Speed and Papis to highlight PRI karting classic

Scott Speed looks like a class clown with his oversized hat on crooked

NASCAR stars Scott Speed and Max Papis are among the first drivers to confirm their participation for what is sure to be a star-studded 4th Annual PRI CKI All-Star Karting Classic, to be held Thursday night, December 10, at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show, in Orlando, FL.

Speed, the former Formula One driver, is currently second in the NASCAR SPRINT Cup Rookie of the Year standings and earned a season-best fifth at Talladega and qualified on the outside of the front row recently at Chicago in his Red Bull Toyota Camry. He also has four top-10 finishes in eight Nationwide Series races this season.

Papis, driver of the #13 Geico Toyota Camry, is coming off a SPRINT Cup career-best eighth-place finish at Watkins Glen earlier this month. The three-time Indy car winner also has campaigned in Formula One and sports cars.

Both Speed and Papis competed in last year’s event amongst a field that included drivers from NASCAR, IRL, sports cars and the up-and-comers in the karting world. A second feature race offers the best of the next generation of drivers, the future stars of motorsports, competing in the new Championship Karting International (CKI) series.

Last year¹s race was won by open wheel standout Jay Howard, driving for the Screaming Talent team. Taking second in the All-Star Division race was Grand-Am driver Joey Hand (Kartel Motorsports), while Speed finished third for Tony Kart. Indianapolis 500 winners Dan Wheldon and Buddy Rice joined the likes of Marco Andretti, Ron Capps, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Will Power, Anton Brown, Cristiano Da Matta, AJ Allmendinger, Vitor Meira, Michael Valiante and Ed Carpenter in the 2008 field. Many are expected to return for this year’s event.

This year’s race is scheduled for 7 p.m., on the tight six-turn track adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center which will house the 22nd Annual PRI Trade Show. There is no admission charge for Thursday night’s karting thunder and the general public is be encouraged to attend along with PRI Show attendees.