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| February 17, 2012 News |
| Gatorz Challenge of the Americas to Invade Phoenix Next Weekend |
| Article by: gatorzkarting.com |
Following a successful opening weekend in Tucson, the Gatorz Challenge of the Americas will continue the 2012 season as it travels back to Arizona for rounds three and four of the six-race championship series. The Phoenix Kart Racing Association (PKRA) Formula K Raceway in Glendale will host the series for the fourth straight time in the series five year history as drivers from across the United States, Canada and surrounding countries battle for supremacy in the international Rotax Max Challenge program. Over 110 drivers entered seven categories in Tucson with the same numbers and new faces projected for the upcoming February 24-26 event.
The Formula K Raceway is a 12-turn, 3/4-mile course repaved prior to the 2010 season. The track has seen a number of historic events, from national to local, take place on its grounds and will now host the Gatorz COTA program for the fourth time. The first three visits for the series to the PKRA facility were the opening two rounds of the series. This year, however, the track will be the backdrop for rounds three and four, taking on the ‘Full Track’ layout in the clockwise direction.
 | Kiel Spaulding holds the early advantage in the Senior Max title chase
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
With the first two rounds of 2012 in a best five-of-six championship structure in the books, the contenders for the titles have emerged from the dust created in Tucson. Those lucky enough to score the championships in the seven categories will be able to share the wealth of the year end prizes, including direct qualifying spots to the Rotax Grand Finals in Portugal and the Rotax Grand Nationals or Pan American Challenge finale for properly qualified drivers,.
Leading the charge for the Buddy Rice Karting Senior Max title is Northern Californian Kiel Spaulding. The 2011 Team USA member led Saturday’s final on the final lap until contact in the final few corners spun him around and off the podium. The young talent came back the following day to sweep the action, recording the maximum points offered to secure the top of the standings heading into Phoenix. Just seven markers behind is Canadian Luke Chudleigh, the benefactor of Saturday’s incident. After scoring the win in round one, Chudleigh fell back to fifth in Sunday’s feature. With a wide variation in points awarded throughout the field, the title and ticket to the Grand Finals is still up in the air dependant on the results recorded in Phoenix, as eight drivers all sit within 100 points of Spaulding.
 | With sweeps in the first two rounds, Fritz Leesmann is the target for all the competitors in the DD2 category
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
The second of three classes competing for a Rotax Grand Finals ticket is the Overdrive Motorsports DD2 category, dominated by another NorCal driver Fritz Leesmann. The longtime shifterkart champion made the transition to Rotax competition for 2012 and swept the two-speed Rotax class in Tucson. Second in the standings after Tucson, behind by 60 points heading into Phoenix, is second-place finisher from round two Bronson Eggert, with round one runner-up Austin King just three points back of him. Both will be gunning for victories at PKRA to close up the chase heading into the season finale.
Leaving Tucson with the most-exciting finish to a main event thus far on the season is the Rolison Performance Group Junior Max. Round one winner Parker Thompson nearly left Tucson with a weekend sweep until troubles in the Sunday feature dropped the Canadian off the pace and eventually involved in a wreck. Battling back to a seventh place finish, Thompson leads the title chase by just 12 points over two-time podium finisher Zacharie Scalzo. Sunday’s finish came down to a photo finish as Scalzo was just edged out by Blaine Rocha, who sits third in the standings and is 16 back of Thompson. Five other drivers are within 77 points of Thompson, all entering Phoenix with a goal at hand to bring them closer to the ticket for the Rotax Grand Finals.
Like Leesmann in the DD2 class, John Crow had a similar performance in the BRK Engines DD2 Masters division. A series regular in Masters and Senior, Crow transitioned to the two-speed package for 2012 and is learning quickly. Running just outside the regular DD2 field, Crow swept the action in Tucson. Canadian Mark Wheeler kept Crow honest, keeping the pressure on throughout the weekend to a runner-up finish. The two will continue their battle in Phoenix. The war in the Billet Performance Karting Masters Max category will rage on at PKRA with Brent Harper holding the advantage in the standings. With two feature wins, the defending Rotax Grand Nationals champion leads series regular Paul Bonilla while reigning series champ Scott Falcone trails in third.
 | Parker Thompson leads the field in the Junior Max championship heading to Phoenix
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
In other Junior action, defending Rotax Grand Nationals champ Christian Brooks swept the proceedings in the BBR Karting Mini Max class at Tucson. His perfect performance has him leading the standings over Sting Ray Robb by 50 markers with Royal McKee in the hunt as well. The Apollo Motorsports Micro Max division has Sophia Price at the top of the point standings following her two podium results, including victory in Sunday’s round two action. Just eight points separate the top three as two-time runner-up Jacob Blue Hudson enters Phoenix second in the standings while round one winner Derek DesLauriers is right there in third.
Pre-entry to the February 24-26 event at the PKRA facility in Glendale has expired, but the Gatorz COTA welcomes on-site registration (late fee will be applied). The host hotel for the event will be the Hyatt Place - Phoenix North, located just 15 minutes from the PKRA facility, with the ‘GATORZ’ event rate set at $87 a night, including complimentary breakfast (http://phoenixnorth.place.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/place/index.jsp). For more information on the second stop of the Gatorz Challenge of the Americas event or more on the program itself, visit http://www.gatorzkarting.com |
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