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| Event Page: Rotax Grand Finals 2010 |
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Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals
November 14-21, 2010
La Conca International Circuit
Muro Leccese, Italy
For the Official Discussion Thread, click HERE
To follow Team Canada, visit eKartingNews.ca
 | Team USA during the Parade of Nations
(Photo: Bas Kaligis - kartxpress.com) |
DAY SIX
Grand Finals Sunday is here. A week of preparation and anticipation come down to the final day of racing action. The streak of amazing weather continues today with bright sun to start the day and no forecast for rain. The stands were packed form 9:30 AM local time in anticipation of the morning’s prefinal races. The overflow parking is being used to get all the cars in the lot. Country flags are flying in salute to their countrymen that have survived the grueling seven-day event. As one of the largest and longest events on the annual calendar Lady Luck needs to make a trip from Las Vegas to help get you through to the Grand Finals Sunday. By mid day the temperatures had cooled and some cloud cover hid the sun that did it’s best to keep shining on assembled crowd. The western breeze was stronger then it had been over the previous days moving trees and palms in a silent salute to the drivers. It’s time to go racing Euro-style.
Full Story
 | Troy Castaneda leads the way in DD2
(Photo: Bas Kaligis - kartxpress.com) |
DAY FIVE
On the warmest and sunniest day so far, drivers ran the final of three heat races and several headed in the Second Chance Qualifier for one last dash at Sunday glory. The ribbon of black laid down by the 21 heat races that pounded 264 laps of racing over the two days became thick and black. The final heat races would see the top 28 ranked drivers head straight to the Sunday morning prefinal. The next 34 drivers headed into the Second Chance Race looking for one of six transfer spots. Even before the SCR, 8 drivers in each class will head home, their weekend done, karts returned and memories created. The track is covered in all things Rotax with several displays and vendors offering new and unique products. Sniper is on site with their new laser tool, the Inox System. Lucky Design is set-up with the latest Euro design helmets on display and shields for sale. Each group completed a nice round of morning warm-up on a clean, dry and warm track surface courtesy of the morning sun rising over the Adriatic Sea to the east.
Full Story
 | Daniel Formal
(Photo: Bas Kalagis - kartxpress.com) |
DAY FOUR
Dealing with a damp and cold track was the first order of business for the drivers as they worked through the morning warm-up. The odd numbered Juniors were first out and struggled for grip around the circuit that held residual signs of the overnight showers. By the time the final DD2 group had circulated, the track was up to speed from yesterday and it was all systems go for wheel-to-wheel racing action. As if on cue the sun came out at 10 AM and the stiff off shore breeze moved the palm tree branches to the east. A full slate of 14 races were on tap for the day as the series of round robin heats get completed to set the grid for the Sunday prefinal. The sunny crisp morning with a light breeze gave way to a warm afternoon with few clouds in the sky, perfect racing action as the stands filled through out the day. The Italian race announcer gave the event that real Euro feel. But most important on the minds of the Team USA squad was getting down to business.
Full Story
 | Daniel Formal qualified second in Senior
(Photo: Bas Kaligis - kartxpress.com) |
DAY THREE
Forecasting the weather here in south-eastern Italy is like trying to remember your wife’s size when buying gifts for Christmas. It changes constantly and is really hard to right no matter how hard you try. Overnight lightening storms and light rains cleared the area as driver arrived for a very busy day of timed practice and official qualifying. Driving the streets and roadways in Italy is a life and death experience done twice daily. Pushing your sub-sub-compact to a mind numbing 130 kph only to be passed by an elderly couple doing 145 in a 20-year-old Fiat Punta can be a tough pill to swallow on the way home after at day at the track. Another beautiful, sunny and crisp morning greeted the drivers as they turned hard left off the highway into the La Conca International Circuit. The track was up on speed from the first session as drivers and tuners dialed in their set-ups and built pace in every corner. Racers tested the red and white ribbons of curbing that line the track looking for that extra inch of road to keep them from agricultural oblivion. The palm trees that line the rows of the expansive parking and paddock area sway in the light breeze keeping temperatures cool in the late afternoon.
