2021 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals – Wednesday Report
Official timed session and opening heat races take part in Bahrain
Ethan Ho finished sixth in his opening DD2 heat race under the lights in Bahrain (Photo: CKN)
The third day of competition was completed at the Bahrain International Karting Circuit at the 2021 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals. Monday and Tuesday provided practice rounds for all 376 drivers on hand for the ‘Olympics of Karting’ with Wednesday, December 15 providing the first day of racing following the timed qualifying sessions to set the grids for heat races. It was another historic day for the RMCGF with the 1.4km circuit welcoming the opening round of heat races under the lights for the first time in the 21-year history of the event. A handful of the 14 drivers representing Team USA have put themselves in contention, while others used the opening round of racing to improve from issues in qualifying.
Team USA / Race Coverage
Team Canada Coverage – CanadianKartingNews.com
DD2: Birel ART (72 entries)
Alex McPherson-Wiman got his first taste of DD2 racing on Wednesday at the RMCGF (Photo: CKN)
Without his father or mechanic in Bahrain with him, Ethan Ho is performing exceptionally well in his DD2 debut. The Californian found the pace for qualifying with the new MOJO tires mounted to the Birel ART chassis, finishing 5th in his group and placing him 10th overall. Starting from P6 in his heat race, Ho fell back to seventh and moved his way back to sixth, running pace with the top drivers. Alex McPherson-Wiman, also making his first DD2 start along with making his Senior debut, advanced up to 26th in his heat but lost one spot due to a pushback bumper penalty. Ethan is still learning about the DD2 while running up front.
“It went much better than expected today. We made some small front-end adjustments and improved in qualifying after running midfield throughout the practice sessions. We kept the set up the same for the heat race. I fell back a bit at the start after embarrassingly forgetting to shift into second gear. I climbed my way back to where I started, scoring good points for the Prefinal. I feel good going into tomorrow.”
#458 – Ethan Ho
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series West (2nd – Senior Max)
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7: (even) 19th – 53.259
Qualifying: (even) 5th – 52.410
Overall: 10th +0.329
Heat Group: B (Row 3)
Heat 1: (AvsB) 6th +3.654
#459 – Alex McPherson-Wiman
Hometown: Colorado
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series West (1st – Junior Max)
RMCGF Appearances: 1 – 2019 (Mini)
Practice 7: (odd) 27th – 53.360
Qualifying: (odd) 30th – 53.088
Overall: 59th +1.007
Heat Group: C (Row 20)
Heat 1: (CvsD) 27th +18.520 (PBB)
DD2 Master: Praga (36 entries)
Derek Wang ended up fifth in his opening DD2 Master heat race (Photo: CKN)
As he has done all week thus far, Derek Wang has put himself into position for a chance on the podium at the Rotax Grand Finals. Nearly missing the top-five in qualifying, he advanced up to nearly the third spot on the final lap of the opening heat race. A defensive run into the final few corners cost Wang one spot before reaching the checkered flag. For New Jersey driver John Bonanno, it’s all improving himself.
“It’s all on the driver for sure. I’d love to get a redo on single speed Rotax package! We can run pace, but unfortunately I’m struggling adjusting from rear brake only to dual brake system. I am still digging and will push through the two heat races tomorrow. Derek is doing great, and his 10 years of experience is showing. He is a great teammate and Stepanova his mechanic are providing me with some great feedback and insight.”
#522 – Derek Wang
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series West (1st – Masters Max)
RMCGF Appearances: 9 – 2010, 2011 (DD2), 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 (DD2 Masters)
Practice 7: 12th – 53.671
Qualifying: 6th – 53.201
Heat 1: 5th +1.905
#533 – John Bonanno
Hometown: Thorofare, New Jersey
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series East (1st – Masters Max)
RMCGF Appearances: 1 – 2018
Practice 7: 17th – 53.755
Qualifying: 22nd – 53.659
Heat 1: 26th +18.909 (PBB)
Senior Max: Sodikart (72 entries)
Justin White advanced 11 spots on track in 10 laps to open up Senior Max heat racing (Photo: CKN)
When you find yourself out toward the back end of the field, the only way to move is forward. That is what the two drivers in Senior Max for Team USA did in their opening heat races. Justin White did it first, starting from Row 13 in the opening heat. In 10 laps, he advanced up 11 spots, improving two more after penalties to nearly finish inside the top-10. Macy Williams was in the second heat, starting from the same row as White. She advanced up five spots to 21st on track, however, several penalties advance her up 10 more spots thanks to 16 total drivers receiving pushback bumper penalties. White is confident on improve more positions tomorrow in the final two heat races for him.
“This morning I arrived at the track confident with the kart set up changes my team made the night before, my final practice showed pace to improve my overall standing. Unfortunately, our qualifying strategy didn’t go as planned. Determined to get back lost positions from qualifying in Heat 1 I managed to keep the kart out of trouble and work my way up. Overall, the day ended with a positive improvement, but there is much racing yet to be done.”
#331 – Justin White
Hometown: Hunlock Creek, Pennsylvania
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series East (1st – Senior Max)
RMCGF Appearances: 2 – 2013 (Mini), 2018 (Junior)
Practice 7: (odd) 12th – 53.931
Qualifying: (odd) 25th – 53.782
Overall: 49th +0.490
Heat Group: A (Row 13)
Heat 1: (AvsB) 12th +8.875
#368 – Macy Williams
Hometown: Littleton, Colorado
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series West (1st – Senior Max)
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7: (even) 28th – 54.372
Qualifying: (even) 26th – 53.990
Overall: 52nd +0.698
Heat Group: D (Row 13)
Heat 1: (CvsD) 11th +4.810
Junior Max: Sodikart (72 entries)
First time RMCGF starter Cooper O’Clair looking to avoid any more issues moving forward in Bahrain (Photo: CKN)
The lone Junior Max driver for Team USA – Cooper O’Clair – continues the up and down swing of his first RMCGF. Things looking promising after warm-up but issues on pit lane while beginning qualifying hurt his chances of sitting in the upper half of the field. He fought back in the opening heat, and will need more of the same in the last two heat races on Thursday.
