|
 |
| January 20, 2010 News |
| Presentation of 2009 US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Champions - Junior |
| |
In cooperation with the US Rotax Max Challenge program, eKartingNews.com will be presenting the champions and top-10 of the six Rotax categories that make up the National Points Standings. Over the next six weeks, we will examine one class per week to highlight those who were able to score highest in the points standings in 2009. This system ranks every US Rotax Max Challenge member that competes in any official Rotax program throughout the United States. The points system was developed in 2007 by National Race Director Marshall Martin, using a weight factor based on the number of registered members in each class in a series. Bonus points were available for each competitor, if a minimum number of racers competed for the event and if two or more series raced together. While only head to head competition can determine true champions, and that is what is done at the US Rotax Max Challenge Grand Nationals each year, you will see that the many of the top-10 drivers in each class were also found at the top of the charts at the 2009 US Grand Nationals.
Junior
Class number three of the 2009 US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings Championship is the Junior Max. Anytime you place a group of 12-15 year-old talented, fearless young men on the track it will be exciting. In this group, we count six former Mini Max champions from previous US Grand Nationals or other major Rotax competitions. Three of the top-10 drivers finished in the top positions at the 2009 US Grand Nationals and represented the US at the Rotax Grand Finals in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt. First and fifth drivers are from the state of Texas while second and third place drivers are from the MRP Rotax Max Challenge Series. The rest of the top 10 was represented by drivers from North and South Florida and California. This is another class that shows the competition in the Rotax series stretches from coast to coast. Each year, the talent pool in the Junior class keeps getting stronger and it will happen again in 2010. A number of Junior drivers are advancing to Seniors, being replaced by a very talented group of 2009 Mini Max drivers. It will be interesting to watch as the 2010 season develops to see what new faces will be on the list of 2010 USRMC National Points Standings.
 | Jake French
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
1. Jake French
Hometown: Sachse, Texas
Series: Southwest Regional Cup
Points: 1284
Former Mini Max Grand National champion Jake French is the 2009 US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings Champion for the Junior division. French, a member of North Texas Kartway and 3G Kart Racing team member was one of the top Junior drivers in 2009. The 13-year old started racing in the Junior 1 Yamaha class at 8. Jake scored the 2009 Southwest Regional Cup championship in Rotax Junior, as well as placing third at the US Grand Nationals to earn a trip to the Rotax Grand Finals in Egypt. Jake is sponsored by 3G Kart Racing, Burger King, MRP Motorsports, LG Motorsports, Censport Graphics, Sachse Rod Shop and On Track Promotions.
 | Taylor Tzouanakis
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
2. Taylor Tzouanakis
Hometown: Wauconda, Illinois
Series: MRP Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 1233
Second in the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings for 2009 is Taylor Tzouanakis. The MRP Rotax Max Challenge Junior class champion calls the MRP circuit home, and is one of his favorite tracks along with Ocala Gran Prix and Homestead Karting. Tzouanakis likes to play video games, go snowboarding and ride anything with wheels when not competing in his MRP/Chicago Indoor Racing Birel. His favorite food is steak and mashed potatoes and his favorite professional driver is former Birel karter and current IndyCar star Graham Rahal. Taylor’s goal is to one day become a professional race car driver as well.
 | Brennan Harrington
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
3. Brennan Harrington
Hometown: Des Plaines, Illinois
Series: MRP Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 1228
Tzouanakis teammate, Brennan Harrington, is third in the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings. The Illinois driver calls the MRP Rotax Max Challenge series home in South Bend, Indiana. Harrington is a 2007 MRP Series Mini Max Champion and 2009 MRP Series Yamaha Jr. Can champion, braking three MRP track records this past year. He finished runner-up to Tzouanakis in the Rotax Junior category this year. The MRP/Chicago Indoor Racing was fifth at the Rotax Summer Shootout. In 2010, Brennan will return to the Junior Rotax division to contest the MRP series, Rotax Pan American Challenge, the US Grand Nationals along with competing in the WKA Manufacturer’s Cup Series.
 | Sebastian Ordonez
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
4. Sebastian Ordonez
Hometown: Deerfield Beach, Florida
Series: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 1043
RDD Motorsports/Kart Mini driver Sebastian Ordonez ended the 2009 season fourth in the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings. The native Columbian, who now resides in Florida, has garnered a number of victories and championships since the age of 7 when he began in Baby Karts. In 2009, Ordonez earned the South Florida Rotax Max Challenge Junior championship, was a front-runner at both the Rotax Summer Shootout and the US Grand Nationals, where he finished eighth. The 15-year old ended the year earning a full season for a Skip Barber Regional Race Series with his performance at the program’s karting shootout.
