Team Manager, Justin Stefani had this to say -"First, we have to thank the drivers, parents, mechanics, suppliers and employees who dedicated so much in 2008.  2009 will be a special and exciting year for our Race Department as we look to further strengthen our results as well as the technical aspect and approach we bring to each event in 2009!"

Stay Tuned for 2009's driver lineup!

Upon reaching our Sales Department Sales@J3Competition.com you will receive a rental agreement outlining the details.  This agreement requires a 30 day notice for all rentals.  This deadline has been lengthened to accomodate this seasons rental requests.  However, it must also be noted that within the KF engine rental agreement it states specifially that there are a limited number of rentals available.

Thank You

This event will show several focal focal points of the J3 Competition, mainly:

• Quality Materials
• Quality Drivers
• Management
• Sales Presentatiion

The team at J3 Competition will conclude this event with its new exciting focuses toward the 2009 season.  Yet, at this point the sole focus is the dedication toward the team and its members.  As always:

"J3 Competition - "A Company dedicated to its customers."

"J3 Competition -  "Una Compañía dedicó a sus clientes"

Driver - Alessandra Madrigal

Class - HPV Jr

Mechanic - Rob Giacomelli

Driving Coach - Terry Fullerton

Previous Best - First Time

This section will start with a 101 introduction to KF Racing and will eventually shed light on the CIK/FIA sporting codes regarding this Category.

What are the KF categories?

1. KF3 - 13-15 year old competitiors (12 year olds allowed in FWT)

2. KF2 - 15 year old and up competitors

3.  What are the differences between KF2 and K3?

•  
  • Different Cylinders
  • Different Exhasut
  • Differen PVL Ignitions
  • Of Course Different Driver/Kart Weight limit
  • Different Carburetor

4.  So, does that mean that the internal working parts are the same? YES!

5.  If I am a Kart Shop or an Importer I only need to worry about ordering one set of replacement parts for both categories? YES!

6.  Who makes these engines, I mean is it a spec class or what?  It is not a spec class, it is a controlled class through standardized homologation by the CIK and there are several manufactures involved like:

• Balen
• COMER
• IAME/XTR
• MAXTER
• PCR
• TM Racing
• Vortex
• VKR

7.  Isn't that confusing with so many choices?  No, not really after all think of how many choices they are out there for chassis or engine tuners or replacement parts for that matter. "Honestly, that makes sense."

8.  How do I know which engine to buy?  Follow logical and classic tradition, chose an engine that is supported by your local importer or Kart Shop.  Do some research and talk with your importer/Kart Shop.  Remember local customer service and support is always the best option.

9. Final question for the session; What is the cost of one of these engines and what are the maintenance costs like?

• Complete Cost Range Depending on the make
  • $3,950.00 - $4,450.00
• Maintenance Cost is CHEAP! - Typical rebuild on a KF engine is usually only required after three races (3 High-level 3 Day Events) and most of the time the only item needing replaced is the top-end.

That concludes this informative session. Check back in a couple days for our second session.

Thanks

1.  Driver? Travis Lowe
2. Category? Tag Sr.
3. Is this your first time at the SKUSA Super Nationals? I have been at the Supernats twice before but this is my first time racing.
4. Previous best finish (if applicable)?
5. What preparations have you made for this event? I have been practicing constantly and going to the gym four times a week.
6. Who is your mechanic? David Lowe my brother and my Dad
7. What are your goals for this race? To win of course.
8. What are your thoughts on the track layout? I have always liked parking lot tracks because it makes it even from the very first practice because no one is able to practice on the track before hand.
9. Who will be the driver to watch in your category? I think any of the front runners in Tag during the Stars season this year are drivers to watch including Joel Miller and Gustavo Menezez.

Second SuperNational

Best Finish ?  Let's forget about this one !!!!!!!!!!!

Preparation? .Practicing and racing most weekends.

Mechanic?  Gonzalo Aponte will be my primary mechanic , my Dad will help with setup and race strategy . J3 technical support team will help with engine and with the knowledge they have gained in TAG  over the past couple of years. I think we will have a great combination.

My goal is always to win , but for sure every other driver out there feel the same way so we will see how it plays out.

I really like the concept of temporary tracks. It puts everyone on the same level playing field ....let's hope the layout turns out to be a good one.

Drivers to watch , I'm sure there are going to be plenty of good drivers , as always I will have to go out and fight for every position  I take nothing for granted.

Check Out My Gallery! 

