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| February 01, 2012 |
| Team News: PSL Karting Starts Off 2012 with Wins and Podiums at Florida Winter Tour |
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 | Nicholas Latifi topped the blocks on Sunday during his shifter debut weekend
(Photo by: Cody Schindel - Autosports Media Group) |
Escaping the cold, bleak winter in Canada, Team PSL Karting recently headed south to sunny West Palm Beach to begin their assault on the 2012 karting season. As defending champions in three Rotax classes, Team PSL Karting started off their Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour (FWT) campaign with two wins, courtesy of PSL Atlantic team drivers, and five additional trips to the podium during the series opener at Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) in Jupiter, Florida. Also contesting the Formula Kart round the weekend prior, PSL drivers accounted for five wins along with one additional podium to round out a successful two weeks of karting action for PSL Karting, the #1 CRG source in the world.
Entering five drivers into the Formula Open Shifter category, PSL drivers were seen on the podium both days over the Formula Kart weekend. Leading the way on Saturday was New York's Alex Manglass. After posting sixth in the morning qualifying session, Manglass fell back two positions in the prefinal to cross in eighth. Progressing nicely through the field during the long, 20 lap main, Manglass found his way up to third by the time the checkered flag flew. A disqualification at the scales by the second place competitor moved Manglass up one position as he took second place honors during the afternoon podium presentation.
Two-time Team Canada member and shifter kart rookie Nicholas Latifi carried the PSL name to the top on the charts on Sunday in the Open Shifter class. A blistering lap by Latifi in qualifying was a mere 0.046 seconds shy of the pole time, although the front row starting position for the prefinal became inconsequential as Latifi retired with a mechanical issue on lap five. Despite struggling with the standing starts all weekend, Latifi gained several positions at the start of the final race as he began his drive to the front. Slowing reeling the leader in, Latifi managed to take over the lead with five laps to go. From there, the popular driver never looked back and cruised to a dominating victory while setting fast lap in the process.
In Masters Shifter, 2011 Rotax Masters Coupe du Québec champion Michel Legrand earned both Masters wins in the combined category, finishing a solid fifth overall both days.
 | Michel Legrand earned both Masters wins in Palm Beach
(Photo by: Cody Schindel - Autosports Media Group) |
The lone PSL representative in the TaG Senior class, Puerto Rican Victor Cabrera made a triumphant return to the top step of the podium in Palm Beach. The former Stars of Karting TaG champion would start his Sunday run in the mixed-engine class with a sixth place in qualifying, and then move up to second during the prefinal after falling to the back at the start. Briefly moving into the lead at the beginning of the final race, Cabrera would run the majority of the 20 laps in the second position. A non-compliance issue in tech then excluded the first place finisher from the results, moving Cabrera up one position as the official winner.
Back to the same Palm Beach facility the following weekend, numerous PSL Karting drivers were set to contest all seven official Rotax Max Challenge classes at the FWT opener. PSL Atlantic team drivers made quite the impression, scoring two major victories on Sunday with the one and only Alan Rudolph, and perennial frontrunner Fritz Leesmann. PSL pilots also accounted for five additional podium finishes against some of the top karting talent from across the globe, as PSL colors were seen at the front of the field throughout the doubleheader event.
Making his Florida Winter Tour and Rotax DD2 Masters debut, karting legend Alan Rudolph took the field by storm in West Palm Beach. Vying for the transfer spot to the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, the PSL Atlantic driver started off his Friday sessions with posting third in the first qualification, and then went on to lay fast lap for Saturday's action later that same day. After starting on pole, a starting infraction during Saturday's prefinal did not deter the karting veteran as he would rocket up to second place during the final race in just two laps. Battling the race leader and momentarily holding point, Rudolph would have to settle for second in his DD2 debut. Sunday would see 'Rudy' take the prefinal win, and then go on to score the main event win by a staggering five seconds to earn his first FWT victory.
