WKA: Daniel Morad Trane Motor Speedway summary

Morad wins in Illinois!
A win and a fourth keep WKA points lead for Daniel Morad

SHERIDAN, IL - Markham, Ontario karter Daniel Morad has spent the last three weekends fighting for three different championships. This past weekend, Morad and his Maple Leaf Mortgages Birel team traveled to the USA for the second straight weekend. This time it was to contest the third round of the WKA's (World Karting Association) George Kugler Manufacturer's Cup Series, where Morad is leading the F80 shifter points championship. The event was the Matt-Con Services Nationals, at Trane Motor Speedway, and Morad came back to Markham with a win and a fourth for his weekend's work.

"This was the final weekend of a very difficult three weekend stretch for us," Morad said. "We cracked our best cylinder in Thursday practice, but Swedetech came through and got us a new one in time for Saturday. It is really good that we have an engine supplier that will go the extra mile for us."

Morad repaid Swedetech by putting his Maple Leaf Mortgages Birel on the pole for Saturday's race. Then he finished second in the pre-final, and moved up one spot to claim the win in the final. "This really helped us in the points, and it makes all this hard work by my team worthwhile," Morad said after the win.

Sunday brought with it some changes to Morad's Birel, as the team thought the track was tightening up. Morad qualified fourth, then was fifth in the pre-final. "We went the wrong way on the setup," Morad said.

Morad ran sixth in the final, but on the final turn of the final lap Timothy Megenbier Jr spun and Morad clipped him. "You've never seen me downshift from fourth to first so quickly," Morad said. Morad managed to cross the line with his wounded kart in fourth place.

With the win and the fourth, Morad keeps his points lead as he heads into the final race weekend of the WKA series Aug 13 - 15, the Target Grand Nationals, which will be held at Badger Raceway in Dousman, WI.

"Finally we have a weekend off, which our whole team needs," Morad said.

-bond-