Lyonel Doherty, Times Chronicle
Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve laid rubber during the grand opening of Kartplex in Oliver last week.
The race car driver who helped design the Area 27 track provided advice to several youth members of the Kartplex team, led by director of operations Craig Finer.
The event featured the launch of the new Villeneuve Kart, reportedly the fastest rental go-cart in North America. The RMax is a 125 cc liquid cooled two-stroke racing engine that boasts 90 km/h and 2 Gs of lateral acceleration.
Villeneuve did laps with the kids and was joined by Area 27 president Bill Drossos and former NHL star Scott Niedermayer.
The Kartplex track is 1.21 km with karts that reach 80 km/h.
Villeneuve said that Kartplex provides the public, particularly youth with an outlet to get into the sport of racing.
Finer pointed out that go-cart racing is the safest extreme sport there is, adding this is the place to come if you want to drive fast in a controlled setting. People can book their rentals online at www.kartplex.ca/rentals/
Artisan Clint George from the Penticton Indian Band talks to Area 27 president Bill Drossos about the eagle he sculpted out of steel. Contributed photo.
The grand opening also featured the installation of an 18-foot-wide steel eagle sculpture at the entrance to Area 27. The story behind it is most interesting:
On Feb. 20, 2020 Area 27 grounds superintendent Scott Ferriss was working on the safety barrier on turn 1 when he witnessed a large shadow move past his field of view. He looked skyward and saw a very large bird carrying something – a body. Suddenly that body dropped onto the Area 27 entrance road.
“To his amazement, Scott had just witnessed the largest bald eagle he had ever seen carrying and dropping a coyote,” said Drossos.
The eagle then landed by its prize and was soon joined by another eagle. Forty minutes later there was only some fur and bone left of the coyote.
To commemorate the legend of the eagle, Area 27 commissioned artist Clint George from the Penticton Indian Band to create a sculpture in steel.
Drossos said they want people to know they are on First Nations land; “that they are someplace special and that we respect wildlife and native tradition.”
