ORANGE, CA (June 13, 2017) – Full Throttle Karting (FTK), working with ROK Cup USA and Vortex Engines, is announcing its 2017 summer season trade in program. Following the same structure as the ROK Cup USA trade in structure, FTK is providing the same opportunity for west coast racers to take advantage and ‘ROK’ into the future.
Owned by Andy Seesemann, Full Throttle Karting is the west coast dealer for Vortex Engine and fulfillment center on the west coast for Bridgestone tires. Seesemann is also the promoter of the international race series Challenge of the Americas. The premier winter series on the left coast is making the transition to the Vortex ROK powerplants, continuing to focus on great customer service and highly competitive championship series.
“It has been a great start with our new partnership with ROK Cup USA and Vortex Engines,” stated Full Throttle Karting owner Andy Seesemann. “I am excited about the new opportunities for both my customers and the Challenge of the Americas in 2018. The engine trade in program is the perfect opportunity for racers to be part of the ROK Cup USA program and move into the future. You could have any of these engines just sitting around in the garage, or on the shelf in the trailer, collecting dust. Now you can trade in for the opportunity to purchase a new, high quality Vortex Engine that you will be able to race in the years to come.”
The Full Throttle Karting trade in program will take place now until July 31. All engines that are eligible for trade in must be operational, including any Rotax engine regardless of year, cylinder, or age level toward the ROK Micro, Mini and GP motors. There is also the option to trade in a Rotax DD2, TM 125, Maxter 125 or Honda CR125 for those looking to compete with the incredible Rok Shifter powerplant. All engine packages eligible for the trade in program need to be complete and include the engine itself, wire harness, all electronics, exhaust system and/or silencer, and radiators if they are supplied from the manufacturer when new. Engine components must not have any visible major damage.
Prices after the trade in are listed below and must be used towards the purchase of a brand new Vortex ROK engine package. (See form attached)
ROK Micro/Mini: $800.00+Tax/Shipping
ROK GP: $1200.00+Tax/Shipping
ROK Shifter: $2200.00+Tax/Shipping
“The Sanzaru Games Karting Championship in Northern California has added the ROK Cup USA categories to their program for 2017,” added Seesemann. “I am working directly with the Tri-C Karters here in Southern California to add the ROK GP engine in the Senior and Masters TaG categories as they already allow the ROK Mini in their TaG Cadet class. More tracks and clubs in the western half are in the process of adding the ROK engines to their platform. The Rok Shifter is the highest quality spec shifter engine in karting and with the uncertainty of the future of the current de facto shifter package, this is the perfect time to trade in that aging shifter engine.”
“News of a year-end west coast ROK Cup USA event is on the horizon, with now being the best time to take advantage of the trade in offer. This is an event racers will want to be part of, and acting now with the Vortex ROK trade in program puts you ahead of the pack.”
Interested customers can fill out the form HERE and send directly to Full Throttle Karting by Fax (714-289-0980) or email [email protected] For more information, please contact Andy Seesemann directly at 714-289-0432
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David Pergande showed speed throughout the weekend in Phoenix. Earning two podiums in two days.
David Pergande was in fine form at the Challenge of the Americas event in Phoenix, AZ. He found the podium multiple times and and topped a couple of the timed sessions on track. Birthday boy Ed Quinn shared in the speed and earned his first COTA podium on Sunday.
Report by ekartingnews.com
Cambrian Go-Karts Masters Max Saturday Report
The Cambrian Go-Karts Masters Rotax championship is all in the hands of Billy Cleavelin, earning his third victory in three rounds. Cleavelin dominated the day with a perfect score, extending his points lead at the halfway mark. The Rolison Performance Group / Kosmic driver posted a 47.173-second lap for fast time, and never relinquished the top spot all day. David Pergande (FTK / Tony Kart) ran second all day with Matt Newton (SCR / Kosmic) completing the podium. Bill Kann (SCR / Ricciardo) drove to fourth with Chad Wallace (BBR / Birel ART) finishing fifth.
FTK 2nd & 3rd on Sunday. Great to see series promoter Andy standing next to his boys on the podium.
