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| February 03, 2010 News |
| Presentation of 2009 US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Champions - Senior |
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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.
Senior
The 2009 Senior Max class is a list of ‘who’s who’ in karting and competition at the highest level. As we continue to see the growth of the program every year, more of the top drivers in the country join the mix to vie for a spot representing the USA at the Rotax Grand Finals. All of these drivers want to compete against the best in the country and to win an opportunity to compete on the world stage. As the 2009 USRMC National Points Standings evolved over the season, we saw several of the top drivers making the trip to Oklahoma and competing for the win.
We can copy and paste the statement from other classes that the Senior Max Top-10 class of 2009 stretches to all four corners of the United States with one exception minus a representative from the Florida area. Leading the 2010 Senior class is National Points Champion Californian Erik Jackson, a consistent threat to win any event. Following Erik is Oregon resident Joey Wimsett and another California driver Gregory Liefooghe. Rounding out the top are Palmer Adams from Georgia and the third California driver Dylan Stalker. All the way thru the top 10 you see some of the best the US has to offer.
Looking towards the new season, the USRMC has a group of graduating Junior drivers with a lot of talent that will compete alongside the veteran Senior Max members, making 2010 looking very interesting. The new season promises to bring some tough competition for both the USRMC National Points Standings and the USRMC Grand Nationals in July.
 | Erik Jackson
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
1. Erik Jackson
Hometown: Long Beach, California
Series: Los Angeles Kart Club
Points: 1268
The number one driver in the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings is Erik Jackson. Erik had a great 2009 season competing in Senior Max category at the Los Angeles Kart Club and the Gatorz Karting Cup program. He had a near perfect year winning all but one race in his Arrow X-1 chassis. For the 2010 season, Jackson is running both the DD2 and Senior Max classes with high hopes to make it to the Rotax Grand Finals. Erik's 15 year-old daughter, Chandler Campbell, a very good driver in her own right, moving up to run alongside her dad next season in the Senior class. This should make for a lot of fun and the whole Jackson family is looking forward to it.
 | Joey Wimsett
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
2. Joey Wimsett
Hometown: Beaver Creek, Oregon
Series: Northwest Gold Cup Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 1227
Joey Wimsett ended 2009 second in the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings. Wimsett began the year ending second in the Challenge of the Americas program, moving on to claim the title in the Northwest Gold Cup program in Rotax Senior. Joey’s accomplishments in 2009 were capped off with a third place finish at the 2009 USRMC Grand Nationals and a trip to the Rotax Grand Finals. A consistent performance in Egypt earned Joey a fourth place against the best the world had to offer. Joey's finish at Ghibli Raceway was the highest finish in the Senior Max class for an American driver in the 10 year history of the event.
 | Gregory Liefooghe
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
3. Gregory Liefooghe
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Series: Northern California Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 1193
Gregory Liefooghe comes in third to end the 2009 edition of the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings. Beginning his karting career in 2006, Liefooghe began with a runner-up finish in the Northern California Rotax Max Challenge program. For 2007 and 2008, Liefooghe recorded a couple championships and multiple victories in the DD2 division. Moving to Senior for ’09, Liefooghe was second in the NorCal program with two wins. The Leading Edge Motorsports driver earned the overall victory at the Rotax Summer Shootout however had a tough outing at the Grand Nationals. Liefooghe also competed on the national scene in KZ and KF competition with impressive results while doing some car racing in between. For 2010, Liefooghe will drive full time in the Grand-Am ST division.
 | | Palmer Adams |
4. Palmer Adams
Hometown: Gainesville, Georgia
Series: Southeast Rotax Super Series
Points: 1192
Fourth in the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings is Palmer Adams. The Southeast driver first began his career in karting at the ripe age of six on a dirt oval track near his hometown in Georgia. Palmer and his father Heidt traveled the entire southeast competing in many national events with satisfactory results. Once Palmer was of age, he made the transition to competing in the WKA Road Racing Series on a national level. After many podiums and three national championships, Palmer decided that it was time to take the next step in his karting career and test his skills in the increasingly popular Rotax Max Challenge. After almost twelve years of kart racing, Palmer and his father both agree that they have found their niche in karting with a program that hosts some of the toughest competition in the nation that instills the importance of proper driving techniques and precise chassis setup. Palmer plans to attend Georgia College and State University in the coming years, which will allow him to keep competing in the vastly expanding South East Road Racing Series.
