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Sunday, May 04, 2003

By Chris Dolack, Special to the Post-Gazette

They are not in CART, NASCAR or the IRL yet, but drivers in the Champ Cars Stars of Tomorrow karting series are racing in that direction. After two days of competition at the 0.82-mile Wilson Circuit at BeaveRun MotorSports ComPlex in Big Beaver Borough outside Beaver Falls, the Stars of Tomorrow wraps up the weekend today with qualifying beginning at 9 a.m.

The series features nearly 200 seemingly fearless young drivers with aspirations of moving into the top levels of racing. One of the series owners is 1986 Indianapolis 500 champion Bobby Rahal, who spent yesterday watching his son, Graham, and nephew, Kyle, race.

"This karting circuit, if it isn't the best in America, is in the top three or four," Rahal said. "I haven't been to every karting circuit in North America, but I've been to a lot of them and I can tell you they're not like this. This is the level of quality we're looking for in our series because for us to produce the best young talent, we have to race on the best circuits. Technically, this is a very difficult circuit for these participants. A lot of the corners are very demanding, and that's what we're looking for.

"As a competitor, you love going to facilities that are done right the first time. This facility is being done that way."

Also wrapping up a weekend of racing today at BeaveRun, which is just off Route 18 about two miles north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, are four pro-level divisions of the SCCA competing on the facility's 1.6-mile north course.