Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals 2014 – Team USA – Wednesday Review
Challenging day for American squad with grids now set for three qualifying heats
(Photo: GoRotax.com)
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The second day of on-track action at the 2014 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Valencia, Spain truly set the stage for the rest of the week. The final two non-qualifying sessions led to the crucial qualifying runs in the four categories that are competing at the Kartodromo Internacional Lucas Guerrero. The weather was a bit cooler and windier during the morning, until the clouds cleared for the final timed sessions at the end of the day. Rain will once again be a factor throughout the week at the RMCGF, as an overnight storm provided for a very slick track for the early morning sessions of Junior Max and Senior Max before the track really began to dry during DD2 Masters and DD2 groups.
On the results side, it was an up-and-down day for Team USA. Once the track dried, there appeared to be at least one driver in all four divisions to challenge for a top-10 qualifying effort. Sting Ray Robb led the team in Junior Max, ending up 15th overall after timing in sixth in his group. United States Rotax Grand Nationals runner-up Dan Roeper was classified 12th overall in Senior Max once the run groups were combined, but he was hit with a crushing contact penalty that excluded him from the results. Just as disappointing was the fact that Alan Rudolph was not permitted to enter the track after his mechanic worked on his kart in the false grid, which is apparently not allowed at this event. The two-time Rotax Challenge of the Americas champion had showed promise of competing for another pole position in the final non-qualifying practice session, but instead, he’ll be starting at the very tail of all three of his heat races. Senior Max driver Ashley Rogero was handed the same penalty, putting the Pan American Challenge winner to the tail of the field for her three heat races. Rotax Can-Am ProKart Challenge title winner Derek Wang – who is battling a case of bronchitis – ended up with the fast time for Team USA in DD2 Masters, while Rotax Challenge of the Americas champion Gavin Reichelt was the top American in DD2.
Junior Max
#157 – Austin Garrison
Age: 16
Hometown: Davie, Florida
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: North Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Ocala Gran Prix
Sponsors: Ocala Gran Prix
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: None
Mechanic: Austin Miles
Practice 4: 1:17.149 (8th)
Practice 5: 1:01.803 (36th)
Qualifying: 59.551 (27th)
#161 – Ryan Norberg
Age: 15
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: North Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Ocala Gran Prix
Sponsors: Razor Image, K1 RaceGear, Ocala Gran Prix
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: 2013
Mechanic: Robert Bujdoso
Practice 4: 1:17.448 (16th)
Practice 5: 59.789 (19th)
Qualifying: 58.217 (14th)
#163 – Sting Ray Robb
Age: 12
Hometown: Boise, Idaho
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: Rotax Can-Am ProKart Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Black Racing Engines
Sponsors: Red Apple Marketplace
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: None
Mechanic: Blake Choquer
Practice 4: 1:18.198 (28th)
Practice 5: 59.333 (4th)
Qualifying: 58.985 (6th)
#165 – Austin Versteeg
Age: 15
Hometown: Sandy, Utah
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: MSquared Racing Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Rolison Performance Group
Sponsors: Litho Flexo Graphics, K1 RaceGear, ActivaDerm
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: None
Mechanic: Brian Fletcher
Practice 4: 1:17.297 (13th)
Practice 5: 59.588 (12th)
Qualifying: 59.529 (24th)
#168 – Christian Brooks
Age: 14
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: So-Cal Rotax Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Nash Motorsportz
Sponsors: MB2 Raceway Indoor Karting Centers, Nash Motorsportz, OMP, Bell Racing, DVS Shoe Co., Mechanix Wear, Precision Works Racing Engines, Replay, Kart FX Graphics
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: None
Mechanic: Colin McGinnis and Chris Brooks “The A-Team”
Practice 4: 1:15.785 (11th)
Practice 5: 58.990 (12th)
Qualifying: 59.342 (23rd)
Senior Max
#264 – Oliver Askew
Age: 17
Hometown: Jupiter, Florida
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: North Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Ocala Gran Prix
Sponsors: Ocala Gran Prix, Bell Helmets, Sparco USA, Swiftwick Socks, Studio52, Race Tech Development, Risk Placement Management, Racing Driver Management
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: 2011, 2012, 2013
Mechanic: Mario Ioffredo
Practice 4: 1:08.586 (18th)
Practice 5: 58.364 (3rd)
Qualifying: 58.097 (10th)
#255 – Phillip Arscott
Age: Newberg, Oregon
Hometown: 25
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: Rotax Can-Am ProKart Challenge
Rotax Service Center: CMC
Sponsors: Rolison Performance Group, CMC
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: 2008, 2009, 2013
Mechanic: Wes Boswell
Practice 4: 1:14.775 (20th)
Practice 5: 58.581 (20th)
Qualifying: 58.151 (16th)
#266 – Jake Craig
Age: 17
Hometown: Mission Viejo, California
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: So-Cal Rotax Challenge
