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| August 18, 2007 News |
| EKN Trackside: Champ Car Rotax Kart Challenge Grand Nationals - Saturday Report |
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 | Stuart Marsell - DD2 Grand Nationals Champion
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
The 2007 Champ Car Rotax Kart Challenge Grand Nationals is now in the books following the event held at The Track at Centennial just outside Denver, CO. Championship Saturday was exciting and dramatic with a crazy ending to a long week for the Mad Maxers of the United States. When the final checkered flag fell, five drivers earned their first Grand Nationals title with 11 drivers awarded the honor of representing the United States at the Rotax Grand Finals in Al Ain, UAE as part of America’s Team presented by Mazda.
DD2
Local favorite Kyle Ray (Arrow) got the jump on Prefinal pole sitter Curtis Cooksey (CRG) to lead the opening laps of the 16 lap race. Though he was dominate in the first two heats, the rest of the lead group caught up to his pace, including Stuart Marsell (Arrow). By lap four, Marsell had worked by Cooksey and took over the lead. With the pass, Ray fell to third with Cooksey following Marsell through. The Florida driver went on to take a four-second victory over his brother Brandon as he worked by Cooksey and Ray for the runner-up spot. Defending Grand Nationals champion Jordon Musser (Birel) moved up to fifth from starting ninth.
In the Final, Stuart lead all 24 laps to take home the DD2 Grand Nationals championship and one of his biggest achievements in his karting career. What made it even more special was the fact that his brother Brandon finished second behind him. Cooksey put on the pressure but was not able to get by Marsell for second and settled for third to join them on the America’s Team presented by Mazda. The fast driver on track was Andres Lopez (CRG). Starting 11th, he fell back to 17th in the opening lap but put his head down and drove up to finish fifth in the closing laps, behind Ray.
 | Thiago Parazinho - Senior Max Grand Nationals Champion
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Senior
As predicted, the Senior Max class was a wild one on Saturday. In the Prefinal, nearly 10 karts pilled up in the opening corner near the middle to back of the pack, mixing things up quickly. Up front, it was CRG 1-2-3 as Collins assumed the lead spot and would go on to take the win over Arie Ouimet and Victor Pedrosa. Prefinal pole sitter James Kennedy (Sodi Kart) was shuffled back during the 16 lap race with clutch problems, finishing seventh behind 2005 Senior Max Grand Nationals champion Wes Phillips (Birel), Cory Pollock (Birel), and Thiago Parazinho (Zanardi).
With very light sprinkles coming down on the track, the Senior main event - the final race of the week - were sent out quickly following the DD2 Final. From outside row one, Ouimet lead the field early on followed by Collins and Phillips. The driver on the move however was Parazinho as he was up to second place by lap six. On lap seven, Phillips tried a pass attempt on Collins but the two made contact, sending both off track and dropping Phillips to tenth and Collins to the tail of the field. This moved Kennedy and Pedrosa fighting for third. Entering turn seven on lap 10, the two made contact with Pedrosa landing on top of Kennedy’s kart on the right side. Corner workers came to the scene and brought out the red flag for an apparent injury to Kennedy.
During the red flag situation, Rotax officials deemed Pedrosa’s move to be a blatant took out move and removed him from the race while Kennedy walked away and began working on his kart with the officials giving the drivers a 30 minute repair break. During that time, the rain would come and go, leaving everyone to question the open choice of rain or dry tires.
When the race was restarted, Ouimet had the lead with Parazinho in second. Michael Self (Arrow) moved up to third with Clark Sanchez-Figueras (Kart Mini) and Roger Scott rounding out the top five to begin lap 10. Parazinho quickly took over control of the race, getting by Ouimet. Parazinho pulled out to a small gap on Ouimet while Self continued to hold off Sanchez and Mike Giessen (Birel). On lap 19, Sanchez was able to get by Self as the track began to get damp with a heavier rain falling down. Watching the battle for third, Giessen snuck by Sanchez when he went wide through a corner. As the field came down to complete the lap, the flagman waived a red and checkered flag, cutting the race four laps short as the official deemed the track unsafe. This gave Parazinho the Senior Max Grand Nationals title with Ouimet and Giessen joining the winner on America’s Team presented by Mazda. Sanchez crossed the line fourth with Demeter and Self rounding out the top six.
