The 2012 season signaled a partnership between MAXSpeed and eKartingNews.com, bringing about new article series focused on the promotion of the United States Rotax Max Challenge program. Among that was the addition of the eKartingNews.com United States Rotax Driver Rankings. Taking over the USRMC National Point Standings, EKN combined that system with its own ‘Driver Rankings’ formula to create a new program for the 2012 season.

The EKN United States Rotax Driver Rankings tabulates the best six results for each USRMC driver in each of the six Rotax categories, using a weighted point system that increases based on event participation. Now that the season is completed, EKN is happy to highlight the top-10 drivers in each category, while also recognizing the #1 driver in each class heading into the 2013 season.

Mini Max
The second class for the EKN US Rotax Driver Rankings is the Mini Max division. A total of 88 drivers recorded results in 2012 for the class reserved for drivers 9-12 years old. Just 81 points separate the top-10, making it the second-closest standings of the six USRMC groups. Six different USRMC programs are represented in the top-10, with MRP at Palm Beach promoting three drivers while MRP at Palm Beach and Powerade Carolina each have two. The only driver to return to the top-10 from the 2011 season is Idaho driver Sting Ray Robb.

1. Mathias Ramirez

Mathias Ramirez

Hometown: Bradenton, Florida
USRMC Series: North Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 5576

Born: 3/10/2002
Chassis: Tony Kart
Engine Service Center: Ocala Gran Prix
Sponsors: Ocala Gran Prix
Years Karting: 7
Favorite Track: Miller Motor Sports
2012 Accomplishments: 1st – Florida Karting Championship Series Mini Max, 1st – North Florida Rotax Max Challenge, 2nd – US Rotax Grand Nationals
2013 Goals: Florida Winter Tour champion, US Rotax Grand Nationals champion, Compete at Rotax Grand Finals in New Orleans, and a bright future in Junior Max

2. Matt Thomas

Matt Thomas

Hometown: North Miami, FL
USRMC Series: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 5561

Age: 12
Chassis: AM Engines
Engine Service Center: AM Engines
Sponsors: AM Engines, TNT Racing
Years Karting: 5 years
Favorite Track: Homestead
2012 Accomplishments: Moved into Juniors; 5th place – Homestead Karting
2013 Goals: Get to the front of the pack in Junior Max and put Ariel Castro’s AM Engines Chassis/Engine Package on podium, and continue to run my Legends car with Steven Ross Motorsports

3. Javier Gonzalez

Javier Gonzalez

Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico
USRMC Series: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 5560

Born: December 14, 2000
Chassis: Tony Kart
Engine Service Center: Advanced Karting
Sponsors: PPT
Years Karting: 6
Favorite Track: Homestead Karting
2012 Accomplishments: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge Fall Champion (4 wins and 2 second places out of 6 races).
2013 Goals: Finish the Florida Winter Tour with wins and podiums in the Mini Max category, and get a good start in the Junior Max after the FWT.

4. Michael Benyahia

Michael Benyahia

Hometown: Miami, Florida
USRMC Series: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 5549

Born: 7/21/2000
Chassis: Tecno
Engine Service Center: AM Engines
Sponsors: CCM Mobile & Digitunes
Years Karting: 4
Favorite Track: Homestead Karting, Genk (Belgium)
2012 Accomplishments: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge Fall 2012 Vice Champion, South East Karting Challenge – Dallas -1st place, Pan American Challenge at Centennial Colorado – 3rd place
2013 Goals: Podium at Rotax Grand Nationals
Comments: I want to thank God, my dad, my mom, my brother and all my family and friends who have supported me in karting. I also want to thank Jesus Rios and Ariel Castro (AM Engines) for keeping my engine and chassis running so well. Special thanks to Toshiy from Tecno Kart Racing Team, Christian Boudon for all the racing knowledge and Dade Christian School for all their support.

5. Sting Ray Robb

Sting Ray Robb

Hometown: Boise, Idaho
USRMC Series: Northwest Gold Cup
Points: 5532

Age: 11
Chassis: Tony Kart and Kosmic
Engine Service Center: Black Racing Engines (BBR and Red Apple Racing)
Sponsors: Red Apple Marketplace
Years Karting: 5
Favorite Track: Pat’s Acres Racing Complex
2012 Accomplishments: Straight A’s in 4th grade and so far in 5th grade, 2012 Gatorz Challenge of the Americas win (Phoenix), 2nd – 2012 Gatorz Championship Series, 1st – Western Canadian Championship (Chilliwack, B.C.), 3 ##10#635#IKF## Grand Nationals titles (4 cycle), 5 ##10#635#IKF## Screaming Eagle awards, 3 Northwest Gold Cup championships, started off-pole at Rotax Grand Nationals
2013 Goals: To win a national championship series in 2-Cycle/Rotax category
Comment: He loves the number 316 as in John 3:16, his favorite Bible verse.

