When the 2009 ASN Canada FIA-sanctioned Canadian National Karting Championships were held last year at Goodwood Kartways near Stouffville, a child from Montreal named Lance Stroll caught just about everybody’s eye.

Only 10 at the time, his performance that weekend was memorable and those who were lucky enough to be exposed to his special talent were not surprised when, a few months ago, it was announced that he’d been recruited by the world-famous Scuderia Ferrari for their F1 driver-development program.

Paul Cooke, vice-president of competition and director of karting for ASN Canada FIA, reminisced about the signing during a conversation we had this week.

“I was present at the announcement in Montreal on the Thursday night of the Formula One race (the Grand Prix of Canada in June),” he said. “It was an absolutely magnificent affair attended by the Strolls and also by the entire Ferrari F1 team including (Fernando) Alonso and (Felipe) Massa.”

But then Cooke, who’s preparing for this year’s national karting championships next weekend at a new facility beside the world-famous Le Circuit-Mont-Tremblant just outside St. Jovite in the Quebec Laurentians, dropped a bit of a bombshell.

He suggested that while Lance Stroll, now 11, has enormous potential as a racing driver, he’s already running into some stiff competition from another 10-year-old Quebec kid, Kami Moreira-LaLiberté.

If that last name rings a bell, you’re correct: he’s the son of Cirque de Soleil founder Guy Laliberté and Rizia Moreira.

Said Cooke, who pointed out that about 170 competitors will be shooting for national championships in eight classes next weekend as well as one of 11 openings on Team Canada that will race in the world championships in Italy in September:

“Yesterday, I watched a young fellow put on an amazing race in total wetness and behind him in second place was Lance Stroll. You might ask me – who was that young driver? Well, his name is Kami Moreira-Laliberté and he won his class in the Eastern Canadian Karting Championships,” which were also held at Le Circuit.

“I would suggest he has as much potential as Lance Stroll, and that’s saying a lot.”

It’s been a busy year for Cooke. Originally, the championships were going to be held at a facility in Saint Roch-de-l’Achigan, north of Montreal, but the opportunity to move the competition to Le Circuit came along and it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

“The championship rotates annually between Ontario and Quebec,” Cooke said. “The kart track at Le Circuit was built over the last year and I can say without reservation that it’s probably one of the best kart racing facilities in North America.

“From a public-relations perspective, it’s great to be holding it there. You and I know how revered Le Circuit-Mont Tremblant-St. Jovite has been over the years and when people hear the name it triggers pleasant memories. This augers well not only for the present but for the future.”

Does this mean the national karting championships could find a permanent home at Le Circuit, just as the Grand Prix of Canada has settled in Montreal?

Said Cooke: “The possibilities are there. We just finished an event this weekend, a round of the Coupe de Montreal – a check race to make sure everything was in order – so we kind of got our feet wet.

“It worked extremely well and I have to say reports from the drivers are glowing in how they viewed the facility. Time will tell but I don’t think it will be too long before we’ll know the status of the Canadian championship in that regard.”

Cooke’s impressions were seconded by Michel Boisclair, president of SRA Karting, which will be the organizing club for the nationals.

“I’ve been to all the (kart) tracks in North America and for me it is the best,” he said. “It’s very challenging physically and also the scenery with the mountains right beside the track, it’s very amazing.

“The hotel facilities are greater than we’ve ever had before for the national championships, so all the ingredients for a fantastic event are there.”

Cooke was also ecstatic about Canadian Tire agreeing to act as title sponsor for the event as well as sponsoring Team Canada at the world finals.

“I’m tickled pink,” he said, “as is Ron Fellows (who will represent Canadian Tire in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Montreal at the end of the month). “Our hope is to demonstrate at this event that karting is worthwhile for ongoing support.”

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Mark down this date: Aug. 25 – which is a week from Wednesday.

That night at the Regent Theatre at 551 Mt. Pleasant Rd. (on the east side of the street, north of Davisville), Mosport and Scott Maxwell’s Mini Grid shop will present “Red Mist Stuff,” the story of the Mosport IMSA Six-Hour races in 1981 and 1983. Doors open at 6:30; first film at 7 p.m.

Two films – 40 minutes apiece – that were produced for the CBC by Lawrence Partington will be shown and both will be followed by a question-and-answer session featuring Canadian racing champions Bill Adam, who won the 1983 race co-driving with Bob Tullius, and Eppie Wietzes, who finished second in the 1981 race.

Maxwell, who’s seen both films, says people will love the scenes from Mosport. “The in-car camera work is spectacular,” he said.

Maxwell said that besides Adam and Wietzes, he expects the legendary Ludwig Heimrath Sr. to attend. “He was racing then, as was Ludwig Jr.”

Tickets are now available at Mini Grad and are selling for $10 in advance. They will be sold the evening of the presentation at the box office for $15 (all taxes included).

I expect there will be a big turnout and I hope to see everybody there.

It will be a great “slow-lap session” leading into the American Le Mans Series weekend at Mosport, which starts the following day, Aug. 26, with the big race, the Mobil 1 Presents the Grand Prix of Mosport, getting the green flag on Sun., Aug 29.