Pit Board 2010-01-26

WKA's Pit Board - 01.26.2010

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KartFest 2010 is this Friday and Saturday in Greenville, S.C.

01.26.2010 -- You've heard the hype, now it's finally here. WKA's annual consumer trade show, KartFest 2010, will go off this Friday and Saturday at the Carolina First Center in Greenville, South Carolina. Trade show hours for both Friday and Saturday are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This year's show will again feature numerous exhibitors from every side of the industry. KartFest attendees will find kart shops, chassis manufacturers, engine builders, safety equipment dealers, media sources, pit equipment and racing series. Other highlights of the show will be the annual WKA / SFI 4-Cycle Tech Seminar beginning at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and Town Hall meetings for the Gold Cup, Speedway Dirt and Speedway Pavement series. Click each link to read more about the Tech Seminar and the Town Hall meetings.

As always, awards banquets for WKA's three 4-cycle touring series will be held at KartFest. Friday night, Jan. 29, will see the top winners from the 2009 Briggs & Stratton Speedway Dirt Series accept their awards. This will include Triple Crown Champion Dee Paschal, who collected five national championships on the Dirt tour last season.

Saturday night will feature a dual banquet with racers and teams from both the Bully Clutches Gold Cup Series and Rage Karts Speedway Pavement Series accepting their awards. The night will include three Triple Crown champions taking the stage, all of them from the Gold Cup Series. Junior driver Dakota Bell and senior competitors Brett Farmer and Gary Lawson will be awarded their Triple Crown. This will mark the second straight year Bell and Lawson have won the prestigious award.

The trade show season is in full swing and this is sure to be another great one for all in attendance. Exhibit space is still available. Click here to view floor plans, a map to the Carolina First Center and read other information related to KartFest 2010.

Make your plans today to be in Greenville next weekend for KartFest 2010. If you're interested in exhibiting, contact Marie Borsuk at 704-455-1606 Ext. 16 or e-mail marie@worldkarting.com.

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Friday night Money Race returns to 2010 Gold Cup schedule

01.26.2010 -- With the score knotted at two apiece, overtime is coming to the WKA Gold Cup Series in 2010 with the continuation of the Animal Heavy Money Race. Beginning with the season opener March 12-14 at the all-new sprint track at Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina, every competitor will be on the same page, heavily relying on the full day of practice on Friday, in an effort to find the right combination.

Needless to say, two of the many heavy favorites in 2010 will be Triple Crown champions Brett Farmer and Gary Lawson, the drivers responsible for the four victories in 2009. Lawson claimed the bookend wins at the season opener at Charlotte, as well as the moonlight run in October at BeaveRun. Farmer was the meat in the sandwich, claiming the top shelf on the podium at Camden and New Castle.

Other expected entries include A.J. Roderick, Scott Kleman, Dylan and Jason Zobkiw, Zachary Linsell, Jim Lipari and many more. The money payout will remain the same, with a 75 percent payback, based on entries. Many prizes will also be available to all participants in the event.

If you would like to be a sponsor of product or money to the Friday Night bash, contact Steve Baker at (419) 217-3881, or Buddy Long at the World Karting office at (704) 455-1606, ext. 19.

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Racers, family keeping Shane Byers memory alive

01.26.2010 -- The Jan. 10 tragic loss of Shane Byers, a 13-year-old dirt-kart racer from Johnsonville, South Carolina, has sparked many in the karting industry to work to keep the young racer's memory alive.

A scholarship fund has been set up in Shane's memory. A Feb. 19 and 20 Tri-State Series race at Wheel Crazy Kartway in Shane's hometown of Johnsonville has now been titled the Shane Byers Memorial. And the WKA Georgia Divisional Dirt Series has announced their Jr Gold Lite class (Briggs Jr Lite on national circuit) will be officially titled Shane Byers Memorial Jr Gold Lite with the 2010 class champion winning a custom-made leather jacket featuring Shane's memory along with a $300 college scholarship certificate to be paid to the champion upon high school graduation and acceptance to college. www.wkagdds.com/

At the Shane Byers Memorial next month at Wheel Crazy, a special Most Outstanding Jr Driver Memorial Cup will be presented to a junior racer. The Memorial Cup will be a traveling trophy, meaning the award will be presented to another driver each year and the trophy will then be theirs for one full year. In addition, the Most Outstanding Jr Driver will be awarded a $250 contribution toward a college scholarship.

Shane's stepfather, Dale Johnson, says he's been overwhelmed with support since Shane's death and that these awards are meant to help the junior racers further their education.

"We will never be able to repay the world of karting for being there for our family during this very difficult time," Johnson said. "These junior racers are our kids and they are our future. It's not about me; it's about these young kids. We want to see our junior racers grow up, further their education and be successful, and that's what these awards and scholarships are all about."

Johnson added that Shane and his team had big racing plans in 2010 and that he wants to see an impressive turnout of junior racers at the Shane Byers Memorial next month at Wheel Crazy.

"Shane wanted to run the WKA national circuit this year. We ran Daytona and he did just great. He blossomed into his own as a driver last season and he wanted to run all the nationals this year. That's what we were going to do. Now, all we can do is keep his memory alive and that's what I've vowed to do. I want to see as many junior racers as possible come to be a part of Shane's Memorial race. The Most Outstanding Jr Driver will be awarded a Memorial Cup made by Mr. Phil Colms. The trophy is absolutely beautiful and each recipients' name will go on it each year."

WKA again sends its thoughts and prayers out to Shane's family, friends and everyone in the dirt karting community. If you're interested in making a contribution to the Shane Byers Memorial Scholarship, you may mail a check to SCBC c/o Joel Odom; PO Box 1359; Murrells Inlet, SC 29576.

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Comments option once again available

01.26.2010 -- Underneath each news story on WorldKarting.com there is an option that reads, "Comments / Feedback?" This option is for readers who would like to comment, question or provide feedback on the content included in a particular article or announcement.

WKA has experienced technical problems with this feature for the past number of months. The problems were recently brought to the staff's attention and have now been resolved.

Thus, the comments / feedback feature is now once again available for anyone to utilize. Your comments will be forwarded to the appropriate parties (staff, competition committee director, technical director, etc.) While we cannot always guarantee a response, the appropriate WKA staff member(s) will read your comments.

WKA reminds people to keep their comments respectful and as diplomatic as possible. Inconsiderate, vulgar or offensive comments will not be taken into any consideration.

-source: wka