This year, three groups of karts representing the past, the present and the future of the sport will race on the Le Mans Alain Prost Kart circuit during the International 24 Hours for Karts meeting. The endurance specialists will race in the blue riband event of the season; kart lovers since the sport’s beginnings up to the start of the 80s will drive historic karts in a demonstration race, and the young drivers of between 8 and 10-years old will go head-to-head in a 24-minute Minikart event. The meeting is organised jointly by KMO, the promoter of the Euro Endurance series, and the ASK ACO of Le Mans.
Jacky Foulatier, the editorial manager of KART magazine and a driver himself, has made a big contribution to relaunching endurance in France thanks to the Euro Endurance Series that includes the Le Mans 24-Hours event. Every year it attracts many drivers whose sole aim is victory. Among former winners is the current French F1 driver Sébastien Bourdais who came first in the race in 1996 before competing in the Le Mans 24 Hours for Cars with Pescarolo Sport. The 39 teams entered include many talented drivers some of whom have already achieved several victories in the 24 Hours like 7-times winner Wilfrid Lecarpentier (nicknamed Mr. Le Mans) who will be out to score another success to equal Tom Kristensen’s tally. He is also hoping to give a boost to the reigning French Champion team Sarthe-RTRK, which has been on the rostrum every year since 2004, but is still chasing that elusive victory.
French teams make up the majority of the field and there is also a 100% Rumanian squad and 4 English outfits. 2007 victor Eure-PNK is back with the same drivers, Lartigue, Beck, Peurière, plus the leader of the Peugeot THP Spider Cup Grégory Guilvert, and is out to keep the trophy for another year. In Jacky Foulatier’s La Manche/KART mag team is Pierre Ragues, winner in 2005 with Cotentin-Intermarché. Last weekend, Pierre scored a rostrum finish in LM P2 on the Nürburgring circuit in his Pescarolo P2 prototype. Group 2 reserved for the Rotax max and X30 Makes’ Cups should provide a closely-fought race within the race thanks to 23 well-prepared teams.
Kart Légende: A first in France!
Around 20 teams from France and Great Britain will take part in a 30-minute demonstration race at the wheel of karts from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Jacky Foulatier the man behind this project would like to develop this concept. “Historic races for cars are now part and parcel of the motor sport scene. My aim in inviting these kart lovers as a curtain raiser to the Le Mans 24 Hours is to make it official and have it recognised by the Federation.”
The meeting gets under way on Thursday 28th August with the first free practice session in the morning, followed by the presentation of the teams competing in the Le Mans 24 Hours on the Place des Jacobins in the very heart of the town at 14h00. Practice will again take place in the evening to help the teams prepare for nighttime racing. On Friday, all three groups will practice and then on Saturday things get serious. At 12h00, the day’s racing will kick off with the Minikart 24 Minutes event followed by the historic race at 13h30, the drivers’ parade at 14h00 and the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours for Karts at 16h00.
Do not miss this exceptional event on the Le Mans Alain Prost Kart circuit from 28th to 31st August.
Euro Endurance Series site: www.euro-endurance.com |
