Time Entrant Support, utilizing it at PKRA.

Another resident of Cave Creek, Arizona, Kosmic driver Bryan Lemon arrived at CKI's Grand Prix of Phoenix, to participating in Leopard Junior. Although Bryan is a regular of the PKRA facility, Bryan traveled with the IKF Southwestern Super Series last year, where he podiumed in four classes, and has made two appearances at the SKUSA Supernationals. Bryan was thrilled to be a recipient of the support program and the CKI Event, stating, "Great series. Well run; really good drivers." Bryan will utilize his support at PKRA this year.

Tony Kart driver Michael England, came to CKI entering TaG Senior in his first National Event. "Great Event." Michael stated, "Very well organized and I am excited to be competing on a National Level." From his experience at the CKI Grand Prix of Phoenix, where he scored fourth on the weekend, Michael is currently putting together a deal to participate in the New Jersey rounds of CKI and the WSK World Series this coming July. Although he is making the step up, Michael will maintain his skills at his local PKRA facility, where CKI will support his program in 2010 from the First Time Entrant awards.

Another TaG Senior driver, Kolton Griffin, aboard a new Birel chassis, entered the CKI Event with high hopes, and he delivered. Scoring a second place in Sunday's Final, behind points runner-up Taylor Miinch, Kolton utilized his local knowledge of the PKRA Track to bring home the podium spot. Kolton gladly accepted his CKI Support entries to continue his program in PKRA.

Ian Pierce, Top Kart TaG Senior driver, from Chandler, Arizona, is no stranger to motorsports. Although a first time entrant in CKI, Ian regularly maintains racing equipment at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. In addition to his racing at PKRA, Ian has also scored a top-10 finish in TaG Senior at last year's Supernats. Ian is still developing his racing program for 2010, and has yet to decide where his CKI Support will be spent.

Bailey Murphy, CRG driver from Phoenix, entered the CKI Event in the ultra competitive TaG Junior Category. Although Bailey has participated at the higher levels in the past, scoring a 14th at last year's Supernats, he makes PKRA his home track. Bailey enjoyed his weekend and thought CKI was "Really Good", and brought home a second in Sunday's Pre-Final. Bailey will continue stay regionally and apply his CKI Support dollars to the Pro Kart Challenge.

In all, CKI's First-Time Entrant Program will distribute over $3,000 back into the Karting Communities on behalf of these eight Drivers, who now have entries paid by CKI for one class each for the balance of 2010, as a part of the total prize package CKI is offering this season worth over a Quarter of a Million Dollars in Cash and Prizes.

Round 3 of the WSK North American Series by CKI will travel to the famed New Jersey Motorsports Park, July 22-25, 2010, followed the very next week by the much anticipated WSK World Series July 28-August 1, 2010. Entry Forms, Travel, Hotel, & event services, such as tent rentals are available now at www.ChampionshipKartRacing.com.

-source: wka

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