 | | Dylan Stalker |
5. Dylan Stalker
Hometown: Lakewood, California
Series: Los Angeles Kart Club
Points: 1162
Completing the top-five of the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings is Dylan Stalker. 2009 was not the season Dylan expected, challenges with chassis and minor motor issues, yet he still fought for several wins to earn the Los Angeles Kart Club Senior Rotax title. The lack of sponsorships in a tight economy prevented a trip to the 2009 USRMC Grand Nationals. 2010 is already looking better as he will return to the FTK team under the tutelage of Andy Seesemann. Plans for 2010 include competing in the Challenge of the Americas, Gatorz Karting Cup, Los Angeles Kart Club, USRMC Grand Nationals, SKUSA SuperNationals along with a few other selected events.
 | Andy Dunne
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
6. Andy Dunne
Hometown: Westmont, Illinois
Series: MRP Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 1141
15-year old Andy Dunne finished the 2009 season sixth in the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings. Completing his fourth year in karting, the 2009 season was Dunne’s rookie year in the Senior category. During his rookie campaign, Dunne set track records on three track configurations at his home facility - Michiana Raceway Park of South Bend. Dunne was a contender at the USRMC Grand Nationals in Oklahoma, running in the top-five before a flat tire took him out of contention. For 2010, Dunne will compete at the Florida Winter Tour, MRP Rotax Max Challenge, and the USRMC Grand Nationals.
 | Mason Madej
(Photo: DavidLeePhotos.com) |
7. Mason Madej
Hometown: Vernon Hills, Illinois
Series: MRP Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 1130
Mason Madej is a 17 year old hard working, talented young man from Vernon Hills, Illinois. Mason is an honor student at Vernon Hills high school carrying a 3.6GPA and is a member of the varsity bowling team. Mason started racing Indoor karts in 2004 winning three Consecutive Indoor Karting Championships before Moving into Rotax Max Racing in 2006. Mason earned the MRP Rotax Challenge Junior Max Championship Title in 2008 and was ranked second in the USA Rotax Challenge National Points Standings. He has competed in two USA Rotax Max Grand Nationals and the Rotax Max Summer Shootout. Moving on to Rotax International in 2009 Mason Claimed the MRP Rotax Challenge Championship Title and was ranked eighth in the USA Rotax Challenge National Points Standings. Competing in the 2009 Mazda Robo-Pong 200, Mason and his team were the highest finishing Rotax engine; finishing third after starting forty seventh due to qualifying issues. This was an immense accomplishment for this young racer, competing against many extremely talented drivers.
 | Harrison Bird
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
8. Harrison Bird
Hometown: Simsbury, Connecticut
Series: Northeast Rotax Max Challenge
Points 1109
No bio available
 | Austin Tillery
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
9. Austin Tillery
Hometown: Hampton Cove, Alabama
Series: BTK/Baker’s Creek Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 1077
BTK Motorsports/Arrow team racer Austin Tillery began the 2009 race season as one of the youngest drivers in the Senior Max class, racing most of the season as a 14-year old. Tillery celebrated his 15th birthday just a week before the US Rotax Max Challenge Grand Nationals. Austin started racing at 9 years old and captured the Bakers Creek Kart Club Mini Max class champion title two years in a row. He would go on to claim the Junior Max class championship the following two years before moving up to Senior in 2009 where he would again be crowned champion. Racing against big name drivers like Eric and Brandon Jones, and Cody Robinson at Bakers Creek this year has been fun for Austin. In addition to karting, Austin is in the Duke TIP Scholars Program, National Junior Honor Society and a member of the varsity basketball team at Whitesburg Christian Academy and has enjoyed playing soccer since he could walk.
 | | William Hewell |
10. William Hewell
Hometown: University Park, Texas
Series: Southwest Regional Cup
Points: 1048
William Hewell rounds out the top-10 of the US Rotax Max Challenge National Points Standings. Hewell is a member of North Texas Karters and started racing in the Yamaha Junior I Light class at 10 years of age. William earned the 2009 Southwest Regional Cup championship in the Rotax Senior division. William’s sponsor and chief mechanic is his father, Bill Hewell. |
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