Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Callum Moore can recall the fateful day of when his parents gave him the option of going out for dinner or taking a trip to Family Fun World.
The 12-year-old Napanee native chose the latter and a love of go karting was born. That passion grew into competing in the Ron Fellows Karting Championship against racers from across Ontario and Quebec.
Earlier this month he celebrated the conclusion of a successful season by thanking sponsors and donating $5,050 to Sick Kids, which he raised by collecting donations through his team web page throughout the season. Moore also unveiled his new 125 cc two-stroke kart, which can reach speeds of 130 km/h, a jump of about 40 km/h from this season’s kart. Next April he intends to make the jump to compete in the Coupe de Montreal.
“The biggest challenge is the physical demand of the car with the more G forces,” said Moore. “Basically I’ll have to work out and get my neck stronger to withstand the force.”
When he reaches top speed the G forces will reach about 2.6, which is about two and a half times his body weight pushing from the side. For perspective, the highest cornering streetcar, a Porsche GTRS, registers about 1.15 Gs.
“This car gets very tiring on your neck and your body,” said Moore. “The G forces, you have to fight them and it’s very strong and it’s not always easy. At times it gets painful, but it’s always fun.”
Last season wasn’t without its highs and lows. Among the highlights was a sixth place finish at a national championship. Among the lows was when he flipped his kart. Fortunately he was able to avoid injury and get right back to racing.
When asked what he’s thinking about at the starting line, he says he’s mapping out his strategy for the entire race.
“I just think about what I can do in the start, where I’m going to go, if something happened how am I’m going to get through it and just plan out the rest of my race,” he said.
He also thanked his parents and grandfather for being both his biggest supporters and mechanic throughout the 2021 season.