eFormulaCarNews - Ontario FF: Rookies Shine at BGR/TLM Team Grote Test
October 28, 2009
By: eFormulaCarNews (Text & Photos)
BARRIE, ONT. (October 27, 2009) - With the 2009 Ontario Formula Ford Challenge season now in the books, the Brian Graham Racing/TLM Racing with Team Grote gang wasted little time in preparing for the 2010 season. With FF1600 rookies Taylor Near, Ayrton Triolo, and Mackenzie Clare all getting behind the wheel, the team recently had a very successful test day at the Mosport Driver Development Track.
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While the day started with a damp track, it soon dried and all three drivers logged over 90 laps by days end. Working with data and coaching between sessions, they all steadily improved, ending the day within 4/10th of a second of one another. It was the first outing for Near and Triolo, and they both acquitted themselves very well. Clare who will not be of age until the 2011 season, showed good speed as well, and when he turns 16, he will be more than ready.
"It was a very productive day for all of us," stated Team Owner Brian Graham. "Both Ayrton and Taylor are products of our ladder system and we hope to have some announcements shortly on their plans for 2010. Mackenzie gets quicker every time out and is progressing nicely. When he turns 16 we will see him on the OFFC grid, and I suspect at the pointy end! We will continue our testing as late as the weather will allow, and then look south to warmer locations."
Mackenzie will continue with his testing program next season with BGR/TLM, while both Ayrton and Taylor are currently working on deals for the 2010 season.
BGR/TLM will continue to test as long as the weather allows and then will look to the USA for winter testing. Plans for a full Pro F2000 series are also in the works, interested drivers should contact the team through the team website http://www.briangrahamracing.com
BGR-TLM - Team Grote Racing Development Driver Ayrton Triolo Ramping Up To Speed
August 18, 2009
By: BGR/TLM Team Grote Racing (Text & Photos)
Ayrton Triolo's testing program is getting the 15 year old up to speed. (Photo - Teresa Matkovich - Photo Arts)
As an integral part of the BGR-TLM Team Grote Racing ladder system, seat time for the team's under 16 development drivers is key to future success. This season BGR-TLM Team Grote Racing has two young up and coming drivers in15 year-old Ayrton Triolo and 14 year-old MacKenzie Clare.
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Clare, who has been competing successfully in Rotax Max this season is slated to spend some time testing in one of BGR-TLM Team Grote's Formula Fords at a test day in early October. Although only 14, come 2010, MacKenzie will then be able to run some Friday pre-race event practice sessions at Mosport to garner more seat time on the big track
Since the start of this year's F1200 Championship Series, Ayrton Triolo has been taking advantage of the Friday Mosport practice days to hone his race craft in one of BGR-TLM Team Grote Racings F1200’s. Part of a unique father-son combination, Ayrton takes advantage of ¾ of the time available in the Friday practice dates, then toward the end of the sessions, father Carlo, who is contesting the F1200 Championship series, utilizes the last ¼ of the session to get set-up for the weekends events.
"Ayrton has been steadily improving", comment Dave Matkovich, of TLM Racing. "His last outing, pre the BARC Aug 8th & 9th event, we could see his confidence rising and also his ability to apply the information gathered from our onboard data systems to run cleaner and faster lap times as the session progressed. In fact, Ayrton ran a 1:45 at one point and if that was during qualifying the next day, would have placed him in on the 4th row for race 1, which is fantastic given how little time he has had in the car and on the big Mosport track."
Ayrton will be spending more time testing in the team's F1200's Sept 18th and Oct 2nd on the big Mosport track as well as have two solid days testing Sept 2nd and 3rd on the DDT track at Mosport.
BGR-TLM - Team Grote Racing F1200 Team would like to thank their sponsors: Amsoil, Trick Designs, Beauty Craft Kitchens, HCG, Canada-Wide Reinforcing Steel Co., Taylor Bros Truck Sales, Roseland VW, and Grote Manufacturing.