Cambrian Go-Karts Masters Max Sunday Report
Billy Cleavelin in the Cambrian Go-Karts Masters Rotax division, went untouched all weekend long. Cleavelin competed another sweep on Sunday, leading from qualifying into the Prefinal and every lap of the Final for a fourth straight victory, nearly locking in his ticket to the Rotax Grand Finals with the class championship. David Pergande (FTK / Tony Kart) drove a solid second with Ed Quinn (FTK / Birel ART) celebrating his birthday by earning his first Challenge podium in third. Chad Wallace (BBR / Birel ART) worked his back up to fourth after a spin, working past Bill Kann (SCR / Ricciardo).
Paul Bonilla topped the charts for the FTK Challenge of the Americas team.
Paul Bonilla flew the FTK banner highest in Tucson, scoring podium finishes both days. Solid efforts by Ed Quinn and David Pergande saw them barely outpaced in the finals.
Report by www.ekartingnews.com
Cambrian Go-Karts Masters Max Saturday Report
There is no question that Billy Cleavelin is among the top Masters drivers in the country. The Cambrian Go-Karts Masters Max main event belonged to Cleavelin. Starting 11th after a mechanical issue put him on the sidelines in the Prefinal, the Rolison Performance Group / Kosmic pilot advanced his way forward quickly, reaching the second spot by lap five, and cutting into the lead of the top qualifier / Prefinal winner Paul Bonilla (FTK / Birel ART). Cleavelin posted fast laps, and was able to work past Bonilla quickly, driving away to a three-second advantage. Bonilla drove to second with Blake Choquer (PDB) placed third in his Challenge Masters debut. Chad Wallace (PDB) stood strong to hold on to the fourth spot while David Pergande (FTK / Tony Kart) ended up fifth.
Back to back 2nd place finishes for reigning Masters Champion Paul Bonilla
Cambrian Go-Karts Masters Max Sunday Report
The weekend played out nearly perfect for Billy Cleavelin, sweeping the final day of action in the Cambrian Go-Karts Masters Max division. Cleavelin (RPG / Kosmic) edged out two-time series champion Paul Bonilla (FTK / Birel ART) in qualifying by 96 thousandths. Cleavelin got the jump on everyone in the Prefinal to pull away to a seven-second advantage with Bonilla fighting with David Pergande (FTK / Tony Kart) for much of the race. The 25-lap Final was all Cleavelin, leading wire-to-wire with consistent fast laps to end up over three seconds ahead of Bonilla. Pergande ran third until Chad Wallace (Birel ART) was able to work past late, securing the final step of the podium. Local driver Jim Keiger (Zanardi) crossed the line in the fifth spot, but was assessed a three position penalty for contact. That promoted Blake Choquer (PDB) into the fifth spot.
Southern California United States Rotax Max Challenge program cuts series to seven rounds, moves dates to close out 2014 ORANGE, CA (July 10, 2014) – In its inaugural season, the So-Cal Rotax Challenge has become one of the largest United States Rotax Max Challenge programs. The first USRMC series to hit the 50 member mark, the So-Cal Rotax Challenge is currently the second largest based on membership numbers, leading into next week’s Cold Stone US Grand Nationals. Four rounds of racing are in the books, following two one-day events at the CalSpeed Karting Center in March and May, along with a double-header weekend at Willow Springs Kart Track in June. The series is now preparing for the second half of the season, making adjustments to the schedule by eliminating one round along with moving to different dates.
Tyler Brooks doubled up in his Masters Max series debut (Photo: SeanBuur.com
The next event scheduled was set to be a double-header weekend on August 8-9 at the Adams Motorsports Park in Riverside. That event has been reduced to a one-round race, and rescheduled for a night event on August 23. The race will be combined with SoCal Sprinters – one of the oldest clubs in Southern California. The event will begin with the gates opening around noon, and the main events scheduled to run under the lights. Specific event details will be released very soon on the So-Cal Rotax Challenge webpage. The September 13 event at CalSpeed remains on the schedule, and will now count as the sixth event of the series. The series finale, originally set for October 12, has been moved to October 26 and still set for the CalSpeed facility. The championship chase is now based on a best five of seven format. “Scheduling is among the toughest tasks to manage when organizing a series,” stated Andy Seesemann, So-Cal Rotax Challenge promoter. “Although we released our schedule in November 2013, a few other local organizations scheduled races on the same weekends. I decided that in order to ease the burden for our customers and sponsors having to choose which event to attend, we have moved two of our events. The three final rounds will be exciting events. Racing under the lights at Adams, one of the most historic facilities in the sport, is truly an experience you have to try. And the two final rounds at CalSpeed will feature different configurations.” The third and fourth rounds of the So-Cal Rotax Challenge took place June 14-15 at the Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, California. The third round of action was contested that Saturday, featuring a qualifying, Prefinal and Final format. Sunday’s Round Four was conducted with a pea-pick for Heat #1 position, with the field inverted for Heat #2, and points determining the main event grid position.
