EKN Radio Network

Happy Hour with Howden: February 23, 2018

The ‘Happy Hour with Howden’ returned for the second stop for Challenge of the Americas. The premier winter series on the west coast made its return to the southern California area and the CalSpeed Karting facility in Fontana, California. EKN’s Rob Howden provided the call of the Pre-Qualifying session for all seven race groups on Friday, February 23 around the 7/10-mile ‘Grande’ course. During the 2.5-hour show, series promoter Andy Seesemann joins Howden, along with Senior Rok point leader Jim McKinney, Briggs 206 Senior racer David Vasquez and Rok Shifter Senior driver Alex Keyes.

EKN Debrief: Episode 16

The inaugural Superkarts! USA Winter Series closed out at the Ocala Gran Prix facility on February 9-11. EKN was trackside throughout the weekend, providing LIVE coverage throughout the three days of competition. The third and fourth rounds of the ‘spring training’ for the SKUSA Pro Tour helped to crown the 11 inaugural champions and set the tone of the 2018 SKUSA season. EKN’s Rob Howden and David Cole discuss the weekend in the latest edition of the ‘EKN Debrief’ - presented by CRG Nordam. The two discuss the topics, including the K1 RaceGear Paddock Pass, the Briggs & Stratton Race Report, and look ahead in the Franklin Motorsports Racing Calendar.

Happy Hour with Howden: February 9, 2018

The ‘Happy Hour with Howden’ is back, making a return to the Ocala Gran Prix for the finale event of the 2018 Superkarts! USA Winter Series. EKN’s Rob Howden sits down on the mic for 2.5 hours as the classes complete their final practice session on Friday, February 9 around the 6/10-mile circuit. During that time, Rolison Performance Group’s Mike Rolison sits down to talk about the task of driver development and what the leading race team is doing for 2018.

Industry Insider: Episode 2 - Nick Tucker

Our second episode of the ‘Industry Insider’ podcast has EKN’s Rob Howden talk with Nick Tucker of Nitro Kart. Today, the brand is among the top Cadet chassis on the market after a stellar opening year in 2017. Tucker has been involved in motorsports and karting since he was a kid. Howden dives into his early years as a driver, his progression within the motorsports world, and how he came to developing the Nitro Kart chassis and race team.

EKN Debrief - Episode 15

The 2018 karting season is now fully underway with the west coast welcoming its first major event of the year after the east coast has enjoyed all the spoils. For the 11th year, the Challenge of the Americas opened up the international karting scene along the western half of North America, holding its first event of 2018. A new era began for the Challenge, hosting Round 1 and 2 of the championship chase at the Phoenix Kart Racing Association in Glendale, Arizona on January 26-28. Providing the EKN Live coverage throughout the weekend were Rob Howden and David Cole as they were trackside all three days. Following their flights back to the cold weather, the two discussed the weekend in the latest edition of the EKN Debrief - presented by Rok Cup USA. The two discuss the topics, including the Nitro Kart Paddock Pass, review the Rok and Briggs 206 categories and talk about the upcoming events in the Streeter Super Stands Racing Calendar.

Happy Hour with Howden: January 26, 2018

One of the original audio shows that had a home on the old eKartingNews.com site was the ‘Happy Hour with Howden’. Many of the shows were recorded actually on the racetrack at day’s end, in the paddock or in the lobby of the host hotel.  We discussed the event and the sport, and enjoyed the participation of many great guests.

The show is making a return this year, and is primed for the busy 2018 season. The ‘Happy Hour’ will allow EKN Publisher Rob Howden to sit down and talk about the sport with key people during the final practice session of our EKN Live events. The first show of 2018 took place at the Challenge of the Americas opener at the Phoenix Kart Racing Association in Glendale, Arizona on January 26. Rob sat down with COTA promoter Andy Seesemann, Rok Cup USA’s Garett Potter, former Indy 500 Rookie of the Year on now kart team owner Phil Giebler, and Senior driver Jim McKinney.

EKN Debrief - Episode 14

Superkarts! USA got its earliest start to a season with the inaugural running of the SKUSA Winter Series event at the AMR Homestead-Miami Motorplex presented by MG Tires. Over 200 drivers contested the event around the southern Florida facility, with it all broadcasted via the EKN Live page. EKN’s own Rob Howden was trackside, calling the action and breaks down the weekend talking with EKN Managing Editor David Cole in the newest EKN Debrief - presented by IAME USA. The two discuss the topics surrounding the paddock, break down who shined on-track, and talk about the upcoming events on the Comet Kart Sales Racing Calendar.

Industry Insider: Episode 1 - Andy Seesemann

The EKN Radio Network continues to expand with another new podcast program that will join the line-up to start the 2018 season. The ‘Industry Insider’ podcast provides EKN with the opportunity to sit down with key personal within the karting industry - from shop owners and race team managers to importers and series directors.

The first episode of our ‘Industry Insider’ podcast features a discussion with Challenge of the Americas promoter and Full Throttle Karting owner Andy Seesemann. A long-time fixture in the sport of karting, Seesemann is opening up the 2018 Challenge with a new sound, moving to the Rok engine platform while continuing to support the Briggs & Stratton categories. EKN’s Rob Howden covers a number of topics with Seesemann in this inaugural ‘Industry Insider’.

EKN Debrief: Episode 13

2018 is here, and the new racing season is underway. The 2017 calendar year closed out and the 2018 season began with the same event, the annual WKA Daytona KartWeek. A unique event, combining three separate races at one facility. The Manufacturers Cup Series takes to the sprint track inside the NASCAR oval, the National Road Racing Series hits the high banks and the famed road course, while dirt racers from all over hit the flat track just outside NASCAR 1-2 for the Dirt World Championships. The focus of the first EKN Debrief of 2018 - presented by KartLift - examines the event overall and the action that took place at the Margay Sprint Nationals for the three days of competition. EKN’s David Cole gives us his insights and discusses the event alongside Rob Howden. At the end, check out the upcoming EKN Trackside Live events with the 3G Kart Racing Calendar.

Operation Grassroots: Episode 1 - Chris Rossi

The newest show to hit the EKN Radio Network is ‘Operation Grassroots’, a podcast geared solely on the foundation of the sport. The hub of the show will be discussion centered on the grassroots level of karting, from club racing to regional racing, all focused around the Briggs & Stratton 206 engine platform. Our #OperationGrassroots movement has been based around the Briggs powerplant, with the ultimate goals of bringing new people into the sport and igniting the spark of former racers to come back into what is the most economical form of karting.

The first episode of our ‘Operation Grassroots’ podcast features an interview with KPX Karting Championship co-director Chris Rossi. The KPX program has been a catalyst of growth and newfound cooperation in the Northern California area. EKN’s Rob Howden talks with Rossi about the birth of the KPX program, the past seasons, the future of the series and, of course, the sport in general.