The son of former Columbia Falls graduate Aaron Laroque recently took home the title of World Champion in karting. Laroque’s son Diego won the Rotax Micromax World Championship in Sarno, Italy on Oct. 22.

At 10 years old, Diego is the youngest racer to ever attain this title. This is in part because the rules of the sport changed just this year to allow racers in the Micromax class, which is ages 8-10, to compete for a world championship, Aaron explained.

Previously, a festival was held, and kids in the age groups of 8-10 and 10-13 from the continent of the host country of the world championship finals could race, but it was not a true world championship, Aaron said.

The United States hosted its first world championship in 2013.

Diego has been racing since he was 5, and began competing on the national scene at age 6. Only a year later, Diego’s first international race was in Vancouver.

The World Championship is hosted by international karting organization Rotax. There are 7,500 Rotax racers globally, Aaron said, and 360 drivers out of the six classes get a ticket to the World finals. Only people who win a national championship qualify and receive that ticket.

That was no problem for Diego, who won not one, but both national championships in the United States, taking home first in both the U.S. Grand Nationals Championship and the Rotax U.S. Open. The other United States competitor in Sarno came in second at the Grand Nationals.

In an interview with Rotax following the race, Diego said, “It’s quite an honor. It was a great battle with all these great racers and it’s just so exciting.”