Eric Molinatti leads the Senior Max championship follow his first win of the year at Willow Springs (Photo: SeanBuur.com)
With the absence of two-time race winner Jake Craig, the Tru Tech Senior Max class welcomed two new winners. Carlee Taylor and Eric Molinatti split the feature wins. Taylor was able to outrun Molinatti in the 22-lap Final on Saturday, earning a maximum point day with top qualifier honors and the win in the Prefinal. Molinatti escaped Sunday’s main event with his first series victory, with Nathan Seegrist in the runner-up spot. The win also put him in the championship lead over Seegrist, as the two are separated by just 19 points. The PSL SoCal Masters Max division was among the biggest of the weekend once again, with Tyler Brooks stamping his series debut with a double-win weekend. Brooks swept the action Saturday, edging out Andy Seesemann for the main event win with Michael Middleton capping off the podium. On Sunday, Brooks and Round Two winner Larry Hayashigawa split the heat race wins, setting up for a great main event. Brooks was able to break away to a five-second victory over Hayashigawa and Middleton. Another driver to make a debut in stunning fashion wasNash Motorsportz Junior Max double winner Christian Munoz. It was a perfect score on the weekend for Munoz, as he swept both days of action over point leader Jonathan Shone and Arie Zimmermann. Dante Yu and Trey Brown split the feature wins in the Ryan Perry Motorsports Mini Max division. Yu, the current championship leader, won Saturday with Brown victorious on Sunday. Cole Keith Cotham extended his win streak to four with two trips to the top of the podium on the weekend in the 2 Wild Karting Micro Max category. Cotham won both main events over Ethan Ho and Tyson Quach to extend his point lead. In the local option Mack Motorsports Honda Kid Kart, attrition was the key to victory as Cooper Hicks and Zang O’Saughnessy split the wins at Willow as Hicks continues to lead the championship. For all information regarding the So-Cal Rotax Challenge, be sure to bookmark the RotaxChallenge.com website and view extra on the program’s Facebook page.
]]>New US Rotax Max Challenge program readies for May 10 return to CalSpeed Karting Center in Fontana
ORANGE, CA (April 25, 2014) – A new era of Rotax racing commence on March 9 with the inaugural event of the So-Cal Rotax Challenge. Roughly 50 drivers took part at the opening round of the new United States Rotax Max Challenge program for the southern California area. Held at the CalSpeed Karting Center in Fontana, the So-Cal Rotax Challenge is scheduled for a return on Saturday, May 10. All seven categories of the United States Rotax Max Challenge program are offered, including local option Honda Kid Kart and KPV-1 Cadet divisions.
“Our ultimate goal is continue to grow throughout the first year,” stated series director Andy Seesemann. “The feedback from the first event in March was positive, and our numbers were about what we expected. Now, we are working on building momentum for the future of the program and invite anyone interested in becoming part of the US Rotax Max Challenge.”
Those who are new, or a returning driver to the US Rotax Max Challenge, can take part in the So-Cal Rotax Challenge Trigger Program. New Rotax customers, who were not US Rotax Max Challenge members in 2012 or 2013, are welcomed to purchase a new Rotax engine from any participating dealer with the So-Cal Rotax Challenge series (Nash Motorsportz, Phil Giebler Racing, Tru Tech Racing Engines, and Full Throttle Karting). Once they register the engine for a Rotax warranty and become a USRMC member, the customer receives a free set of Mojo tires. Those customers that purchased an engine through the Trigger Program and race in at least six of the eight series races will receive a rebate check from MAXSpeed Group – the US Distributor of all Rotax products. The rebate is for approximately 20% of the purchase price, equaling about $500-$725 depending on the engine configuration.
