BRIGGS & STRATTON MOTORSPORTS NAMES SPIKE KOHLBECKER AS BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR PERFORMANCE RACING INDUSTRY (PRI) TRADE SHOW
“It always starts in a kart”
ST. LOUIS, MO and MILWAUKEE, WI (November 30, 2023) – At 20 years old, St. Louis, Missouri-native Spike Kohlbecker is celebrating his 16th year of competitive racing. A Margay Racing factory kart racing driver since the age of 5, and a current driver in the Toyota GAZOO Racing GRCup North America series, Kohlbecker credits his recent success in sportscars to his extensive experience in Briggs & Stratton powered karts.
Briggs & Stratton’s 206 kart racing engine is the global leader in 4-cycle kart racing. “The 206 that has powered Spike and so many other racers in the Margay racing series places the focus on the driver and kart setup,” says Dan Roche, Director of Racing, Briggs & Stratton. “Day and night, we work to produce a package that is identical from one engine to the next, so when an individual driver stands out, you know that driver has talent.”
“We are thrilled to have Spike, his Margay kart and his #55 Toyota GRCup car represent our ‘Karts to Cars’ focus at the PRI Trade Show,” Roche continued. “He has excelled through the early stages of the professional racing process and is a shining example of the strength a solid kart racing foundation can provide.”
“What I enjoy most about racing is winning and representing my great sponsors and partners who make it all possible,” Kohlbecker noted. “The last race of the season we took the checkered flag at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway and now my Toyota GRCup car will be prominently displayed at PRI, the world’s largest gathering of motorsports professionals in the Briggs & Stratton Racing booth back in Indianapolis. I’m excited to talk about racing my way from karts to cars and the importance of a reliable, consistent engine like the Briggs & Stratton 206 racing engine,” Kohlbecker added.
Keith Freber of Margay Racing noted, “It is well established that karting provides the foundation for virtually every successful career in motorsports, it always starts in karts. Briggs & Stratton and their factory-sealed 206 engine program has solidified that by providing an accessible, affordable, and competitive engine platform. Aspiring young drivers like Spike Kohlbecker have benefitted from the Briggs 206 and Ignite karting platform because of the exceptional parity it provides and the emphasis on driver development. At every step up the motorsports ladder, Kohlbecker has proven that he can compete for wins. His success is directly attributable to the time spent in Briggs-powered karting and further proof that it always starts in karts.”
The Briggs & Stratton Racing booth at PRI is located in space #4442. Spike will be on hand for autographs and to answer questions during show hours on Friday, December 8 and Saturday, December 9.
About Spike Kohlbecker
Spike Kohlbecker, a 20-year-old professional driver and student at Boise State University School of Business and Economics and a fifteen-year factory and development driver for Margay Racing. After a successful transition from 5 years of open wheel racing to sports car racing in the 2023 Toyota GAZOO Racing GRCup North America Championship, Kohlbecker credits his Briggs & Stratton powered racing experience as foundational to his motorsport’s success. For sponsorship opportunities and to learn more about Spike Kohlbecker please visit spikekohlbeckerracing.com.
About Briggs & Stratton
Briggs & Stratton, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, provides innovative products and diverse power solutions to help people get work done. Briggs & Stratton is the world’s largest producer of engines for outdoor power equipment, and is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of lithium-ion battery, standby generator, energy storage system, lawn and garden, turf care and job site products through its Briggs & Stratton®, Vanguard®, Ferris®, Simplicity®, Snapper®, Billy Goat®, Allmand®, SimpliPhi®, Branco® and Victa® brands. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed, and serviced in more than 100 countries on six continents.
About Margay Racing
Based in Saint Louis, MO, Margay Racing is the most successful racing kart manufacturer in the United States, supporting drivers in all divisions of karting and producing winning karts for countless local, regional, and national champions. Now in its 60th year, Margay is owned by third-generation family member, Keith Freber. More information on Margay can be found at www.margay.com.
About The Artist
James Mann is a car enthusiast and aspiring automotive designer from St. Louis, Missouri and has brilliantly captured Spike’s #55 Toyota Racing GRCup car that will be on display at the PRI show. More information on James Mann can be found on his Instagram gallery @jamesmanndesign.
About Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show
Since its inception in 1986, Performance Racing Industry (PRI) has served as the motorsports industry’s key source for trends, merchandising ideas, new products, business strategies, and more. Through the world’s premier auto racing trade show in Indianapolis, Indiana, as well as PRI’s award-winning monthly business magazine, digital platforms and social networks, motorsports industry members from all over the world remain at the cutting edge of the worldwide racing marketplace. Founded by racing entrepreneur Steve Lewis, PRI was purchased by SEMA in 2012.
The annual PRI Trade Show features over 1,000 companies exhibiting in more than 3,400 booths and showcasing the latest products, services, machinery, simulation and testing technologies, and trailers for the racing industry at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis. Launched in 1988, the show encompasses all forms of racing and attracts attendees from all 50 states and across the globe, including professional race teams, retail shops, warehouse distributors, engine builders, fabricators, dealers, installers, jobbers, and media. More information on PRI can be found at https://www.performanceracing.com