Here is what Ayla has to say:

1.  Driver?  Ayla Rebecca Ågren
2. Category? Tag Senior
3. Is this your first time at the SKUSA Super Nationals? Yes this is the first time I will race at the SKUSA Super National, and I can’t wait! It will be a whole new experience.
4. Previous best finish (if applicable)? First Time
5. What preparations have you made for this event? I haven’t done anything different in front of this race, then what i do infront of the other races, through the season. I am concentrating on being good physical and mental at every moment.
6. Who is your mechanic? Daddy (Glenn Ågren) has been my mechanic the whole time, so we know exactly where we have each other.
7. What are your goals for this race? Do my best and don’t make any mistakes.
8. What are your thoughts on the track layout?  The track looks great! I think it is more like the norwagian tracks then the italien ones. So i look really forward to race on it.
9. Who will be the driver to watch in your category?  I have never been racing in US before, but there are 99 other drivers.

1.        Driver:  Victor Cabrera Jr.

2.       Category: Tag Senior

3.       Is this your first time at the SKUSA Super Nationals? Second Time at the Super Nationals.

4.       Previous best finish:  Third Place in 2007.

5.       What preparations have you made for this event?   I belong to my school soccer varsity team and I devote three hours of intense exercise and practice routine daily. This has kept me in good shape.  Next week end we will have our local final race for the season and I will be racing.

6.       Who is your mechanic?  He is Mr. Caleb Loniewski, a well experienced racer and was an important component of my recent Tag National Championship.

7.       What are your goals for this race? As of this year my final goal is to win the Super Nationals.  Its going to be tough but we will do our best to accomplish this goal.

8.       What are your thoughts on the track layout?  Temporary track are always challenging but my intense training and good attitude toward this type of challenge will make me able to overcome any kind obstacle.

9.       Who will be the driver to watch in your category?  For sure it is going to be a very tought weekend, a lot of good drivers out there.  We are the Tag National Champion and for this race the team has great talent under the tent, and for sure J3 competition will be the team to beat.  All kosmic podium!!!!!!

 Driver? Angel Caban

Category? Tag Senior

Is this your first time at the SKUSA Super Nationals?Yes

Best Finish in Las Vegas? 1st place at Las Vegas Motor Speed Way on a Stars of Karting Final Race.

 What preparations have you made for this event?

 We have been practicing every weekend in Puerto Rico with the same engine and chassis that I am going to use in the Super nationals

Who is your mechanic? Hector Alvarez and he is also my engine tunner

What are your goals for this race?  For this race we would like to have a strong win but if not a well respected top 5.

What are your thoughts on the track layout?  My thoughts about this race track are very strong sense i've always like  the parking layouts and i'm known for adapting very well and been fast in them too.

Who will be the driver to watch in your category? I cant say that I would watch on one driver in specific sense there are many good drivers that would be attending this race. I think that the competition is going to be strong and I know that we would do our best to win this race.

Check Out Angel's Gallery!

1. Category? HPV Junior
2. Is this your first time at the SKUSA Super Nationals? Yes               
3. Previous best finish (if applicable)? N/A
4. What preparations have you made for this event? I’ve been racing throughout the year and practicing when I can.  Also, I’ve been working out each week at the Fitness Cove to stay in shape.
5. Who is your mechanic? Todd DeGrand
6. What are your goals for this race? Have a good race and get a good finish. 
7. What are your thoughts on the track layout? The track looks fast with two interesting sections right before the main straight and just after the start finish line.
8. Who will be the driver to watch in your category? There will be plenty of fast guys in this category.  We will wait and see during practice. 

Check Out Tristan's Gallery!

Andy Lee

1. Category? Tag Sr.
2. Is this your first time at the SKUSA Super Nationals? This will be my 4^th time.
3. Previous best finish (if applicable)?  Nothing I’m happy with yet but I did set fast time for Tag Sr final practice in 2006 out of 80 entrants.
4. What preparations have you made for this event?  I work at the Bondurant Super Kart School as an instructor so I drive shifter karts nearly every night.  I also do a ton of cycling in preparation for a mountain bike race I’m running in early December.
5. Who is your mechanic?  Derek Otto.  He is the head mechanic for the Bondurant Super Kart School and also a very fast driver.
6. What are your goals for this race?  To win of course!!
7. What are your thoughts on the track layout?  I love temporary tracks so regardless of the layout I’m going to enjoy it. It is pretty cool to be near the Vegas strip for the race.
8. Who will be the driver to watch in your category?  There will be a lot of strong drivers no doubt but I try to focus on what I am capable of more so than worrying about other them.

