Rob Howden will make his fifth start at the Cup Karts North America Grand Nationals (Photo: CKN - Cody Schindel)

As I worked in my office back in January, I had full intentions of pulling out my gear and racing in a handful of events in 2025. All the opportunities were there. We have a race-ready Briggs 206 kart in our EKN garage at New Castle Motorsports Park, and I had plans to get down there for at least two or three KRA races this year to run with my fellow Masters guys. I also figured I’d try to source a ride for a race or two at my home track in Ontario – the Waterloo Regional Kart Club – which runs on Saturday mornings. That would be a no-brainer during open summer weekends. Cup Karts North America Canada’s Gerald Caseley has been on me to come run one of his events, telling me that he’ll set up a ride for me, and former Route 66 Sprint Series owner Chris Kardashian was always asking me to visit his series to run KA100 Masters. I had lots of plans and open opportunities. I’d also hoped that the Trackmagic Owners Group would organize another rally so that I could fire up my vintage 2002 Trackmagic MG 125cc shifter again and, speaking of vintage, there’s also a 1982 Margay Xpert II sitting in the NCMP garage just waiting for me to take it out to stretch its legs at a VKA race. From my desk in the winter, things were looking promising with so many potential outings on the calendar.

Life doesn’t always work out exactly as you plan though. None of the above happened.

Howden returns for CKNA GN9 with Precision Performance Karting on the Coyote Zenith chassis (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

My travel schedule quickly filled up this year, and many of the races I had forecast as possibilities now conflicted with events for EKN or with my work with the USF Pro Championships. The TMOG didn’t plan a rally this year and, sadly, the Vintage Karting Association event at New Castle always seems to be on the same weekend as a race on my commentary calendar. It’s already looking like I’ll have a conflict again with that race in 2026. The Margay will remain willing and able to take to the track.

With all these plans going unfulfilled, I now find myself flying back down to Indianapolis for the Cup Karts North America Grand Nationals 9, having not turned a wheel since the 2024 event last October. The Grand Nationals is THE race that every Briggs racer wants to attend. It’s four-cycle racing’s version of the SKUSA SuperNationals. It’s the big one. While I would have loved to have done some driving and racing before this coming weekend, I’m still super excited to be able to get back down for this race. Like I said, the CKNA Grand Nationals is massive and is one of the coolest races of the year. And the fact that the series offers a Legends category for us guys over 50 years-of-age sets it apart from all other programs. Their commitment to this age demographic is unique. It’s so cool to sit on the full grid of 40-50 drivers, looking around and realizing that we’re all 50 or older.

Look around the paddock, folks. This is passion for the sport.

Howden finished fifth in Legends at the CKNA GN6 (Photo: Alycia Hodapp)

Still get after it after five decades of living. Whether they’ve been racing for 40 years or just got into the sport, the competitors in the Legends class are badasses. To them, karting isn’t a training ground or stepping stone. It’s a destination. It’s their chosen form of motorsports. CKNA’s support of this group of drivers is unparalleled l right now and I’m proud to be part of it.

So I’m going racing this weekend. I’ll have to blow the rust off on Thursday and Friday, but that’s part of the fun. With 30 years of karting now under my belt (I started in 1995), there’s a little bit of muscle memory there to lean on. Thankfully, I’m the only real wildcard in my program. I’m heading back to the world’s largest four-cycle karting event with one of the sport’s powerhouse teams – Precision Performance Karting – running the proven Coyote Zenith chassis with my friend Terrin Odom on the wrenches. The package will be good to go. The team has great coaching as well – I’m talking Pauly Massimino and Austin Miles – total pros. I’ve finished on the podium at the CKNA Grands in Legends before (2022), but the field just gets tougher and tougher every year as new ‘young guns’ turn 50 each season and join the category. Yes, I see the deep humor in that statement…50-year-old ‘young guns’. But at 57 years-of-age, the reality is that a few new guys become eligible for the class each season. Welcome to Legends, boys and girls, where we think about going back to work on Monday, or maybe even retiring one day.

Terrin Odom from Brandon Jarsocrak Racing is on the wrenches once again with Howden (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

For me, participating in the CKNA Grand Nationals is more about having the opportunity to be on the grid and in the paddock at a race of its stature. Success on this weekend it not so much about winning, but more about enjoying myself and maximizing my time on the track and with the awesome people at PPK. At my age, I’m more focused on the enjoying the overall experience. David and I have a bunch of trackside podcasts planned for the event in our garage and with me running just the single class this year, it should be a much more relaxed event.

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