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| February 23, 2008 News |
| EKN Awards 2007: Driver of the Year - Gary Carlton |
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 | Driver of the Year - Gary Carlton
(Photo: EKN) |
As the EKN team hits the floor of the Kart Expo International in Chicago, the inaugural EKN Awards Week will wrap up the 2007 season, ending with the top honor - Driver of the Year. Names like Elliott, Martin, White, Wilson, Sciuto, and the Speed brothers have earned the award over the past eight years, all producing race wins and championships in the top karting divisions in North America. This year’s award recipient becomes the first double winner of the program’s history, as after yet another stellar championship season, we are proud to announce Gary Carlton are this year’s EKN Driver of the Year.
Carlton had nearly a perfect year on the national scene, beginning with six straight wins in the Stars of Karting program en route to the title. Carlton’s dominance was overpowering, as he looked to win at win, pairing skill-developing experiences in European events with error-free runs back home. At the National Finals, Carlton put in the effort he needed to win the crown, taking second in the opening final and then going out in style with a dominant win to end the season.
Looking to cap the season with another SKUSA SuperNationals victory in Las Vegas, Carlton put himself up against the world’s best as the race attracted a majority of Europe’s top factory drivers, such as Jonathan Thonon and Marco Ardigo. After a week-long battle to put together a winning package, he carried the American flag back to the podium, taking an impressive second to Ardigo, a World Champion this past season.
The exclamation mark on this dazzling season was the All-Stars Karting Classic at the PRI Show in Orlando, where Carlton tracked down Joel Miller for the win the Karters division final to transfer himself into the headline show against the Masters drivers, which included professional stars such as Buddy Rice, Michael Valiante, AJ Allmendinger and Jamie McMurray. In the big final, Carlton was the show and drove from the back of the pack, knifing through the field in front of a packed grandstands and the Speed TV cameras.
EKN would like to congratulate Gary Carlton on a successful 2007 season and his second straight Driver of the Year award. To discuss the EKN Awards Week festivities and announcements, please visit the Official Discussion Thread. |
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