GERRY MODDEJONGE
EXAMINER STAFF

While most other 14-year-olds are getting their learner’s permits and setting out on Edmonton streets, Stefan Rzadzinski has his sights set on a road less travelled.

Besides, where he’s going will require an international racing licence.

His path is leading him to Italy next month where the young kart driver will become the first Canadian junior to compete in the Rok International Final championship.

He qualified for the prestigious event by winning the Western Canadian Rok Cup series at the end of August. He finished 22 points ahead of second place with a total of 141, including a first- and second-place finish at his home track at Stratotech Park, located off of Manning Drive just northeast of Edmonton.

The Eaux Claires kart driver found himself behind the wheel at age eight.

“I’ve always loved racing and when I was younger I always watched racing, always wanted to get into it,” he says, adding he started out on indoor tracks.

But his racing roots can faintly be traced back to his bloodline.

“I was involved in racing myself as a small-town, local racer. Then at one point I gave up doing that and said, ‘He’s got a better chance of going somewhere with it than I do,’” says his father, Andy, who has become the team mechanic. “Here we are seven years later, I’m turning wrenches for him and he’s going to a world championship.”

A family friend lent Stefan his first kart and he soon found a passion for the primary levels of open-wheel racing – albeit, his first junior rig had a 5.5 horsepower Honda motor.

“Just slightly more powerful than lawnmowers,” Stefan recalls, adding its top speed was 60 km/h.

His current kart is a 19 hp junior rok, a two-stroke, water-cooled engine that can reach top speeds of 130 km/h – fast enough to blow the doors off of any misconception people may have about the little-known sport.

“Enthusiasts call it karting,” he says. “It’s not really called ‘go-karting’ because that refers more to amusement park karts.”

He often invites friends out to the track to see it for themselves.

“They respect what I do and they think it’s pretty cool,” he says.

Stefan has translated his passion for karting into an ever-developing skill that led to three regional championship seasons in 2002, 2003 and 2006.

Stefan Rzadzinski will become the first Canadian junior drive to compete in the Rok International Go-Kart Final championship, next month in Italy.

This year was his first competing on a national level and, after winning the western championships last month, it won’t be his last.

“It’s more competitive and there are drivers from all over,” he says, adding the opportunity for some international events is a bonus. “My ultimate dream always has been Formula 1 but short-term, we’d like to get into and start testing open-wheel cars.”

Which makes his trip to Italy all the more meaningful. In a country known for race manufacturers such as Ferrari, Osella, Dallara, Maserati and Lamborghini, motorsports are in the driver’s seat as far as popularity goes.

“My first weekend out of Canada racing is going to be in Italy,” Stefan says, adding kart racing is often televised in Europe. “All the top carting manufacturers are all there, too.”

Although he might feel more pressure closer to the race, Stefan says there is no denying it will be a learning experience.

“I’ll just do what I can and hopefully I’ll be able to take that and keep going with it,” he adds.

One week following his return from Italy, Stefan will head to Las Vegas where he was selected by sponsor Travelware.com to compete in the Stars of Karting national finals.

“Which is probably one of the biggest, if not the biggest race in North America,” he says, adding he couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to end the season.

His skills in the sport aren’t the only things developing. A potential growth spurt and its ensuing effect on his body weight will determine whether Stefan will make the jump to the senior division next year or spend an extra season honing his skills in the junior karts.

Whether he’s gone in to get a learner’s permit to sit beside his international racing licence by then also remains up in the air.

“I’ve never gotten around to it,” he shrugs.

Photo By: GERRY MODDEJONGE