This past weekend, the Pro Kart Raceland witnessed a glimpse of the upcoming FIA Karting World Championship as the Road to Wackersdorf unfolded. The world's finest shifter kart drivers competed, providing a tantalizing preview of the season highlight in September. Victories were claimed by Tomass Stolcermanis (KZ2), Davide Foré (KZ2 Masters) and Viktor Gustafsson (KZ).
Organized by the German Kart Championship (DKM) team, the Road to Wackersdorf was a brand-new single event designed as the ultimate test for the shifter kart World Championship, scheduled for September 7-10 in the Upper Palatinate. Competitors from Germany, Europe and around the globe participated in the race, gaining valuable experience for the highly anticipated main event. The weekend was elevated to a remarkable karting spectacle with a total of 143 participants.
Action kicked off on Thursday with the first free practice sessions for the three classes, KZ, KZ2 and KZ2 Masters. Friday saw qualifying and the initial heats, continuing on Saturday to determine the Super Heats' starting line-ups. Finally, on Sunday afternoon, the best 36 drivers engaged in a thrilling battle at the Road to Wackersdorf. The weather remained on our side throughout, adding to the excitement. The race was run on LeCont tyres and 100% synthetic fuel from P1 Fuels.
The KZ class featured karting elites, making the races highly competitive. After the heats, Frenchman Emilien Denner (Sodikart) took the lead and started the final from pole position. However, it was Viktor Gustafsson (CRG Racing Team) and Senna van Walstijn (Sodikart) who emerged victorious, leaving Denner behind. Gustafsson claimed the top spot and secured the win, with Van Walstijn and Denner completing the top three.
In the KZ2 category, German Niels Tröger (Maranello SRP Factory Team) was the fastest in qualifying among 81 participants. However, Tomass Stolcermanis (Energy Corse) dominated the heats and emerged as the leader, securing a commanding win in the final ahead of Cristian Bertuca (Leclerc by Lennox Racing) and Paavo Tonteri (CRG Racing Team).
The KZ2 Masters class also witnessed impressive competition, with 39 racers over 35 years of age competing, including several karting icons. Local hero Thomas Neumann (Birel ART Racing KSW) started strong, claiming pole position and winning a heat. Despite a setback due to a puncture in the third heat, multiple world champion Davide Foré (Renda Motorsport) secured the top spot and maintained his position throughout the 25-lap final, claiming victory ahead of Jeroen Bos (SP Motorsport) and Alessandro Manetti (CRG Racing Team). Neumann finished in a respectable fourth place.
The race was supported by the longstanding DKM partner Point Racing, which presented its product range to the international audience. The company Rennview had its premiere. The team around Sam Taheri produced an extensive live stream and brought the races from Wackersdorf out into the world via the World Wide Web.
The Road to Wackersdorf provided a tantalizing preview of the upcoming World Championship in September. The last time Germany hosted this event in 2017, it proved to be a grand karting festival. This year, karting enthusiasts can look forward to an exceptional weekend at Pro Kart Raceland from September 7-10. Mark your calendars and plan a visit to the Upper Palatinate for this extraordinary event! Track owner Stephan Fritsch has created a perfect basis for this with an additional grandstand and extensive catering.