Let's Go-Karting: Free Winter Tour Invades Homestead-Miami Speedway This Weekend

The 11th annual edition of the Florida Winter Tour is on tap for this weekend as Formula Kart Racing and TonyKart Florida present the first of three rounds, six event-weekends, and twelve race days of World Class ‘Serious Fun’ in the Florida Sun! For the 11th straight year the FWT has a record for attendance, already surpassing the previous record number of pre-entries seen at the 2008 FWT.

Public welcome: Pit passes are $10; general admission viewing is free. Enter Karting facility from 336th Street just west of Speedway Blvd. For more information, call Tony Schroeder at (305) 469-6188 or log on to www.HomesteadKarting.net.

Official action begins Friday at Homestead Karting where upwards of 200 competitors will be on hand for the opening rounds of the Florida Winter Tour International Rotax Max Challenge. All five of the Rotax Max power systems will be in the paddock, as six official classes begin vying for unprecedented levels of awards in the biggest, most diverse IRMC in the world.

"We actually have more pre-registrations than we did last year in the week leading up to the first event," said Bill Wright of Formula Kart Productions, exclusive owner and promoter of the Florida Winter Tour. "All classes have already surpassed their average entry number from the 2008 Tour, and we are thrilled with these numbers heading into the January Homestead events."

The last Florida Winter Tour saw 486 unique competitors race in Florida, representing an incredible 23 countries, 24 US states, and six Canadian provinces. While the world economy may curtail the racing endeavours of some, Wright believes the FWT remains on the schedule of many racers as they begin to prioritize quality over quantity when racing. "I realize the situation we are in, and acted accordingly," he said during the planning stages. "I offered pricing lower than in 2008, discounts for registering in advance, and the awards package is simply huge!"

Of that there can be no doubt. Generous FWT supporters have helped create the most exciting and comprehensive awards program in the history of the FWT Rotax events, with a total retail value exceeding $45,000 for the Rotax weekends alone! Skip Barber Racing School, Ferrari North America, Autosports Media Group and Formula Kart Productions combined to create incredible offerings, and of course the junior and senior racers have their eyes on the most cherished prize in Rotax Max Racing - a seat in the field at the 2009 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals. Formula Kart Productions, SSC East and SRA Karting have one again worked together with BRP/Rotax to provide funded rides to the ‘World Final’ including air fare, hotel, chassis rental, engine rental, race tires, trolley rental, lead rental, fuel and oil, and two tickets to the Official Welcome Party and Prize Giving Ceremonies. It’s the Holy Grail of RMC, and three are going to get there...

Public welcome: Pit passes are $10; general admission viewing is free. Enter Karting facility from 336th Street just west of Speedway Blvd. For more information, call Tony Schroeder at (305) 469-6188 or log on to www.HomesteadKarting.net.

[photo and story courtesy of www.floridawintertour.com]