Rotax Service Center: TruTech Racing Engines
Sponsors: TruTech Racing Engines, 2Wild Karting, Complete Trailers
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: 2011, 2013
Mechanic: Kyle Kuntze
Practice 4: 1:09.433 (27th)
Practice 5: 58.461 (5th)
Qualifying: 58.686 (29th)
#259 – Dan Roeper
Age: 17
Hometown: Delray Beach, Florida
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: South Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Ogden UK
Sponsors: Oemetrix AAGM
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: None
Mechanic: Bryn Nuttall
Practice 4: 1:13.617 (11th)
Practice 5: 58.423 (10th)
Qualifying: 57.952 (11th) – excluded from qualifying due to avoidable contact
#260 – Mason Marotta
Age: 20
Hometown: Bakersfield, California
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: So-Cal Rotax Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Ogden USA
Sponsors: Parents and Grandmother
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: None
Mechanic: Ryan Perry
Practice 4: 1:08.887 (22nd)
Practice 5: 58.523 (6th)
Qualifying: 58.231 (17th)
#267 – Ashley Rogero
Age: 17
Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: GoPro Motorplex
Rotax Service Center: AM Racing Engines
Sponsors: Advance Automotive and friends
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: 2010, 2012, 2013
Mechanic: Jim Rogero
Practice 4: 1:27.96 (36th)
Practice 5: 58.458 (14th)
Qualifying: 58.468 (27th) – excluded from qualifying – worked on kart on false grid
DD2 Masters
#456 – Bobby Greene
Age: 43
Hometown: Fernandina Beach, Florida
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: N/A
Rotax Service Center: Oakland Valley Race Park
Sponsors: SKLTN
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: none
Mechanic: Mike Ramirez
Practice 4: 59.145 (18th)
Practice 5: 57.885 (30th)
Qualifying: 57.553 (31st)
#467 – Erik Jackson
Age: 38
Hometown: Long Beach, California
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: So-Cal Rotax Challenge
Rotax Service Center: PSL SoCal
Sponsors: Baldozier Racing, Motul, Gut Wrench Crossfit, HKE
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: 2011
Mechanic: Francois Doran
Practice 4: 1:02.348 (18th)
Practice 5: 57.715 (26th)
Qualifying: 57.079 (27th)
#460 – Mike Jones
Age: 43
Hometown: Union Valley, Texas
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: Dallas Karting Complex
Rotax Service Center: Dallas Karting Complex
Sponsors: Dallas Karting Complex, Sodi Kart, Bell Helmets, Alpinestars
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: 2012, 2013
Mechanic: Sean Owens
Practice 4: 58.517 (5th)
Practice 5: 57.078 (18th)
Qualifying: 56.787 (22nd)
#455 – Ken Maxfield
Age: 52
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: MSquared Racing Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: MSquared Karting
Sponsors: Leading Edge Motorsports, KartSport North America, MSquared Karting
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: None
Mechanic: Garrett Maxfield
Practice 4: 1:04.103 (32nd)
Practice 5: 57.527 (25th)
Qualifying: 58.749 (34th)
#454 – Alan Rudolph
Age: July 4
Hometown: Gilbert, Arizona
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: Bondurant Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: PSL Karting
Sponsors: Michael Dobbelsteyn, Bondurant, K1 RaceGear
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: 2012, 2013
Mechanic: Jesse Dunham
Practice 4: 58.983 (15th)
Practice 5: 56.649 (3rd)
Qualifying: No time – excluded from qualifying – worked on kart on false grid
#461 – Derek Wang
Age: 36
Hometown: Kirkland, Washington
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: Rotax Can-Am ProKart Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Kevin Glover Karting
Sponsors: Teleion Consulting
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: 2010, 2011, 2013
Mechanic: Diego Valverde
Practice 4: 1:02.138 (14th)
Practice 5: 57.416 (24th)
Qualifying: 56.595 (11th)
DD2
#355 – Michael Ilavia
Age: 17
Hometown: Houston, Texas
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: Burger King Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: J3 Competition
Sponsors: Mom, Dad, Nana, and Papa
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: None
Mechanic: Justin Stefani
Practice 4: 57.186 (11th)
Practice 5: 56.435 (24th)
Qualifying: 55.787 (16th)
#359 – Jonathan Kotyk
Age: 20
Hometown: Atlantic Beach, Florida
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: North Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Ocala Gran Prix
Sponsors: Ocala Gran Prix
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: None
Mechanic: Chris Enderlein
Practice 4: 57.223 (16th)
Practice 5: 56.381 (21st)
Qualifying: 55.750 (15th)
#357 – Nick Neri
Age: 18
Hometown: Palmetto, Florida
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: North Florida Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: Ocala Gran Prix
Sponsors: Ocala Gran Prix, Bell Helmets, Razor Image, GO Designs, Dark Horse Pros
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: 2009, 2010, 2013
Mechanic: Alex Speed
Practice 4: 56.871 (6th)
Practice 5: 56.099 (10th)
Qualifying: 55.737 (14th)
#358 – Gavin Reichelt
Age: 16
Hometown: Rhinebeck, New York
United States Rotax Max Challenge Home Series: Northeast Rotax Max Challenge
Rotax Service Center: PSL Karting
Sponsors: N/A
Rotax Grand Finals Appearances: None
Mechanic: N/A
Practice 4: 56.612 (14th)
Practice 5: 56.170 (15th)
Qualifying: 55.699 (16th)
