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Aussie Mitch is heading to America |
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Wednesday, 09 April 2008 |
While most 11 years olds are playing playstation games or checking the latest
gossip off the internet, Gold Coaster Mitchell Griffin spends all of his spare
time watching motor racing.
Despite still being five years away from
being able to obtain his road licence Griffin has been racing at up to 100 km/h
behind the wheel of a go-kart since 2005.
Griffin had his first race at the age of eight and has rapidly developed into
one of Australia’s top young racers with his biggest victory coming last year in
the Tasmanian State Championships.
Later this month Griffin will make
history by becoming the first Australian to compete in America’s top karting
championship, the Snap-on Stars of Karting series. The Stars of Karting is
linked to the IndyCar Series that the Gold Coast Indy 300 is a part of and Team
Australia’s Will Power, Brisbane-born Kiwi Scott Dixon and fellow Australian
Ryan Briscoe are competing in.
Understandably, Griffin is excited about
competing in America’s biggest karting series.
“I’ve got a great
opportunity to be able to race overseas at such a young age and I’m stoked to be
able to be racing in the United States because its where I want to make a career
out of racing NASCAR,” said Griffin, who is an avid fan of American NASCAR
racing.
“Marcos Ambrose is my idol, I met him a few times when he was
racing a V8 Supercar here in Australia and watch every NASCAR race that I can.
“The Stars of Karting is the top level series in America and I can’t
wait to get over there for testing next week followed by the opening race in
Salt Lake City the week after.”
 Since receiving the confirmation that
Mitchell would compete in the series with the Tony Kart America team several
weeks ago the Griffin family have been busily preparing their travel itinerary
for the five rounds of the series.
“In total we will travel over 150,000
kilometres flying between our home on the Gold Coast and each round of the
series,” said Paul Griffin, who is a former karter himself.
Throughout
his karting career Griffin has been guided by Jon Targett. He is the only
Australian driver to have won a round of the European Formula Super A
Championship and finished second in the 1992 series when he raced against the
likes of Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli, Jan Magnussen and Jos Verstappen.
Targett has also assisted drivers to the calibre of World Karting
Champion James Courtney, David Besnard, WTCC driver Thomas Biaggi, McLaren test
driver Gary Parfett and more recently Formula Ford driver Adam Graham.
Along with Targett, Griffin has spent time with seven-time Australian
Champion Troy Hunt in preparation for his US campaign.
Hunt was a
regular competitor on the European scene between 2000 and 2003, like Targett he
is now passing his knowledge on to the next generation of stars.
“For
the past few years I’ve always told Australian drivers that if they are looking
to take their karting careers to the next level that America is the best way to
go,” said Hunt.
“Mitchell has been provided a great opportunity and I
look forward to watching his progress throughout the years.”
Griffin
will fly out of Australia next Tuesday before he spends four days testing prior
to his opening round in Utah on April 26/27.
2008 Snap-on Stars
of Karting Series Schedule
April 25-27, 2008 - West Division Events
1+2
Miller Motorsports Park
Tooele, UT
May 30 - June 1, 2008 -
East + West Divisions Events 3 + 4
New Castle Motorsports Park
New
Castle, IN
July 11-13, 2008 - East Division Events 5+6
USA
International Raceway
Shawano, WI
August 22-24, 2008 - West Division
Events 5+6
Pacific Grand Prix
Kent, WA
October 10-12, 2008 -
East + West Divisions Events 7+ 8 (Stars of Karting Season Finals)
Las Vegas
Motor Speedway
Las Vegas, NV
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