Pit Board 2010-04-01

WKA's Pit Board - 04.01.2010

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Past, current WKA racers making headlines

04.01.2010 - A number of racers who cut their teeth racing karts with the World Karting Association have been making good in other forms of motorsports throughout the early part of the 2010 season.

One of the most popular drivers in the short-track racing world as of late has been former WKA Briggs & Stratton Speedway Dirt national champion Austin Hubbard. The Delaware native has been on a tear since landing a top dirt late-model ride with Dale Beitler's Beitler Enterprises No. 19 team. In late January, the 18-year-old Hubbard, who raced and won in the Speedway Dirt Series in the early 2000s, won in a family-owned car during the 2010 season-opening Super Bowl of Racing at Georgia's Golden Isles Speedway.

On Saturday, March 20, Hubbard returned to Georgia to win his first career World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-main at Screven Motor Speedway. Becoming well-known for his post-win antics where he strips down to his fireproof underwear, runs around and even rolls in the mud, Hubbard has burst onto the national scene since his January win at Golden Isles and over the past few months has been one of the most covered racers in short-track racing media.

Former WKA George Kugler / Bridgestone Manufacturer's Cup Series driven by Mazda champion Paulie Harraka continues to make a name for himself in NASCAR's top developmental ranks. Harraka is competing in the K&N Pro Series West, and the 20-year-old New Jersey native won the 2010 series opener Saturday night at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif.

After closing 2009 with a win at All American and now beginning 2010 in similar fashion, Harraka is eyeing the K&N Pro Series West championship as he continues his climb up the NASCAR ladder.

A current Manufacturer's Cup racer had an incredible weekend March 27-28 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. Sage Karam, who's been a top racer in the junior ranks on the Manufacturer's Cup tour in recent years, couldn't have had a better debut with Andretti Autosport in St. Pete, where he was racing in the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda.

Karam proceeded to win not once, but twice on the St. Pete streets. Karam led wire-to-wire in Saturday's race to get his first win and returned Sunday to win again. Karam, the Nazareth, Pa., shoe who signed with Andretti Autosport on March 4 and has the upcoming Man Cup MKP Nationals at MRP on his Web site's 2010 schedule, appears primed for a stout 2010 season.

Pennsylvania Posse sprint-car racing is under way in central Pa., and two former karting road racers already have wins in the opening two weekends of competition. Mark Smith, who was a top racer in 2-cycle sprint-enduro racing in the late '80s and early '90s, won the March 20 season opener for the 410 sprint cars at Pa.'s Lincoln Speedway.

Lucas Wolfe, a central Pa., native who raced laydown-enduro karts for a short time at WKC events at Summit Point Motorsports Park, recorded a big 410 sprint-car win at Williams Grove Speedway March 26. Wolfe has been a regular on the WoO Sprint Car Series in recent years but returned to the Grove last weekend and got the big win.

These racers are just a few of hundreds of past and current WKA competitors making headlines in other forms of motorsports. While WKA is always pleased when racers choose to stay in the karting ranks, the organization is proud when drivers who began their careers in karting make names for themselves in other forms of racing.

If you know of a past or current WKA racer doing well in other forms of motorsports, let us know in the comments option, which can be found below any story on WorldKarting.com.

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CKI offers discounted registration for teams at WSK North American Series

04.01.2010 (TEMPE, Ariz.) - In today's tough economic times, the staff at CKI is looking to give back to the teams that compete in their WSK North American Series. Understanding that event travel across the United States is tough, series officials are offering discounted registration to teams that bring multiple drivers to each event. The program will begin with all pre-entries for the first event taking place April 9 -11 at the New Castle Motorsports Park in New Castle, Indiana.

"The WSK North American Series by CKI is a true national championship," expressed CKI's Director of Operations Kevin Williams. "We travel from coast to coast putting on races in multiple different regions of our country. Looking to keep the races equal between both coasts of the United States, we understand that some travel will be further than others and we are putting a program in place to help the teams that bring competitors to our events."

CKI will make this offer to all teams competing in their WSK North American Series that bring multiple drivers to the events. If a team brings four to seven team drivers they will each receive a 10% discount off race entries. Looking to get more competitors at series events, teams that bring eight or more entrants will receive a 15% discount of those entries.

The CKI discounted registration program will be extended to pre-entries at each and every event. Team names for drivers can be included on race entry form and discount will be applied at the events. Drivers included in this program can be team drivers, arrive and drive customers or independent drivers that will be traveling to series events with a race team.

Williams added, "We are looking to put more savvy programs like this in place for the future to help our customers, the race teams get to each and every event. If we can help the teams attend all CKI events like the WSK North American Series, Florida Cup and Rock Island Grand Prix, we feel that they can better sell their program to drivers that look to come to these races."

The WSK North American Series by CKI begins its six event 2010 National Schedule with its first event April 9-11, 2010 at New Castle Motorsports Park. For entry and more information, visit www.ChampionshipKartRacing.com.

-source: wka