(Photo: SeanBuur.com)

It is forecasted to be a perfect race weekend at the Phoenix Kart Racing Association facility as the Rotax Challenge of the Americas continues its 2015 program. This weekend – February 13-15 – nearly 100 racers from across North America will compete in six Rotax Max Challenge categories in an effort to become champion of the premier winter series on the left coast. The program is coming off a successful event in Tucson, in which the first two of six rounds were completed on the challenging Musselman Honda Circuit with another exciting weekend is projected at PKRA. The four headline categories – Senior Max, Junior Max, DD2 and Masters Max – are entering the halfway point of the chase toward the 2015 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals tickets up for grabs to the respective class champions.

eKartingNews.com will be trackside in Phoenix to provide the EKN Live program, presented by BBR Karting. Going to ekartingnews.com/live gives you live audio and live timing, courtesy of Race Monitor. Play-by-play is provided by EKN’s own Rob Howden, with daily reports, forum and social media updates, all available during the weekend. The EKN Live program can be streamed to your laptop or computer, and also on mobile devices.

Senior rookie Christian Brooks leads the standings heading to PKRA (Photo: SeanBuur.com)

Last year, the championship in the Nash Motorsportz Senior Max went down to the wire between three different drivers, decided on the final lap. Six different drivers stood on the podium over the two days in Tucson, setting up for all to be within 32 points in the championship standings heading into Phoenix. Leading the group is Senior rookie Christian Brooks (Nash Motorsportz/Tony Kart). Two top-five results, including a solid runner-up finish on Sunday, landed him at the top of the point standings. Just four points back are Ryan Perry Motorsports/Tony Kart drivers Mason Marotta and Cedrik Lupien. Marotta, a member of Team USA in 2014 at the Rotax Grand Finals, was among the quickest drivers in Tucson, only able to land a best third place result behind Brooks. Canadian Lupien, who just celebrated his 19th birthday, benefitted from the wild and crazy finish on Saturday, along with two penalties in front of him to score his first victory in his series debut. The Round One winner will not be in Phoenix however, as school exams are schedule this week, and he will miss the chance to continue competing for Rotax Grand Finals ticket.

Only two points off them in the fourth position is another former Team USA driver Jake Craig. The SoCal driver landed on the podium in his first race with RaceLab / Formula K, and now with more time with his new ride, could be able to challenge for the race wins in Phoenix. Sitting fifth is sophomore driver Luke Selliken. The Rolison Performance Group / Kosmic driver won three of four races as a Junior driver at the PKRA facility in 2012 and 2013. A third place finish was his best result in Tucson, looking to improve on that this weekend. Sixth in the order is Sunday winner from the opening weekend Brendan Baker. The now Texas resident transplanted from California was the quickest driver all weekend, missing out on the win Saturday but swept the following day. The Nash Motorsportz / Tony Kart pilot needs to cut into the 32 point advantage Brooks currently holds.

Provisional Senior Max Entry List

Nick Brueckner leads Sting Ray Robb by 10 points in the Junior Max title chase (Photo: SeanBuur.com)

After the Tucson weekend, the Rolison Performance Group Junior Max chase is a two driver fight. Nick Brueckner and Sting Ray Robb dominated the top two positions throughout the weekend in Tucson. Robb struck first with the win on Saturday, while Brueckner won on Sunday, and holds the championship lead by 10 points, which equates to the two top qualifier bonus point awards. Both showed well at the Florida Winter Tour as well, however, Robb came away with a victory. Their battle will continue in Phoenix, with the rest of the field searching to close up the gap. Kellen Ritter (BBR Karting / Kosmic) was among those that kept pace with the top two. After finishing third for his first series podium on Saturday, and was leading the final Sunday on the last lap until contact spun him into the dust. The Canadian is fourth in the standings, behind Junior rookie Trey Brown (Ryan Perry Motorsport / Tony Kart). The 2014 Mini Max vice-champion landed on the podium in his Junior debut, and showed well jumping from the Cadet style kart to the full size machine.

Provisional Junior Max Entry List

Paul Bonilla doubled up in Tucson ahead of John Crow (Photo: SeanBuur.com)

It was a near sweep of the weekend for former series champion Paul Bonilla (Tony Kart) in the Cambrian Go-Karts Masters Max division. The 2012 series champ missed out on the fast time on Saturday in qualifying, but remained at the top of the results sheets the remainder of the weekend, scoring two Prefinal and two Final victories. His lead is just 18 points as 2009 champion John Crow (Full Throttle Karting / Birel) was right there all weekend. Crow was quickest throughout the Friday practice, and landed the quick lap in qualifying for Round One, then finished second to Bonilla Saturday and Sunday. Third in the standings is 2011 champion Scott Falcone (Rolison Performance Group / Kosmic). Falcone was able to post fast laps throughout the weekend, but was not as consistent as Bonilla and Crow. The Colorado driver needs to cut into the 58 point advantage Bonilla is currently holding over him. Fourth in the chase is the defending US Grand Nationals champion Ken Maxfield, back of Falcone by just three points. Maxfield (Arrow) ended up on the podium in Round One, and finished fifth on Sunday. Canadian Christopher Patterson (Ruthless Karting / Tony Kart) showed speed, but was unable to break into the top-five with Utah driver Perry Needham (CRG-USA) currently holding the fifth spot.

Provisional Masters Max Entry List

Last year’s vice-champion Sabre Cook leads the championship chase in DD2 (Photo: SeanBuur.com)

The CRG-USA DD2 category provided some exciting racing once again in Tucson. Last year’s vice-champion Sabré Cook (CRG-USA) walked away with the Round One victory, but was trumped by Michael Ilavia (J3 Competition / CompKart) on day two. The two drivers are now separated by just two points going into Phoenix. Veteran racer Matt Jaskol (PSL West / CRG) made his DD2 and Challenge debut in Tucson, finishing third on day two, and holds the third spot in the championship chase.

Provisional DD2 Entry List

Sebastian Alvarez swept Round Two in Tucson (Photo: SeanBuur.com)

Three different countries are represented in the top-four of the PSL West Mini Max championship standings. Mexican driver Sebastian Alvarez (PSL West / CRG) and Canadian Griffin Dowler (Ryan Perry Motorsport / Tony Kart) scored their first series victories in Tucson, and are separated by just four points heading into this weekend. Alvarez – named the EKN Driver of the Month for January – swept the action on Sunday, and leads the standings. Fellow Canadian Marco Kacic (PSL West / CRG) was runner-up to Dowler, and sits third in the standings. American Jak Crawford made his Mini Max debut, as the 2014 Micro Max series champion landed on the podium in Saturday’s main event. Austin Torgerson (Ruthless Karting / Tony Kart) and Payton Durrant (Koene USA / Tony Kart) showed speed during the weekend in Tucson, and with a solid performance in Phoenix, could make the championship chase a six-driver fight.

Provisional Mini Max Entry List

Diego LaRoque leads the Micro Max standings heading to his home track (Photo: SeanBuur.com)

Diego LaRoque holds the top position in the Motorsports Development Group Micro Max standings, thanks to his two victories in Tucson. The Kosmic driver went winless last season at the Challenge, adding to his lone victory from 2013 at PKRA. The rest of the field will have to beat LaRoque at his home track, if they want to remove his 22 point advantage. Josh Pierson (Tony Kart) is the next in line, driving to runner-up results both days behind LaRoque. Ashton Torgerson (Tony Kart) sits third with Leland Honeyman (Benik) and Noah Warren (Tony Kart) making up the top-five.

Provisional Micro Max Entry List

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