The F1200 Championship Series continues with rounds 13,14, & 15 at Mosport International Raceway, September 19th & 20th
June 30, 2009 - Follow up on Ayrton Triolo's PRKosmic debut at Mosport Kart Track
Team News: PRKosmic - BSRKC Mosport Report
PRKosmic made the second race appearance in its brief history Saturday as the Brian Stewart Racing Karting Championship contested round three at Mosport International Karting. Matt France and Rich Hibbs lined up in Rotax DD2 while Michael Adams and Ayrton Triolo took to the track in Rotax Junior. Fortunes were mixed, but one driver just may have produced the drive of the day to reach the podium.
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That driver is Rich Hibbs, though his day started anything but ideal when he lost a motor in qualifying. For the second time in as many starts Hibbs, his own tuner, had a long job list prior to the prefinal, and his reward for completing it was P24 among twelve rows of DD2 karts! Yet, unfazed, he got down to business in the prefinal. He was nine spots forward after the first lap alone, and into the top ten before the race hit half distance. He ended the run P6, with the fastest lap of the race as he capitalized on fresh rubber. The final was much the same as the PRKosmic pilot continued to move forward, and by lap ten of the main event was second and in the thick of a podium-position fight. After 18 race laps he confirmed a spot, standing third for the second straight race. He also moved to third in overall points, and is second when a drop is figured in as he did not contest race one.
Teammate Matt France had a similar day, although his ended as that of Hibbs began: watching from the grass with a blown motor. For his part France qualified P11, and things would get worse before they got better. First he survived a shift-cable scare during the warm-up lap of the prefinal when he discovered and corrected a problem from the seat! Incredibly while reaching back with one hand rolling the pace lap, France connected the stray cable in time to retake his grid spot prior to the green. Yet things got worse still, when a wild opening set of corners dropped him down the order. For the second straight race the PRKosmic pilot was forced into recovery mode through no fault of his own. Falling to nearly P20, France fought back to P10 in the next ten laps. He held at the start of the main, and was ninth through the opening stages. Continuing to charge, he was sixth and following Hibbs on track yet a mechanical would have the final say - a blown motor ending his day at the interior hairpin. France is now fourth in both overall and drop-adjusted series' points through three of six rounds.
PRKosmic expanded to have two Junior karts at Mosport, yet sadly for Adams, Officials didn't seem to notice. Adams qualified P15, yet corrected matters quickly in the prefinal when he marched to P6. A comical rough driving call demoted him to start ninth, and it proved the first in a series of three hits that would lead to the end of his day. The second came high on the Mosport hill beginning the final when he was punted and fell to dead last, and after taking back eleven spots in seven laps, a meatball flag ended his run - one that wasn't even intended for him! The meatball was intended for Triolo after the Saskatoon driver lost his pit-side pod in the Mosport bowl. It was also a shame, as he was rounding into form during the final run of the day. His PRKosmic ride was arranged too late for Thursday practice, and Triolo spent Friday running a F1200 at Mosport International Speedway. His first taste of both the track and Kosmic began with Saturday morning qualifying when he posted P27. Triolo then found a full second of time in the prefinal, and had already set a better lap in the final when called in. He was ten spots forward from where his day began in the field of 31, and eyeing a move into the top half of the field.
About PRKosmic: Based in Oshawa, Ontario, PRKosmic offers the full range of Kosmic chassis, Vortex engines, and other marquee products such as OTK kart parts, IBEA, and JHC carburetors. PRKosmic also has many exciting partnerships including a media plan with RACEPR for all team drivers; an official website under construction with industry leading On Track Promotions; and full team data support from Bouran Data Services. Look for more news in the days to come, and the launch of
http://www.prkosmic.com in the very near future.
June 26, 2009 - Driver News: Ayrton Triolo - Saskatchewan Pilot Returns to Ontario Karting
Saskatchewan Pilot Returns to Ontario Karting
Ayrton Triolo makes his return to Ontario kart racing this weekend as the fifteen-year-old from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has signed on to race with up-and-coming PRKosmic. Though he's not new to racing in Ontario, the schedule he and his father, Carlo, have undertaken this year is perhaps one of the most unique father/son combinations in racing.
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A family plan had Ayrton set to begin his formula car apprenticeship this season in F1200, but a driver needs to be sixteen to race cars in Ontario. That's when the family began thinking outside the box, and entered an incredible agreement with BGR/TLM Racing - Team Grote. While Ayrton is undergoing a full season of testing including practice days and pre-race events, Carlo is taking over on race day and contesting the 2009 Formula 1200 Championship!
