Danica Patrick’s NASCAR success is inspiring girls across the nation to follow their dreams of becoming a racecar driver. There’s no better place to start than at Lehigh Valley Grand Prix.

Kalynn Stroble and Jessica Brey have started their racing career with go-karts and are two of the top racers at LVGP. The girls are members of our Junior League and they have high hopes to become NASCAR drivers one day.

For the other girls who hope to go down in history like Danica Patrick, Stroble says “I would tell them to join because it’s very fun.” If you’re looking for racing advice, Brey suggests, “Push down on the pedal as hard as you can and try to avoid hitting the walls.”

To view the video interview, click here.

Do you have what it takes to make the Wall of Fame??  The new leader board at LVGP will be displaying; Top Race Times, League Champions and Endurance Race winners!  The board is designed to show case the racer’s in the competition events as well as the drivers laying down the fastest laps.

The Top Times from 2011 will be posted for the New Year.  The Top Times section will be updated annually to reflect the top 20 race times accomplished over the past year.  To make this year’s board you need to lay down a top 20 time by the end of business on Dec 31st!!

“To get your name on the board it takes a great deal of skill.  Some of the fastest indoor karting drivers in the nation are right here at LVGP.  It is a great accomplishment to make it!” said Ryan Suchon, competition director at LVGP.

Here is a list of the Top 20 times up until Dec 22nd.

Adult

1. Fast Kid – 26.979
2. Lickone – 27.090
3. Warren Wallace – 27.205
4. Von Blargen – 27.205
5. Bligan – 27.228
6. Casey Jones – 27.229
7. Slowski – 27.230
8. Fox Racer – 27.305
9. Landon Pondfish – 27.376
10. Louisianimal – 27.393
11. Bone – 27.417
12. imfOCUSedman – 27.533
13. Anthony Federico – 27.558
14. Mater – 27.637
15. MJ – 27.688
16. KC Jam – 27.705
17. SilverEmperor – 27.731
18. THE Scooter – 27.749
19. Lil Jac – 27.793
20. Fluffy Rock – 27.795

Junior Top 20:
1. Z Racer – 28.399
2. Flaming Bull – 29.090
3. JoetheTraitor – 29.518
4. JPSRacer24 – 29.588
5. Race Kid – 29.681
6. Richie – 29.836
7. Dominator24 – 29.886
8. Sanitator – 29.970
9. WildChild – 29.999
10. Maxman – 30.097
11. Fox Racer 33 – 30.254
12. KalynnTheMadness – 30.258
13. Soccerdude – 30.327
14. LooneyTune – 30.336
15. Ethan – 30.353
16. Zero – 30.383
17. Coool Man Dude – 30.428
18. Da Bonester – 30.550
19. Tronix – 30.557
20. Passer – 30.572

Hope to see you on the list!!

Practicing for the 3 hr endurance race on Sunday, Jianni Koburi aka Fox Racer set a new track record.  The previous record held by Andrew Pettijohn of 28.127 had no chance as Jianni dropped a 27.757.  Jianni is set to race the 3hr enduro race on 9/11.

The 3hr race is turning into a heated battle amongst the competitors.  Josh Schreiber, a strong competitor in the last iron man had some choice words for the competition, “Make sure you call everyone up and tell them they will be finishing behind me cause I’m gonna be doing work up in there!”

There are a couple of seats left for the race this Sunday.  Two classes will be running; amateur and pro.  For more details or registration contact competition@lehighvalleygrandprix.com.

The karting world is growing.  One of the individuals that started the sport in it’s infancy just happens to be a member at Lehigh Valley Grand Prix.  Kevin Bligan started indoor karting at Arnold’s, which is now Arnold’s Family Fun Center.  The sport which hosted only a few facilities when Kevin started now is turning into a major industry.

Kevin’s latest adventure was attending the Indoor Karting World Championships held in Belgium with his son Carl.  Even though the father son duo didn’t finish where they had hoped, they still did very well in the 185 driver field.  The next race for Kevin will be the Machismo race held in Las Vegas.  The Machismo event will be held in conjunction with the final race of the Izod Indy Car Series.  Following the Machismo Race Kevin will be participating with team Lehigh Valley Grand Prix at the 12hrs of Charlotte, held at Victory Lane Karting in December.

For more info on the IKWC and the 12hrs of VLK.

In late 2010 the team at Lehigh Valley Grand Prix, decided it was time to shake things up at the track.  The idea that evovled was to completely change the track layout.  ”It was a tough decision to go ahead with the plan, due to the fact you are changing the identity of the facility” said Ryan Suchon, mgr and competition director.

The next step for the team would be to figure out a layout.  The decision was simple, the team decided to let customer’s draw their dream track!!  What would be more fun then letting the customers decide what the track would look like.  With over 100 designs submitted, it was exciting to see what people came up with.  Designs included everything from; figure 8′s, ovals, road courses that provided straight aways into the wall!!

In the end, one plan stood out amongst the rest.  Tim Pettijohn, father of Fastkid, developed a design that would make a lasting impression on the LVGP faithful.  This exciting new track layout is now available for racing at LVGP.  For having his design chosen Tim won a FREE MONTH OF RACING AT LVGP….since Tim’s son was too young for the StockCar Prize for winning leagues, the two swapped prizes and each of them made out!!

Lehigh Valley Grand Prix would like to give a big Thanks to Tim for his efforts as well as the team at Stock Car Racing Experience!!