“Went out on my own for the last practice session on the first windy day we’ve seen in our time here. Draft gap was about 2-4 tenths. Carried that momentum into qualifying, but an unavoidable incident ahead of me in the pit lane bent our tie rod before we even made it on the track. The kids here are the most aggressive I’ve ever seen so we lost a couple of positions on the opening laps, but we adjusted a couple laps later and made a few spots back up. We posted one of the best times in our heat which further shows we have genuine pace. I’ll have to keep working to manage my heat races and stay out of trouble in order to keep positions myself forward.”
#260 – Cooper O’Clair
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series West (2nd – Junior Max)
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7: (even) 14th – 55.066
Qualifying: (even) 28th – 54.714
Overall: 55th +0.539
Heat Group: C (Row 14)
Heat 1: (CvsD) 16th +6.456
Mini Max: Praga (72 entries)
Kyle Drysdale nearly advanced into the top-15 in his Mini Max opening heat race (Photo: CKN)
Gage Korn continues to lead the way for Team USA among the five drivers in Mini Max. He was the only driver inside the top-15 after qualifying and earning a top-15 result in the heat races. Alexander Jacoby made up 12 spots in the six-lap AvsB heat to 22nd, but suffered a pushback bumper penalty. Jackson Wolny advanced two spots in the same race, improving another position after penalties to just miss out on the top-15. Also receiving a pushback bumper penalty in CvsD heat race was Rayan Mneimneh while Arizona’s Kyle Drysdale fell one spot overall to 16th. For Korn and the rest of the Mini Max crew, it will be two more heat races for a chance to move forward for the grid of the Prefinal.
“Qualifying didn’t go to plan today. Poor track positioning on my part had me leading the pack and that didn’t work very well. I was unable to move forward in the heat race but did not lose any positions. After the first heat I now know how I can move forward to the front!
#148 – Kyle Drysdale
Hometown: Gilbert, Arizona
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series West (1st – PKRA Finale)
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7: (even) 13th – 58.705
Qualifying: (even) 16th – 58.595
Overall: 31st +0.356
Heat Group: C (Row 8)
Heat 1: (CvsD) 16th +7.802
#158 – Gage Korn
Hometown: Aurora, Colorado
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series West (1st – Mini Max)
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7: (even) 3rd – 58.456
Qualifying: (even) 9th – 58.500
Overall: 17th +0.261
Heat Group: A (Row 5)
Heat 1: (AvsB) 9th +1.991
#159 – Alexander Jacoby
Hometown: Washington DC
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series East (1st – Mini Max – 2020)
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7: (odd) 27th – 59.295
Qualifying: (odd) 33rd – 59.373
Overall: 66th +1.134
Heat Group: B (Row 17)
Heat 1: (AvsB) 29th +13.127 (PBB)
#164 – Jackson Wolny
Hometown: Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Qualified: RTX Karting
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7: (even) 12th – 58.683
Qualifying: (even) 19th – 58.612
Overall: 37th +0.373
Heat Group: A (Row 10)
Heat 1: (AvsB) 16th +4.870
#169 – Rayan Mneimneh
Hometown: N/A
Qualified: Wildcard
RMCGF Appearances: 1 – 2018 (Micro)
Practice 7: (odd) 24th – 59.267
Qualifying: (odd) 28th – 59.034
Overall: 56th +0.795
Heat Group: D (Row 19)
Heat 1: (CvsD) 33rd +15.751 (PBB)
Micro Max: Birel ART (36 entries)
Sebastian Rist made a large advancement in his opening heat race for Micro Max (Photo: CKN)
It was a good end to a long day for Micro driver Sebastian Rist. Making his first international and RMCGF start. After a tough start to the day, it ended with Rist advancing up to the 15th position in the opening heat race, moving up three spots after penalties were handed out.
“Today was a long day but I’m happy with the results. I missed the draft in qualifying but still less than a second of P1 driving by myself. The heat race went well. I didn’t have a good start because there was a lot of chaos but was able to take advantage of two crashes and move up. I’ll have our last heat race tomorrow so I am hoping I can continue to do well to improve my start position for the Prefinal on Friday. It was really cool racing under the lights and representing USA out there.”
#21 – Sebastian Rist
Hometown: Crownsville, Maryland
Qualified: Rotax US Trophy Series East (2nd – Micro Max)
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7: 24th – 1:02.477
Qualifying: 23rd – 1:02.202
Heat 1: 12th +4.402
E20: Sodikart (18 entries)
Top-five finish for Ellis Spiezia in the new E20 category to open up heat racing on the day (Photo: CKN)
The E20 category was the first race of the 2021 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, making its inaugural wheel-to-wheel action at the event. USA driver Ellis Spiezia showed very good race pace, and was able to advance up three positions from his standing start spot, in what was a wild 8-lap shootout to begin the opening heats.
“The racing was super close today and a ton of fun. Qualifying went well and then the first heat was a very tight race up front. Definitely looking forward to tomorrow.”
#704 – Ellis Spiezia
Hometown: Hoboken, New Jersey
Qualified: N/A
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7: 11th – 54.515
Qualifying: 7th – 53.822
Heat 1: 4th +1.152
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