Junior Open Wheel Talent

It's been awhile since I've done a linkage post and there is a fair amount of reading out there on this Friday morning. Without further ado, here is your February edition of Linkage.

EFCN has a nice Q & A with Bobby Rahal, who seems intent to really develop the Formula BMW Americas program.

Drivers looking to compete in the Stars of Karting series for 2009 will be competing for awards in excess of $85,000.

Andersen Racing is promoting their ladder system North of the border by sponsoring Canada's TRAK karting series. The new karting program (TRAK) is presided over by former open wheel standout Dan Di Leo and the Di Leo family. Three drivers from the TRAK series will be awarded a 2-day Formula BMW Test. Pretty smart marketing by Andersen and a great prize for any aspiring driver.

Skip Barber Racing will begin their Spring Training tomorrow at Sebring International Raceway with 19 drivers currently registered to take part. The entry list includes the young talent Sage Karam who returned his Skip Barber National Scholarship. In talking with a few insiders, I was able to obtain very little information on the situation. Apparently Sage's sponsor/manager didn't feel the contract was in the best interest of Sage. Take what you will from the information given, but I think we all thought it was a bit strange when Skip Barber handed out two fully funded rides last December. Either way, it seems (on the surface) that all parties involved are content with the situation.

Michael Vincec, 2008's Stars of Karting ICC National Champion, is one of the drivers on the Skip Barber Spring Training entry list. EKN has a nice article on the 17-year-old karting stand-out.

The F2000 Championship has a nice/new website, which it was in dire need of. In case you missed it, they also decided to publish my F2000 Championship article from the Junior Formula 101 series. Click here for more Junior Formula 101 installments. Look for the Atlantic Championship piece to be released shortly.

In Star Mazda news..... it has been reported that Charles Anti will return to the cockpit with John Walko Racing this season as a test driver. He hopes to return to racing full-time in the near future.