07/17/2008

SPEEDCOM's Young Go-Kart Champ Eric Filgueiras Ready to Wrap up another Title This Weekend in Florida Karting Championship Series Finale at the Ocala Grand Prix

14-Year-Old Port Saint John Racer Set To Seal Seventh Go-Kart Championship

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Already an accomplished Go-Kart Champion at the age of 14, SPEEDCOM Communications-sponsored racer Eric Filgueiras, of Port Saint John, Fla., is all but certain to wrap up a seventh karting title this weekend when the 2008 Florida Karting Championship Series (FKCS) concludes its season at the Ocala Grand Prix, July 18 ¨C 20.

Filgueiras, who drives the No. 21 EF Racing Easykart/100cc Jr. Rotax, has built an almost insurmountable lead in the FKCS and only needs to run a quiet and clean race to clinch his seventh go-kart title in nine seasons of competition.  He has won three of this season's four events to date ¨C the season-opener in Jacksonville, Homestead-Miami Speedway and the first FKCS visit to Ocala one race ago ¨C but has raced long enough to know that nothing in racing is over until the final checkered flag of the season waves.

"I always try to win," Filgueiras said.  "But there is always a sense in the back of my head that I have to think about points.  If I have to settle for a position and not take myself out when it comes down to thinking about points, I won't force the issue."

The FKCS title will automatically qualify Filgueiras for September's Grand National back at Homestead-Miami, which is basically the major season-ending run-off for top go-kart competitors from around the country.  The various class winners in the Grand National will in turn be invited to travel to Italy for the international finals, as Filgueiras did two years ago.  Racing in Jesolo, Italy, in 2006 against some of the top go-kart racers in the world, Filgueiras placed 36th out of 73 competitors and was ranked sixth in the world.  A trip back to Italy this year begins with the upcoming Grand National.

"I think we are going to rebuild the engine after this race to try to get an edge over the competition as much as we can before the Grand National," Filgueiras said.  "If we win our class, we will go back to Italy."

Filgueiras started racing at five years old in a Kid Kart and the championships started coming a few years later.  His list of titles includes the 2000/2001 Kid Kart National Championship and the 2006 Easykart 60cc Regional, National and Grand National Championships.  In 2007, Filgueiras won the Florida Winter Tour series in the Mini Max Championship and finished second in that year's Easykart Grand National.

SPEEDCOM recently signed on to support Filgueiras and provides a radio system and Shock Doctor equipment, such as a neck brace, for the EF Racing team to use.  Although radios are not permitted in races, Filgueiras and his father Manny Filgueiras frequently use the SPEEDCOM system to maximize feedback during practices.

"I get approached by many up-and-coming drivers for sponsorship support," said SPEEDCOM Chief Executive Officer Toto Lassally.  "Being that our clientele is the racing community, it is not part of SPEEDCOM's business model to sponsor our clients.  However, one has to recognize potential, and when Eric approached me I immediately noticed the fire in his eyes, along with the determination and the passion that that he emits.  He is not only a talented driver, but also extremely professional.  He is now and will continue to be a great role model to others. SPEEDCOM is proud to be a part of Eric's pursuit in professional racing. This kid has success written all over him."

In addition to SPEEDCOM, other sponsors of Filgueiras and EF Racing include Bill Simpson's Impact Racing, Ocean Potion Skin and Sun Care Products, Jim Booth of McDonald's, MG Tires, Alfano, Ribtect, Rysa Racing, RDD Motorsports and Oswaldo Negri from KART MINI.

Negri, a Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype race winner, is a current mentor of Filgueiras as is Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series GT and KONI Challenge Series GS Champion Craig Stanton.  Filgueiras has also received support and guidance in the past from Jimmy Vasser and Juan Pablo Montoya.