Though Self missed his chance at joining the Grand Finals team, Mazda presented him with a Skip Barber Regional Series scholarship at the awards ceremony. Also at the awards, RH2way.com awarded the five pole winners on the week with a $200 certificate.
 | Alex Raine - Masters Grand Nationals Champion
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Masters
Alex Raine (CRG) would assume the Masters Prefinal lead from the pole position at the drop of the green flag. The fast driver however on track was Maverick Bartlett (Arrow) who came from sixth to assume the top spot on lap nine. He would pull out to a comfortable lead until his chain popped off his drive line on lap 13, ending his race. Raine reassumed the lead and held off Erik Jackson (Arrow) at the line by 0.373-seconds. Behind them, Jerry Shawn Tatum (Arrow) moved up to third with Mike Price (First Kart) and Andy Seesemann (Birel) - from 12th - rounded out the top five.
The Masters drivers got through the opening corners clean to start their main event. Raine lead all 24 laps to take the Masters victory and earn a spot on America’s Team presented by Mazda. Jackson and Tatum ran second and third behind Raine, never able to make any moves for positions. Behind them, the show was Bartlett who started 28th and came all the way to 10th on the final lap. Trouble however came for Jackson in the tech barn as he was removed from the results, moving Tatum to second and Seesemann up to the third step on the podium. Keith Karr (Birel) would end his fun weekend in fourth with DJ Ortiz (Margay) completing the top five.
 | Jose Zanella - Junior Max Grand Nationals Champion
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Junior
Jose Zanella (FA Kart) lead early to start out Saturday’s events in the Junior Prefinal after a clean start through the opening corners. Jarvis Gennari (Tony Kart) ran a close second until making to move for first into turn one on lap five. Gennari kept Zanella at bay for most of the race until Zanella began to fall back, running into some trouble and dropping back to fourth behind Cody Robinson (Arrow) and Justin Coplin (CRG). They ran that way to the checkered with Zanella holding off Taylor Miinch (Birel), Cameron Jocelyn (Birel), and Danny Buecker (CRG).
Robinson would get the jump from outside row one to lead the opening corners of the Junior main event. That would be short lived as Gennari quickly re-assumed P1 with Zanella and Coplen following through in turn six. Gennari’s stint out front would also come to a close early as Zanella made the pass stick for the lead, bringing Coplen with him. They ran that way for most of the race until Jocelyn was able to capitalize on Coplen and Gennari battling to pass both through the last corner to assume the second spot. Zanella continued his fast pace and was able to cruise to a 2.413-second victory for the Junior Grand Nationals championship. It looked as though Gennari was going to settle for third until making a pass for second in turn six and holding Jocelyn off to line. Coplen was fourth with Robinson completing the top five. The results would however change in the tech barn as Jocelyn’s engine had a seal that was installed backwards, thus being removed from the results to move Coplen onto the podium and America’s Team presented by Mazda with Zanella and Gennari.
 | Jake French - Mini Max Grand Nationals Champion
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Mini Max
The Mini Max Prefinal began with a red flag situation as over 11 karts pilled up in turn one bringing out a red flag with no one was seriously hurt in the accident. Rotax officials gave the drivers a 30 minute repair time and allowed the Masters group to run their Prefinal. After getting the green for the complete restart, Jake French (Margay) pulled out to a big lead early as second through sixth ran nose to tail. French took a eight seconds victory over Jordan Perry (Tony Kart), Dore Chaponick (Birel), RC Enerson (Tony Kart), Taylor McKeever (Tony Kart) and Santino Ferrucci (S-1) from the tenth starting spot.
No one would be able to match French’s pace in main event as he again pulled out to an early advantage and would never relinquish the top spot, winning the Mini Max Grand Nationals title over Chaponick and Perry. The race was however controversial as the flag man waved the white flag two laps in a row then followed by the checkered flag. Enerson, who was running fourth, came on to pit road before receiving the checkered flag. That moved Santino Ferrucci up to the provisional fourth spot with McKeever fifth as the race is still unofficial. |
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