Ukrainian Debut on American Track: A Story of Courage and Dream
- Eugene Panenko
- Feb 25, 2025
- 4 min read
Ukrainian Debut on American Track: A Story of Courage and Dream
Orlando, February 1-2, 2025
On the starting grid among 220 participants, for the first time, a karting driver from Ukraine appeared — Eugene Panenko, a man who made his dream come true despite a limited budget and no financial support. He not only debuted at the national competition in the USA but also proved to himself and the world that passion for the sport is stronger than any obstacles.
The Road to the Start: A Week of Challenges and Self-Belief
Eugene arrived at the track a week before the competition, preparing for rounds 3-4, while his friend Victor competed in the first weekend under the tent of the PSL team. But for Panenko, it wasn't just preparation — it was a fight against circumstances. Eugene sold his old team kart to buy a Rotax engine, and the new CKR chassis, which had never seen the track, added unpredictability.
Assembling the engine and kart on Monday, Eugene began training on Tuesday. The first laps were promising: 55.6 seconds right from the first session! But then a streak of bad luck began. The engine lost power, the chain came off four times, there were many minor technical issues, and the sprocket hub kept shifting. All of this stole valuable time, preventing him from focusing on driving. Eugene was alone, performing the roles of driver, mechanic, and organizer simultaneously, when at this level, a full team is needed. It was extremely challenging...
But Eugene didn't give up. Stakes were high, time was short, and his rivals had already completed thousands of laps on this track. He dealt with every problem, fine-tuning the chassis and trying to restore engine power. On Friday, he made a risky but correct decision — to give the engine to a mechanic. (Thanks to Victor) It worked! Half a second per lap — an enormous improvement, but there was hardly any time left before qualifying. Essentially, the past three days were just getting to know the track and fixing technical issues. And then came Friday, the first official race day — fatigue, lack of confidence, but he had to find pace and perfect the kart and his driving.
Qualifying: Step by Step Toward a Dream
Despite the lack of time to fine-tune the chassis and find balance, Eugene qualified 6th and 7th. He was driving on a single set of Mojo D5 tires, which he had never encountered before, learning their behavior right in the heat of the battle for lap times.
After qualifying, he made adjustments to the chassis settings by intuition (after long discussions with CKR's factory), realizing that the balance was still off. And it worked! During Saturday’s practice on old tires, Eugene set a time close to the leaders. With optimism and excitement, he prepared for the pre-final.
Pre-Final: Hope and Lessons Learned
Starting from 6th position, Eugene finished 5th. The engine was overheating, acceleration was lacking, but he stayed with the leaders and pulled away from the chasing group. It was a step forward. He proved to himself that he could compete with the best, even when everything seemed against him. Panenko adjusted the carburetor and was confident heading into the final.
But fate had other plans. Being 30 seconds late to the pre-grid, he was disqualified from the final. The pain of this defeat was unbearable. Eugene knew he had lost his first podium finish, but he learned a valuable lesson. The mistake cost him victory but not his dream.
Day Two: Strength of Spirit and an Unbelievable Final
The next day, Panenko was ready to fight. During practice, he posted the 5th fastest time on old tires. In the pre-final, he started from 7th, breaking through to 4th, battling experienced opponents. He knew he would have new tires for the final — an advantage no one in the top 6 had.
Then came the final. Starting from 4th position, an aggressive battle with Hernandez, with Rubens Barrichello behind him. The new tires provided tremendous grip. The engine, with a new spark plug, was performing perfectly. Everything came together: speed, mindset, strategy. Victory was within reach...
But in the pursuit of the leader, Eugene attacked too early. Hernandez made a mistake, forcing Eugene to brake sharply, causing the kart to slide and lose speed. Rubens seized the moment; they exited the corner side by side, but on the exit, they collided. Eugene’s kart flew into the air and crashed into the barrier. The race was over.
Barrichello received a 5-second penalty, but it no longer mattered. Eugene was left without a podium finish but not without hope. He realized he was faster. He realized that mistakes were made not only by his rivals but by himself as well. But the most important thing — he was ready to fight until the end.
The Power of a Dream and a Look to the Future
This debut showed the world the strength of spirit and passion for karting. Eugene proved that dreams come true if you don't give up. He stood on the track among the best, fought legends, and demonstrated that the top step of the podium is just a matter of time.
"I will return to this track. I will come back stronger. I will fight for the highest results. I am proud of my pace, my progress, and my competitiveness at the highest level of racing. Thank you to everyone who supported me: my beloved Дарья Медведева, my family, friends, and the CKR team CKR Go Kart for helping with the chassis setup and great fast kart!. This defeat made me stronger. I won't give up!"
The story of Eugene Panenko is a tale of courage, determination, and a passion for karting. It's the beginning of a new journey that will lead him to victories. He took his first step toward his dream and has already become an inspiration for many.
America has seen many champions, but now it knows that another one has arrived on the track. A Ukrainian champion who will surely return for victory.
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