A big weekend is coming up for the B.C. go kart racers and the Vancouver Island Karting Association at the Vancouver Island Motorsport Circuit.

The VIKA-GAIN Group Summer Series races six and seven will be run at the track in conjunction with the BC Regional Series championships.

The Regional Series was launched last year by the Vancouver Island Karting Association and two other clubs, the West Coast Kart Club in Chilliwack, and Kartplex in Oliver.

含羞草研究社淲e already ran two races in Chilliwack and two over at Kartplex so this is the championship weekend,含羞草研究社� VIKA president Gary Smith said Tuesday. 含羞草研究社淲e have karts coming from Washington, Alberta and all over B.C. It含羞草研究社檚 going to be a big event.含羞草研究社�

There were 147 entries as of Tuesday morning and drivers will race to determine winners in seven separate classes for different ages and kart makes.

含羞草研究社淭here will be champions crowned,含羞草研究社� Smith confirmed.

Each driver gets one practice session, followed by a qualifying round, then the pre-final, then the final. The fastest lap time in the qualifier gets to start at the front for the pre-final, and a driver含羞草研究社檚 finish in the pre-final determines where they start in the final. The winner of the final, of course, gets the trophy.

The weekend will feature drivers as young as five years old all the way up to those well into their 60s.

含羞草研究社淲e have an exhibition for five to seven year olds, who are the youngest,含羞草研究社� Smith said. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e got four kids from ages five to seven entered. Their karts are scaled down, mini versions with smaller engines and they含羞草研究社檙e only going to run a section of the race track.含羞草研究社�

Other age groups include drivers aged 7-11, 12-15, 16+, and 32+.

The older two groups are the largest.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檒l have 40 karts on the track at a time in a couple of the senior classes,含羞草研究社� Smith said. 含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 the most we含羞草研究社檙e allowed for insurance purposes.含羞草研究社�

With the success of events like this one, Smith said the sport is 含羞草研究社�100 per cent含羞草研究社� making a resurgence.

含羞草研究社淲e used to race at Western Speedway years ago and then the club built a track in Cassidy in the 含羞草研究社�90s for six or seven years,含羞草研究社� Smith explained.

Then the club went to Youbou and raced out of there for a number of years before sitting dormant for 17 years, from 2003 until 2021.

Smith credits the location at the VIMC, just west of Duncan, with the rapid growth of the revived club. Because of zoning, karts are the only vehicles that can race at the VIMC, although full-size vehicles and motorbikes can use the track for other purposes.

含羞草研究社淭he track is beautiful,含羞草研究社� Smith said. 含羞草研究社淚 think that含羞草研究社檚 really helping. It含羞草研究社檚 a world class facility, a little bit bigger than most go kart tracks, wider, faster, it含羞草研究社檚 unique but it含羞草研究社檚 certainly helped us grow this sport.含羞草研究社�

What含羞草研究社檚 more the track含羞草研究社檚 owner GAIN has stepped in to help sponsor the VIKA.

含羞草研究社淭hey see the potential,含羞草研究社� Smith said. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 been a good relationship with the track in helping [the sport] grow.含羞草研究社�

Practice is set for Friday while qualifying begins around 11 a.m. Saturday. Racing is set to begin by 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with everything wrapping up by 4:30 p.m. both days.