2024 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals – Team USA – Wednesday Report
Junior roster qualifies in top 10 as racing gets underway in Italy
Davin Roberts qualified fourth overall in Junior MAX (Photo: Cody Schindel - CanadianKartingNews.com)
Racing is underway for the 2024 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals. The remaining classes to qualifying completed that task of this year’s event in Sarno, Italy during Wednesday morning, setting the stage for the opening round of heat races for the 391 drivers in attendance from over 60 countries. Rain stayed away on the day, as the track showed its speed with more MOJO rubber getting put down and the draft playing a big factor in getting the quickest speeds.
The 14 drivers in seven categories for Team USA had up and down days. The big highlight was both Davin Roberts and Gage Korn qualifying inside the top 10 for Junior MAX, with an unfortunate DQ for Korn in his heat race for working on the kart while in the grid area. US Trophy East champion Enzo DiGennaro led the Mini MAX trio with a top 10 in their opening heat race while new Team USA member and 2013 Rotax Grand Finals winner Oliver Hodgson placed inside the top five. John Bonanno keeps himself in the DD2 Masters fight to put himself in the top five.
Below is a breakdown of each driver’s results and some comments on the day’s action.
Be sure to follow CanadianKartingNews.com to follow the action of Team Canada.
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)
Practice 7 (even): 35th – 1:01.781 +1.843
Qualifying (even): 26th – 1:00.455 +0.606
Qualifying (overall): 52nd
Heat Race Group: D
Heat 1 (CvsD): 24th +9.187 – 1:00.844
“I struggled in qualifying. We got the kart ready to race in the heat but had a big moment. Time to lock in and get it done. You should see us at a decent spot for the final grid.”
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
Warm-up: 21st – 1:13.578 +12.908
Heat 1: 5th +5.522 – 1:01.371
“There is nothing like the chaos of a good DD2 opening three laps!!! Got a great start today and brought home my first top five finish ever at the Rotax Grand Finals event!”
#528 – Laurentiu Mardan
Hometown: Arlington Heights, Illinois
Qualified: US Trophy Final Winner
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying: 25th – 1:18.059 +3.112
Warm-up: 22nd – 1:17.001 +16.331
Heat 1: 20th +12.203 – 1:01.243
“I had good speed on the day. Me and John have been working together and sharing information to help make good progress. I am learning a little bit on how they race to find our way around them as its very hard to pass.”
E20 Senior – Sodi Kart (18 Drivers)
#615 – Patrick Ronveaux-Tordion
Hometown: N/A
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Warm-up: 16th – 1:07.596 +2.882
Qualifying: DSQ
Heat 1: Postponed
Junior MAX – Praga (72 Drivers)
#213 – Davin Roberts
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
Qualified: US Trophy Final Winner
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7 (odd): 15th – 1:04.160 +0.896
Qualifying (odd): 2nd – 1:02.286 +0.095
Qualifying (overall): 4th
Heat Race Group: D
Heat 1 (CvsD): 13th +5.413 – 1:03.428
“I had great pace in qualifing in my group and overall. The European starts from off pole was different than I’m accustomed to but I managed the outside start well. In the last couple of laps, I zigged when I should have zagged, falling from P2 to P5 on the final lap. But overall, I held my own in my first European race! Unfortunately, a half a push back resulted in 5-second penalty. I’m looking forward to two more heat races tomorrow with better results!”
#216 – Gage Korn
Hometown: Aurora, Colorado
Qualified: US Trophy West Champion
RMCGF Appearances: 3 – 2021, 2022, 2023 (Mini)
Practice 7 (even): 14th – 1:03.357 +0.583
Qualifying (even): 5th – 1:02.258 +0.397
Qualifying (overall): 9th
Heat Race Group: A
Heat 1 (AvsB): DSQ
“Today was good until it wasn’t. Great qualifying session led to a P4 in our heat race, until we were disqualified. We had a broken bumper clamp and my dad ran and got a new clamp. But since he replaced it on grid, we unfortunately were disqualified from the heat. We have amazing pace, just must work a little bit harder. Not discouraged at all, ready for the challenge.”
