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| February 16, 2011 News |
| EKN Awards 2010: Rising Star - Sam Beasley |
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February 14-18, 2011 will be the eKartingNews.com Awards Week for 2010. The program honors five winners in five categories - Driver of the Year, Team of the Year, Rising Star, Road Racer of the Year, and Young Driver of the Year - with one announced each day. The staff at the website has selected the winner and four Honorable Mentions for each category.
For the complete coverage of EKN Awards Week 2010, visit the Features Page
To discuss the EKN Awards Week 2010, visit the Official Discussion Thread
 | Rising Star - Sam Beasley
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
In karting, drivers between the ages of 15 to 17 years old are quite interesting to watch, especially considering the progression that each driver experiences during that time. Making the transition from competing against drivers similar in age to racing with pilots who have years of experience equal to the age of these young graduates is certainly a tall feat to master. The 2010 season was an interesting one for Sam Beasley, juggling the final year in the Junior ranks and making his Senior debut, but he excelled in both to earn the 2010 EKN Awards Rising Star honor.
Beasley turned 16 last March, giving the Ohio driver the option to compete in the Junior categories in the World Karting Association organization while still moving up for other events across the country. The 2009 WKA Triple Crown winner repeated the same feat in 2010, scoring three WKA Manufacturer’s Cup Series championships. Competing in the four Junior categories, Beasley won the title in Komet Jr. Lite, Yamaha Jr. Lite, and Yamaha Jr. Heavy with a vice-champion honor in Komet Jr. Heavy. In 19 feature starts, Beasley stood on the podium in all 19 races with eight victories and eight runner-up finishes. His lowest finish was fourth (twice) in the Komet Jr. Heavy class, losing the championship to Nick Neri (the EKN 2010 Young Driver of the Year) by just 10 points.
The 2010 season also marked the first season that Beasley would compete as a Senior driver, running other karting events not sanctioned by WKA. At the Florida Winter Tour, Beasley captured the Pro IAME Senior title while placing fourth in Pro Rotax championship chase.
Two of his standout performances of the season came at the Rotax Grand Nationals and the Rock Island Grand Prix. Starting 33rd in the Rotax Senior main event at the Grand Nationals at New Castle after a DNF in the Prefinal, Beasley avoided the opening lap melee to continue on, advancing his position lap after lap. Knifing his way forward, Beasley looked unstoppable until reaching the runner-up position by lap 16. Sam was unable to close in on the leader in the final few laps, but held on to finish second and earn a spot on Team USA for the Rotax Grand Finals in La Conca, Italy. At the Rock Island Grand Prix street race held over the Labor Day weekend, Beasley earned three pole awards (TaG Senior, IAME Senior, Rotax Senior) and came away with the big win in TaG Senior and second in IAME Senior in his first year as a Senior at the event.
Beasley ended the season in the second position of the EKN TaG Driver Rankings thanks to his 2010 efforts, certainly an accomplishment not to go unnoticed. While Sam is now beginning to get a taste for the junior open wheel categories, Beasley is totally committed to another attack on the kart tracks for the 2011 season. Starting out the new season at the WKA Daytona KartWeek in December with four wins, Beasley is sure to have an eye on him throughout the year as he hunts for more victories and championships.
Congratulations to Sam Beasley on his Rising Star award for the 2010 season and best of luck to him in 2011.
 | Beasley was among the best in both the Junior and Senior categories throughout 2010
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
2010 Rising Star Honorable Mentions
Tommy Andersen - Spring Grove, Illinois - Merlin USA
Robert Bujdoso - Canfield, Ohio - Checkered Motorsports
Derek Crockett - Cahokia, Illinois - Crockett Motorsports
Jesus Rios Jr. - Miami, Florida - PSL Karting
Former Rising Star Award Winners
2009 - Tyler Bennett
2008 - Arie Ouimet
2007 - Connor De Phillippi
2006 - Mike Vincec
2005 - Cole Whitt
2004 - Kevin Lacroix
2003 - Wesley Boswell
2002 - Nick Bussell
2001 - Michael Abbate
2000 - Travis Irving
1999 - Josh Schreiber |
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