The 2018 season marked the fourth year of the Briggs & Stratton Weekly Racing Series Presented by RLV. The purpose of the effort is to promote the grassroots Briggs 206 program across North America, providing racers with the opportunity to match up against other drivers from across the United States and Canada. Through the support of their racers, clubs and tracks signed up for the program and, in return, both the tracks and racers received prizes at the end of the season, including many products produced by Briggs & Stratton.

The 2018 Briggs WRS program welcomed a combined 3,400 racers in Senior/Masters and Junior competition, enjoying just over 50 participating tracks throughout North America. Over the past four years, the program has welcomed a total of 15,000 competing racers and, with the help of RLV, the Hilliard Corporation and Amsoil, over $150,000 in prizes have been awarded.

eKartingNews.com is now recognizing the top-10 overall in the USA and Canada Senior/Masters divisions and the Junior ranks. For complete rankings, visit the Briggs WRS 2018 Final Report and for more on the program, visit www.briggsracing.com

Top-10 Briggs Weekly Racing Series Canada Senior/Masters Profiles

#10 – Wyatt Gulash

#9 – Jason McCumber

#8 – Darren Kearnan

#7 – Dave Cameron

#6 – Connor Peet

#5 – Jordan Prior

#4 – Alan Haggerty

#3 – Angelo Amorim

#2 – Stephen Bachalo

USA #1 – John Buzza
Points: 223.5
Track: Manitoba Karting Association

Age: 22
Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Occupation: Student
Chassis: Birel ART
Sponsors: REG Electronics, Thunder Rapids Amusement Park, K&S Insulation Services
Years Karting: 11

2018 Briggs WRS Events

The Manitoba Karting Association took part in the Briggs & Stratton Weekly Racing Series program for the second time in 2018. The support of the many loyal members has translated into success for the top drivers in the Briggs 206 category. MKA drivers locked up the top two spots in the Briggs WRS standings, with club champion John Buzza.

It was another successful season for Buzza, who won 8 of 10 rounds on the Manitoba Karting Association schedule, never placing outside the top two in Prefinal and Final events. Add those to the eight wins in nine rounds from 2017, finishing inside the top-three all season. That season, John finished 33rd overall in the Briggs WRS program, seventh in the Canada standings. Six of the last seven years has seen Buzza end the MKA season on top in the Briggs 206 class. He has roughly 13 MKA titles with a mixture of classes including Briggs 206, Honda (4-Cycle) and Rotax.

Buzza began karting at Gimli, Manitoba circuit when he was 11-years-old after his dad purchased his first kart, a mid-1990’s Birel kart. Racing quickly became his passion, and after his third race, they began traveling out of Manitoba to compete at other clubs and regional programs.

“We were excited when Canada moved away from Honda engines to the Briggs LO206 program in 2011. Briggs and Stratton assured racers that engine parity and low operating costs were their biggest priorities. The Briggs 206 package allows us to be competitive with an out of the box motor, whether that be at a club, regional, or national level. Overall the Briggs 206 package rewards good driving habits and race craft, and usually draws the biggest class numbers at any given event.”

“The Manitoba Karting Association is a great representation of how club level racing should be. On track action is very competitive and racers are pushed to better themselves on a weekly basis. Off track the competitiveness gives way to a family environment that promotes inclusion, friendship, and healthy competition. Karting has provided me with life long friendships, both at home and all across Canada. It has taught me the ability to cope with high stress situations, maintain sportsmanship and respect for my competitors, and has showed me how to make the most of both the highs and lows of racing. Karting has only ever brought my family closer together, and has allowed me to travel the world pursing a sport I love.”

Outside of Manitoba, Buzza was able to secure the championship in the Western Canadian Karting Championship program. Standing on the podium in five of the six rounds, John was crowned champion in the Briggs Light division. Aside from winning the Briggs WRS in Canada, the biggest highlight of 2018 was having the opportunity to compete with the best racers in Western Canada thanks to the reformation of the Western Canadian Karting Championship. Looking at 2019, Buzza is focused on enjoying club racing with the Manitoba Karting Association once again.

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