2024 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals – Team USA – Saturday Report
Hodgson, Hanes and Becker finish top 10 in Sarno, Italy
(Photo: Cody Schindel - CanadianKartingNews.com)
The final day of action was contested on Saturday at the 2024 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals. The field of 391 drivers that converged on the Circuito Internazionale di Napoli in Sarno, Italy celebrated the 25th anniversary of the event, crowning eight class champions. Three of Team USA members finished inside the top 10 in their respective categories.
11 of the 14 drivers from Team USA competed in the Finals on Saturday for the 2024 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals. Oliver Hodgson and Dalton Hanes were the two representatives in Senior MAX, battling inside the top 10 after a hectic 18 laps. It was a 10 position gain in the Micro MAX main event for Cam Becker. John Bonanno started inside the top 10 in DD2 Masters but contact on lap two dropped him down the order. This allowed Laurentiu Mardan to lead the way for Team USA with a drive into the top 20. The up and down week continued for the Junior MAX roster of Davin Roberts and Gage Korn. Both battled hard over the 15 laps but suffered pushback bumper penalties in the end. Enzo DiGennaro led the Mini MAX duo after Jaxon Porter suffered an incident to end his race a few laps before the checkered.
(Photo: BRP-Rotax)
Circuito Internazionale di Napoli in Sarno, Italy
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DD2 – Birel ART (72 Drivers)
#404 – Cooper O’Clair
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Qualified: US Trophy West Champion
RMCGF Appearances: 3 – 2021, 2022 (Junior Max), 2023 (Senior Max)
Qualifying (overall): 52nd
Heat Race Group: D
Heat Points: 43rd – 44 points
Prefinal A – Row 11
Prefinal A: 27th +12.651 (PBB) – 1:00.205
Final Points: 49th – 54 points
DD2 Masters – Charles Leclerc (36 Drivers)
#503 – John Bonanno
Hometown: West Deptford, New Jersey
Qualified: US Trophy East (Masters MAX Champion)
RMCGF Appearances: 2 – 2018, 2021
Qualifying: 6th – 1:16.661 +1.714
Heat Points: 5th – 62 points
Prefinal: 12th +10.281 – 1:01.291
Final Points: 10th – 94 points
Warm-up: 16th – 1:02.307 +1.540
Final: 24th +23.760 – 1:00.773
“The adjustments we made were close, I just needed to not go side by side in turn one. I thought I could hold on to it, but slid off and that was it.”
#528 – Laurentiu Mardan
Hometown: Arlington Heights, Illinois
Qualified: US Trophy Final Winner
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying: 25th – 1:18.059 +3.112
Heat Points: 23rd – 31 points
Prefinal: 26th +18.370 (PBB) – 1:00.849
Final Points: 23rd – 42 points
Warm-up: 19th – 1:13.919
Final: 17th +19.127 – 1:00.578
“We had a fast kart, it just woke up late. I learned some for next time!”
E20 Senior – Sodi Kart (18 Drivers)
#615 – Patrick Ronveaux-Tordion
Hometown: N/A
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Heat Points: 15th – 47 points
Prefinal: 12th +14.108 – 1:03.629
Final Points: 13th – 79 points
Warm-up: DNS
Final: 15th +12.903 – 1:03.303
Junior MAX – Praga (72 Drivers)
#213 – Davin Roberts
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Qualified: US Trophy Final Winner
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying (overall): 4th
Heat Race Group: D
Heat Points: 8th – 98 points
Prefinal B – Row 2
Prefinal B: 12th +5.833 – 1:02.561
Final Points: 14th – 130 points
Warm-up: 8th – 1:03.038 +0.258
Final: 19th +16.842 (PBB) – 1:02.076
#216 – Gage Korn
Hometown: Aurora, Colorado
Qualified: US Trophy West Champion
RMCGF Appearances: 3 – 2021, 2022, 2023 (Mini)
Qualifying (overall): 9th
Heat Race Group: A
Heat Points: 29th – 63 points
Prefinal A – Row 8
Prefinal A: 18th +13.282 (PBB) – 1:02.187
Final Points: 31st – 83 points
Warm-up: 6th – 1:02.964 +0.184
Final: 23rd +19.439 (PBB) – 1:01.938
“I was aiming for a top 10 finish while maintaining a clean race. At the start, a couple of karts in front of me braked unexpectedly in a flat-out turn, causing me to make contact and pushing my bumper back. Despite this setback, I quickly maneuvered past several drivers. By mid-race, I found myself in a large pack. Sarno is a track that you can easily defend at, which made overtaking challenging. I ultimately finished in 17th place, which fell short of my goal, as the pushback had relegated me to 23rd officially. This week, I had the opportunity to compete with one of the fastest karts on the track, but unfortunately, bad luck hindered our chances for victory. I am determined to return even stronger next year. Thank you to everyone for your support!”