"So far so good," Carlo said of the pairing. "Ayrton tests and sets up the car and we analyze data together and discuss the track, lines, shifting, cornering speed and things like that. He has basically become my driver coach - a complete swap in roles! It's ironic after he's had eight years of me teaching him in karting!"
In the first event of the season at Shannonville Motorsport Park, Ayrton put the car through practice before Carlo took over for qualifying and a triple-header of race events. "The team was quite impressed with his ability to analyze data, break it down and offer suggestions on how to improve overall lap times," Carlo said of the first race outing. "My lap times steadily improved over the race weekend, and the results got better as well. I qualified P12, then finished eleventh in race one, eighth in race two, and was up to sixth in a wet race three before an accident directly in front of me forced me to take evasive action. I saved it from a spin, but the pack had gone by and I finished twelfth."
Win, lose, or draw, Triolo the younger is certainly being prepped for a career in racing, though on which side of the wheel remains to be seen. "We have always discussed and planned for Ayrton to try his hand in open-wheel cars and see where it leads," Carlo said. "Maybe we move up a class each year, or maybe back to karting, but at least he will have tried and had a lot of fun doing it. In the meantime, he talks about the engineering side of racing and a career in the sport either way, so the experience will be an asset no matter where he ends up!"
One thing both father and son realize, is that seat time is paramount in racing and it was time to find more of it. Originally slated to contest the Stars of Canada series in Ontario, they have been left with fewer options with the cancellation and began looking to get back into more competitive karting. "Petri and PRKosmic have provided us with an excellent opportunity to get back into a kart this weekend in a very competitive field," he continued. "Ayrton needs the seat time, and he needs to show he is a capable driver that can get results. Though we arranged this race day too late to arrive in time for a practice day on Thursday, we'll hope to get in the last session or two on Friday after coming over from F1200 practice on the main track."
Ayrton will race Rotax Junior in the Saturday schedule of the BSRKC. He will have just one morning practice session on race day before qualifying, a prefinal, and a main event.
June 3, 2009 - TLM's Shannonville race recap
1st F1200 event at shannonville May 29-31st
News Update
Harris Lands 2 Podiums for BGR-TLM
Wet tracks, dry tracks, and damp tracks with a nasty cross wind did not slow down BGR-TLM - Team Grote
Racing's Rookie F1200 Championship Series driver Keenan Harris from landing on his first two podiums during rounds 1, 2, & 3 last weekend finishing with two P3's at the DAC Shannonville event!
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The F1200 Series fielded a 17 car grid, one of the larger turn outs in many seasons, and contained an even mix of both veterans and rookies, with all 3 BGR-TLM Team Grote Racing's drivers contesting their first F1200 series event. The Friday practice day was challenging for all drivers with pooled water still present on the track from the down pour the previous night. BGR-TLM - Team Grote Racing's Harris, Taylor Near and Carlo Triolo took advantage of the practice day to get acquainted with the long track progressively lowering their lap times.
The team qualified Saturday morning on dry tracks with Harris P5, Near P7, and Triolo P12. Race 1 saw the 2008 Champion Mike Iamundi pull away quickly from the field running a smooth controlled race to take the first win of the season, followed by veterans Andrew McMurray, Mike Rogers, and Robert Tronchi. BGR-TLM - Team Grote Racing's Harris and Near rounded out the top 5, with Triolo moving up a position to finish P11
Sunday morning the skies parted, with the grid starting on a fully dried track with the two BGR-TLM - Team Grote Racing rookies Harris and Near lined up on Row's 3 and 4. Harris moved into a comfortable 3rd and Near battling it out with veteran Eric Barrett for 4th as the checkered was waved. Harris was ecstatic taking his first ever podium in P3. Taylor Near used the draft perfectly to pass Eric Barrett on the last lap of the race to capture his first top 5 finish with Triolo moving up 3 more positions to finish P8.