Don't forget to checkout Lee's gallery!

"At the two West events we only entered two drivers each, which obviously reduced our probability of gaining much needed points.  However, with only two drivers at these events we were still able to secure crucial results and points."

"We are extremely proud of the work and efforts that everyone who worked with our team at each event during the 2008 Stars season.  The drivers, parents, mechanics, management, families, and colleagues all played significant roles in capturing these results."

Thanks!

Saturday's TaG racing was filled with blistering fast times by several Kosmic drivers including the races fastest lap awarded to Matt Machiko.  The results proved many successes for the Blue 'K' with Machiko, Schumacher, Hewes, Neal, Knect, and Stanton all finishing in the top ten.  Unfortunately Baker and Flucker would encounter some bad luck on Saturday and finished outside the topten. Schumacher finishing the highest in second.  Sunday's activity only got better for the Kosmic stable as Schumacher would sweep the day with pole, heat win , and an impressive feature as well.  Other notables were Hewes, Machiko, Neal, Kenect who all finished in the top ten.  Further down the list was Morgan Baker, who has shown impressive imporvement and looks to be a contender for next season along with Stanton and Horan.

The Cadet class took the track with its usual tough competition and squarely in the mix all weekend was Tyler Frankenberry.  Frankenberry drove a great weekend and was able to secure to second place finishes in both Saturday and Sunday's finals.  Also in the Cadet category was Jarett Zaleski who is improving with every weekend as well.

In the Jr Can class Kosmic was represented by Blaise Haynes, Zaleski, and Aiello.  Each driver showed some good strength over the weekend with each driver having some quality on-track battles.

Rounding out the weekend was the SHifter/ICA category.  This race was fun to watch with the costumes of Jeff Demello, racing was almost the least of concerns!  Demello would take home second on Sunday's final and Jennifer Neal took the races fast time.

Great Job to all the Kosmic drivers and we look forward to another great season in 2009!

We almost forgot to mention that Yes, we are the 2008 Stars of Karting TaG Champions!!!! 2009 will be left up to whoever is the best IAME driver.  Unfortunatley for this driver, the title will have relatively no worth.

See you in Vegas, Baby!

Starting out the weekend was the Stars TaG category where Victor Cabrera was in solid position to finalize his mark on the season with a National Championship.  On Friday a few random issues caused the driver to lose valuable track time, which thus put the team at a distinct disadvantage.  As Saturday progressed qualifying would offer a ninth place starting position for the heat races.  The team continued its work through the heat races with some success; however, two DNF’s would force Victor to start each final in 16^th position, an unfamiliar and daunting task for the young driver.  A long Saturday night of reviewing data and repositioning itself, J3 came out on Sunday with the Championship at the forefront.  In Final one, Cabrera did what he had to by finishing in eight place, which would put him further ahead in the points chase as he entered final two.  Cabrera ended the weekend by advancing ten positions in the second final to finish seventh while turning the fastest lap of the race and subsequently taking home the National Championship!

On track next was the JICA category with drivers Angel Caban and Tristan DeGrand squarely entered in the mix.  After qualifying DeGrand and Caban would position themselves in sixth and seventh for their heat races.  After three competitive and hard fought heat races, Caban and DeGrand would take up the fifth and tenth grid positions.  The finals proved that the team had secured solid setups in order to make a run toward the front.  In final one, Caban carved his way to the front with some brilliant passing and  thus secured the lead around the half-way point whereby he would lead until two laps to go when a battle between Menezes and Minch in sued, thus giving Caban a solid second place finish.  The driver to watch in final one was Tristan DeGrand as he moved through the field after a rough start to secure fourth place at the mid-point until he was taken off track and forced to finish fourteenth along with the fastest lap of the race.  Final two showed an impressive display of driving and teamwork as Caban and DeGrand outclassed the competition.  The two drivers worked together to move to the point whereby they secured first and second place as they methodically walked away from the field over the last five laps. 

The two teammates battled each other hard and clean with Caban taking a narrow margin of victory over DeGrand.  Along with the hardware each driver received, Tristan DeGrand also accepted ‘Rookie of the Year’ award for the best junior driver.  Tristan ended his first year in JICA with results that will be hard for next year’s rookie to meet.

Rounding out the weekend for J3 was ICC driver Nick Johnson.  After a successful outing in Shawano, Nick would receive the hard luck award for the event.   Johnson worked with the team all weekend as a compromise between the driver and chassis was never exacted.  Johnson, however, will be looking to improve as he will return to Las Vegas next month for the Super Nationals.

