March 31, 2021, St. Louis Region – The Gateway Kartplex, located inside World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, will open its 2021 season of Ignite Series racing on Saturday morning with a doubleheader. Gates for the first two races of the season will open at 7:30 a.m. with racing at 9:30 a.m. The 11-race series will run throughout the summer and concludes October 16.
The challenging half-mile road course, located in the infield of WWTR’s 1.25-mile oval, has a reputation for launching the careers of aspiring young driving talent.
Ignite Series schedule
April 3 – Races 1 and 2.
May 22 – Race 3.
May 23 – Ignite Challenge.
June 12 – Race 4.
July 10 – Race 5.
July 31 – Race 6 (night race).
August 14 – Race 7.
September 11 – Races 8 and 9.
October 9 – Race 10.
October 16 – Race 11.
The SuperComp Series will open with a doubleheader on Sunday, April 11, at 9 a.m. All event dates for the 12-race SuperComp Series are doubleheaders.
SuperComp Series schedule
April 11 – Races 1 and 2.
May 16 – Races 3 and 4.
June 27 – Races 5 and 6.
August 8 – Races 7 and 8.
September 12 – Races 9 and 10.
October 17 – Races 11 and 12.
Now in its eighth year of operation, the Gateway Kartplex was the first karting facility in the United States to host the Ignite Series. The Gateway Kartplex and its race programs have served as a launch pad for local talent. Most recently, Spike Kohlbecker, of Kirkwood, Missouri, and Evan Stamer of Glen Carbon, Illinois, announced their participation in the USF2000 Series, which is a stepping stone to the Indianapolis 500. Thanks to local business support, both will compete in the 2021 USF2000 Series for Ignite Autosport, driving cars fielded by Cape Motorsports of Brownsburg, Indiana. Drivers competing for Cape Motorsports have won nine of the last 10 USF2000 Series championships (and a total of 13 titles in its history). Ignite Autosport is an extension of Margay Racing’s Ignite Karting program at WWTR’s Gateway Kartplex, providing racers of all ages the opportunity to have fun, compete, and develop their driving skills in karting.
Photos: Mark Schwigen
Stamer has earned six championships at the Gateway Kartplex and won the 2020 Battle of the Brickyard kart race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Kohlbecker holds the track record at the Gateway Kartplex. He competed in the F4 U.S. Championship Series in 2020, scored wins at Barber Motorsports Park and Circuit of the Americas, and finished third in the final point standings.
For more information on the Gateway Kartplex, please visit www.GatewayKartplex.com. For additional information on World Wide Technology Raceway, please call (618) 215-8888. Follow WWTR on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.
About World Wide Technology Raceway
World Wide Technology Raceway is the home of INDYCAR, NASCAR and NHRA racing in the St. Louis region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering more than 600 acres, WWTR is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. WWTR’s facilities include a 1/4-mile drag strip, 1.25-mile superspeedway, recently-expanded 2.0-mile road course, a state-of-the-art karting facility, a 14-acre, multi-purpose dirt off-road venue and the Gateway Drive-In Theater at World Wide Technology Raceway (a drive-in entertainment venue able to accommodate 3,000 cars). WWTR acquired Gateway National Golf Links, adjacent to the speedway property, in 2019. WWTR was the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Facility of the Year Award from the Race Track Business Conference and the 2017 Spirit of St. Louis Award from the St. Louis Attractions Association. In 2018, owner and CEO Curtis Francois received the Innovator Award from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission in recognition of his work for restoring World Wide Technology Raceway (known then as Gateway Motorsports Park) to prominence. In 2020, WWTR received the Track Award at the annual NASCAR Drive for Diversity Awards. The 2021 season marks the 10th year of Francois’ ownership of the facility.
