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| February 16, 2009 News |
| EKN Awards 2008: Young Driver of the Year - Phil DeLaO |
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 | Young Driver of the Year - Phil DeLaO
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
As one of the original four categories of the program, our Young Driver of the Year presentation kicks off the eKartingNews.com Awards Week. The Young Driver honor has been awarded to a number of incredibly talented pilots over the years, competitors who have found success early in their careers and carried that momentum as they grew older. One driver that was among the most feared in the Junior ranks in 2008 was Phil DeLaO, the newest member to be added to the EKN Young Driver of the Year alumni.
The Arizona teenager traveled from coast-to-coast throughout the ‘08 season in search of experience and race victories. It did not take long for DeLaO to step to the top of the box as he swept Rotax Junior on the opening day of the Florida Winter Tour in Homestead in January, recording his first win of the year. The following day, after troubles in the Prefinal, he bounced back from 16th to stand on the third step of the podium. Two more podiums in the next four races helped him earn second in the championship standings and a trip to the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals at La Conca, Italy later in the year.
DeLaO used the FWT JICA division to prepare for the upcoming Stars of Karting season. In the two events in which he competed, Phil would come away with great notes for the season, adding another victory to his early total.
The opening round of the Stars of Karting Eastern Division kicked off at the Ocala Gran Prix facility in Florida. DeLaO had recorded a number of laps in his Rotax machine just weeks prior and had a good baseline heading into the event. After qualifying third, he would go on to finish second and first in the heats, hampered only by a single DNF that kept him off the front row for the start of the mains. Starting sixth for each final, DeLaO struggled with bad starts and managed finishes of 15th and eighth. The measure of driver is often how they respond to failure, and at this crucial time in his career, Phil DeLaO stepped up.
Things would turn around when he headed west to Miller Motorsports Park for the Stars of Karting West Division opener in April. DeLaO and his Tony Kart were hooked up early and at the top of the time sheets all weekend. After earning the pole in qualifying, he went on to win two heats and finish second in the other to start from P1 in both features. After cruising to victory in the first event - his first ever Stars of Karting win - a dropped wheel with two laps to go cost him the top spot in the second final, ending up second, still tied for the divisional championship. Steadily growth and development is key in top-level Junior racing and DeLaO was showing all that and more.
The Mazda Race of the Americas (East vs. West) event at the New Castle Motorsports Park in May signaled just what could be for the remainder of the season for DeLaO. After starting the weekend not quite up to pace, he put down the fast laps and made the right moves when they counted to come up through the field in both feature races to take huge victories. The end result positioned DeLaO at the top of both the East and the West divisional standings. The kid from Arizona was now the outright driver to beat.
 | DeLaO and his Tony Kart was at the front of the field throughout 2008
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
The Eastern finale at the USA International Raceway in Wisconsin did not go as planned as troubles prevented him from performing at his best. DeLaO shrugged it off and focused on the Western title as he headed to Seattle. Keeping up with the lead pack and staying out of trouble on a tight temp circuit, DeLaO earned a P3 starting spot for the feature races. In the first race, he bided his time and positioned himself within striking distance for the win. In the closing stages, DeLaO went into action to overtake the leader and earned his fourth victory on the West to clinch the divisional crown.
Despite leading the overall championship heading into the National Finals, DeLaO held his head high when he was defeated in the race, which in-turn cost him a chance at the national title, finishing third on the year. The Stars of Karting points program put everything down to the finale and while issues kept DeLaO from earning the overall crown, there is no doubt that he was the dominant JICA driver in 2008.
DeLaO also competed at the IKF 2-Cycle Grand Nationals, the Gatorz Karting Cup (earning an additional win for his 2008 total), and the Rotax Max Challenge USA Grand Nationals. Even with having already earned a trip to the Grand Finals in Italy, DeLaO traveled to Wisconsin to compete against the top Rotax drivers in the country. After earning two heat wins, DeLaO went on to fourth place run in the Rotax Junior class.
At La Conca for the Rotax Grand Finals, his first international event in his career, DeLaO qualified 28th out of 72 drivers. A flip in the opening heat race would set a negative tone for the event and although he tried valiantly, he would not be able to recover the points lost and not qualify for the main event.
DeLaO is primed to contend the Junior division for one more year and the 15-year old should be among the leading contenders throughout the 2009 season. He was certainly strong in ’08, but with so much more experience and maturity under his best, the competition will need to step to another level of challenge this young star.
EKN would like to congratulate Phil DeLaO for his successful 2008 season and the Young Driver of the Year award. To discuss the EKN Awards 2008, please visit the Official Discussion Thread and also visit the Official Awards Page.
Former Young Driver of the Year Award Winners
2007 - Jarvis Gennari
2006 - Brett Smrz
2005 - Zachary Schiff
2004 - Cole Whitt
2003 - Cole Whitt
2002 - Alan Sciuto
2001 - Wade Van Hooser
2000 - Preston Peebles
1999 - Alex Speed |
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