Micro MAX – Formula K (36 Drivers)
#3 – Cameron Becker
Hometown: Englewood, Colorado
Qualified: US Trophy Final Winner
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying: 14th – 1:26.540 +2.662
Heat Points: 26th – 27 points
Prefinal: 14th +7.261 – 1:09.570 (FL)
Final Points: 19th – 55 points
Warm-up: 7th – 1:09.950 +0.411
Final: 9th +3.180 – 1:09.380
#6 – Yutaka Sonoda
Hometown: Tri Cities, Washington
Qualified: Canada Final Winner
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying: 22nd – 1:27.512 +3.634
Heat Points: 33rd – 19 points
Prefinal: 27th +14.958 – 1:11.004
Final Points: 33rd – 29 points
Warm-up: 12th – 1:10.164 +0.625
Final: 21st +11.560 – 1:09.947
Mini MAX – Birel ART (72 Drivers)
#104 – William Vetor
Hometown: Zionsville, Indiana
Qualified: US Trophy Final Runner-Up
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying (overall): 32nd
Heat Race Group: D (Row 8)
Heat Points: 58th – 29 points
Prefinal B – Row 15
Prefinal B: 25th +17.246 – 1:06.945
Final Points: 61st – 41 points
#107 – Enzo DiGennaro
Hometown: Poughkeepsie, NY
Qualified: US Trophy East Champion
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying (overall): 19th
Heat Race Group: C (Row 5)
Heat Points: 21st – 73 points
Prefinal A – Row 6
Prefinal A: 11th +3.247 – 1:06.338
Final Points: 20th – 107 points
Warm-up: 14th – 1:07.243 +0.722
Final: 24th +10.796 – 1:06.756
“We just weren’t forceful enough. The racing is very aggressive. Others took more chances than we did and we were always on the back foot. With three more years of eligibility in the class we hope to learn and return better prepared. It was a great experience.”
#108 – Jaxon Porter
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona
Qualified: US Trophy West Champion
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying (overall): 24th
Heat Race Group: D (Row 6)
Heat Points: 22nd – 72 points
Prefinal B – Row 6
Prefinal B: 8th +10.215 – 1:06.963
Final Points: 17th – 114 points
Warm-up: 23rd – 1:07.884 +1.363
Final: 35th +4 laps – 1:07.024
“I had a good start got up into the front, first turn was pushed wide and punted, obviously pushing me back. I did my best to work my way back. It’s pretty aggressive driving. I wwould pass then would get pushed in to the grass a few times each time I’d advance. After making a pass in turn one, I was forced to the outside coming into the first chicane, hopped a curb onto the grass, then while trying to reenter the track the car flipped over onto me. I walked off with the track with helmet in hand after the checkered flag wave. A little sore but ok. Overall, it was a good learning experience, I now know how hard the drivers race here, and now for the next time that I come back to the world finals, I’ll be ready.”
Senior MAX – Sodi Kart (72 Drivers)
#305 – Wesley Gundler
Hometown: Holly Springs, North Carolina
Qualified: US Trophy East Champion
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying (overall): 34th
Heat Race Group: B
Heat Points: 39th – 51 points
Prefinal A – Row 10
Prefinal A: 16th +13.747 – 1:01.103
Final Points: 37th – 75 points
#307 – Oliver Hodgson
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Qualified: Canada Open
RMCGF Appearances: 3 – 2012, 2013, 2023
Wins: Senior MAX (2013) (UK)
Qualifying (overall): 20th
Heat Race Group: D
Heat Points: 14th – 90 points
Prefinal B – Row 4
Prefinal B: 2nd +0.023 – 1:01.027
Final Points: 9th – 159 points
Warm-up: DNS
Final: 4th +8.091 – 1:00.976
“‘Slower than Christmas’ Staying disciplined in a busy race kept me in a respectable place on the results sheet. I let us down today, a win was certainly within my capabilities. I will assess the race and apply the lessons learned into future events.”
#313 – Dalton Hanes
Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina
Qualified: US Trophy Final Runner-Up
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying (overall): 72nd
Heat Race Group: D
Heat Points: 24th – 70 points
Prefinal B – Row 6
Prefinal B: 23rd +12.245 – 1:00.733
Final Points: 32nd – 84 points
Warm-up: DNS
Final: 10th +9.391 – 1:00.703
“Not a bad final, can’t complain too much. I made steady progress through the field and in the heat races, I was the fastest driver on track. The Prefinal ruined my weekend.”
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