Pit Board 2009-12-04

WKA's Pit Board - 12.04.2009

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Longtime WKA enduro racer Kenny Deutsch passes away

12.04.2009 -- Kenneth Deutsch, better known as "Kenny" or "Maximus," was found dead this week in his Miami, Florida-area garage. It is believed Deutsch suffered a massive heart attack while working on his 250cc-powered enduro go-kart in anticipation of this month's KartWeek at Daytona International Speedway. He was 59.

Deutsch was a longtime WKA member and Road Racing Series competitor. His black and yellow paint scheme with the lettering "Maximus" had become synonymous over the years with the Unlimited class, which features the fastest go-karts in the series and in WKA. Kenny was also synonymous with Daytona, where he was a past winner and could always be found in the paddock preparing his Cyclone chassis and helping and befriending fellow competitors.

While Deutsch had not been a "regular" on the Road Racing circuit since the late-90s, he competed annually at Daytona and was always a top competitor. Deutsch last won a national championship in 1995 in the B Limited class. His last win came in 2008 at Daytona in Unlimited Final 1. His last race came just little more than a month ago at the Road Race Season Finale at Road Atlanta. He also hauled to Road America, Wis., this past summer to compete in WKA's inaugural Zoom Zoom Nationals.

A native of Long Island, Deutsch also had a passion for skate boarding and once owned the popular Maximus Skate Park in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

WKA is greatly saddened by Kenny Deutsch's death and extends its deepest sympathies to all of his family and friends. A memorial will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Levitt Weinstein, 18840 West Dixie Highway; Aventura, FL 33180.

For a Google map showing the location of Levitt Weinstein, go to maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=18840+West+Dixie+Hwy,+Aventura,+FL+33180&sll=27.587071,-81.494013&sspn=0.006932,0.011265&g=845+memorial+drive,+Avon+Park,+FL+33825&ie=UTF8&z=17&iwloc=addr

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TaG Masters / Heavy class part of new Manuf. Cup class order

12.04.2009 -- WKA officials have announced a modification to the current structure of the TaG class for 2010 on the George Kugler / Bridgestone Manufacturer's Cup Series driven by Mazda.

Beginning with the Margay Sprint Championships at Daytona International Speedway Dec 28-30, there will no longer be a Final 1, Final 2 for the class. Instead, TaG competitors will run as usual on Day 1, then add 10 pounds of weight to participate in a TaG Heavy class on Day 2, if they wish to do so. Additionally, the TaG Heavy drivers will run with the TaG Masters class, with TaG Masters dropping 10 pounds of weight. Despite the changes in weight for the two integrated classes, there will be separate championships awarded at season's end.

However, competitors wishing to run both classes at the same time will be afforded that opportunity. Any driver running in both will receive a $20 discount on entry. Transponders for both classes will be necessary to properly track drivers in both classes.

Also added to the lineup this year are classes for the Parilla Leopard and Rotax drivers. These two new classes will be added to the Day 2 starting lineup, totaling 20 national classes for 2010. To view the entry blank for the Margay Sprint Championships, visit www.WorldKarting.com.

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Tagliani confirmed for PRI/CKI All-Star Classic with Pserra Racing Birel

12.04.2009 (PHOENIX) -- The Championship Karting International Series and Pserra Racing-Birel are pleased to announce their driver lineup for the fourth annual PRI/CKI Karting All-star Classic. Competing with the Stouffville, Ontario based organization will be IndyCar driver Alex Tagliani along side karting standout and 2008 Stars of Karting National Champion Michael Vincec. This will mark the first visit to the PRI/CKI Karting All-star Classic for Pserra Racing-Birel, Canada's leading Birel dealer.

"We just got back from the SuperNats in Las Vegas on the weekend and we are heading off to Orlando for the PRI All-star Race," comments Peter Serravalle, owner of Pserra Racing-Birel. "It's great to have Alex (Tagliani) on our team for the race. He will be awesome on the Birel chassis. This is just the finishing touch to a great year for Pserra Racing and Birel Products."

Thirty- six-year-old Alex (Tag) Tagliani is an established Canadian motor-racing driver. Born in Montreal Quebec, Tag is a race winner in both open wheel and in NASCAR. From his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tagliani currently contests the IZOD IndyCar Series across which he represents a diverse group of the world's most respected brands. Tag will compete full time in the IZOD IndyCar Series in 2010 for FAZZT Race Team. 2009 will mark the second trip to the PRI All-star event for Tagliani.

Like most top-level professional racers, Tagliani cut his racing teeth in karting, beginning in 1987 and never looking back. With numerous wins, championships and national titles, Tag quickly rose up the ranks both in Canada and the US as the one to beat. For the Tagliani's, karting has always been a family affair with father Remo nearby to masterfully tune Alex's karts.

"Karting is a great way to stay fit and has helped many top racers around the world," commented Tagliani from his home in Las Vegas. "You have to train and always stay in shape. And karting means you can train and still have fun."

The PRI/CKI Karting All-Star Classic will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Net affiliation of cable networks. Both the Karter and All-Star Divisions of the race will have their own dedicated half-hour broadcasts that will air in a minimum of 86 million households. Last year's PRI event, with re-air dates, was viewed in more then 700,000 households helping bring karting to the mainstream media. The Karter division from the 2009 event will air on Monday, January 11, 2010, at 4:30 p.m. local time while the All-Star division will be broadcast on Monday, January 18, 2010, at 4:30 p.m.

Stay tuned to www.championshipkartracing.com for up-to-date information, photos and results. The PRI show is held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida from December 10-12 with the PRI/CKI Karting All-Stars Classic taking place on the evening of December 10. Admission to the event is free for PRI attendees and exhibitors with PRI show credentials.

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<pre> 2010 VKA schedule

12.04.2009 (EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) -- The Vintage Karting Association has released its 2010 Vintage Karting Tour Event Calendar.

01/28-30/2010           Riverside CA
03/25-27/2010           Barnesville GA
05/28-29/2010           Springfield IL
06/TBA/2010             Bakersfield CA
06/17-19/2010           New Castle IN
07/15-17/2010           Brodhead WI
08/12-14/2010           East Lansing MI
09/04-05/2010           Fremont OH (Non-VKA)
09/TBA/2010             Savannah GA
09/15-17/2010           Quincy IL
09/TBA/2010             Medford OR
10/01-02/2010           Delmar IA

For more information, go to the VKA website www.VKAVintageKarting.com or call VKA President Carl Weakley at 618-656-3900.

{TX) -credit: wka