“The weekend was an absolute success for the entire team.  Winning the Stars TaG Championship is something our team has worked very hard for over the past nine months.  Of course the results we attained in JICA do not need any words of explanation either.  We have one more race on our calendar in five weeks and it will be important to continue our testing and efforts in order complete the perfect season” – J3 Management   

J3 Competition Inc. is the sole US importer for Kosmic Racing Karts as well as an Official importer for OTK Kart Parts and Vortex Engines.  Interested parties please contact J3 Competition’s Sales Department at 814-864-1846 or Sales@J3Competition.com.

J3 will be hosting drivers in Spec Racer, JICA, and ICC.  A focal point in the Spec Racer category will be points leader Victor Cabrera.  The competition has been extremely close all season and it will no doubt intensify with the Championship on the line.  Not to be left out is J3's stellar JICA drivers.  Tristand DeGrand who proved in Seattle that come rain or shine, temporary or permenant track he's a factor that needs to be picked up on everyone's watch.  Not to mention that last year at this event the young driver was the benchmark until mechancical issues sidelined him.  Pairing with DeGrand is Angel Caban who has been testing extensively since his last event in Shawano.  Caban was a factor in Las Vegas last year and has always adapted well in temporary conditions so he will be looking to end his junior career with a win.

Rounding out the team will be Nick Johnson who has steadily progressed over the last couple Stars races in addition to a good event in Rock Island.  Nick will be looking to improve his finish in Las Vegas.

"This weekend marks the end of another great year for our team.  We have a Championship in reach with Cabrera and a good chance for victory with DeGrand and Caban.  As a team we have spent the last seven weeks testing really hard with our ROK TT package and now its time to put our efforts to work.  So let us see if we can continue our success" -- J3 Management

-Caleb Loniewski/Ryan Miller - DB  Motorsports                

-Sean Mier/Keith Spicer - DL Racing

- Colin Motorsports

-Jim Giacomelli/Robbie Pecorari

-Cy Schumacher/Adam Johnson

These four teams will definitely be ones to watch throughout the week.  Stay tuned as we intend to have updated news as this event progresses!

The events official practice started on Thursday and concluded on Friday evening.  At the conclusion of Friday Sabre Cook's ROK TT powered TaG Jr. entry appeared the kart to beat.  With dilegent work and foresight the team at J3 offered a complete and competitive package for the weekend's events.

Unfortunately, Sabre Cook would be forced to start each heat race from the rear of the grid after an unforseen malfunction in qualifying.  This, however, did not affect the young driver as she climber her way to a fourth place starting position for Sunday's final. 

At the start of the final, Sabre would be forced back to eight place whereby, she methodically worked her way to the front of the field.  As the race wore on and the competition's setups became compromised, Sabre took advantage of the strategey and finished on-track in second place.  Concluding the race in post-tech Sabre would be awarded the victory after the first place driver was deemed non-compliant.

"The weekend was a great success. We were able to utilize our engine package effectively outside of our Race Team.  I think this proves the consistent and quality driven service that J3 offers to all its customers.  The weekend and the event was enjoyable and the staff and competitors at Grand Junciton really have something special to be proud of" - Justin Stefani

The weekend's activities had a large amount of focus on the TaG categories with several exciting races including, TaG Sr. TaG Master, and TaG Superpro. 

Starting out the weekend was the TaG Superpro class.  Many of the nation's top driver's set to do battle for the $1,500.00 grand prize.  During qualifying it was apparent that the Kosmic driver's were the one's to watch.  At one point Kosmic driver's held 1-2-3.  As the session wore on, it was apparent the Johnny Johnson (Kosmic/ROKTT) would be the one to beat as he secure pole position.  Rounding out the top five was Caleb Loniewski with a great run in 3rd (Kosmic) and Adam Johnson in 4th (Kosmic/ROKTT).  Fianlly, it wastime for the money race.  At the start Johnny Johnson took the lead and never looked back.  Johnny was able to imporve his lap times as the race rogressed loggin in a 33.1 second lap on his way to an almost 4 second victory!  The second pack consisted of three drivers lead by Adam Johnson.  Adam pulled away with five laps to go when he cut a tire.  At this point the other drivers realed in Johnson and it was three kart battle for second, which was won by Caleb Loniewski (Kosmic).  Adam Johnson would settle for a solid 4th place finish.

