Zarkos zooming through kart starts, takes her rookie tape off

Dad Rob, London, Mom Allison and 'Grammy' Carla Zarkos at a kart race in Utah over the weekend. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

TOOELE, Utah — Park City’s London Zarkos drove in the final kart race of her rookie summer season at the Burt Brothers Motorsports Park on Sunday in Tooele and got to take her rookie tape off.

When the 14-year-old began karting at the beginning of the summer, she, like all rookies, had a big, bright-colored piece of tape on their car as an indicator to those racing around her to give some space and some grace. On Saturday, her results were so impressive to her coaches on her Scuderia Littel Team that she earned the privilege of taking it off and won’t ever have to put it back on.

One of the adult members of that Team’s car category was overheard saying on the sidelines of Zarkos’ event, “This is my favorite class to spectate, of all the races. It’s the most fun, this age and this skill level is the best, so exciting to watch and be a part of.”

“That is exactly what we’re about.” The Team’s co-owner, Emelio Littel, told TownLift that when we discussed having Zarkos on the Team alongside Aurora Brown, the only other girl who happens to also be from Park City and is a freshman at Park City High School. “There’s not only not been any pushback from families who’ve participated out here for decades, but everyone sees what an asset it is to include families like the Zarkos’ at this karting venue.” 

He and his adult son, Ayrton, co-own and co-manage the Team, members of which will race in November in Arizona.

The father-son duo has started something pretty special with their business model, which Emelio said, “To my knowledge, there is not another entity like it.” He began more traditionally, spending the entire weekend in the cramped back of a utility trailer. No more; his idea makes the bigger-picture experience much more modern and family-friendly, with open areas in the shade featuring kid club-like amenities. This way, everyone can enjoy snacks, lemonade, TV, and stretch out on comfy couches.

Young drivers have the option to learn how to maintain and repair their karts. Alternatively, they can enjoy running around the property with their teammates and friends. If needed, professional coaches are available to take over and handle the maintenance.

“Indeed, we are a karting team,” Littlel said, “but first and foremost, we are a driver development platform.”

Agreeing that this is a nice place to spend a Sunday, were not only London’s Mom Allison and Dad Rob but ‘Grammy’ Carla who, when asked about the almost 30 mph they go, told TownLift, “Nope, I don’t get scared watching her race so fast and close to the other karts, I enjoy watcher speed around the track, she’s got it down.”

In one of the afternoon’s two races for the day, Zarkos made up six slots starting in 1oth and crossing the finish line in 4th place.
There isn’t a separate girls’ category; they all race against each other. Today was the 12-15 age group in the 10-lap, junior four-cycle races. 

London told TownLift that she thinks that in two years from now, when she takes her driver’s license test,  she’ll have an advantage over when her older brother Niko took his test last year. 

On the track, she had contact with another driver in the first corner of her other race, which got her out of her more advantageous start position. Even though she could be seen doing all the things her driver development coaches had advised, like physically leaning forward to create more aerodynamic conditions, she finished closer to the back of the pack.

She successfully passed karts and also navigated around a kart that was in a spin after its own contact moment.

Traveling a little farther to get to the venue to do this cool sport doesn’t deter the Zarkos, and they all look forward to these weekends together. London attends an online school that not only allows but also encourages making time and effort for activities just like this one. 

Aurora had a similar day at the races to her friend London, with one good race result where she made up one spot on course, and one not-so-good race result.

The winner on the day was a boy named Miles Harrison, whose family travels four hours up from St. George, and is on the same team as Zarkos.

Below is the footage of the finish.

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All photos: TownLift // Michele Roepke