The trophy race on Sunday afternoon proved to be a challenge as a down pour left the track wet, but as the mock grid was counting down to roll out on the track, the skies parted and strategies were changing as drivers acknowledged that the track would dry as the race progressed. BGR-TLM - Team Grote Racing's Harris and Taylor Near started on the 2nd row, with Triolo in the 4th row. Knowing that veterans Iamundi and McMurray were starting from the back of the grid, all BGR-TLM - Team Grote Racing drivers were instructed to try and get out front as quickly as possible. Harris leapt out front with Rogers and Tronchi, Taylor Near held his position and Triolo executed a daring move up the inside to gain 4 positions before turn 2. As expected veterans McMurray and Iamundi quickly carved their way to the front joining Harris and Rogers, then all 4 all pulled away to create the front running pack. Rookie Harris moved into P1 and after an off by Rogers was now leading the race with his mirrors filled with the cagey veterans
Iamundi and McMurray. Harris lead most of the trophy race up and until the second to last lap where both McMurray and Iamundi passed the rookie into the corner off the long straight-away. Iamundi would take the checkered and trophy race win, followed by McMurray in P2 and Rookie Harris taking P3 at the finish line, his 2nd podium of the weekend.
During the weekend BGR-TLM - Team Grote Racing's junior development driver, 15 year-old Ayrton Triolo, worked closely with his father Carlo on strategy. Unable to contest the F1200 series until 2010, and after 10 years of father teaching the son, the student was becoming the master as young Aryton coached his father to faster lap times as the weekend progressed.
BGR-TLM - Team Grote Racing would like to thank their sponsors: AmsOil, Trick Designs, Beauty Craft Kitchens, HCG, Canada-Wide Reinforcing Steel Co., Taylor Bros Truck Sales, and Grote Manufacturing.
The F1200 Championship Series continues with rounds 4, 5 and 6 at Mosport International Raceway, June 27th & 28th, 2009
For more information on the teams see: www.tlmracing.com and www.briangrahamracing.com
Cancellation of the SOC TV (Newsletter)
Stars of Canada Registered Drivers,
Before things get any farther along, we regretfully announce the postponement of the Stars of Canada TV Series until 2010, due to equipment issues.
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The TV deal remains in place and Series Sponsors remain very much on board and are committed to seeing the series through. Insuring kart racing makes its way to regular television is important to the Series Officials and Sponsors. Knowing the excitement of watching 40 young up-and-coming drivers take the green flag in side-by-side rolling starts, with speeds topping 100 MPH, is what TV and karting calls for.
However, at this time, the Series needs to deal with the issue at hand: The money paid for equipment that is deemed unsuitable for competition as well as addressing the Stars of Canada drivers that have provided a Security Deposit, and in some cases purchased additional equipment. To follow the money is easy - getting it back is easier said than done, but the Series is committed to fully refunding everyone.
We know this is not what the Series' drivers or their families wanted to hear at this time, but the Series is committed to refunding the security deposits, although it is not going to be immediate. Once again, we know that this is not what you want to hear, but we need everyone to work together as a group and support the Series in its efforts to recoup the money paid. The Series is not going away, we will be professional in dealing with everyone and need the drivers and their families to understand where the problem lies. To force everyone to race a product where quality control is a serious problem is wrong and the Series recognized the safety of the competitors as its first priority.
Officials have no choice but to postpone the Series at this time. The statement released by Mr. Martin Brien confirms as much, as he stated that the equipment is not yet ready for a program of this magnitude based on the lack of Quality Control. If the Series chose to continue with the current karts/engines, it would become liable knowing the karts are not safe for competition. The Series Officials and Sponsors need to deal with these issues before going forward.
We would like to thank everyone that helped out and offered free office space to Stars of Canada following the closure of the Office at SQ Motorsports, but Stars of Canada will be setting up a temporary office at Cameron Motorsports Karting Complex in Hamilton. We believe locating the office where nearly 40 per cent of the Stars of Canada drivers are club members is more beneficial in dealing with issues going forward. Tina Isaac will be working from this temporary location and can reached by calling (647)-225-5752 or via email tina@russbondagency.comtina@russbondagency.com until such time as the Stars of Canada phone lines are installed.
We sincerely apologize and politely ask all Series participants and their families to have patience with the Series as we attempt to correct this wrong doing.
Sincerely,
Armin Thiel
Stars of Canada
May 3rd/09 -1st Saskatoon Club race of the season
Ayrton wins 1st season race by a straightaway distance. Dominating the field!
Finishes strong posting times at least 7-8/10ths quicker than the rest of the field.
