Return To Daytona Deemed A Huge Success
01.05.2008 - The pre entries were flowing into the North Pole this year as abundantly as the cold Artic air, as the top racing request for the holiday season was a return to Daytona International Speedway for the rebirth of Daytona KartWeek. And with the Christmas time of year affectionately known as a time of birth, how fitting it was for a grand old tradition to re-emerge. The numbers spoke for themselves, as did the competitors, who crammed into the 2.5 mile “World Center of Racing” Dec 27-30.

“ What a great way to usher in the New Year by hosting the WKA’s Daytona KartWeek by Cometic Gasket” Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said. “ The spirited on-track competition made for a memorable weekend for everyone who visited the “World Center of Racing.”

If the economy has had an adverse affect on karting, it didn’t show within the past two years, as numbers for both the Dunlop Tire National Road Racing Series Driven By Mazda, as well as the George Kugler Bridgestone Manufacturer’s Cup Series, also Driven By Mazda, entertained very comparable numbers since their last visit to Daytona.

Additionally, the Briggs & Stratton Speedway Dirt Series made their return to the Volusia Speedway Park for their second consecutive year of the Dirt World Championships.

Greeted by exceptionally warm weather for the entire event, the weekend kicked-off with a “Welcome Back to Daytona” party hosted by WKA and Daytona International Speedway where music, food and drinks were topped off with Chevy Hot Lap rides. While Friday and Saturday nights played host to 2007 Awards banquets in the famed Daytona 500 Club and Gatorade Victory Lane.

For on-track action, 8 double winners headlined victory lane of the 646 entries in Road Race event at Daytona, led by Lance Fry, winner of the Russell Karting 100cc Pipe Heavy and Inline Label Company Yamaha Sportsman Medium classes. Other double winners included:
Rick Fulks: Sleeper Racing 100cc Controlled, TS Max Racecraft/Powerpads Formula 100
David Bruinsma: Competition Karting PP Can Sprint Can 360, Florida Fire and Sound WKA Sprint #2
Scott Clark: PP Can Sprint 380, Elite Engraving WKA Sprint #1
Clark Gaynor Jr: Elite Karting Stock Honda #1, Stock Honda #2
Stephanie Schumacher: Senior Citizen Racing Briggs Junior Sprint Lite, Briggs Junior Sprint Heavy
Courtney Atkinson: DR Guilbeault Air Compressor Junior Sprint Lite, Dart Kart Club Junior Sprint Heavy
Michael McCombs: Diamond Northern Piston Port Can Medium, Dart Kart Club Piston Port Can Heavy

The 679 competitors for the Manufacturer’s Cup Series were greeted by two surprises, a reconfigured turn 9, as well as 62 Kid Karts!! With numbers as large as they were, the stout competition prevented anyone from 3 peating during the weekend. Leading the way as double winners were Junior driver Austin Self and veteran Kevin Nelson. Self claimed the unofficial victories in the Adkins Speed Center HPV Junior Sportsman (under protest) and Grand Products/Top Kart Cadet Jr Sportsman classes. Nelson's wins came in the Mike Doty Racing Yamaha Heavy and Michigan Kart Supply Yamaha Senior Sportsman Heavy classes.

Keeping with the double winner theme, Josh Robinson and Josh Myers were the lone multiple winners at Volusia, with Robinson claiming victories in the Al’s Kart Supply Briggs Lite and AKS Race Fab Briggs Medium classes. Myers took top honors in the Bordeaux Dyno Cams Briggs Limited Heavy and the Dixie Karting/Superior Racing Products Briggs Senior Champ Heavy divisions.

Sincere thanks to all competitors and families for making this year’s event such a success.

Next stop for the George Kugler Bridgestone Manufacturer’s Cup Series Driven By Mazda will be Feb 29-March 2 at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina for the SSC East/CRG Winternationals.

For the Dunlop Tire National Road Racing Series Driven By Mazda, it’s a March 14-16 return to the famed Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina.

The Briggs & Stratton Speedway Dirt Series will enjoy the largest break from Daytona, gearing up for the Bordeaux Dyno Cams Nationals April 18-20 at the Low Country Kartway in Aynor, South Carolina.

Results of Daytona KartWeek:
Briggs & Stratton Speedway Dirt Series

George Kugler/Bridgestone Manufacturer's Cup Series driven by Mazda

Dunlop Tire Road Racing Series driven by Mazda