The deadline for pre-registration to Round Two of the So-Cal Rotax Challenge is set for May 5. Following that date, late entries will be subject to a fee. Complete entry form and information can be found at the So-Cal Registration Page at RotaxChallenge.com.
Racers who take part in the seven US Rotax Max Challenge categories at the So-Cal Rotax Challenge earn ‘punches’ toward entry into the 2014 United States Rotax Grand Nationals at Miller Motorsports Park on July 17-20 in Tooele, Utah. The May 10 event at CalSpeed and the double round weekend at Willow Springs International Raceway on June 14-15 are the remaining chances in southern California to earn a portion of the minimum of four punches to qualify for the Grand Nationals event. Many of the same teams and drivers that will be in Utah for the national championships are among the supporters and competitors at the So-Cal Rotax Challenge.
The racing at the opening round of the So-Cal Rotax Challenge in March was exciting, taking part in two heat races following a pea-pick for grid position, followed by a grueling main event. Two-time Team USA driver Jake Craig swept the action in the Tru Tech Racing Engines Senior Rotax category at Round One. Other winners included John Crow (PSL SoCal Rotax Masters), Erik Jackson (K1 Racegear DD2), Christian Brooks (Nash Motorsportz Junior Rotax), Myles Farhan (Ryan Perry Motorsports Mini Max), Cole Keith Cotham (2Wild Karting Micro Max) and Cooper Hicks (Mack Motorsports Honda Kid Kart).
More event details regarding the schedule and track layout will be posted in the coming days in the So-Cal Rotax Challenge section of the RotaxChallenge.com website.
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April 8, 2014 – With the annual Rotax Summer Shootout set to take place June 27-29 at the famed Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, track officials continue to add to the event. With online event registration and pit and garage reservations now open and partner hotels confirmed, the event is continuing to take shape. Dubbed as the “Unofficial Tune-Up” for the Rotax MAX Challenge United States Grand Nationals, Miller Motorsports Park officials sweetened the pot for two deserving race winners from this past weekend’s Rotax Challenge of the Americas event in Sonoma, California.
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“Final rounds will see drivers in all classes have a chance at a free set of Mojo Tires”
March 13, 2014 – MAXSpeed Group, one of the top Rotax MAX distributors in the world, is once again set to provide awards for Rotax competitors. With the final rounds of the annual Florida Winter Tour (FWT) and Rotax Challenge of the Americas (COA) forthcoming, officials at the MAXSpeed Group will offer a free set of Mojo Tires to the hard charging participant in each division. Officially announced as the ‘#GoRotax Hard Charger Award presented by MAXSpeed Group’, the participant gaining the most positions in the main event will be awarded a free set of Mojo Tires at the podium celebrations that afternoon.
New United States Rotax Max Challenge program opens up at CalSpeed Karting Center
ORANGE, CA (March 13, 2014) – The new So-Cal Rotax Challenge kicked off their inaugural season with the opening round contested on March 9 at the CalSpeed Karting Center located just outside the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Sunny skies greeted the 50 drivers making history as the new United States Rotax Max Challenge program began a new era in Southern California. The action was exciting in each category that took to the 3/4-mile course first of eight championship rounds, along with racers earning their first ‘punch’ toward qualifying to race at the 2014 United States Rotax Grand Nationals at Miller Motorsports Park in July.
The format for opening round of the So-Cal Rotax Challenge featured a throwback to club racing, as all classes were set by a ‘pea pick’ for position to open up the first heat race. The grid for heat two saw the field inverted, with points deciding the lineup for each main event. Series promoter Andy Seesemann will keep the racers on their toes, mixing up each event format in the future. Racers took to the ‘Grande’ circuit of the CalSpeed facility, going in the counter-clockwise direction. Scoring the first-ever So-Cal victories were seven drivers beginning their chase off right toward becoming the inaugural series champions.
