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| January 09, 2012 |
| Team News: Ocala Gran Prix - Florida Winter Tour Rotax Preview |
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As the 2012 racing season takes the green flag, both the hotly contested Florida Winter Tour and Ocala Gran Prix race team do as well. With round one taking place at the ultra fast Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) in Jupiter, Florida, Ocala Gran Prix (OGP) will head south with a strong team of nineteen drivers. With at least one competitor in every Rotax Max class, OGP will be looking to close the series in March with multiple championships.
"We have an extremely full and competitive tent for this year's Florida Winter Tour," expressed OGP Team Manager Nate Grindell. "While all team drivers are expected to work together, once they hit the race track, it is every man and woman for themselves. Obviously we would like all of our drivers to win but know that is impossible. As long as they race clean, hard and represent the team well, I will be more than happy."
Five drivers from the United States and Canada will see action in the two youngest divisions on the tour. Zach Hollingshead will be the lone soldier in the Micro Max class while Floridians Mathias Ramirez, Olivier Bellanger, Mike Hornborg and west coast driver Sting Ray Roberts will carry the flag in the Mini Max class.
OGP's largest number of entries will come from the Rotax Junior class as a team of six drivers will battle for wins and the overall championship. Runner-up in the 2011 Florida Winter Tour Oliver Askew and tuner Mike Maurini will lead the way while Canadian and 2011 Gatorz Challenge of Americas title holder Parker Thompson will join Mike Speed and the OGP squad in the Sunshine State. World Karting Association Manufacturer's Cup winner Ashley Rogero will get back behind the wheel of a Rotax powered machine as she will join the Wesley Boswell-tuned second year junior pilot Alex Hornborg and rookie drivers Sebastian Sierra and Austin Garrison under the team tent.
2011 United States Rotax Grand Nationals Senior Champion Nick Neri will once again be back behind the wheel of an Ocala Gran Prix prepared / Alex Speed tuned Tony Kart as he will look to take the Florida Winter Tour title. Joining him in the senior ranks will be a quartet of Floridian drivers in Andrew Evans, Jonathan Kotyk, Anne Hayden and Brandon Salyer.
Just as Hollingshead is doing in the Micro Max class, Masters pilot Rob Maier, DD2 driver Cody Hodgson and DD2 Masters competitor Bill Lester will look to represent OGP in their respective categories. Hodgson, a two-time United States Rotax DD2 champion, will be returning to karting after a year of action in the NASCAR K&N East program and will team with Holland's Richard Hergink in his quest for another championship.
Grindell continued, "The Florida Winter Tour is one of the longest run, most professional and competitive series in North America and I am happy to have our team in attendance. The competition over the winter months is something that you must see."
With a strong team of drivers, a talented crew of tuners is needed and that is exactly what OGP has put in place. With tuners from around the world with all levels of expertise, more than 300 years of experience can be found under the OGP Team tent. Tuning at all three Rotax rounds will be Martijn Koene, Mike Maurini, Richard Hergink, Mike Speed, Alex Speed, John Russell, Cale Wyse, Wesley Boswell, Blake Choquer, Nate Grindell, Mario Ioffredo, Neil Hodgson, Jay McKeague, Marty Neri, Kurt Folsom, Arie Ouimet, Bobby Kelley and Eddie Genarro.
For more information on Ocala Grand Prix, OGP race team opportunities and info on how to get into karting, please visit Ocala Gran Prix online at http://www.OcalaGranPrix.com or contact them at 352.291.0600 or via e-mail to: Info@OcalaGranPrix.com |
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