The 2024 Race Rotax US Trophy West Series concluded its four-weekend, eight-round championship program in the month of May. Nearly 100 different drivers competed in the five categories, traveling twice to Arizona, Texas and Colorado to compete in unique back-to-back rounds of racing each weekend.

“The US Trophy West Series is all about developing the next generation of karting champions.  We’re proud to offer a series with exceptional competition and a clear path to the RMC Grand Finals, the pinnacle of international karting.  Congratulations to all our champions, and best of luck at the Grand Finals!” – John Giacomelli, Race Rotax

The five categories competing at the Race Rotax US Trophy West Series were racing for great prizes in the championship chases. Highlighting the prizes were tickets to the 2024 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, scheduled for October 19-26 at the Circuito Internazionale di Napoli in Sarno, Italy. With an international field at the US Trophy West, including USA, Canada and other nations represented throughout the four weekends, all three tickets were awarded to drivers from the United States of America.

Senior MAX championship podium (Photo: Race Rotax – 1 AIM)

It will be a fourth straight trip to the Rotax Grand Finals for Cooper O’Clair – champion of the Senior MAX division. The Arizona driver stood on the podium in seven of the eight rounds, including a victory in Tucson and another at Grand Junction. Canadians Griffin Dowler and Frederique Lemieux finished second and third. Dowler stood on the podium four times with third finishes each time. Lemieux won the opening round before adding three additional podium finishes. For Dowler, he earns a free entry to the US Trophy Final while Lemieux takes home a partial entry to the New Castle Motorsports Park event.

O’Clair competed in the Junior MAX category at the Rotax Grand Finals in 2021 and 2022, while racing in Senior MAX last year. The ticket earned by this championship is for a place on the DD2 grid for the 2024 event.

“I raced US Trophy West because it is a series with a high competition at the front end of the field, all very close to me. With such an elite package with the motor and tires, it’s fun to watch the series grow every year. The Rotax Grand Finals is one of those events you just don’t get close to anywhere else in the world. Between the dynamic of everyone competing on equal equipment to the representation of your country, the Rotax Grand Finals is really the most regulated and ‘Olympic’ level race in the world. I’m interested in trying the DD2 in Italy, but for now my sights are still set on winning a Senior ticket in Indiana this year at the US Trophy Final.”

Junior MAX championship podium (Photo: Race Rotax – 1 AIM)

Another driver making a fourth straight trip to the Rotax Grand Finals will be Gage Korn, the driver that secured the title in the Junior MAX category. A run of six podiums in the eight main events for the series helped put the driver from Colorado at the top of the championship standings. In his first Junior season, Korn won the final three races to beat out Canadian Antoine Lemieux by 15 points with last year’s champion Nixx Eggleston. Lemieux won three times as well, with a total of seven podium results. Eggleston doubled up in Tucson in the win column with three additional podium finishes. Similar to Senior MAX, the runner-up and third-place finisher in the standings receive a free entry and a partial entry respectively to the US Trophy Final.

Korn has four previous tickets to the Rotax Grand Finals. His first came in 2020 – however with the cancellation of the event – was unable to compete in the Micro MAX division. Gage has represented Team USA in the Mini MAX division the last three years with a best finish of 8th in 2022.

“It was an amazing championship battle across all eight rounds with stiff competition in my first year in the Junior category. I struggled a little bit to close a win the Finals in the first four rounds after winning a lot of the heat races. Race Liberante and I put our heads together and got everything dialed in and got a win in round six which put me in the championship lead heading to the final two rounds. I was not going to let anything hold me back in Grand Junction. I focused and won both days which claimed the championship! We chose to do the US Trophy West Series because it’s on our side of the country, without having to drive to Florida for the winter. We also chose the West as it had a ticket available in the Junior category.”

“It is pretty insane that this is my fourth time going to the Rotax Grand Finals. Representing the USA is a powerful honor. It’s me out there on the track trying to show how us Americans stack up against every other country on this planet! I wear the Team USA suit with a badge of honor and pride! I can’t wait for Sarno!”

Mini MAX championship podium (Photo: Race Rotax – 1 AIM)

It was a dominating performance in the Mini MAX division by Jaxon Porter to claim this year’s series championship. The Arizona driver won the first seven rounds, including five sweeps, to clinch the title and earn the Rotax Grand Finals ticket. Gage Grant drove to four runner-up finishes over the first seven rounds to end up second in the championship chase. Harrison Jeffery ended the program third in the standings, earning three podium results. Isaac Payne was the only other driver to win on the season, taking the checkered flag at the series finale in Grand Junction. Porter takes the Rotax Grand Finals ticket, with Grant earning a free entry to the US Trophy Final and Jeffery a partial entry to the New Castle event in August.

This will be Porter’s first trip to the Rotax Grand Finals representing Team USA. Jaxon earned a ticket in 2021 to Bahrain for the event, however, was unable to travel to the race due to COVID restrictions.

“I am very honored and excited to represent the United States. I think we have a great team this year so far and look forward to seeing who is the next to join. It has been a goal of mine forever to race the Rotax Grand Finals. I can’t wait to get on the track and see what it feels like. I am looking forward to meeting other racers from other countries. I have heard there is nothing like the Rotax Grand Finals so I am really excited to be a part of it. I am very grateful for this opportunity and for everyone who is always behind me, like my family and my sponsors, my team.  I am very lucky to have a great team behind me and family who supports me in following my dreams. It is not always easy but it is worth it. I like to be able to show kids to keep pushing no matter what, so yeah..I can not wait! LETS GO!”

Micro MAX championship podium (Photo: Race Rotax – 1 AIM)

US Trophy Final prizes were awarded to the three drivers on the championship podium in the Micro MAX division. Lucas Tarango took the top honors thanks to three victories over the eight rounds. Tarango earns a free entry and practice tires to the US Trophy Final. Paxton Romero finished second in the standings with three podium results, including one victory. Romero earned a free entry to the US Trophy Final. Finishing third in the standings was Conner Lypka, a four-time podium finisher. A partial entry to the US Trophy Final was his prize. The same prize structure was awarded to the Masters MAX category. Clayton Kesler led all drivers with on the year to claim the series championship to beat out former Team USA driver Billy Cleavelin and Christopher Mann.

With the US Trophy West Series completed, the attention turns to the other side of the country and the Race Rotax US Trophy East Series. The two-weekend, four-round championship begins on June 21-23 at the Motorsports Country Club of Cincinnati in Batavia, Ohio before traveling to the Pittsburgh International Race Complex on August 2-4. Additional tickets to the 2024 Rotax Grand Finals and entries to the US Trophy Final – scheduled for August 22-24 at the New Castle Motorsports Park – will be awarded following the championship program.

Head to RaceRotax.com to learn more.

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