Jake Craig dominated the opening round of the Tru Tech Senior Max class. Craig started near the front of heat one, which allowed him to take over the top spot by the completion of lap one. He started at the back of the pack to begin heat two, charging to the front end of the field and assuming the lead by lap five of the 10-lap race. Craig scored the win seven tenths of a second ahead of Nathan Seegrist, earning the pole position for the Final. Craig went wire-to-wire, leading all 20 laps and driving to over a five-second victory ahead of Carlee Taylor, who came up from sixth on the grid. Seegrist completed the Senior podium with Eric Molinatti and Alejandro Fernandez rounding out the top-five.
A solid 14 drivers, matching the count of the Senior field, filled the grid for the PSL SoCal Masters Max race in Fontana, with the complexion of the race coming down to everyone chasing just two. John Crow and Erik Jackson battled clean but competitive all day, trading wins with Crow eventually coming out on top with the first main event victory of the season. Both Crow and Jackson started heat one at the front of the grid, with Crow leading all 10 laps as Jackson finished right behind Crow’s rear bumper. Crow and Jackson started the second heat at the back of the field, with Jackson making quick work of the karts ahead of him to take the top spot by lap five and score the win. Crow made his way through his competition as well, but could only get to third before he ran out of laps. Crow set the tone early in the Final, securing the lead with Jackson in tow. Jackson assumed the lead for a few laps, before Crow retook the position and began pulling away. The 2012 Team USA driver checked out to a two-second victory ahead of Jackson. Chris Karlen crossed the line third, but was removed in tech for a float arm height issue. That put Larry Hayashigawa into third over Peter Mokran and Michael Boyer.
Christian Brooks has been winning many races thus far into the 2014 season, both at the regional and national level. The California racer took his winning ways to CalSpeed last weekend as he swept the day’s action in the Nash Motorsportz Junior Max class. Brooks led each lap of the first heat race, taking the win by nearly a full second ahead of Phillippe Denes. The second heat race threatened Brooks’ perfect run on the day as he spent nearly the entire race chasing Denes. Brooks took the lead away from Denes on lap seven before driving to the win and the pole position for the main event. Denes hung tough with Brooks the first half of the feature race before taking the lead on lap 11. Brooks would reclaim the lead with five to go, scoring the first win ahead of Denes and NorCal driver Horatio Fitz-Simon. Capping off the top-five were Jonathan Shone and Arie Zimmermann.
The Ryan Perry Motorsports Mini Max feature race was won by Myles Farhan, who strapped on a rental Rotax engine Saturday night to earn the inaugural So-Cal Rotax Challenge victory. Farhan won the opening heat race, with the second moto decided by a few inches. Dante Yu finished just a tenth of a second ahead of Trey Brown with Farhan in third. Yu led the opening laps of the feature race but by lap five, Farhan took the lead. From there, he drove away to the main event victory ahead of Brown and Yu.
Cole Keith Cotham secured the victory in the 2 Wild KartingMicro Max category. Dominic Gorden and Cotham paced the field in the opening heat race with Cotham crossing the finish line first. Cotham however was removed from the results for a post-race disqualification handing the win to Gorden. Cotham rebounded very well as he led every lap of the heat two en route to the win. Gorden looked strong as he led the opening three laps of the main event before giving way to Cotham on lap four. Cotham then checked out on the field and drove to a whopping 19-second win over Gorden. Cameron Easton was removed for a carburetor issue in tech, which promoted Ethan Ho to the podium, ahead of Jalen Mac and Tyson Quach.
The youngest racers competing at the opening weekend of the So-Cal Rotax Challenge contested the local option Mack Motorsports Honda Kid Kart division. Cooper Hicks began the day by scoring the first heat race win, beating Nick Curry by over thirty seconds. The second heat race featured Hicks coming from the back of the pack with Curry pulling away from the field. When the checkers flew on the race, it was Curry clearing the finish line two seconds ahead of Hicks. The feature race however belonged to Hicks, as he took the lead on the opening circuit and drove to a 21-second victory. Curry ended up second, with Ian Dodge joining them on the podium. Delaney Adamo and Skyler Geczi rounded out the top-five. Erik Jackson was the lone competitor in the K1 Race Gear DD2 Masters category, sweeping the first round action.
