Robert Kubica did not content himself with just giving his name to a new chassis brand. He was also actively involved in chassis development. Last weekend, he raced at the Winter Tournament on the Siena (I) track, in order to do the tuning with his team manager Pietro Sassi.

Our special correspondent collected some exclusive news about the new RK team. First, RK is independent from Birel as far as the retailer network is concerned. Lucky Design will define the team’s look, while Alpine Star will supply driver suits and accessories. Polish Karol Basz and Italian Antonio Piccioni will join the team, which will race in its first competition at the WSK opening round (2009), at La Conca.

By KartCom

Tim Lobaugh was well aware of what Marc Miller of Holland could do with a go-kart long before the two ever became teammates.

Let’s just say Lobaugh never stood in line waiting for Miller’s autograph.

“My brother raced against him, and I wasn’t a big fan of (Miller’s) growing up,” said Lobaugh, of Three Oaks. “But it is a lot more fun racing with him than against him. His knowledge and professionalism have blown me away.”

Lobaugh is an engineer with the Three Oaks-based MRP Motorsport, and it has been all good since Miller started racing for them this year.

It’s about to get even better.

Miller, a 1993 Zeeland High School graduate, has qualified for the Rotax Max Challenge World Finals, which begin with practice Friday at the La Conca International Circuit in Muro Leccese, Italy. Miller has qualified for the international competition, and Lobaugh will be his crew chief.

Consider the races to be the closest thing to the Olympics of go-kart racing.

Miller punched his ticket in September when he won a qualifying race at the Rotax Max Challenge USA Grand Nationals at the USA International Raceway in Shawano, Wis. Miller is one of 12 drivers from the United States to earn an all-expense paid trip to Italy.

What: Rotax Max Challenge World Finals, international go-karting competition

Where: Muro Leccese, Italy

When: Nov. 25 through Nov. 30, practice begins Friday

Track: La Conca International Circuit — a winding, 1,250-meter road course

The field: 216 drivers from 55 countries, qualifying via Rotax Max Challenge races worldwide

Team USA: Marc Miller, 33, of Holland, is one of 12 drivers from the United States to qualify. Miller, a Zeeland High School and Western Michigan University graduate, won a qualifier in Shawano, Wis.

Races: Drivers will qualify in three classes — Rotax Junior, Rotax Senior and Rotax DD2. The top 36 from each class will race in the finals.

He races in the Rotax DD2 class, which is differentiated from the Rotax Senior group by the type of go-kart. There is also a junior class.

“As a driver, it is one of those series you really enjoy because is strictly a spec series and everyone gets the same equipment and chance to excel,” Miller said. “To win the U.S. Grand National was a great accomplishment, and to qualify for Team USA is icing on the cake. I would like to go and represent the U.S. well and finish in the top 10.”

Miller spent the past four years racing part-time in the Canadian-based stock car CASCAR circuit, and he has done sports car racing, too.

His go-kart experience began when he was 12 and growing up in Virginia. He went on to win multiple national karting and shiftkarting championships. Miller is preparing for his biggest challenge yet.

This marks the ninth year of the world finals, and which are held at a different site each year. Lobaugh raced in the finals himself, and helped guide a driver from Chicago to a fifth-place finish at the 2005 championships in Malaysia. He said he has confidence in Miller, too.

“Marc has shown consistency, he is smooth on the track and he can drive the chassis,” Lobaugh said. “He showed that in Wisconsin. He hasn’t raced as much as other people in this type of kart, and he didn’t get much practice, and he still beat them by seven seconds.

“He will have to use his head. The Italians and Australians have a more aggressive driving style, and he will have to be on his game to be there in the finals.”

Miller, a Western Michigan University graduate, operates MMP Design, a marketing and graphics design firm. He and his wife, Jacquelyn, have two sons, Evan and Seth.

Team USA will represent the autism awareness Web site, www.RaceNowForAutism.org, as their official charity during finals for families affected by autism.

It’s a charity that Miller is proud to represent since he has an autistic child.

“This obviously is a very special cause for me as a parent affected by ASD,” Miller said.

