DRIVER NEWS: ARTEM KOROLEV

TORONTO, ONTARIO – OCTOBER 3, 2008 – If there were an award in Ontario karting for the young Junior driver of the year, Artem Korolev would surely be it. The Goodwood Kartsport ‘Russian Rocket’ has put together a magical season thus far and secured six Championship Titles in 2008 - and he hasn’t finished yet!

Dominating the Regional scene, Korolev competed in six classes across two Championships with father Vladimir and veteran tuner Paul Lapierre at his side. In the Ontario Regional Karting Championship, the Intrepid driver captured both the 60cc Cadet and Rotax Mini-Max titles, and he added another pair in the Brian Stewart Racing Karting Championship where he won both Junior Light and Rotax Mini-Max. Impressive work to be sure, but Korolev added more in capturing his first Ontario Grand National Bear in Mini-Max before locking up the Toronto Kart Club Mini-Max Championship with two races left to run. People took notice, none more so than his Intrepid Team Manager.

“Artem’s ability to make drivers around him worry is what makes him so special,” said Marco Di Leo, Goodwood Kartsport Team Manager. “There is no doubt he has great natural talent and great confidence, but for me it’s his ability to think his way through a race that stands out. He knows when he needs to go all out, and he knows when he can drive conservatively and get the job done. He’s a special talent.”

The attributes nearly led to a Canadian National Championship in August, a weekend where Korolev, Lapierre and the Goodwood/Intrepid camp methodically worked toward winning the Sunday final. After qualifying ninth and faltering in the first heat, Korolev stormed to second in heat two, then followed with a fourth in heat three. After the Sunday morning prefinal he was sitting P3 and had cracked the 45-second barrier for the first time, establishing himself as the second quickest kart in the Mini-Max field. After the opening lap and through two, Korolev maintained his position, and working three he took second and began chasing the leader, a kart noone had got to within two seconds of all weekend. He was there through five, stayed through ten, and after turning a lap at 44.6 seconds on thirteen he closed to the bumper with two laps to run. The difference at the checker was 0.167 seconds and the Ontario racer had thoroughly left his mark on the nation.

After a return to his home province and the completion of his championship runs, Korolev made a much anticipated move to Rotax Junior at the BSRKC finale a week ago and promptly posted the third quickest time in qualifying, missing pole by just 0.045! He then maintained the position in the prefinal, and set the quickest lap of the field in the process. He cut to second at the start of the main, and was just hitting the sweet spot of his Intrepid Cruiser on lap nine when debris from an accident ended his run to the podium, and possibly the top step.

Be sure - the ‘Russian Rocket’ is set to launch in 2009. Korolev will begin with the Florida Winter Tour before once again running a very busy schedule in Ontario. After six championships and a fantastic season, Artem would like to thank his dad, Vladimir, tuner Paul Lapierre, and the Goodwood Kartsport/Intrepid Canada Team for their unwavering support. Next season can’t begin soon enough!