The new series returns to action following a two-month break, scheduled for another day of exciting and family-fun racing at CalSpeed Karting Center on May 10 to complete round two. For all information regarding the So-Cal Rotax Challenge, be sure to bookmark the RotaxChallenge.com website.
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ORANGE, CA (March 11, 2014) – Full Throttle Karting (FTK) is Southern California’s full service kart shop focused on the TaG and Rotax divisions, and promotes the sport through a highly-visible retail storefront in Orange, CA. FTK owner Andy Seesemann’s operation has focused on the popular Arrow brand for the last several years, with much success, and is now happy to announce that the shop will be rekindling its support of the iconic Birel brand, welcoming the full line of 2014 products on the showroom floor. Full Throttle Karting began as a Birel dealer in 2002, and has supported the brand and it’s Birel customers since that day. During the years of 2005-2008, more than 100 Birel karts were sold each year in Southern California, and these racers always needed support, both at events and between races. FTK has always had stock on hand to support Birel racers. In 2010, Seesemann moved his focus toward the Arrow brand, while still carrying the Birel product line. With three successful seasons of promoting the Arrow kart on the West Coast to the shop’s resume, Seesemann is excited about the new Birel line that is hitting the United States, adding the Italian marque alongside the venerable Australian brand.
Andy Seesemann and Full Throttle Karting is rekindling their relationship with Birel in 2014
“I started a conversation last fall with Ronni Sala, the owner of Birel, about their future plans,” commented FTK owner Andy Seesemann. “He told me they were working hard to design and build a kart that was good on Mojo tires, as well as softer compounds like the MG. That conversation carried on through the SuperNationals and I received a chassis to test. I was very pleased with the results of the RY30-S6, their new Rotax/TaG kart. Now, we’ve decided to help rebuild the brand here in Southern California.”
Birel is one of the iconic brands in the sport of karting, and is among the early manufacturers in the sport, dating back to the late 1950s, building chassis at their manufacturing facility in Lissone, Italy. The brand has earned countless victories and championships worldwide, featuring names like Mike Wilson, Gianluca Beggio, Mika Hakkinen, Robert Kubica, and Juan Pablo Montoya. Birel has always made high-quality Cadet models, most recently dominating the racing on the western coast of the United States. New updates to the Birel chassis line for the younger drivers have already been proven with four straight Micro Max victories at the Rotax Challenge of the Americas program with the new Birel C28-R.
The full lines of Arrow and Birel karts are available at Full Throttle Karting in Orange, California
“The success of the Birel Cadet models will allow us to open up more to the young drivers in the sport,” added Seesemann. “Josh Huff, a national-level Cadet tuner with years of experience, will lead the charge with the young driver program with Birel and FTK. We look to continue supporting and growing the Arrow brand as well, as we garnered a number of race victories and championships over the past three seasons. Carrying the two different brands will provide options to both new and current customers, depending on their different preferences and needs.”
Full Throttle Karting is gearing up for a busy 2014 season, supporting drivers of all ages in both the Birel and Arrow brands, as well as FTK Rotax Engine Service Center racers. Drivers can find FTK trackside at the new So-Cal Rotax Challenge and at the United States Rotax Grand Nationals at the Miller Motorsports Park in July, along with Los Angeles Karting Championship events at the CalSpeed Karting Center.
For more information on the full Birel and Freeline product line available, be sure to check out fullthrottlekartingshop.com.
About Full Throttle Karting:
If customer service is your top priority, Full Throttle Karting is your solution. FTK is a full service kart shop owned by veteran karter Andy Seesemann – they are Southern California’s Rotax and TaG specialists. With over 20 years of experience, FTK provides the best products and parts available, matched with the best support and service in the industry, making sure each and every customer enjoys the sport no matter the results on track. Full Throttle Karting is the official Western United States Distributor of the Australian-manufactured Arrow Racing Karts along with a United States Distributor of the Italian-made Birel and Freeline product lines. They are a long-time Rotax Max dealer and Service Center, along with supporting lines of Holeshot Drive Systems and many other karting products. You can find Full Throttle Karting at many of the top national events throughout the season, at many local Southern California tracks, or online at fullthrottlekartingshop.com.