 | Alec Udell
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
5. Alec Udell
Hometown: Angleton, Texas
Series: Southwest Regional Cup
Points: 1182
Junior rookie Alec Udell completes the top-five of the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings. The 13-year old started racing karts in the Kid Kart class at 5. Alec is a member of the Kart Nation/SRR Race Team based at the Kart Nation/MSR Houston kart track in Angleton, TX. Alec was ranked the #1 Mini Max racer in the USRMC standings in 2008. In 2009, Udell was runner-up to French in the Southwest Regional Cup Junior division, however, earned the overall crown at the Rotax Summer Shootout. Returning to Oklahoma in September, Udell finished fourth at the US Grand Nationals, earning a spot on Team USA for the Rotax Grand Finals in Egypt. Alec's sponsors are Kart Nation, SRR (Stuart Robinson Racing ) Race Team, Grand Products and Top Kart.
 | Jesus Rios Jr.
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
6. Jesus Rios Jr.
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Series: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 1108
Sixth in the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings is Florida’s Jesus Rios Jr. The JRacing/PSL Racing CRG driver recorded a busy 2009 season. Rios earned multiple wins in Quebec, Canada, traveled to Jamaica to win the Caribbean Karting International event as well as victories at the Florida Winter Tour in Rotax Junior and in his KF3 debut. Rios was the youngest member of Team USA in 2008 at the Rotax Grand Finals in Italy after finishing third at the US Grand Nationals in his first Junior year. This year, Rios was among the quickest however recorded a disappointing seventh in Oklahoma. Rios will return in the Junior category in 2010 looking to add more to his racing resume.
 | Louie Pagano
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
7. Louie Pagano
Hometown: Camarillo, California
Series: Gatorz Karting Cup
Points: 1095
Louie Pagano ends the 2009 season seventh on the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings. The 2009 Gatorz Karting Cup Junior champion scored three wins on the season to help earn him the title. Along with placing fourth in the competitive Challenge of the Americas program at the start of the ’09 season, the DPK/Birel driver went on to score the runner-up position at the Rotax Summer Shootout and finish sixth at the US Grand Nationals in Norman, Oklahoma.
 | Nick Neri
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
8. Nick Neri
Hometown: Palmetto, Florida
Series: North Florida Max Challenge
Points: 1080
The 2009 US Rotax Max Challenge Grand Nationals champion Nick Neri is eighth in the National Points Standings. The Ocala Gran Prix/Tony Kart driver had a successful 2009 season. The ’06 Mini Max Grand National champion started the season out winning the Florida Winter Tour Rotax Junior championship, earning a direct entry to the Rotax Grand Finals in Egypt. Going on to win the North Florida Rotax Max Challenge championship as well, Neri went on to capture the Grand Nationals title in Oklahoma. In Egypt, Neri was the top North American finisher in the Junior category, placing 16th. Returning to the Junior category in 2010, Neri will be considered one of the favorites throughout the year.
 | Mason Chelootz
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
9. Mason Chelootz
Hometown: Angleton, Texas
Series: Southwest Regional Cup
Points: 1054
Ninth in the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings is Mason Chelootz of Texas. Mason started racing in the Kid Kart class in Katy, TX at age 5. His passion is for racing but he is also an avid golfer. Chelootz competed in a number of national programs, including Stars of Karting, Championship Karting International and the USRMC. At the Rotax Summer Shootout, Chelootz was fifth overall and was among the quick drivers at the US Grand Nationals. Mason enjoys racing with his family and would like to thank the following Grand Products, Kart Nation, Hytorc of Texas, Tony Loniewski and of course his parents.
 | | Jack West |
10. Jack West
Hometown: Sarasota, Florida
Series: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Points 1051
Rounding out the top-10 of the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings is Floridian Jack West. The DeFrancesco Racing/Alonso Kart USA driver began his karting career in 2002, moving to Rotax in 2004 in the Mini Max division as one of the original member of the Florida Club Mini Max group. West earned Mini Max regional championships three straight years from 2004 to 2006. In ’08, West was the runner-up at the US Grand Nationals in Wisconsin. At the start of 2009, West continued in the Mini Max category, earning the Florida Winter Tour class championship. Moving up to Juniors for the remainder of the year, West finished third in the South Florida Rotax Max Challenge standings behind Ordonez and Rios. |
|
|
Go Top
|
|
|
|
|
