Momentum Building for CKI Grand Championship at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas

CKI Grand Championship TEMPE, ARIZONA (September 20th, 2010) Series begins final preparations for season ending event by adding classes and partners as they close out 2010 and look forward to 2011. Championship Kart Racing, North America's premier national kart racing series, is in full stride as they make final preparations for the closing event on the 2010 season, the WSK North American Series Grand Championship being held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Building momentum has been a signature philosophy for the second year series as they look to change the face of karting in North America through creative programs and new classes. As the entire motorsports community looks to reset in the wake of trying economic conditions, CKI continues to invest in new properties as they look to the future of the sport. Always striving for the perfect mix of locations, prizes and classes, the ultimate event of 2010 is sure to be an amazing experience set on the famous Las Vegas Strip at the luxurious Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

After a hugely successful WSK World Series event held in Millville, New Jersey, which drew competition from the world over, CKI now focuses on the next big event in national karting, the Grand Championships at Mandalay Bay. In addition to national championships being decided in all categories for its core program, CKI has added new classes for the Las Vegas event. Continuing its Race Lives Near You program, which supports karting at all levels, CKI will add PRD Senor, KPV Senior, KPV2 and KPV1 to the four-day Mandalay Bay event. These popular classes, added to the already announced Machismo 500-mile Endurance Race, will make the Grand Championship at the Mandalay Bay an exciting event in one of the most popular cities on the planet. “The WSK World Series event was such a success, along with our involvement in the popular Rock Island Grand Prix, our drivers continue the excitement by focusing on our Mandalay Bay event,” states Series Manager, Kevin Williams. “We are excited to add PRD Senior, KPV Senior, KPV2 and KPV1 and thrilled to have the Machismo 500-mile Endurance Race join us in Las Vegas.” The addition of the new classes are a sneak peak into the 2011 season as CKI looks to evolve the program to meet the needs of kart racers across the country. Part of this evolution is adding value priced classes like PRD and HPV. A closer look at the entry forms, located at http://www.championshipkartracing.com/downloads/event-forms/CKI_Bay.pdf shows that the ultra popular Comer Cadet program has also been moved to the value priced program all in an effort to build grass roots support across the country. These engine packages have been the foundation of many race programs and names like Verlingere and Haddock bring a new level of excitement to the program. Especially important to the program is adding these classes now to let kart racers know the CKI program is developing a structure to meet today’s karting reality as they push the envelop looking to build a national program with a local flavor. CKI has been proud to develop two major programs that support this philosophy including the Race Lives Near You and Karting’s Got Talent. These ground breaking efforts, along with the national race series, gives CKI the strongest portfolio of karting programs in the industry. “The additional classes added allows more karter racers to participate in this one-of-a-kind venue, and CKI is happy to bring the opportunity to the drivers that normally run those classes,” continues Williams. “This is going to be a true karting event, and we can’t wait to get there. Kart racing is no stranger to the Las Vegas Strip and we look forward to bringing the tradition back.” The Grand Championships at Mandalay Bay will start with Thursday optional practice on October 21st, followed by official event practice on Friday, October 22nd. The double racing action begins on Saturday with a full slate of classes running on Sunday. The weekend of racing action will be followed by the awards and class championship presentations all set poolside on Sunday night. During the evening hours, the 3rd Annual Machismo 500-mile Endurance Race will take place from Thursday night through to Saturday night. More information on the Machismo 500 can be obtained by contacting Brad Packard at 951-241-3872, or email Brad directly at Brad@CalSpeedKarting.com Entries for the WSK North American Series Grand Championship at Mandalay Bay are being accepted online at http://www.ChampionshipKartRacing.com. Be sure to check out the online entry forms, tire order forms and hotel information. About Championship Karting International Championship Karting International (CKI) offers North America’s highest level of kart racing available today. Through a partnership with WSK Promotions, the leading international karting competition series, and sanctioning by the World Karting Association, CKI promotes and operates the national WSK North American Series by CKI that features world-class events at premier karting facilities. In addition, CKI’s outreach programs provide young karters the opportunity to build a kart-oriented racing career or climb the ladder to professional auto racing for more aspiring drivers. Through safety, fairness, and sportsmanship, CKI maintains the utmost level of professionalism available in karting. For more information, visit http://www.championshipkartracing.com.