Competition in TaG Master was reigning Champion Brian McHattie.  The Ohio based DB Motorsports driver was able to take pole position on his last qualifying lap to once again secure a Kosmic T-11 in P1.  The final did not go Mchattie's way, as he would spend a large portion of the race battling for second place and later came into contact with a lap Kart.  Unfortunately, Brian's weekend was ended prematurely, but he once again showed his speed against some of the best. 

Next up was the TaG Sr. category where DB Motorsports entered firt time RIGP race Ryan Miller.  Ryan was able to secure fourth place starting position with little track all weekend.  As the green flag fell, Ryan battle hard in the top group thorughout the 20 lap final and he finished inside the top ten.  A solid and impressive run for his first time at Rock Island.

In addtion to the great racing, J3 Competition Inc. was also on-hand assisting ROK TT competitior's all weekend.  Along with unparalleled service, J3 was displaying its Kosmic, Vortex, and COMP product lines to the general public. 

"The weekend was a success for our dealers, customers, and competitiors and we have to thank everyone involved for their efforts throughout the weekend.  In several different categories we were able prove that our material along with our service is a very tough combination to beat."

J3 will be on-hand with its Technical Solutions team to assist in service not only its Kosmic customer base, but its Vortex ROK TT customer base as well. 

"This race is usually very exciting and it has the potential to place several obstacles in front of the drivers.  With the payout increased, the excitment should be at a higher level this year. Our overall goal from the technical side is to service and create effective solutions for the driver's using our equipment."

As the team worked through the heat races, it was evident that they were on the right track as DeGrand was able to score solid results of second and third.  Unfortunately DeGrand would also have to accept a DNF in heat race number one due to an unavoidable wreck with a fellow competitor.  Even with the unlucky DNF Tristan was still able to secure enough points to gain a fourth place starting position for the final events.  Starting on the outside would be a huge disadvantage as the top five drivers in the first final all started from the inside row.  DeGrand would take home a solid sixth place finish in final one as he blistered a time of 29.155 making the young driver the only one to break the 29.2 barrier all weekend.  Final two was a good highlight for DeGrand as he secured a podium finish of third.  Driving a difficult and flawless race enabled the J3 driver to pull away from the remaining driver’s on his way to securing his second Stars podium finish of the season.

Completing the weekend for J3 was Colin Garmany in the Spec Racer category.  The event in Seattle was Colin’s first pro-level event.  Working side-by-side with J3 technicians all weekend Colin was able to find good progression throughout the weekend with a finish in final two of 14^th while posting very competitive times throughout the final.  J3 is looking forward to watching this driver move forward throughout the remainder of 2008.

“The weekend in Seattle was definitely a success for our team.  We were able to secure fastest times in the dry and we were equally as fast in the wet.  One main goal in Seattle was to find new answers as we move toward more temporary circuits in 2008, and we did just that.  We couldn’t be more pleased with Tristan’s adaptability in Seattle along with Colin’s development.”

For further information regarding the Kosmic Racing Kart, Vortex ROK engine line, and OTK Kart Parts please contact J3 Competition Inc. at 814-864-1846 or Sales@J3Competition.com.

Stay Tuned - Its going to get exciting over the next few weeks!

J3

At the event were Kosmic drivers Adam and Johnny Johnson who entered the TaG Sr. category.  The weekend started out with wet conditions in qualifyig whereby, Johnny would qualify 2nd with Adam qualifying 4th.  As the weekend progressed Adam would be pleagued with mechanical gremlins that sidelined his true potential as he would retire, but only after he turned the fastest lap of the final.  The weekend, however, belonged to Johnny Johnson as he showed his patience all weekend and secured a large victory by over 4 seconds.  Both drivers were competing on Kosmic T-11 Racing Chassis. 

Look for this duo to at the Rock Island Grand Prix where they will pilot their Kosmic/ROK TT packages.

Robbie Pecorari recently signed with the competitive Guthrie racing for the remaining four Indy Lights events in 2008.  For those of you relatively new to Karting, you may not know the origins of this driver.  Robbie began is Karting career with two of J3's principal owners Jim and John Giacomelli with Jim being Robbie's personal driving coach.  The combination of Jim, John and Robbie - spent several years traveling North America capturing several titles while concluding their run in 2003 with the Stars of Karting ICA Championship.  As seen in the photo gallery, Robbie sports the 'J3 Competition Inc' logo on his racing helmet with resepct to where his career began - Karting. 

Keep up the good work Robbie!

The weekend wasn't completed after this event as Eric Schumacher would take his Kosmic T-11 to a pair of victories in the TaG Sr. on Saturday and Sunday.  What a great Job forthis Wisconsin based team!

