News Briefs! – KartSportNews

club/track updates, calendar re-schedules, industry news, driver happenings – local, national, international.

OIL INDUSTRY – The official Tony Kart Racing Team has inked a deal for a technical partnership with Eni SpA, the Italian energy company that started out as Agip and is 30% owned by the Italian Government. Eni and Tony Kart (and therefore Vortex engines) will be engaged in the research and development of new lubricants, specific for kart engines.

CADETS – The Go Kart Club of South Australia has received a fleet of five new Torini-powered 4SS Ricciardo Karts. These will be used for the club’s new Cadet program that’s designed to be an introduction to the sport for kids 6 to 12 years of age (and their parents).

CLUB – Canberra Kart Club has published a revised schedule of events for 2021, including its 10-round Club championship. See below:

INDUSTRY – Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, which has for over 60 years supplied product to the high-performance needs of the automotive, kart, marine, motorcycle, RC scale model, personal watercraft and snowmobile markets, has changed ownership. Cometic Gasket, a leading worldwide supplier of gaskets and engine sealing solutions, announced last month that it has acquired Klotz Synthetic Lubricants. Klotz was founded by John C. Klotz Jr in 1959. The company will remain at its purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility at Fort Wayne where all Klotz products are engineered, formulated and packaged.

ROTAX RENTER – TB Kart USA has revealed an all-new TB Kart RMax Rental Kart chassis. The kart has adjustable pedals & seat plus all the usual safety features expected in a rental kart. However, it’s powered by the well known Rotax Max race kart engine, in Junior or Senior EVO spec. The package is “designed to bring a more intense race experience to the public” stated TB Kart USA’s Farshad Bagheri.

IAME EURO CHANGES – RGMMC has announced a number of changes regarding the IAME X30 Winter Cup and IAME X30 Euro Series for 2021. In addition to the top three podium trophies being presented at the end of each event, there will also be a trophy for the winning Team Manager. The Senior and Junior categories will revert back to MG’s official tyres for 2021 (last year they used MG’s non-homologated tyre, Komet). The Senior class will switch to the softer version of the tyre, MG ‘SM’, while Junior (MG SH) and Mini (Komet K1D – M) will keep using the same compound as in 2020. Panta has been appointed the official fuel supplier.

RETRO CHAT – American karting legend Lynn Haddock talks with Lake Speed Jnr and Joe Castello about his time in karting and forays from the USA into Europe with Lake Speed Snr – an effort that eventually netted the 1978 Karting World Championship in a field that included Ayrton Senna. “There is no Lake Speed world champion without Lynn Haddock.”

Hidden Horsepower · Lynn Haddock E21 Total Seal Piston Rings

NO RESCHEDULE – With KA announcing the AKC will now kick off on Feb 19-20, Golden Power Series organisers have confirmed round 1 will remain as scheduled. “The committee has discussed and agreed that it is too late to make changes to the date of round 1 of our series” the GPS committee posted. “As we continue to navigate through a challenging year, we will be trying our best to accommodate as many of our competitors as possible.”

INDUSTRY – CompKart, the fluro yellow brand manufactured by BirelART for the American J3 Competition company, has expanded into Germany. Compkart Germany is lead by a key figure in the German market, Marcel Schirmer. It will offer a complete service for all drivers in the region from full chassis and spare parts sales to dedicated training and race services. Compkart Germany will operate out of Schirmer’s Motodrom-Hagen facility.

DRIVER – Victorian Superkart driver Nicholas Schembri will carry support from Burson Garage in 2021. Schembri will drive an Anderson/DEA package in the Open 125cc Gearbox class in Victorian rounds plus the Superkarts Australia Nationals at The Bend and Sydney Motorsport Park. Burson Garage is a free membership based website for motoring enthusiasts seeking parts, tools, accessories and equipment from Burson Auto Parts stores.

ENTERTAINMENT – A funny meme from Facebook…

TRACK – The in and out gridding area at the Stony Creek circuit in Victoria has been expanded and new fencing has been installed.

DRIVER IN RED – The Ferrari Driver Academy has officially welcomed its new recruit, Australia’s James Wharton. “The 14-year-old Aussie will be working with us over 2021 to prepare himself for single seaters in the near future” the Academy posted on social media. Wharton will continue to race karts in Europe this year.