‘Kart- 4 Youngsters’ Professional-AM race honors IndyCar driver
FOX 13’s Mark Wilson speaks to Susie Wheldon forward of the Kart 4 Youngsters Professional-Am race, which is being held in honor of her husband, Dan Wheldon, an IndyCar driver who gained St. Pete’s inaugural Grand Prix race in 2005 earlier than passing away in a 2011 crash.
PALMETTO, Fla. – Earlier than the motion in downtown St. Petersburg this weekend, there have been sizzling laps, heavy hearts and high-fives on the T-4 Kartplex simply south of the Skyway as racing fanatics gathered for the annual Kart 4 Youngsters pro-am charity Go Kart race.
Amongst them, 12-year-old Oliver Wheldon whereas his mom Susie watched on proudly.
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“Dan used to race right here. This was one of many first tracks the place he got here to race when he moved from England,” Susie Wheldon mentioned.
The backstory:
His title and legacy are woven into St. Petersburg’s historical past. The high-speed flip off of Bayshore Boulevard in entrance of the Dali Museum has been renamed Dan Wheldon Approach and sits proper in entrance of a plaque that honors him. This 12 months marks 20 years since Dan gained St. Pete’s inaugural Indycar race.
“I am unable to consider it has been 20 years. That was such a particular time,” Susie mentioned.
It is solely becoming that point travels shortly for her with each of her teenage sons pursuing a life like dad within the quick lane.
“They’re each so obsessed with it and doing rather well. I am so pleased with them,” she mentioned.
Proud as properly of the occasion that was born as a option to honor Dan. Earlier than his devastating deadly crash in Las Vegas in 2011, he and Susie had been ardent supporters of Johns Hopkins All Kids’s Hospital, the place each of the boys had been born.
Dave Bassett, one of many founders of Kart 4 Youngsters, mentioned the Porsche membership thought a race may be a great way to honor him. Born was Kart 4 Youngsters, which has since raised $2.3 million for Johns Hopkins All Kids’s Hospital, funding their concussion analysis lab to check and stop sports activities accidents. The fund additionally helps the hospital’s affected person and worker aid fund.
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Native perspective:
Fellow St. Pete resident and racer Sebastien Bourdais, a two-time St. Pete winner himself, now chairs the occasion.
“It was a $6,000 occasion to start with and has now grown to a $300,000 affair,” Bourdais mentioned.
Together with her youngest son Oliver participating, Susie cannot consider a greater honor.
“It is unimaginable what they have been in a position to do and the cash they have been in a position to increase. It is a true testomony to how this neighborhood does come collectively,” Susie mentioned.
“It makes me really feel actually good, as a result of all this cash’s going to the children, and it is simply good to see all of the those that come to the race to help the charity and enjoyable to race too,” Oliver mentioned earlier than he took to the monitor.
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Kart 4 Youngsters invitations donors to place newbie groups collectively, pairing them with professionals, they usually even invited FOX 13 Anchor Mark Wilson to participate. He joined Oliver’s crew together with Gulfport’s 16-year-old phenom Nikita Johnson, who makes his skilled debut on Sunday within the IndyCar NXT sequence.
“It is my hometown monitor, so I am hoping for a win. It will be an epic celebration if we get it,” mentioned Johnson.
Each he and Oliver gained their heats within the race, as did Johnson’s youthful brother Kai. Matteo Papis and Max Taylor rounded out their crew and Mark positioned fourth out of 18 in his newbie division, which was simply sufficient to assist the crew win first place total.
“What an unimaginable expertise, what a rush,” Wilson mentioned as he climbed out of his kart, the place his junior racing teammates had been ready.
“We could have gotten a trophy, however Johns Hopkins All Kids’s will get the win,” Wilson mentioned.
Dig deeper:
For the Wheldon’s, it is one other day filled with satisfaction.
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“Dan and I mentioned it when the boys had been born. We actually needed to be rooted in the neighborhood, and this can at all times be our dwelling. I do really feel like Kart 4 Youngsters has changed into one thing particular that we’re so pleased to be part of and that we will help,” Susie mentioned.
It is a legacy of saving lives that is constructed on pace however fueled by the center.
NOTE: Susie and Dan’s oldest son, 16-year-old Sebastian Wheldon, couldn’t attend as a result of he was racing in Dubai however he might be in St. Pete this week to drive the tempo automobile and Susie will wave the inexperienced flag to begin the race as honorary Grand Marshall.
For extra info, go to www.kart4kids.org or https://www.t4kartplex.com.
The Supply: The data on this story was gathered by interviews with occasion organizers in addition to Dan Wheldon’s spouse and son.
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