J3 Competition arrived in Shawano, WI for the final round of the Stars of Karting Eastern Championship with two Championships at stake, Stars TaG and JICA.  J3 Competition entered drivers in all the main categories with multiple entries in the Stars TaG and JICA.  The weekend started out well on Friday practice as TaG drivers Victor Cabrera and Jeremy Nelson would spend a successful day testing several new developments the team brought to the race from their testing during June.  The rest of the team enjoyed a day of topping the time charts and evaluating new engine and chassis combinations for Saturday’s activities.  The added work and development would prove to be more than fruitful for the team as the weekend continued.

Moving into Saturday’s action the first class on track was Cadet, where Kosmic driver Breyton Santee put in a successful qualifying effort to bring home his Kosmic in fifth place.  Breyton continued the rest of the weekend with a little bad luck in one of his heats; however, successful up-front finishes placed the driver in a good grid position for each final.  As Sunday came along Breyton kept his composure and recorded valuable points with final finishes of sixth and eighth.

The next category to grab attention over the weekend was the JICA class which J3 entered drivers Angel Caban, Tristan DeGrand, and Alessandra Madrigal.  At the conclusion of qualifying the team’s efforts were noticed with Caban qualifying eighth, DeGrand in fourth and Madrigal in J.  The big mover during the JICA heat races was Angel Caban as he advanced himself from eighth to a fifth place starting position for the finals.  DeGrand secured a solid sixth  place starting position, which proved to be a safe starting position for him to go after a winning result.  Alessandra Madrigal received the bad luck award with a few incidents including a DNF forcing herself to start each final from 18^th.  Final one on Sunday proved to be the most exciting race of the weekend.  Caban and DeGrand worked there ways through the field and into the top five as DeGrand passed Caban and moved his sights on the lead trio.  DeGrand would consistently turn the fastest lap of the final as he caught the lead trio with two laps to go while close behind DeGrand was teammate Angel Caban who turned up the wick as the final laps progressed.  With two laps to go DeGrand’s patience materialized when the leader made a mistake on the last lap, DeGrand jumped into 3^rd and two corners latter Caban followed through for fourth.  As the lead group headed back to the ‘roller coaster’ DeGrand’s timing was impeccable as he passed Taylor Minch and Nick Neri to grab the lead and subsequently the Victory!  Angel Caban also capitalized on the last turn with an inside move to score 3^rd.  Madrigal battled her way through the field to secure a valuable tenth place finish putting all J3 drivers in the top ten.    As final two came around the team was poised to gain the same results, however, luck was not on the teams side.  During final two Caban turned the fastest lap at the half-way point as he reeled in the leaders and locked onto Taylor Minch’s rear bumper, but a mechanical failure ended Caban’s bid at

a victory.  Final one winner, Tristan DeGrand was running strong in the top five when an electrical problem forced the title contender out of the race with an unfortunate DNF.  After battling all weekend in an unfamiliar position Alessandra Madrigal drove another solid race as she moved up several spots in the final to a spot just outside the top ten.

J3 Competition’s junior drivers set the bar fairly high for their subsequent TaG teammates.  Unsurprisingly the team’s senior drivers did a repeat of the junior drivers with a solid first place and third place finish in final one by Cabrera and Nelson.  Pole sitter and points leader Victor Cabrera took the lead on lap two after missing the start whereby he systematically walked away from the competition securing a five plus second victory to further strengthen his hopes for the TaG title.  Teammate Jeremy Nelson had the breakthrough performance the team knew he had.  Starting the final in eleventh, Nelson pushed his Kosmic/ROK TT to the front in methodical way disposing of his competitors with ease where he would finish third place right on the bumper of the second place driver.  Final two was the moneymaker for Cabrera if he wanted the Eastern Championship.  Cabrera proved his dominance again with a three plus second victory with no challenges after the first lap.  The young Puerto Rican captured the Stars TaG East Championship with his third SOK final win of 2008.  Nelson looked to be on a similar path as final one, but a cut tire on lap two forced hopes of a double podium out of his reach as he retired early.  Both drivers were competing on J3 Competition prepared Kosmic T11/8 chassis with Vortex ROK TT engines. 

Finishing the weekend for J3 Competition was the single entrant in the ICC category, Minnesotan – Nick Johnson.  With little testing time it the Kosmic T11/8 the team set the weekends expectations at securing data and improvement.  With a couple off-track stints on Saturday morning the team continued their hard work and looked ahead for Sunday’s finals.  Johnson was able to put in two solid finishes with a top ten in final one and solid fourteenth finish in final two.