6. Mitch Goldfarb

Mitch Goldfarb

Hometown: Weddington, North Carolina
USRMC: Powerade Karting Championship (Carolina)
Points: 5530

Age: 13
Chassis: Birel
Engine Service Center: Carolina Motorsports Park
Sponsors: Law Offices of William K Goldfarb, Dick Barbour Racing, Medical Specialties Inc.
Years Karting: 3
Favorite Track: Carolina Motorsports Park / New Castle Motorsports Park
2012 Accomplishments: 1st – Powerade Karting Championship (Mini Max), 8th – Rotax Grand Nationals (Mini Max), GoRotax.com Driver of the Month (May)
2013 Goals: Settle in on the Junior ##10#547#chassis##, win the Rotax Max Powerade Championship and finish top five at Rotax Grand Nationals

7. Christian Cole

Christian Cole

Hometown: Palmetto, Florida
USRMC Series: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 5518

Born: 10/20/1999
Chassis: Tony Kart
Engine Service Center: Supertune & AM Engines
Sponsors: Lindsay Rolfe & TCB Products
Years Karting: 4
Favorite Track: Homestead Karting, Miller Motorsports Park
2012 Accomplishments: Won 6 races and had 12 podiums, Won 2 of the 6 Florida Winter Tour Races, Won the South Florida Rotax Championship with 2 wins and 6 podiums out of 8 races, Finished 9th at the Rotax Grand Nationals, Moved up to Rotax Junior for the Homestead Fall Championship Series and won 1 out of the 6 races and added another podium. Finished 2nd in the overall points standings despite being one of the youngest competitors in the Championship.
2013 Goals: Having just moved up to Rotax Junior my goal is to win races and qualify for the Rotax Grand Nationals in North Carolina and hopefully qualify for the Rotax Grand Finals.
Misc/Comments: I would like to thank everyone that helped me during the year and in years past as well. My sponsors Lindsay Rolfe and TCB Products have been a big help in getting me this far and racing just wouldn’t have been possible without them. I would especially like to thank Kevin Perry who has been my driver coach and mechanic for most of the last 2 years. When I started working with Kevin I started winning races consistently. Even if we don’t win we are always competitive and in the fight for a podium. He is the best tuner out there, period… I would also like to thank Jake Mottaz and the rest of the guys at Andersen Racing for working with me in the months leading up to the Rotax Nationals. They did a great job of working with me on specific areas where I needed to improve and I learned allot during my time with them. I would also like to thank Tony and Ben from Supertune and Ariel from AM Engines. Our engines ran great all year and these guys do a great job. I hope I never have to use anyone else’s engines. Finally I would like to thank my mom and dad for supporting me during the year. I know karting is an expensive sport and it’s been difficult for my parents to allow me to continue racing. I hope I can continue to do well and perhaps get additional sponsorship that will take a bit of the pressure off and allow us to push forward.

8. Kaitlyn Melton

Hometown: N/A
USRMC Series:Powerade Karting Championship (Carolina)
Points: 5515

Born/Age: N/A
Chassis: N/A
Engine Service Center: N/A
Sponsors: N/A
Years Karting: N/A
Favorite Track: N/A
2012 Accomplishments: N/A
2013 Goals: N/A

9. Joshua Sirgany

Joshua Sirgany

Hometown: Pembroke Pines, Florida
USRMC Series: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Points: 5513

Born: September 5, 2000
Chassis: Tony Kart / CRG
Engine Service Center: A-M Engines
Sponsors: N/A
Years Karting: 4
Favorite Track: Ocala Grand Prix
2012 Accomplishments: Florida Winter Tour 4th place finisher, Rotax Mini Max Champion – Overall Karting Champion of Jamaica (all ##10#550#classes##), FIA of the Americas Karting award
2013 Goals: Hope to have an even better year than the last and have a strong year to finish out Mini Max career

10. Nicholas Bruckner

Nicholas Bruckner

Hometown: Houston, Texas
USRMC Series: MRP at Palm Beach
Points: 5495

Age: 11
Chassis: Birel C28R
Engine Service Center: CMW Engines
Sponsors: Enterprise Products Company
Years Karting: 3
Favorite Track: Michiana Raceway Park
2012 Accomplishments: 2012 United States Rotax Micro Max Champion
2013 Goals: Florida Winter Tour Mini Max Champion; US Rotax Mini Max Champion

2012 Micro Max Final Driver Rankings

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