Left to right; Ryusei Sawada, Quinten Lu, Itsuki Hayashi, Jaxon Porter, Griffin Dowler)
(Photo: EXGEL Motorsports)

After a nearly full season of the Race Rotax US Trophy series engaging in a very special driver exchange program alongside its partner EXGEL Motorsport, Jaxon Porter and Griffin Dowler made the program a reality on August 11 at the MAX Champ Series special round in Japan.  Both drivers, due to their impressive performance in the Race Rotax US Trophy Series earned themselves the winners of the exchange program to compete in Japan at the famed Suzuka circuit, a prize package valued at over $8,000 each. The inaugural program evaluated US Trophy Series West and East competitors on and off the track to award one driver from Mini MAX, Junior MAX, and Senior MAX. The selections were made following the US Trophy East RD 1 event at Motorsports Country Club of Cincinnati and announced that Jaxon Porter (Mini MAX), Nixx Eggleston (Jr MAX), and Griffin Dowler (Sr MAX) were the top choices from 1AIM’s Alessandro Bressan, who was the USA Scout for the program. Jr MAX winner, Eggleston, had to decline the invitation due to a scheduling conflict.

Supported by EXGEL, both drivers were ushered along the way with the support of Race Rotax and 1AIM, making the process as seamless as possible.  Once the drivers arrived in Japan they were accompanied by staff from EXGEL led by project manager Atsuko Kawanishi and Kaname Ogawa, president of EXGEL.  The drivers arrived at the International Suzuka Circuit South Course for a customary installation day of seat fitting and track walks, whereby Jaxon Porter piloted a brand new Falcon chassis with Rotax Mini MAX, while Griffin Dowler utilized a familiar new TONY KART chassis paired with the evo 125 MAX engine platform.

Once settled in, the duo enjoyed ample track time while they navigated the globally acclaimed circuit in extremely hot and humid conditions.  After being settled in and adjusted to the 16-hour time difference they were set to compete at the highest level.

Mini MAX

(Photo: EXGEL Motorsports)

Jaxon Porter enjoyed a solid qualifying effort of fourth which allowed the young Arizona resident to stay in the top mix of drivers.  Porter would go on to finish second in his pre-final setting up a front-row starting position for the final.  In the final, Jaxon went on to compete with his normal front running pace and high standards as he led most of the race until engaging in a battle with Japanese driver Itsuki Hayashi, Jaxon crossed the line in second place and marked the first time an American karter had reached the podium in the MAX Champ series.

Reflecting on the experience and how this has affected the future of the Mini MAX competitor, he shared his thoughts on the trip:

“This was my very first time traveling internationally to race and it has opened my eyes to an entire new world. The competition is solid, and most importantly it is the relationships that were created that will change my views and life forever. I learned a lot about myself, my driving capabilities and met many new lifelong friends. It will be a goal of mine to race again in Japan as it was nothing like I have ever experienced. Not only was the racing amazing but how the program was run and presented was far beyond first class. We walked away already missing Japan and the people we met. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the first EXGEL Driver Exchange Program. I would urge everyone to participate in the chance to be a part of this program as it now will be a lifelong memory.”

Jaxon goes on to say, “Racing in Japan was an amazing and life-changing experience. The drivers are very dedicated, aggressive and treat every session as if it is a race lap. It is tight racing and a lot have good speed to be at the front so at the start everyone fights to find their position. There is a good amount of position changing and very tight racing. There is no room for mistakes. They are very respectful to each other and a very respectful culture. The other racers are good friends off the track and were very open and welcoming to me being there. There are differences in their flags and rules so this is why I attended a class to become licensed in Japan, as their flags and safety calls are different than the U.S. Not speaking the Japanese language was really the biggest difference, some spoke English, and helped me translate the fun chatter back and forth and all their questions, but everyone was very accommodating and I can’t wait for an opportunity to race in Japan again.” – Jaxon Porter

Senior MAX

(Photo: EXGEL Motorsports)

With 33 entries in the Sr MAX category, Griffin Dowler had issues in qualifying forcing the talented Canadian to navigate a challenging field of highly skilled drivers.  After a turbulent start, Dowler picked up several spots putting himself in a solid starting position of 20^th for the final. Even though the final results didn’t come in as hoped for Dowler, the time in Japan provided an invaluable perspective and memorable experience:

“My experience of Japanese culture was fantastic, the people, the food, and the overall extreme cleanliness of the entire country not just the racetrack. From a motorsports perspective racing is taken very seriously in Japan and is a major draw for spectator entertainment as well as for sponsorship opportunities. Regardless of any racetrack you travel to in the world, there is a universal language of speed that is spoken throughout the paddock. You may not be able to understand what the language is but you can understand the driver and mechanic feedback is solely focused on creating the best setup possible for speed and victory.

The level of competition in Japan is not unlike what you would expect in North America. If anything the competition is even more difficult as the Japan-based drivers have fewer tracks to race from making each driver have a “home track advantage”. Whereas in the US or Canada the distance between tracks is so great that a small amount of drivers at national events have the “home track advantage”. Furthermore, there is a much higher incentive for Japanese drivers to excel in their motorsports careers through programs such as the Suzuka Racing School that is funded by Honda. This also equates to stiffer competition as the racing school grants increased track time to the racing school’s students.” – Griffin Dowler

From Suzuka to New Castle

With the exchange of competing in Suzuka over for the Race Rotax competitors, the US Trophy Final is set to welcome three outstanding talents this week from Asia to compete that were selected by Ukyo Sasahara; Itsuki Hayashi in Mini MAX from Japan, Ryusei Sawada from Japan to compete in Jr MAX, and Quinten Lu from China in Sr MAX.  Accompanied by the president of EXGEL, all three drivers are set to arrive at New Castle on Wednesday, August 21 to have an installation period of acclimating to the famed American track as well as the standard seat fitting process. Jaxon Porter and Griffin Dowler will be eagerly reunited with their exchange comrades from Japan, and Nixx Eggleston will finally be able to meet them as well, at the highly anticipated US Trophy Final.

“It’s exciting and rewarding to see the EXGEL driver exchange program kick-off in action with both Jaxon Porter and Griffin Dowler taking part in the MAX Champ series in Suzuka, Japan.  The staff at EXGEL did a tremendous job of hosting the drivers as well as providing top-level experience.  We look forward to receiving three deserving drivers at the US Trophy Final as they look to compete in America for an RMC Grand Finals ticket!”   – John Giacomelli, Race Rotax

The experience is certain to be an unforgettable one for the competitors of the entire event, but especially for the EXGEL exchange drivers from Japan. Fans can tune in to follow the US Trophy Final taking place August 22-25, with the expert commentary of Henry Beaudette and EKN Live, while Alpha Live Timing will capture every lap and result in real-time.

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