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Nordic walkers take a pole SEE PAGE 40 SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25,2006 Oakville racer hopes to parlay initial success into a full-time ride By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Not all rookies are created equal. There are those who lack experience and then there are those who virtually wing it and get by on natural ability. Oakville's Tyler Comat would fall into the latter category. Strapping himself into the cockpit of an open-wheel race car for just the second time - and the first driving a Formula 2000 car Comat earned top honours at the rookie test day at the Mosport International Raceway last month. The 21-year-old beat out racers from the U.S., British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec to earn a valuable prize for someone with so little time behind the wheel. Comat will earn free entry into the Bridgestone Racing Academy's three-day licence school * as well as its nine-race -2007 Bridgestone F2000 racing series. "I haven't had as much seat time as the other racers," Comat said. "Some kids have been racing go karts since they were seven or eight. They probably have 100,000 laps on me." But Comat obviously has something to make up for that experience. Drivers were judged by instruc tors on factors including risk management, smoothness, accu racy, track learn ing, discipline and focus. Comat has always felt the need to go faster than anyone else, though it started on two wheels. He raced BMX and Tyler Comat m ountain bikes until he was 12. But it wasn't fast enough. So he sold all his bikes and bought a go kart. It certainly satisfied his desire to go faster but it still wasn't fast enough. Comat lacked the knowledge of how to set up the kart from track to track and as a result it was a struggle to do more than post the odd top10 finish. He knew he had the ability but not the equipment to compete. "Everyone was kind of flabbergasted that "It' s not like you can go up to the guy I would be that quick out of the gate." beside you in the pits and say, `Hey, what are He immediately noticed the differences you doing?' They want to win too so they're though. The open wheel cars were much not going to share any information with you." lighter and the controls far more sensitive. Frustrated, Comat packed it in after one It was also tough getting used to seeing season and all but abandoned any thought of exactly where the tires, previously hidden by a racing career. *j fenders, were on the track, which removed That was until a couple of years ago when some of the guesswork. his dad, Bill, a member of the Porsche Club But despite his success at the rookie test of America, offered his then 19-year-old son day, Comat knows race situations will be a a chance to drive his Porsche 944 on a race whole new learning curve. track. "It's one thing to run a fast lap by your "That lit a fire up under me," he said. self, it's another with 30 guys funneling Though the beginnings were basic -- down into turn one all trying for the same "almost like driver's ed," Tyler said, over the space." past two years he rose to the second highest Comat is spending the racing off-season level with the only step remaining to investigating racing opportunities for next become an instructor. - season and also looking to secure some "I don't think too many guys want a 21- sponsors. He's also learning how to lay year-old telling them how to drive their bricks in hopes of putting some money aside Porsche," he said. to finance his racing. But his success with the Porsche got Enough bricks and Comat just may lay Comat a couple of hours of track time in a the foundation for a career that one day Formula 1200. Holding his own against could lead him to North America's most experienced racers made people take notice. famous track, the Brickyard. ou mvm% immtk UmMIrn In %m CARE about their AIR A IR C ALM C U M A T E C M I. can tie m ote harmful than the air otitskfe, m Impfwm ymm indoor *air quality today, INDOOR Am Q U A LITY