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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE (October 27, 2005)
CONTACT: Tony Ventresca, 519-824-4343,
tony@firstkart.com
Mike
Maurini, 416-678-4939,
autosportsmedia@earthlink.net
“FirstKart.com owns junior divisions”
Guelph, ON. – October
27, 2005 – The FirstKart.com national level race team scored two national
championships this weekend in the Stars of Karting finale in Austin, TX.
Both Zach Schiff and Gustavo Yacaman added the overall national
championships to their east coast titles that were claimed earlier in the
year.
80cc Junior pilot Zach Schiff claimed the title in unusual fashion as he
received the news while sitting in an Austin hospital bed. Schiff, who
needed to finish in the top four, could claim the title no matter where
his competitors finished and after a tough qualifying session and
pre-final race, would start the final in 8th position. With a great start
and some bold moves, Schiff progressively moved forward to the fourth
position while his closest championship contender was running outside the
top ten. Disaster then struck for the Ohio resident as he was forced wide
on the exit of the high speed corner ten and smashed the outside wall.
With Schiff out of the race and officially being scored in the 13th
position, calculations were feverishly being done in the pits to see what
would be needed for him to still claim the title. It looked as if the year
had come to a crashing halt as it was revealed that his nearest title
rival needed to finish 8th or better to take the championship and was
running 6th on the restart. The title hopes seemed to be over until a last
corner pass moved his fellow rival back into the 9th position giving
Schiff the 80cc Junior National title to add to his East division and
World Karting Association Manufactures Cup crowns.
Schiff was not only the big story in the 80cc junior class as his
FirstKart.com teammate Dave Carmendy was flying all weekend. Carmendy made
the decision to get serious about the Austin event and sent his equipment
to First Kart North America for pro tuner Trevor Daley to ensure his
equipment was ready for this prestigious event. After hours of preparation
work, Carmendy qualified his Woltjer powered First Kart on the front row
and would start the final from P2. An aggressive launch off the line and a
perfect pass a lap later gave Carmendy the lead that he would never
relinquish as he went on to score his first Stars of Karting victory.
Five-time Colombian National champion Gustavo Yacaman, also entered the
season finale event leading the overall points chase but would have some
tough competition from his fellow competitors in the hunt for the title.
Yacaman was looking to claim his third championship of the ’05 racing
season as he already scored the Rotax Junior crown at the Florida Winter
Tour and the Stars of Karting East title in JICA.
Yacaman qualified his FirstKart.com entry on the outside of row two and
would begin his championship attack from there. The pre-final ended up to
be a very close race with Yacaman finishing fifth and his closest
championship contender two spots in front of him in third. That would not
be enough for the Colombian as if that was the final race he would lose
the championship by a mere five markers.
Yacaman battled hard in the final and moved into the top three from the
drop of the green flag. Yacaman could not keep pace with the front two and
began to fall back into the clutches of some other fast competitors that
were looking to move forward and was quickly relegated to fourth as his
rival was running third. Yacaman was slowing and looked like he didn’t
have enough for the crown as another competitor went by him at the end of
the front straight. Yacaman played it smart and did not battle and worked
with that pilot to catch his rival who was eventually passed with two laps
remaining. As the checkers flew, Yacaman came across the line in P5 but
scored enough points to claim the JICA national point championship.
The FirstKart.com arrive and drive race team with Zach Schiff and Gustavo
Yacaman add the Snap-On Stars of Karting 80cc Junior and JICA title to the
’03 ICC crown that was won by Bobby Wilson
First Kart North America is looking to expand the FirstKart.com race team
with arrive and drive opportunities on both the East and West coast for
the remainder of the ’05 season and into 2006. Arrive and Drive
opportunities are available in every class offered by most series.
Interested parties are asked to contact the First Kart offices toll free
at 1.888.884.4851.
For
more information on First Kart North America, product sales, the
FirstKart.com race team and exciting dealership opportunities including
information on how to get into kart racing please contact First Kart
President Tony Ventresca or Mike Maurini at 519-824-4343, toll free at
1-888-884-4851 or visit them online at
www.firstkart.com.
Photo
courtesy of
www.otp.ca
Autosports Media
Mike Maurini
P: 416-678-4939
autosportsmedia@earthlink.net
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