The fast and the friendly

BY SCOTT HADDOW

It's a scorching Sunday morning in July at Sudbury Kartways and 10-year-old kart racer William Vigneault has a permanent smile on his face.

Clad in a full racing suit, thick with fire resistant materials, the youngster bounces around the pit area, from team to team.

He high-fives fellow drivers and talks up a big game with kids and adults alike. In the background, the unmistakable high-pitched roar of racing karts filters down into the pit area.

A dense, blue cloud of exhaust smoke creeps through the lane as makeshift mechanics, mostly dads, fire up engines for fine-tuning preparations.

Vigneault is having the time of his life submerged in this lifestyle of racing. The noise, the smell of burnt fuel and, of course, the speed. It keeps the smile on Vigneault's face.

It's race day and he's ready to light up the track with his best performance of the season.

A voice rings out over a loudspeaker calling for drivers to assemble for pre-race rules and regulations.

The drivers, for this competition, are in the junior class and range in ages between 10 and 12.

They gather in a small pocket, inches away from the track they intend to paint black with shredded rubber. Despite the fact they will soon be cutthroat enemies on the track trying to earn the checkered flag and coveted series points, the drivers crack jokes and laugh among each other. They're jammed together like sardines in a can and don't mind at all.

This friendly relationship between the drivers encompasses the entire track and people milling about in and around it.
Everyone, from the drivers to the parents, wants to win.

Yet, it doesn't come at all costs. Competitors never hesitate one second to lend a hand to a team in trouble. They share parts and expertise.

It's all part of the lifestyle of racing go-karts. They relish blistering speed, but friendship and, more importantly, sportsmanship, is the priority.

It's a big reason people get involved in the ever increasingly popular sport.

There's no parents yelling from the stands about playing time. No behind-close-door politics seeding resentment. Just good people out to have a good time.

"There's no other place I would rather be," said Vigneault. "This is just a great sport. The thrill of going fast is the best part...I get up to speeds of 100 km/h."

Vigneault also enjoys stirring the pot and knows everyone at the track. He happily points out a veteran driver, Steve Durkac, to talk to and gives him a ringing endorsement.

"Yeah...he's won everything and he's one of the best," said Vigneault.

His ride is a powerful beast, sporting a 10-horsepower engine which produces speeds upwards of 115 km/h. It sits silent on a stand beside him, but remains ominous. It waits impatiently to unleash its full fury.

Durkac is going over his ride with a fine-tooth comb, looking for anything out of place.

He's a four-time local champion and has won numerous events across Ontario. He's the current leader in the Ontario Champion Club Racing series.

Like most, Durkac was drawn to the sport for the speed. After 12 years, he's accustomed to the blurry pace, but still finds satisfaction in racing.

"There's a lot of great people in kart racing," said Durkac. "I love the pure enjoyment of racing, but I really like the people involved. They make it fun."

Durkac has seen the sport's popularity mushroom, and then explode.

"It seems to attract more people every year," said the 35-year-old CVRD Inco smelter worker. "I see it continuing to grow. Anyone can do this sport...there's all forms and levels of racing for kids to adults."

Vigneault is quick to stir the pot again, this time pointing out a fellow competitor, Patrick Leclair.

"Yeah...he says the media never talks to him and he wants to," said Vigneault with a devilish grin, setting up his friend for a surprise interview.

Kart racing was a destiny for 12-year-old racer Leclair. He came with his family a few years ago to drive a rental machine. His cousin was racing and gave Leclair a chance to drive the racing kart. It was instant love.

"I took the kart out and I loved it right away," said Leclair. "As soon as I stopped, I asked my dad if I could race. He said yes. It's the only sport I will do in the summer...it's the sport for me."

It's now minutes before race time and Leclair can't sit still. In a flash, he runs off to join his friends - the competition - at another trailer to pet a small puppy.

Just as if they were on the track, the young racers jostle for positioning to pet the dog.

Leclair's father, Mike, stays behind at a trailer, furiously working over his son's kart.

Mike is a passionate and loving father. He does his best to tune the kart up so it can go fast. He loves every single second at the track with his son.

"I get a lot out of this...pure satisfaction of being with my child. It's quality time...I get to teach him how to compete, win and lose. We're a team. I try to make the kart go as fast as it can and he tries to drive it as fast as he can. He has a goal in life...to be a NASCAR driver and this is where it all starts, in go kart racing," said Mike.

Like son, like father, Mike also enjoys the racing lifestyle.

"Everyone here is great friends. If I have a problem getting the kart ready, even our most fiercest competitors come running over to help out. It's a true sense of community here. The sportsmanship is simply amazing."

It's now race time and the drivers scramble to their trailers, imploring their pit crews - dads and moms - to get their karts on the starting grid.

Vigneault is first to have his ride lined up.

He lives in the moment and savours it like it could be his last. As his competition buckles up, Vigneault makes it a point to shake each of their hands. It's a sign of respect.

Finally, Vigneault settles into his kart. He hammers his foot down on the throttle pedal and his kart comes to life in a burst of hazy fog and an ear-piercing battle cry.

A race official drops the flag, and Vigneault and his kart erupt from the starting line and scream off onto the race track. He's quickly followed by the other drivers.

Through his tinted visor, while going 100 km/h, Vigneault still carries the big smile he had in the early morning.
It will never go away as long as he's racing and living the lifestyle.