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Four tickets to 2013 Rotax Grand Finals at NOLA to be awarded in Fontana March 8-10
ORANGE, CA (February 28, 2013) – The 2013 Rotax Challenge of the Americas series will wrap up its season next weekend (March 8-10) at the CalSpeed Karting facility in Fontana, California. The ‘temporary-like’ circuit outside the Auto Club Speedway will host the finale for the premier winter karting series on the left coast a second straight year. Some of the top Rotax competitors from the United States and Canada will battle for race victories before heading into the busy summer season, along with four tickets to the 2013 Rotax Grand Finals in Senior Max, DD2, DD2 Masters and Junior Max.
Nearly every championship in the Rotax Challenge of the Americas program was decided on the final laps last year, and the same is expected this year. With the series counting the best five rounds of the six-race championship, no titles are locked. The Buddy Rice Karting Senior Max standings have 2009 US Rotax Grand Nationals champion Phillip Arscott at the top following a victory at each of the first two events. His advantage into the final weekend is 24 points with former Junior Max series champ Louie Pagano in second as Round one winner Parker McKean sits third, 60 points back. The Rolison Performance Group Junior Max class has two teammates leading the way with Luke Selliken and Blaine Rocha separated by 17 points. Each has two victories to their credit, one from each event, and carries a slight advantage over the competition heading to CalSpeed. Austin Versteeg and Noah Grey remain in the chase, 66 and 74 points behind Selliken.
Defending Dallas Karting Complex DD2 champion Fritz Leesmann suffered his first non-victory round in Phoenix, but remains a top of the chase for the Rotax Grand Finals ticket. Series rookie Andrew Evans is 84 points back with three podium finishes, still with a shot at the championship, as Bill Kann holds the third spot. The Billet Performance DD2 Masters category has 2012 Team USA member Alan Rudolph comfortably out front. His 112 point advantage over Daryle Redlin has all but locked up the title, however, the Arizona driver will have to manage the CalSpeed rounds error free to confirm the ticket to New Orleans.
One category that may be decided by a fast lap in either of the two feature races in Fontana is the CRG-USA Masters Max class. Three drivers enter the finale separated by just five points, equal to a fast lap main event or pole position bonus. Utah driver Justin Peck stood on the podium all four events, earning his first series victory in Phoenix, and leads the championship chase. NorCal’s Donald Durbin Jr. has the same podium record, but not yet recorded a win, is two points back. Fellow Utah pilot Ken Maxfield also earned his first series win in Phoenix, and sits third in the standings five points behind Peck. With a number of drivers coming into CalSpeed that are schedule to compete, there is no telling who will leave with the championship and Grand Nationals entry.
The stakes in the HoleShot Drive Systems Mini Max and Overdrive Motorsports Micro Max classes have doubled. Not only will the champions from each class be awarded a paid entry to the Rotax Grand Nationals of the driver’s country, the driver who earns the most points during the CalSpeed weekend in each class will earn a ticket to participate in the Micro & Mini Invitational. Horatio Fitz-Simon and Sting Ray Robb are the top two contenders in Mini Max, separated by 15 points at the top of the class standings. Fitz-Simon has been on the podium in all four main events with a win in the opening round, while Robb has two victories to his credit. Round 3 winner Chase Farley, David Rafailov and Sophia Price remain in the chase. Micro Max is very similar, as it’s a difference of 16 points with Liam Letzsch leading Payton Durrant heading into Fontana. Letzsch has taken home hardware from all four events, including a Round one victory. Durrant scored a feature win each weekend, with three straight podium trips. Anthony Willis sits third, 89 points out with a chance still to sneak his way into the title.
eKartingNews.com will provide their ‘Trackside Live’ coverage throughout the March 8-10 weekend at the CalSpeed Karting facility in Fontana. Live audio broadcast begins Friday with the final round of practice, and will carry the entire action Saturday and Sunday from qualifying to the final lap of the main events at www.ekartingnews.com/live . Recordings of the previous events from 2013 can be downloaded through iTunes by searching ‘eKartingNews.com’.
Pre-entry for the Fontana rounds of the Rotax Challenge of the Americas closes today, February 28. To send in that last-minute entry or to find out more about season finale of The Challenge 2013, visit www.rotaxchallenge.com
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