He looked fast, smooth, confident, and very consistent in lap times.
February 26, 2009 - eFormula Car News
Ontario F1200: Triolo Father/Son Duo Join Brian Graham Racing/TLM Racing
Canadian-based Brian Graham Racing/TLM Racing - Team Grote have announced the signing of Aryton Triolo to a driver development contract, as well Carlo Triolo to contest the 2009 Ontario Formula 1200 Championship Series.
As part of a planned long-term partnership, the 15 year-old Aryton Triolo has joined forces with Brian Graham Racing/TLM Racing, sponsored by Grote Manufacturing, via a driver development program. With the goal of advancing his driving skills, technical understanding of the car, and the overall dynamics of car racing, Triolo will take part in a full season of testing in the team's F1200's. Triolo had tested with TLM Racing in October of 2008, proving to be a very smooth, controlled, and fast driver.
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In an interesting Father-Son team effort, Aryton Triolo's father Carlo Triolo will contest the Ontario-based F1200 Series in 2009, while Aryton Triolo uses the practice days, pre-race events, to develop his skills. The Triolo's are natives of Saskatoon, Sask.
Aryton Triolo will continue his competitive karting campaign while testing with BGR-TLM. Through March 2009, he will be contesting The Gatorz Eyewear Golden State Karting Cup Premier Rotax Max Challenge in the US, before taking part in the Stars of Canada Karting Series beginning May. Although just 15, Aryton Triolo has posted some solid finishes in his young racing career, including an undefeated season in 2005 in Junior 1 Honda class of the SKR Series, fourth in the SKR Series Rotax Junior class in 2006, third in 2007 Rotax Junior class of the RMC Saskatchewan Series, and 35th out of 75 karters in the recent Rotax Junior class of the 2008 Florida Winter Tour.
Carlo Triolo has many years of karting under his belt and is no stranger to competitive racing. In his youth he shared the track racing against Canadian legend Paul Tracy, and was very competitive into his mid-20's. After taking time off to have a family, he re-joined the Senior Karting ranks in 2000, and over the years in various Senior Karting series he has found himself consistently finishing in the national top-10.
Both Aryton and Carlo Triolo will race in 2009 thanks to support from Trick Designs Fiberglass, HGC Hospital Contract Group, SGI Saskatchewan Government Insurance, Canada-Wide Reinforcing Steel Co., and KRTS Kart Racing Team of Saskatchewan.
In effort to create Canada's premier formula car development team, Brian Graham Racing/TLM Racing with Grote was recently formed via partnership of two of the nations leading junior race car teams. The new partnership features a three-tier program for its drivers via the Ontario Formula 1200 Championship Series, Ontario Formula Ford Challenge and the F2000 Championship Series.
The 2009 Ontario Formula 1200 Championship Series commences on May 30-31, with Rounds 1-3 at Shannonville Motorsports Park.
February 14, 2009 - Ayrton Triolo has been accepted on to the next reality TV series about racing:
“Stars of Canada” - A 10 Race Nationally Televised Race Series. This will be televised nationally as a 13 Episode Reality Television Series, showcasing racers from all over Canada.
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The series begins this May 2009 and the series breakdown is as follows:
1. The Series is a sponsored Televised Reality Racing Series is a 3 year SERIES deal to be televised in Canada in HD on general cable, Sport Networks.
The Series consists of 13 episodes (10 racing events) to form the "SERIES" National Televised Championship in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. Each year's championship may consist of the following:
- 1 intro episode introducing the Series and the Teams
- 5 Televised events (first half)
- 1 televised recap of the season at the halfway point
- 5 televised events (second half)
- 1 televised season recap including Awards Banquet (Championship)
Each event will be a double header - meaning that there will only be 5 event weekends consisting of a Saturday as one event and Sunday as another. The actual schedule is subject to change.
2. The main goal of the SERIES is to promote the Sport of Karting and Kart Racing Facilities in Canada. The SERIES emphasis will be on cost control and providing a level playing field to help talented Canadian Drivers.
3. The SERIES will capture the on track intense competition as well as the off track trials and tribulations encountered by Drivers and their families on the way to winning a Championship. The SERIES will feature new up and coming drivers at Karting facilities in Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
4. The DRIVER has the ability to promote and obtain substantial sponsorship dollars by the SERIES providing a means of showcasing sponsors in a televised racing series.
