With today marking the start of the 2012 Eastern Canadian Karting Championship (ECKC), series officials are pleased to announce the addition of another amazing award. After announcing the four Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals invitations, Briggs & Stratton 2013 registration and tire awards for class champions, Position 1 Fitness programs, The Decal Zone gift certificates as well as special discounts only for ECKC competitors, Skip Barber has now joined the list of companies partnering with the premier Canadian karting series in 2012.

Skip Barber Racing School will award a 15-year-old competitor, who will be chosen by the ECKC board, a seat in their 16th annual Skip Barber Racing School Karting Scholarship Shootout. Set for November 13-16 at the famed Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida, the winner of the Shootout is awarded a fully funded ride in the 2013 Skip Barber Racing School series, which represents the first step in the Mazda Road to Indy ladder program. Four other drivers at the Shootout will receive scholarship funds to compete in 2013 Skip Barber race series events.

The Shootout includes guidance and evaluation both on and off the track by a panel of motorsports experts. The Shootout experience will also see attendees take part in seminars on a variety of pertinent topics including media training, driver development, sponsorship and physical fitness.

As the Official Racing School of the IZOD IndyCar Series, Skip Barber not only represents the base rung on the Mazda Road to Indy ladder, but also has fostered the careers of some of the hottest motorsports stars and has long been the place for proper race car training. Graduates include IZOD IndyCar Series pilots Marco Andretti and Helio Castroneves, NASCAR?s Juan Pablo Montoya, Jeff Gordon and AJ Allemdinger, and many more. The award for the 15-year-old ECKC competitor is certain to be a game-changer for the lucky and deserving participant.

Additionally, Skip Barber will offer a 10% discount to any ECKC competitors for their three-day school. With facilities all across the US, a Skip Barber Racing School program is the perfect first step for any karter wishing to advance their career. More information on Skip Barber Racing School can be found at www.skipbarber.com.

Rounds #1 & 2 of the 2012 Eastern Canadian Karting Championship are already underway this weekend at Goodwood Kartways in Stouffville, Ontario. Two full days of racing action are set for Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27. Full event schedules are available at www.eckc.ca.

The Eastern Canadian Karting Championship is an ASN-sanctioned, four round, six race series with venues in both Ontario and Quebec. Now in its third year, the ECKC will start off the 2012 season at Goodwood Kartways in Stouffville, Ontario May 26-27 for the first double-header weekend. Circuit ICAR will host the third race in Mirabel, Quebec June 17 followed by the second double-race weekend at Mosport International Karting in Bowmanville, Ontario June 30-July 1. The series will conclude at the Monaco Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres July 29, the prestigious street race set at the site of the GP3R at Exposition Park. The Eastern Canadian Karting Championship is a Rotax Max Challenge series and will award Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals tickets to the Rotax Senior, Rotax Junior, Rotax DD2 and Rotax DD2 Masters class champions. In 2012, the Briggs & Stratton classes will contest the series six-race series, making up a national four-stroke championship. For more information on the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, please visit www.eckc.ca.