|
 |
| May 25, 2010 |
| Driver News: Devlin DeFrancesco - WSK North American Series Phoenix Report |
| |
 | DeFrancesco scored his first Mini Max win in Phoenix
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Devlin DeFrancesco has been jet-setting the globe in the month of May as just after wrapping the opening round of the Pan-American Rotax Max Challenge in Texas, he flew to Italy for a National Vortex Mini-Rok event, then back to the USA for the second round of the WSK North American Series by CKI. It was his second career trip to compete overseas, and while the travel took him around the globe, his performance at Phoenix was out of this world!
He began the weekend by taking pole in Mini-Max with a track record run of 45.015 seconds in what was a sweep of the front row for DFR/Supertune USA. Then, after taking the green on the prefinal, the ten-year-old spent some time adjusting to racing with a massive draft in effect - time that saw him fall as low as fourth by lap three! DeFrancesco then spent the next three laps working back toward the front, and solidified an off-pole starting spot for the main event with the fastest lap in the field on his final lap of the run. A podium looked assured in the afternoon, but all plans were laid to rest after a massive turn one pile-up just after the green flag dropped. DeFrancesco resumed ninth, but ran the rest of the way with damage that prevented his prior pace from appearing. He was eighth in the final tally, but would get redemption on Sunday in a very big way.
Back for day two of the event, DeFrancesco qualified fourth before moving up in the prefinal, once again with the fastest lap in the field. After running third most of the way, he flip-flopped second spot over the final two laps before finishing third to take an inside starting spot for the main. The Sunday run started much better, and after leading the first lap, DeFrancesco ran second from there to the last lap board with the leader in his crosshairs. He pounced on the final tour, and pulled clear by the wire. DeFrancesco set the fastest lap for the third time in four race runs, and scored his first Mini-Max win since moving up to the class over the winter. His two-day points total also gave him Event Champion honors for round two, and he moved to second overall in the championship, just ten points shy of P1.
Racing in Italy to begin the month, DeFrancesco was at Castello where the Official practice day saw him among the top three throughout. He then suffered in qualifying when he lost the draft, yet started on row five and was quick to work in the prefinal. By turn three of the formation race he was already up to fourth, but the run ended a few corners later as he looked for P3 and contact took him out. The final, sadly, proved even worse, as a turn one melee took five karts from the field, DeFrancesco’s included.
He will return to Europe in August for another national event, and his next North American start will be in mid June when the Pan American Rotax Max Challenge resumes at New Castle Motorsports Park in New Castle, Indiana. To learn more, please visit devlindefrancesco.com, and DFR/SupertuneUSA on Facebook. |
|
|
Go Top
|
|
|
|
|