Next up for the team is the final Stars of Karting West event in Seattle, WA.

J3 Competition Inc. is the sole US importer for Kosmic Racing Karts as well as an importer for Vortex engines, OTK, and JHC Carburetors.  For further information please contact J3 Competition’s Sales Department at: Sales@J3Competition.com or 814-864-1846.

The busy week started out in Dousman, WI at the WKA Grand Nationals.  The J3 squad showed great speed in the HPV Jr. category with Tristan DeGrand and Alessandra Madrigal.  This event was Alessandra's first time running int the HPV category and at Badger Kart Club.  Tristan meanwhile showed great race craft and determination as he brought home a solid 2nd in HPV Jr. Heavy. This result puts young Tristan firmly in the Championship Hunt.  Alessandra improved on her track knowledge as the weekend progressed and recorded a couple solid 12th place finishes.  Other notables were Breyton Santee who once again was very quick and lead the Cadet final unitl an altercation on the last lap.  Hopefully Breyton's luck turns around at the Shawano Stars event!  There were several other Kosmic drivers along with Paragon Motorsports who did a great job at Dousman and we are looking for them to continue there hardwork at Concept Haulers Motorspeedway.

Shawano testing was relegated to two drivers, Tristan DeGrand and Alessandra Madrigal.  After two days of testing the team feels comfortable with its general setup for the event. "Both drivers did a great job adapting the track, Alessandra's first time and Tristan's first time in a JICA.  The basics we are able to takeaway for the race will be very useful." -- Justin Stefani

Finally the journey ended in Sunny, wait unbelievably HOT Miami, FL.  After two full days of testing Alessandra looked poised to gain a great result.  She did just that, after qualifying second by .004 of a second, the young driver fought hard at the front of pack to take a nice 3rd place.  Great Job!

Management: "The week was very important to us becasue at New Castle you have to deal with a track that has a relatively lower grip level in addition to being a very high speed layout.  We feel a certain level of comfort as we now prepare at the Race Department for the upcoming event.  In addition to the technical knowlege gained, the drivers were able in some cases to log in over 350 laps.  In conclusion all the drivers did a great job thorughout the enitre week."

Stay Tuned!

J3's Alessandra Madrigal arrived in Utah fully prepared to compete at the highest level.  This was evident when she went P1 in the first timed session on Friday.  Friday's final tally showed Madrigal slip a little in the time charts only due to the team's efforts to test different solutions for race trim.  Many drivers worked with new rubber in the remaining two sessions on Friday, where Madrigal kept with used rubber to insure her speed for the races.  Saturday's qualifying session didn't go exactly as planned with a cluttered track and the inability to gain clear laps early in the session Madrigal's hopes at a front row grid position were dashed.  In the end Alessandra would end up eight.  Starting from row four, Madrigal was the only driver to consistently advance their position in each heat.  Madrigal would record fifth place points for the final.  This was a true testament to the team's focus as well as Alessandra's determination.

The JICA finals were spectacular as Madrigal would record two solid fourth place finishes.  In the first final Alessandra would be pushed back to 12th place on the start thus, forcing the young driver to work her way methodically past eight drivers to secure a finish of fourth.  In final two, Alessandra got off to a great start and secured third by the second lap where she would run until the final lap.  A last lap pass put Alessandra 4th.  Alessandra's efforts were even more impressive considering she was fighting a stomach flu on Sunday, which resulted in medical attetion.  Thankfully, Alessandra is already recovered and ready for the next race.

The weekend was capped off with Cy Schumacher's efforts in the Stars TaG category.  Schumacher started the weekend off strong by posting P4 in the first timed session on Friday.  From here Schumacher tested several race setup for the remaining part of Friday and ended the day in P8.  Saturday's qualifying put Schumacher in P17.  Although, the qualifying effort did not match the speed Schumacher showed all day on firday, the heat races were impressive.

In Saturday's heat races Schumacher would battle his way up through the field with smart and solid driving.  The conistent effort put Schumacher in P8 for both finals.  In final one Schuamcher drove solidyly in the top ten until five laps to go when had an altercation with a fellow competitior which resulted in a final finish of 11th.  In final two Schumacher drove solidly for the first five laps of the race until a cut tire would for him to retire early.

The weekend's conclusion can only be described as successful on several fronts.  In terms of speed and consitency the team showed great results.  J3 is now in preparation for the next Star of Karting event in New Castle, IN where the team will be joined by its regular arsenal of drivers.