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
Warm-up: 20th – 1:10.442 +1.050
Heat 1: 21st +14.196 (PBB) – 1:10.814
“For my first race in Europe, it was frustrating. I started and finished 14th but got a penalty for a pushback bumper which I couldn’t control. A kid flipped in front of me and I had no where to go.”
#6 – Yutaka Sonoda
Hometown: Tri Cities, Washington
Qualified: Canada Final Winner
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying: 22nd – 1:27.512 +3.634
Warm-up: 23rd – 1:10.562 +1.170
Heat 1: 26th +16.427 (PBB) – 1:10.755
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)
Warm-up (even): 22nd – 1:07.748 +1.112
Heat 1 (CvsD): 24th +10.546 – 1:07.137
“Today was a great learning experience in my first international race. I wasn’t aggressive enough off the start and paid for it. We found some really good pace later in race, but put myself too far back to finish where I wanted. I’m glad we have two more heats tomorrow that will provide me opportunities to move forward.”
#107 – Enzo DiGennaro
Hometown: Poughkeepsie, NY
Qualified: US Trophy East Champion
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying (overall): 19th
Heat Race Group: C (Row 5)
Warm-up (odd): 12th – 1:07.130 +0.736
Heat 1 (CvsD): 8th +3.313 – 1:07.006
“I’m really happy to start the event off with a positive result! I had a small issue with the kart mid race that made it hard to hang in but luckily there wasn’t much pressure from behind and I was able to hold on. Can’t wait for the rest of qualifying heats tomorrow!”
#108 – Jaxon Porter
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona
Qualified: US Trophy West Champion
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Qualifying (overall): 24th
Heat Race Group: D (Row 6)
Warm-up (even): 25th – 1:20.917 +14.281
Heat 1 (CvsD): 31st +15.018 – 1:07.505
“I was doing great, was up to 7th or 8th, went up a little high instead of staying on the inside. I had a few kart train come past and when coming back down into a gap, I was hit and spun backwards on the track. I had to recollect and finish the race. We are hoping for better result tomorrow.”
Senior MAX – Sodi Kart (72 Drivers)
#305 – Wesley Gundler
Hometown: Holly Springs, North Carolina
Qualified: US Trophy East Champion
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7 (odd):20th – 1:02.003 +1.055
Qualifying (odd): 17th – 1:01.569 +0.727
Qualifying (overall): 34th
Heat Race Group: B
Heat 1 (AvsB): 25th +12.258 – 1:01.655
“The racing here is definitely aggressive. Most of the time the other drivers are defending. I got sent into the back of another driver and gave me a push back penalty. I also don’t think we had the right setup for this kind of racing so hopefully tomorrow we can put it together and go forward.”
#307 – Oliver Hodgson
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Qualified: Canada Open
RMCGF Appearances: 3 – 2012, 2013, 2023
Wins: Senior MAX (2013) (UK)
Practice 7 (odd): 8th – 1:01.521 +0.573
Qualifying (odd): 10th – 1:01.360 +0.518
Qualifying (overall): 20th
Heat Race Group: D
Heat 1 (CvsD): 4th +3.538 – 1:01.202
“Disappointed, I did not fully fulfil my potential during qualifying as this leaves a tough road ahead in order to start the final in a position from which I can race to win. Lots of racing ahead, looking forward to the challenge.”
#313 – Dalton Hanes
Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina
Qualified: US Trophy Final Runner-Up
RMCGF Appearances: 0
Practice 7 (odd): 26th – 1:02.263 +1.315
Qualifying (odd): 36th – 1:05.796 +4.954
Qualifying (overall): 72nd
Heat Race Group: D
Heat 1 (CvsD): 16th +8.273 – 1:01.201
“Qualifying was straight out of my worst nightmare! We didn’t time the session correctly and ended up not doing a lap. Fortunately, we had some help from Paul Spencer at Strawberry Racing. The Sodi Kart started rolling as we gained 18 positions in eight laps! Hard charger in Heat 1 and we will be looking for more in Heats 2 and 3 tomorrow!”
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