Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship Presented by Toronto Star Wheels - Champion's Banquet
2004 Champions honoured! OAKVILLE, ONTARIO January 16, 2005: The Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship presented by Toronto Star Wheels drew to a close its 2004 season with the champion's banquet held at the Oakville Conference Center. Voice of the American Le Mans Series Jim Martyn was the host, and nine champions in ten classes were honoured. Leading the group was Marco Di Leo, who unfortunately wasn't able to attend as he is on his way to the Canary Islands to represent Canada in the Rotax Max World Finals. Di Leo took home Rotax Max and Canada Senior Light championships. Formula Senior champ Mike Roth officially announced his retirement from karting, and he is expected to move on to car racing later in 2005. "I want to thank First Kart North America," Roth said. "They gave me great equipment all year, and they, along with my dad are the reason I am here now." Other Senior class champions that were honoured included, Woodstock's Corey Usher in World Formula Senior and Sunoco Team Ultra 94 alumni driver, Uxbridge's Aaron de Heus in Canada Senior Heavy. De hues like usual proved he is once again as good behind the microphone as he is behind the wheel as he pledged to donate any race winnings in 2005 to Cancer Research. Junior championships went to Orillia's Taylor Holdaway in Canada Junior Light, Markham's Evan Hayden in the hotly contested Rotax Max Junior class, Markham's Daniel Morad in Formula Junior, Woodstock's Willliam Keatings in World Formula Junior and Stouffville's Pearce Herder in Canada Junior Heavy. Tom Mikrut of Pratt & Miller, sponsors of the Pratt & Miller Team Spirit Award was on hand to accept one of the sponsor's awards, and Mikrut gave an informative speech where he announced that Pratt & Miller would again return as a sponsor in 2005. Dennis Morgan of the Toronto Star Wheels, along with Patricia Anderson of Sunoco and Neil Sheidow, of Briggs & Stratton were also on hand to pledge ongoing support for the series. The series will now finalize the schedule and class structure for 2005, which is expected to be announced early next week. The objective of the the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship Presented by Toronto Star Wheels 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.