5. The 2009 Stars of Canada Event Schedule
Events 1 & 2: Mosport International Raceway DDT (North & South Combined)
Saturday, May 16 and Sunday May 17, 2009
Bowmanville, Ontario
Events 3 & 4: Cameron Motorsports Karting Complex
Saturday, June 20 and Sunday June 21, 2009
Hamilton, Ontario
Events 5 & 6: 3S Go-Karts
Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sutton, Ontario
Events 7 & 8: Goodwood Kartways
Saturday, August 15, and Sunday, August 16, 2009
Stoufville, Ontario
Events 9 & 10: Innisfil Indy Karting
Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2009
Innisfil, Ontario
Please do not miss this opportunity to profit from the excitement and interest generated from a Nationally Televised Race Series.
January 22, 2009 - ekarting News
Team News: Karting Canada / Italkart - Gatorz Challenge of the Americas Preview.
Saskatchewan-based Karting Canada / Italkart begins its season this weekend as a trio of drivers head to Phoenix and the opening round of the 2009 Gatorz Challenge of the Americas. Veteran Scott Campbell will lead the way, joined in senior by Jayson Clunie and junior by Ayrton Triolo.
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Campbell heads to the desert fresh off his fifth trip to the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Final as a member of Team Canada. He will see double-duty in Senior and DD2 as he begins a quest for a sixth trip to the Rotax World event. While at first glance it appears Campbell would have dominated the DD2 class in the west with five wins from six starts, he had to fight tooth-and-nail to the final round to recover from a DNF at round two. He added a pair of wins from senior, sweeping through Saskatoon, and missed being a double-champion by just nine points. Campbell will take multiple shots at a Grand Final berth in the season ahead, beginning this weekend.
Matching the feat of his teammate, Clunie will also pull double-duty in the senior classes. The masters racer has some experience at PKRA and hopes to make it pay off beginning Friday. Clunie also raced both Senior and DD2 in the Western RMC last year and collected four top-fives in DD2 and a pair of top-tens in one of Canada's toughest senior line-ups.
The lone Karting Canada/Italkart junior in Phoenix is Ayrton Triolo. After an immense schedule in 2008 that included the Florida Winter Tour, Western Canadian RMC, select events of the Ontario Regional Karting Championship and the Canadian National Championships, Triolo is set to make waves as a Western junior in 2009. Gatorz kicks off a schedule that will take him to two countries, four provinces, a trio of championships and racing in both cars and karts.
Canadian Karting News
Team Karting Canada/Italkart Comes Out With Good Results
This past weekend was the opening round of the Gatorz Challenge of the America's in Phoenix, AZ. Scott Campbell & Jayson Clunie attempted the double duty of Rotax Senior as well as DD2. Ayrton Triolo put his skills to the test in the Junior Max category.
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Saturday January 24/09
Senior Max had 21 entries and Campbell would finish the pre-final and final in 6th. Clunie struggled a bit and ended up with 18th in the pre-final and 15th in the final.
Junior Max had 19 entries and Ayrton Triolo finished 13th in the pre-final and 12th in the final.
DD2 had a very small grid of 5 but still had some fast drivers. Campbell would win both pre-final and final and Clunie would end up with a 5th in the pre-final and a 4th in the final.
Sunday January 25/09
All the drivers were feeling the affects of the high speed track and tons of bumps. Both Ayrton and Jayson were having ribs problems and Scott had a neck issue. After thinking about taking care of there bodies Clunie & Campbell pulled out of Senior Max and Jayson would also pull out of DD2. He was having problems just sitting in his kart.
Triolo would have a much better day and would walk out with a respectable 8th in the pre-final and a 7th in the final. Ayrton sits in 10th overall going into Fontana in a month.
Campbell would repeat Saturday's result in DD2 with a win in both pre-final and final. He sits atop the standings heading to Fontana. With pulling out of Senior Max Scott still sits in 11th going into Fontana with one available drop.
Clunie sat out the day and rested his very sore ribs and sits 5th in DD2 and 21st in Senior Max.
Overall the weekend went well other than the really sore bodies. The team looks forward to Fontana at the end of February.
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