The J3 Competition team looked good today with the highlight of Victor Cabrera grabbing the quickest times in the final two timed sessions. Teammate Jeremy Nelson has looked very good in his return. Posting times in the top ten will only improve as the weekend progresses.

  Team newcomer, Alessandra Madrigal shined today.  With a couple days of testing last week, she looks poised and ready.  Other drivers such as Angel Caban are on track. Angel looks quick and the timesheets don't lie.  Tristan DeGrad battled today a little, but he will be right there tomorrow. 

Richard Benitez looked good also with the 6th fastest time.  The team went to work hard on the chassis this evening looking for greater balance.  The speed is good, but its all about balance.  Rounding out the team's efforts is Breyton Santee. Young Santee is working well in his first Stars event and we are looking for some good results!

Stay tuned - What a long day:)

Upon arriving on Monday, J3 began its detailed week long testing program.  The weather played a major factor throughout testing as the track conditions changed from dry to wet and subsequently to damp conditions. With significant testing completed in all conditions, the team felt comfortable moving into the weekend with the knowledge it gained. 

In Saturday’s Spec Racer action, Cabrera was able to notch fast time, while fellow teammate Andy Lee’s good run was negated with a rear width infraction in post-tech.  As the day progressed, Cabrera would win the pre-final and final in commanding form.  Point’s leader Andy Lee did exactly what he needed to do in order stay atop the championship standings by staying ahead of the competition with a great pre-final and third place final finish on Saturday.  Sunday was a totally different day in terms of track conditions.  Cabrera took fast time with a commanding time while Lee qualified just outside the top five.  Cabrera and Lee would have their work cut out in the pre-final.  A tight pre-final with several competitive drivers would result in Cabrera finishing fourth and Lee fifth.  In order to compete for victory in the final the team put together a much different chassis solution, which proved to be the true answer.  With proper pieces under Cabrera and Lee, the two succeeded with Cabrera gaining the win while Lee finished in the top five. The series ended with Andy Lee taking home the championship while Victor Cabrera took second.  Also, to be noticed was DL Racing’s, Kosmic-Vortex driver, Sean Meier who stood on the podium both days, which secured him third in the overall championship.  In the end it was Kosmic-Vortex 1-2-3!

The JICA category proved to be as exciting as ever over the weekend.  The team tested with its young drivers on Thursday and Friday in preparation for the final events.  On Saturday, Tristan DeGrand was able to secure a well deserved fast time in qualification.  Drivers Angel Caban and Sean Rayhall would qualify just outside the top ten on Saturday.  The pre-final and final racing was close as DeGrand would take home a seventh place finish with Rayhall and Caban finishing eleventh and thirteenth.  Sunday looked to be a good day from the start with DeGrand qualifying sixth and Rayhall qualifying eleventh.  Caban would succumb to a mechanical problem in the session, thus forcing him to start the pre-final in 21^st.  All three drivers improved successfully in the pre-final with DeGrand finishing third while Rayhall and Caban finished seventh and eleventh.

J3 Competition Inc. and Vortex have followed the strict and directed requirements by all organizations involved over the past two years to insure quality, parity, and product repeatability and success has been reached in all of these areas.

Recent news by these two organizations connote that ‘parity’ is not inline with the original scope. It is hard for anyone to imagine how these organizations have come to such a conclusion after their diligent testing and data collection. The only conclusion, which can be drawn at this point, is simply, Stars of Karting and TaG USA are in doubt of their national technical director’s knowledge and ability to perform said test in order to develop a scientific and fair conclusion.

The recently released news is troubling as Karting attempts to move forward and extend its wings. It is unfortunate that the Karting community is still under the command two prominent engine importers who continually control the Karting industry’s growth and ability to promote fair and competitive business and trade. The economic impact of such a rash decision has an enormous and adverse impact on the entire Karting community.

It is J3 Competition Inc. commitment in accordance with Vortex Srl (Italy) to stand by all Vortex RoK TT owner’s through this unfortunate time of indecision. J3 Competition Inc. will not waffle on its position within the industry regarding this matter. J3 Competition Inc. continues to encourage all concerned RoK TT owners to continue to direct their concerns to our Sales Department as we work diligently to resolve this issue. Along with the rest of the Karting community, J3 Competition Inc. awaits for the organizations to finally stand up and make a decision that has the Karter and the growth of the sport at the forefront instead of short-term financial benefits from special interests in mind.

Regards,


Jim Giacomelli – John Giacomelli – Justin Stefani

J3 Competition Inc.