A year ago at this time the operations team at KartSport Canada was thrilled to introduce its new vision for karting, as they looked to the past in shaping the future. The programme was well planned with staging for the season-opening event well underway when – enter a global pandemic. All in motorsport were then forced to pump the brakes, yet from the darkest of days came an opportunity to shine bright. The team rallied to produce a four-event debut campaign, one that was very well received by the karting community.
“Even now, I’m still extremely proud,” said Promoter Daniel Di Leo of his organization’s ability to adapt to and overcome unprecedented obstacles. “Implementing a new programme is challenging enough, but to do so when safety guidelines were changing from week to week or even day to day, that really allowed all involved to demonstrate the depth of their knowledge and experience while producing safe, sound events, that were run responsibly and with the karter in mind. As was often stated last year, we were very thankful for the support from the karting community and the KartStars participants. They’re the ones that truly make the sport go, and they came together to make a great season happen.”
With such an understanding remaining at the forefront of all planning into 2021, KartStars Canada has primed its second season, the fourth ROK Cup Canada Schedule to run North of the border. History will once again run through a schedule that starts at Goodwood Kartways and ends at 3S Go-Karts, but now sandwiched in between is the granddaddy of them all: Shannonville Motorsport Park and the Bear Hunt. The event will also double as the KartStars Canada National Championships, and as the date is free of conflict with all other schedules in the region, it is an event that should not be overlooked.
Point Pelee Karting will also get its much anticipated first KartStars date, along with another round yet to be determined. Once again race dates are spread evenly throughout the calendar, with one event each month from May through September. ROK Cup Canada and Briggs & Stratton racers will combine to create twelve championship classes at KartStars events, with a similar prize structure to last season – and hopes drivers can actually travel to the ROK Cup SuperFinal at South Garda Karting this time around.
Additional details and full prize package information will be released in the weeks and months ahead, but the dates can be entered into your calendar now, and you can definitely get ready to race!
2021 KartStars Canada Schedule
Round 1 – Goodwood Kartways, May 29-3
Round 2 – Point Pelee Karting, June 26-27
Round 3 – Venue TBD, July 24-25
KartStars National Championship – Shannonville Motorsport Park, August 14-15
Round 5 – 3S Go-Karts, September 4-5
Goodwood Kartways – Round 1
The longest standing kart track operating in Canada, Goodwood Kartways began hosting races in 1957 and has helped produce some of Canada’s greatest racing heros. Now home to both the largest kart club and Arrive-and-Drive programs in the country, Goodwood is truly the home of karting in Ontario and the Di Leo family is excited to once again kick off the regional racing campaign and welcome all drivers, teams and families back to the track.
Point Pelee Karting – Round 2
Leamington, Ontario, produced a hidden gem of the sport in the late nineties: Point Pelee Karting. Designed with drivers in mind, PPK is one of the best kept secrets in the province, and yet another great track run by great people. It’s a challenging layout built to CIK/FIA standards that has refined the skills of karting champions of the past and present. A multi-time champion himself, Jason Papp has been at the operational helm since 1998, and his team is very excited to welcome present day KartStars.
Shannonville Motorsport Park – Round 4
The Bear Hunt Returns! Long the most cherished award in Canadian karting, a win at Shannonville earned a driver a ‘Bear’ for decades. This year the tradition resumes, as KartStars will contest its National Championship event in mid-August. A new ownership group at Shannonville is transforming the venue and that includes track improvements prior to this year’s visit as part of their renewed commitment to karting. The track produces the highest speeds in Canadian karting, but every verteran will tell you it takes much more than that to trap a Bear!
3S Go-Karts – Round 5
When the pandemic postponed a PPK home date last season, the finale was relocated to another provincial track steeped in history: 3S Go-Karts in Sutton, Ontario. The historic track located just outside the gates of Sibbald Point Provincial Park was the longtime home of the fabled 3S Birel team, an international karting force that racked up countless regional and national wins. This year it will see KartStars Champions crowned, as season two comes to a close.
For more information on KartStars Canada please visit www.kartsportcanada.ca or contact info@kartsportcanada.ca.