Another PSL Atlantic driver topped the blocks in Palm Beach, as Fritz Leesmann conquered the 68 other competitors in the Rotax Senior class on Sunday. After a day to forget on Saturday, Leesmann returned to start on the pole position for Sunday's wheel-to-wheel action. A commanding prefinal win by the California native led to an exciting finish during the final race, as Leesmann made a clever last lap, last corner pass to take the victory.
 | Alan Rudolph celebrates his Rotax DD2 Masters victory
(Photo by: Cody Schindel - Autosports Media Group) |
Brazil's Pedro Tavarez de Moraes Cardoso led PSL's Mini Max contingent in West Palm Beach. Near the pointy end of the massive 60-kart strong Mini Max field all weekend, Cardoso started off with a fourth and fifth place run during the two Friday qualifying sessions. After finishing fourth in the prefinal race on Saturday, Cardoso kept himself in contention for the final win as an epic battle ensued with the front three karts. Battling nose-to-tail lap after lap, Cardoso had to settle for third at the line but posted fast lap in the process. Back on track Sunday, Cardoso would again post a fast race lap, this time in the prefinal en route to a second place finish. Again in the mix during the final race, Cardoso slipped into the lead on the last flyer and looked poised to take the Mini Max victory. Unfortunately a driving infraction stripped Cardoso of his win, pushing him back to start his 2012 FWT off with two third place results.
2011 Canadian Nationals podium finisher and perennial frontrunner Gianfranco Mazzaferro also made a podium appearance in the Mini Max class at PBIR. After qualifying fourth for Sunday's events, Mazzaferro fell one spot during the prefinal race. Crossing the stripe in third after the 12-lap final, Mazzaferro was seen one step higher during podium presentations as a result of the post-race penalties. Added to his fourth place run on Saturday, Mazzaferro and teammate Cardoso both sit in excellent shape heading into the second stop of the tour come February.
Two names often seen at the top of the time sheets led the way for PSL in the Rotax DD2 class. Fresh off an amazing run at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, Nicholas Latifi was back on track during the Rotax weekend, this time trading in his CRG chassis equipped with a six-speed gearbox for a two-speed DD2. Posting third in qualifying during Saturday's session, Latifi matched that effort during the prefinal race. A lengthy battle in the main event followed, with Latifi reaching the checkered flag in second and posting fastest race lap.
2011 Florida Winter Tour DD2 champion Michael Vincec started off his quest for a repeat title with a pole position run during the first qualifying session on Friday, which set Sunday's grid. A prefinal victory left Vincec with a chance to sweep the day on Sunday, but when all was said and done the talent was the bridesmaid in the final. A nice run on Saturday to finish fourth will keep Vincec's title hopes alive.
 | Fritz Leesmann came out on top after Sunday's Rotax Senior race
(Photo by: Cody Schindel - Autosports Media Group) |
"The PSL team performed superb as always," noted PSL President Dominic Labrecque. "The crew is like a perfectly synchronized gearbox! The guys have been working together for many years and it shows!"
"I am also very satisfied with the new 2012 CRG chassis," continued Labrecque. "The Big Al chassis performed great. The new drivers under the Team PSL tent really impressed me, and the drivers attending the FWT for the first time also made quite an impression. The FWT has been a great start to what will be a super season!"
Team PSL Karting will now turn their attention to the second rounds of the Florida Winter Tour set for February 10-12 and February 16-19 at Homestead Karting on the grounds of the Homestead-Miami Speedway. As the defending FWT class champions in DD2, DD2 Masters and Mini Max, Team PSL Karting will look to add to the history and build their resume with race wins and championships.
Team PSL Karting will be trackside in 2012 at the Florida Winter Tour, Pan American Rotax Max Challenge, Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, Quebec Cup, Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres, United States Grand Nationals, ASN Canada FIA Canadian National Karting Championships, Pan American Championship and SKUSA SuperNationals. Team PSL Karting is associated with CRG, Maxter Kart Engines, Rotax, Tillett Racing Seats, Sniper, Unipro, Douglas Wheels, Vega, MG Tires, Arai, Bell, ULV, Mir, Freem, Elf Fuels, Alfano, MaxJet Software, D.I.D. Racing Chains, KC and Power Mist.
To learn more about the World's #1 CRG distributor, sales & service, arrive & drive opportunities, PSL racing engines or dealer opportunities, please visit http://www.pslkarting.com or http://www.pslkartingusa.com |
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