BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2025 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A massive legal battle has erupted in the world of high-speed racing as the exclusive U. S. importer of Sodikart go-karts filed a lawsuit against its French manufacturer, Sodi Kart S. A.. The complaint, filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court by Kart Sport Distribution Corporation and obtained by BocaNewsNow.com, alleges that the French company is trying to cut them out of the very market they spent two decades building. Kart Sport claims they have invested millions into infrastructure and branding since 2002, only to have the manufacturer allegedly go behind their back to deal directly with American tracks.
The drama escalated in late 2025 when Kart Sport discovered that a French worker they were hosting on a training visa was allegedly acting as a “secret agent” for the factory. According to the suit, Remi Branchereau was sent to Florida under the guise of training but was actually tasked with scouting warehouse space in Miami and Orlando and misappropriating confidential customer data. Kart Sport alleges this was part of a broader scheme by Sodikart’s new majority owner, a multi-billion-dollar private equity firm, to launch a factory-direct presence in the U. S. and bypass the middleman entirely.
The lawsuit details several instances where the French manufacturer allegedly “sidelines” its partner to chase bigger profits. In one case, Sodikart reportedly negotiated a direct deal with RPM Raceway for the world’s longest go-kart track in New Jersey, depriving Kart Sport of its rightful commission. Another deal in New Orleans allegedly saw the factory circumvent Kart Sport’s exclusive import rights by using a different subsidiary to bring in shipping containers, even after Kart Sport protested the move.
In a December 2025 email, Sodikart Chairman Bertrand Pignolet dropped a bombshell by claiming the 2007 exclusivity agreement was no longer in force. He informed Kart Sport they would have to compete on a “non-exclusive basis” and would lose all future commissions on direct factory sales.
Kart Sport is now seeking an emergency injunction to stop the manufacturer from soliciting its customers and is suing for breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, and tortious interference, seeking damages in excess of $50,000.