Full Story
 | Andrew Palmer (56) had a great day of official practice and looks in
good shape for tomorrow
(Photo: Bas Kalagis - kartxpress.com) |
DAY TWO
For the second day of official activities Team USA drivers headed into the La Conca circuit located just a few minutes from the SuperStrata 613 that links several cites in the south eastern region of the country. The seaside city of Otranto is the direction off the highway you take that leads to the track located amongst the small rock wall lined fields. Bright sunshine and a warm breeze was on the tap for the day as drivers did their first circuits on their new mounts. The warm temperature gave way to cool winds in the afternoon as the clouds rolled in after lunch. A very light shower hit the track between the Junior sessions in the afternoon but had no effect on the even number drivers. The track continued to gain speed throughout the day as the 252 sets of MOJO tires pushed rubber into the super fast flowing finish of the La Conca track. No official timing took place today and the chatter within the paddock came from the quick-fingered tuners and nervous parents. The day was completed with little contact and no drama as would be expected. The focus for the first session is engine break in and chassis feel and drivers are required to run the gear and jetting that the kart comes with when delivered at the Kart Draw. It’s a long session at 20 minutes and many drivers take advantage of the hot pit to make a quick change and return to the track.
Full Story
 | Team USA is the largest contingent at the Grand Finals with 20 drivers
(Photo: Bas Kaligis - kartxpress.com) |
DAY ONE
Wow! Although there are tens of thousands words in the English dictionary, the track at La Conca seems to defy all of them. When you enter the gates all the adverbs and adjectives seem to leave your mind and all you can say is: Wow. The day began with a brilliant sky of blue brighten by the fantastic sunshine that graces this part of Italy so often. With fall in the air and the olive harvest underway, driving into the region of Mauro Lecesse is a step back in time. Entering the track at La Conca is like making a wrong turn into wonderland were your imagination and existence become one. You almost can’t imagine the scale and scope and shear elegance of the facility dedicated to all things karting. A huge overhead road sign points you through the front gates, which lead you to the main building that wraps the front straight. Palm trees line the entrance as you park your compact Euro car in the sprawling parking facility. The entire circumference of the track is wrapped with majestic pines that hold back the strong winds off the Adriatic Sea. Yes, La Conca is what a kart track is supposed to look like. And it does not disappoint. Wow!
Full Story
 | Cody Hodgson
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
TEAM USA PREVIEW - DD2
Today will begin with a look at the DD2 roster for Team USA. The squad is very strong this year, highlighted by two drivers who finished in the top-five at last year’s World Finals. 2010 could be the year that we see the American flag on top of the podium in the number one position. Three of the six drivers on Team USA return with Grand Finals experience and the rookies are hungry to prove themselves as well.
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 | Stepanova Nekeel
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
TEAM USA PREVIEW - Senior
Today’s focus features a look at the five drivers competing for Team USA in the Senior division. Three will be making a return trip to the Finals, while the two ‘rookies’ come with solid resumes to make this one of the best Senior rosters ever for America. To back up that claim, the five drivers are current positioned inside the top-eight of the eKartingNews.com TaG Driver Rankings. With no podium finish in the Senior ranks in the event’s history, this could be the year for Team USA.
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 | Andrew Palmer
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
TEAM USA PREVIEW - Junior
Today is the review of the Junior roster for Team USA. Just as they will in DD2, the Junior squad will have six drivers making the trip – four of which from the state of Florida. The roster was seven until recently as second-place Grand Nationals finisher Alessandra Madrigal was forced to decline her trip with a rib injury from last July that has still not healed correctly. Now, the team will have two returning drivers and four new-comers, including the first female driver in the Junior category representing the United States all looking to better Timmy Megenbier’s fifth place finish from 2004 in the Canary Islands.
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 | Todd Ulmen
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
TEAM USA PREVIEW - DD2 Masters
For the final day of the Team USA profiles, the drivers running the new DD2 Masters category are highlighted. Rotax BRP created a separate group for the division after running inside the regular DD2 class for the last few years. American Curtis Cooksey was stood on the podium for the category in 2008 at La Conca and the three drivers going to Italy this year will look to follow his footsteps.
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