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Kart Expo International

FYI
03-03-2001

2001 KART EXPO INTERNATIONAL – Overwhelmingly Successful!

Wheaton, Illinois – The 2001 Kart Expo International, was held on February 17-18 at Pheasant Run Resort and Convention Center in St. Charles, Illinois, suburban Chicago, and was deemed overwhelmingly successful by exhibitors, attendees and show management alike. The call last year by the karting industry, to move the show back to Chicago and back into February, was met with such enthusiasm that booth space was nearly 100% sold out. A first for the show!

“It only took 9 years to figure it out, but I think we finally have the right location and right time of year to be successful – successful for both the show and the exhibitors,” stated Darrell Sitarz, show director. “Companies will have their new products and catalogs ready in February, so they’ll be prepared to exhibit,” he continued.

With nearly 200 booths crammed with karts and equipment around the world, the show included exhibitors from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and the USA. Also in attendance were factory reps from Yamaha Japan, China’s Ocean Performance Karts. Other exhibitors included Italy’s Paolo Bosi. President of Vaccari & Bosi (the chassis maker for Ferrari and Lamborghini) showing the new King Kart, Gerry Brookes from Aurora Kart (Australia) with his new chassis and Canadian-based KartVision with their latest timing software, to name but a few. American manufacturers included TrackMagic, UltraMax, White Chassis and Shamrock karts, Kohler and Tecumseh engines, Max-Torque and SMC clutches and many, many others; over 120 exhibitors in all.

The 9th annual international karting exposition attracted visitors from all over the USA and Canada, and from as far away as Japan, China, South America, and Europe. “Walking up and down the aisles,” said one attendee from Boston, “I thought I was at the United Nations.” Because of the language differences many exhibitors even had translators in their booths.

This year, celebrities included Bobby Wilson, the #1 shifter kart driver in the USA and Ruben Carrapatoso, the 1999 World Champion from Brazil, who was in the Kart Mini USA booth.

On Saturday morning, during the 3-hour “Dealer-only” portion of the show, over 300 dealers attended -- the most in the show’s history. As the doors swung open for the general public on Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday, thousands strolled the aisles, viewing the newest 2001 models and talking to the exhibitors about the latest kart racing equipment.

Karting guru, Tom Argy, making an all-to brief sojourn to the show, took a break from officiating at the Daytona 500, and spoke to SRO crowds on Friday in three back-to-back seminars; two on Track Officiating and one on Sponsorship. He returned to Daytona Friday evening.

Other seminars included 4-cycle clutches, oval kart track set-up and business seminars, all but one, “standing room only”. Note: Two attendees (track owners) from Maine suggested that, next year, Kart Expo host a round-table discussion for all track owners, so they can discuss common problems and possible solutions at kart tracks. This suggestion is now under consideration.

So important was the show, that over 30 press passes were distributed to both local press, and to national and international karting media including Carlo Forni, the Editor in Chief from World Wide Vroom magazine. World Wide Vroom is the new “English language” karting magazine based in Italy.

Many exhibitors expressed their delight with the show that they told show management they would like to re-sign for the 2002 show immediately! The 2001 exhibitors will, of course, have the first right of refusal for exhibit space.

The 10th Anniversary Kart Expo International will be held on February 23-24, 2002 at the same location, Pheasant Run Resort and Convention Center in St. Charles, Illinois. The resort and area was such a hit that many exhibitors and attendees expressed interest in bringing their wives and families next year.

The 2001 Kart Expo was sponsored by WAIT AM850 – Chicago’s Voice of NASCAR, Liberty Suburban Chicago Newspapers, and e-KMI.com. For more information, contact Kart Marketing Group at karting@msn.com or phone 630-653-7368.

END

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Kart Marketing Group, Inc.
Post Office Box 101
Wheaton, IL 60189 USA
Telephone: 630-653-7368
Fax: 630-653-2637
Email: karting@msn.com

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