Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship - Chiovitti, Martin become National Champions

Six Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship regulars head West

CALGARY - Six of the top drivers in the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting 
Championship made the 40 plus hour drive to Alberta to contest the ASN 
Canadian Karting Nationals at Race City in Calgary, AB. on Aug 9-11. Two of 
the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting championship drivers, Chris Martin and 
Juliana Chiovitti left Calgary as Canadian National Champions.

Mario Kart led the group with North York, ON's Chris Martin in Canada 
Senior, and the brothers Patrizi - Daniel and Michael -  from Woodbridge, 
ON in Canada Junior. Joining them were Birel drivers Juliana Chiovitti, 
from Sutton, ON, and Jimmy Pelk. Formula Senior class leader, MBA Hurricane 
Racing's Matt Champagne was the final driver to make the trip.

In ASN F125- FC, SRFKC Formula Senior drivers Pelk, Champagne and Chiovitti 
shined as they were 1,2,3 in qualifying.
Chiovitti was battling an unusual problem. "I broke my classes this 
morning," said Chiovitti. "The same thing happened in Shannonville, and 
once I got my classes back there, I was three tenths quicker. It really 
helps when I can see."
Champagne stepped it up in the pre final and he took a dominating win. "The 
Hurricane MBA was perfect. I hope we can repeat tomorrow." In the final, 
Champagne looked to be a repeat winner, amassing a 9-second lead over 
Chiovitti, but disaster struck. The fuel line on Champagne's MBA developed 
a split and he lost the lead on lap 23 of 25.
"What can you say," said Champagne. "We were good, I was just cruising and 
then it quit." Chiovitti went on to score the win, but in a good show of 
sportsmanship - which is a strong priority in the SRFKC - Chiovitti handed 
over her 'victory lap' checkered flag to Champagne. "This was his race. He 
was gone. I am happy to win for Birel, but I feel bad for Matt." Pelk came 
home fourth in F125.

Chiovitti put on a show with Mario Kart's Martin in Canada Senior and they 
split the wins with Chiovitti winning the pre final and Martin winning the 
final.
"It was tough," said Martin. "The lapped traffic was brutal, and you can't 
make a mistake with Juliana on your tail."
In Canada Junior, Micheal Patrizi was sixth, followed by his brother Daniel 
in seventh.

The objective of the SRFKC is to help foster a professional environment for 
kart drivers; help create a positive attitude towards appearance, conduct 
and discipline; help foster the employment of the best practices for the 
safe and fair running of competitions; and help kart drivers to move up the 
racing ladder to automobile racing.
At the end of the season, two drivers will be selected from each of the 
four classes plus the two drivers from the ASN Canadian National 
Championships will be invited to a one-day evaluation test at the 
Bridgestone/Firestone Racing Academy at Mosport, provided they are 16 years 
of age prior to the date of the test.
Out of those 10 drivers, two will earn a full scholarship to the 2003 
Bridgestone/Firestone Toronto Star Wheels F2000 racing series.