By MLive

Matias Laine, another Tony Kart good driver, is dealing with the hard training which will allow him to dispute the 2009 season with cars. Matias, as announced already in September, worked hard and did several tests with Formula Renault 2.0. in order to get ready for cars. At the end of a positive karting season, during which Matias did a great work with the Tony Kart Racing Team, our young driver ended his carrier in the kart with two fantastic races, the World Cup in KZ1 and the World Championship in KF1.

Matias shown his abilities in the Tony Kart Racing Team and cut a fine figure also during the tests with F. Renault, which took place until now in Donington (GB), Snettertone (GB) e Oschersleben (D). Next Sunday, on the English track of Croft, Matias will start his carrier with cars in the Winter Series. Together with Laine, there will be also Will Steven and Antonio Felix Da Costa, young drivers who have grown up in our Racing Team and have created a good impression on all the staff members. Tony Kart and Vortex wish them good luck for their future.

Matias Laine - Tony Kart Racing Team driver, KF1 – KZ1
“I have learned many things with Tony Kart during this season. I was always together with competent and extremely professional people, that’s why I had the possibility to improve my driving skills and all my karting knowledge. Tony Kart-Vortex has a great work programme and is provided with modern structures which gave me the possibility to know many aspects of my profession, which I have never noticed before.”

You have decided to do everything carefully, without forget the karting.
“Yes, I have already planned with Giacomo (Aliprandi, Tony Kart Racing Team Team manager) to end my programme after the two world championship, in KZ2 and KF1. I had a great engagement with Tony Kart Racing Team and I didn’t want to loose my concentration on karting doing tests with cars. At the end of karting programme with Tony Kart, I started with tests with Formula Renault in Donington, Snettertone and Oschersleben”

Which are your future plans?
“Next Sunday I will do my dèbut in the English Winter Series, with the Team CR Stable at the track of Croft. I’m really excited and confident, I feel good and I did a good training during the tests for this event. For 2009 we haven’t decided the programme yet, I have two possibility, the Euro Cup and the English Championship , always in Formula Renault. We don’t want to take now a decision, we have time to think and to do the better choice, now I want to concentrate on this race.”

By Tony

The race in Zuera, concluding the WSK Series, had a special flavour for the whole Tony Kart Racing Team. Will Stevens, English young talented driver, disputed his last karting race. As planned since a long time, Will finished his agonistic formation in the karting with the race in Zuera and he is preparing to make a further step in his carrier of professional driver, passing to cars.

Will Stevens disputed with the Tony Kart Racing Team the last two seasons (2007 and 2008), gaining numerous victories, among them we underline the European Championship in KF2, the CIK-FIA Asia Pacific and the Open Master. In the Tony Kart Racing Team he gained not only many successes but he also grew up as person and as driver, developing his driving abilities.

At the peak of this process, Stevens has been engaged by Honda Racing Team F1, so starting from the last May, date of the agreement with the Japanese team, Will’s carrier is living a further acceleration. All the members of the Tony Kart Racing Team wish Will good luck for his future and thank him for his precious contribution.

Will Stevens - Tony Kart Racing Team driver, KF1
“My adventure with the kart is coming to the end, in fact the race in Zuera is the last one for me with a kart, that’s why it was really important for me to conclude the season with good results, in order to leave a sign and to be at the highest level, after that I will pass to cars. I expected to win this last race, unfortunately it didn’t happen, however I did my best.”

What will you bring with you of the years spent with the Tony Kart?
“During the two years that I spent with Tony Kart I learned many things and not only about driving, above all I have learned to manage and to prepare the kart in the best way, I have learned what the team works is and I have learned many particular aspects which will be useful both during the race and outside the track.”

Which are your future plans now?
“I will go to the Formula Renault, I will do many tests in order to race in the English Championship. In November I will start with two races of the Winter Series. I hope to reach good results and to improve quickly, we still have to plan the rest of the next season. Of course I would like to race in kart again, in particular I would like to take part in the World Championship and my dream would be to win it, so I could conclude in the best way my karting carrier.”

By Tony

Inque, Tony Team Japan, Second @ the All Japan KF1 Champs

By Tony