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37 Sports Oakville Beaver 37 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, May 1, 2009 SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2009 Karting no joke for Oakville racers Preston, Johnson hope Stars of Canada series will help launch professional driving careers By Jon Kuiperij that." That's a perception Preston and fellow Oakville resident Brad Johnson hope to When Max Preston tells people he races change this summer as they compete in the go-karts, he hears the occasional snicker. Stars of Canada, a reality television series "I've heard that so many times from my that will determine the top go-kart racers in friends at school," says the 15-year-old the country. Oakville Trafalgar High School student. "Oh, The five-event, 10-race series will begin it's a go-kart, you can go to Playdium for next month and conclude in September, with venues including Mosport, Hamilton, Bowmanville and Sutton. Three classes will compete for a $100,000 cash prize fund, with $50,000 going to the senior class (age 15-andup) champion and $30,000 going to the junior winner (ages 12-15). Specific airing dates and channels have not been released yet. For Preston, the series is an opportunity to make his mark in his final year of junior eligibility. Coming off a strong finish to the Florida Winter Tour season, Preston will compete in the Brian Stewart Racing Karting Champion-ship this summer as well as racing the Waterloo Regional Kart Club and Simcoe Kart Club schedules. He will also compete in the Canadian championships in August, where a top-two showing would earn him a trip to the Rotax Max LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER Challenge Grand Finals CHASING THE CHECKERED FLAG: Max Preston world championships Dec. 912 in Egypt. believes his experience will give him an advantage in the Stars of "I am pretty confident this Canada TV series, which will crown the country's top go-kart racer. year and hoping to go out as BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER CAREER BOOST: In his just his second year of racing go-karts, Brad Johnson is looking forward to racing against Canada's best go-karters and hopes the exposure will prove to be a springboard for his racing career. a junior with a bang," Preston says. as we can, get our name out there and show The Stars of Canada will feature a level what we can do." playing field, at least from a mechanical Johnson is interested in many different standpoint, as all competitors are provided sports -- he plays rep hockey with the with a 2009 IROCK (125cc) racing kart. Oakville Rangers, is a green belt in Jiu"I think it's really good that everyone has Jitsu martial arts and enjoys mountain bikthe same kart, because that means there is ing as well as track and field -- but anticino chassis advantage and no pates pursuing hockey and rac"I think it's really engine advantage," says ing the furthest. Preston, who considers him- good that everyHe got the racing bug from self one of the favourites to one has the same his father, Dan, who raced win the junior division. "It all kart. It all comes motorcycles professionally in the comes down to who's the bet- down to who's Canadian R.A.C.E. Road Racing ter driver and who's the more the better driver." series from 1982-1990. Brad iniexperienced." tially wanted to race motorcycles Preston will also benefit Max Preston, on as well, but dad talked him out of from the expertise of 3S Go competing in Stars of it. Kart team tuner Luke Canada "He was like `four wheels are Chiovitti, who will adjust the better', basically," says Brad, who kart to fit the track (or even is sponsored by J&A Racing. "I weather) conditions. want to go all the way to (Formula 1)." Johnson, in only his second season racPreston also has dreams of becoming a ing go-karts, has less lofty ambitions than professional race car driver, noting famous Preston for the Stars of Canada series. The drivers like Michael Schumacher and Tony 13-year-old simply hopes to gain experi- Stewart started off racing go-karts. ence and begin to build a name for himself. Oakville's James Hinchcliffe, who is rac"It would look pretty good if we won, but ing in the Firestone Indy Lights Series this it's a pretty far goal," Johnson says. "We are season, also cut his driving teeth as a gohoping to get into the top five and do as well kart racer.