When you think of the west coast of Canada you usually think of mountains, trees, skiing and the great outdoors. But hidden deep in the valleys and tucked into the many corners of British Columbia is a fiery passion for racing. No one embraces that passion for motorsports more then CRG West. Lead by the husband and wife team of Danny and Amy Kacic, this burgeoning karting company is located in the beautiful city of Kelowna, BC. This duo of racing enthusiasts has really made a name for themselves in a short time. With nearly a decade of experience to build on, CRG West is pulling out all the stops to make some noise in the west coast karting scene. Built on passion and fueled by their customers, the Kacic family strives to build a complete racing program from trackside support to product sales.

A quick look at their website will tell you that Kacic Motorsports was formed in 2002 by brothers Davor and Danny Kacic when the two decided to turn their passion into a business. They started off as a race team and grew with their customers. Davor Kacic started his motorsports career in the Honda Michelin Pro Series where he eventually moved to GT competition. Brother Danny has spent most of his racing career in karts and also some time in Formula Fords and GT3. Danny has competed at almost every level of karting competition, from club to professional through Canada and the United States and Italy. Family and work commitments has meant that Davor is no longer active in the business, but likes to keep in touch and help when time permits.

Danny started racing in 1993 at the age of seventeen running in the Yamaha class at the Westwood Kart Club. He would then move to ICA to compete for a couple of seasons. Always looking for more speed, Kacic then followed his older brother into cars, running in Formula Fords and then into GT3. Kacic would then return to his roots in karting in 2001 to run in ICC shifters.

"The real highlight for me was winning the ROK Cup championship in 2005 and 2007," smiles Kacic from his shop in Kelowna. "We went to ROK World Championships and drove for the CRG factory team in 2007. Michael Shumacher was on hand to watch all the races. It was a very cool experience."

When Kacic Motorsports was formed, they became a dealer for CRG karts, Maxter engines, Vega tires and other karting related products. The brothers provided trackside support and driver coaching to their clients as they themselves competed. The race team was a great opportunity to build new customers and develop the products. As the business grew and expanded Danny looked for more opportunities to grow. Kacic Motorsports became CRG West in 2009 when Danny and Amy took over as the CRG factory importer for Western Canada. The business has continued to grow and the new customers are attracted to their passion, products and customer service. Along with CRG they also support the Maranello line of karts and are the regional distributor for the Rotax Service Centres in British Columbia.

"When we put this program together is was a real leap of faith," states Kacic. "We hope the big guy upstairs has put us in the right place at the right time. We really love the sport and the people that race."

As the business grew it became tough to race and support customers, so in 2008 Danny decided to step down from driving full time to focus more on customer service and the business. Over the years, the company has grown to a full-scale race team and distribution centre with Danny as the Operations and Race Team Manager. Danny's wife Amy has also become very involved in the business looking after trackside parts sales and is company bookkeeper.

The CRG West trackside support program is second to none. The team utilizes a 30-foot trailer that is fitted with a 30' x 30' awning off the side. Each of the trusses in the frame that support the awning is an air tank, giving each kart their own airline supply. The space is set-up with a separate hospitality area and can easily hold eight karts comfortably. The trailer is equipped with all the parts, tools and equipment to operate through out the weekend. This one of a kind awning system was designed and built locally by Kacic and a close friend.

"We are just super passionate about the sport and really love the feeling of driving," continues Kacic. "The business side is really growing. I miss the driving but also really enjoy the business side of the sport."

It is truly a family business with all three kids at the track and involved in many different ways. Son Marco, now seven is racing in his first season of Micro Max competition while Tianna (6) is learning the ropes running in a baby kart. Youngest team member Mattea now three, is a bit young yet, but will soon be chasing big brother and big sister.

"Karting is on the upswing. Our goal is to keep building the CRG reputation in the west," comments Kacic. "But we service all karts and welcome all racers to our program."

The Kacic family and CRG West are focused on supporting the Western Canadian Challenge and the 2010 ROK Cup, where they supply the engines and tires for the series. The team will also compete in the British Columbia Regional Series and the Westwood Kart Club.

When asked what he would like to see changed in the sport of karting, Kacic immediately looked the racer: "I would like to see the sport more recognized, see the drivers get more respect. It takes a lot of skill to wheel a kart and most people don't see that."

So if you head west for some of Canada's most beautiful and breath taking landscapes be sure to look up CRG West and find out what passion for racing is all about.