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Shelburne kart racer challenging for championship A Shelburne racer is currently vying for the lead position in the Jr. Heavy Karting championship at the Innisfil Kart Club in Gilford, Ontario. Fifteen year-old driver Matt DeAbreau takes his kart up to 94 kph powered by a four-stroke Honda motor to complete a lap on the Innisfil circuit in a scorching 38 seconds. “My dad used to race carts when he was a kid, and I've always followed motor sports like Formula 1, so I asked him if we could get a kart and started last year,” He said of his start in the sport. Dad Dwayne has the experience as a former driver and now acts as mechanic and pit crew. He used to drive at the race track in Whitby. His training and license in aircraft maintenance gives him the expert knowledge in maintaining the kart mechanically and to get the best performance from the powerplant. The Jr. Heavy class of racing means the cart and driver must weigh a minimum of 290 lbs to qualify. If you are under that weight you must attach lead weights to the car to make sure it will pass the minimum standard. Currently Matt is in second place in the racing standings. There are 12 races in the season and to calculate points at the end, the two worst result are dropped from each driver's total for the final tally. Each race is preceded by a double qualifying race. “You do a qualifying order, and that's where you start in the pre-final. Where ever you finish in the pre-final is where you start in the final. Only the final counts towards your points,” Matt explained. “Pre-finals usually run ten to 13 laps, and finals can be anywhere from 12 to 20 laps.” Kart racing is probably the only four-wheeled motorsport where drivers aren't belted in. The karts don't have roll cages, so “It's safer to be thrown out,” rather than have an accident and be trapped under a rolling machine, Matt explained. Next year he will be moving up a class and will be running with a Briggs & Stratton motor that is a dedicated karting motor. The move means he will be eligible to run in a wider area including regional and national levels. Matt said he hopes to continue in the sport and see where it will take him. Running a racing kart is an expensive undertaking. Tires only last six races and other parts must be maintained or replaced. DeAbreu Racing is currently seeking sponsorship to help Matt move to the next level of the sport. With a championship title within reach this season, they are hoping a potential sponsor will take notice and step up to be a part of this racing team. By Brian Lockhart |
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Post date: 2014-07-31 13:07:13 Post date GMT: 2014-07-31 17:07:13 Post modified date: 2014-08-07 11:32:34 Post modified date GMT: 2014-08-07 15:32:34 |
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