2014 ECKC Championship Showdown: Rotax Senior, DD2 and DD2 Masters Preview

The 2014 season steps a little bit closer to completion this weekend as the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship will complete the final round of their 2014 campaign and mark the final major event of the Canadian season.

The ECKC wraps up their fifth season to date once again at the Jim Russell Karting Academy in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec only three weeks following a very successful ASN Canadian Championships at the same facility. It has been a very exciting season for the ECKC series, which competes in both Ontario and Quebec.

To preview the final round of the ECKC, we have broken down the championship race for each class, factoring in the drops and determining the remaining title threats.

Rotax Senior

Zachary Claman DeMelo has dominated the Rotax Senior division this season (Photo by: Cody schindel/CKN)

One year ago Zachary Claman DeMelo was on the outside looking in for the ECKC Rotax Senior title. This year, DeMelo has been unstoppable, winning every PreFinal and Final except for race #1 at Mosport. He enters the weekend at Tremblant with the largest points gap of any ECKC class (216 to second-place) and has the chance to score a perfect championship if you factor in the drop.

99 points separate the next three drivers in line as Christophe Paquet (PSL/CRG), Kevin Monteith (REM/Birel) and Coltin McCaughan (CKN-SH Racing/FA Kart) are all vying for the vice-championship position and the invitation to the Rotax Grand Finals that comes along with it, given that DeMelo has already qualified as Canadian Champion.

Paquet and McCaughan are impressive rookies while Monteith has been here before and is hoping to change the luck that knocked him off the championship podium one year in Tremblant. A reminder that Paquet capped off his Rotax Junior campaign last year with a victory at Tremblant, while McCaughan was on the National podium three weeks ago after a very heated race with Montieth.

On the outside looking in, Marco Signoretti (Energy Kart) in the third rookie in the top-five, followed by Anthony Tolfa (TonyKart), Maxime Couturier (SC Performance/TonyKart), Didier Carre (KMS/Birel) and Tyler Kashak (Goodwood/Intrepid).

It will be interesting to see if anyone can knock DeMelo off his current pedestal along with what could be a very entertaining race for second.

Unofficial Top-Ten Rotax Senior Standings

Rotax DD2

Jeffrey Kingsley is looking to cap off his Rotax DD2 rookie season with his second major title (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)

With the addition of a handful of very powerful Rotax DD2 drivers, Jeffrey Kingsley (PSL/CRG) and Fred Woodley (Prime/Maranello) will have their hands full as they pursue the overall championship. The two have banged heads a few times this year setting up what could be a thrilling race to the title.

One thing to factor in is Kingsley’s National Championship. With his ticket to Spain already earned he has made it known that he has one goal this weekend and that is to win. Woodley enters the weekend 95 points back of Kingsley with Alessandro Bizzotto (PSL/CRG) well back in the third position.

With only 13 points separating Bizzotto, Tyler Kashak (Goodwood/Intrepid) and Brendon Bain (Prime/Maranello) the race within the race will see the three duke it out for the final step of the podium. Max Preston (Goodwood/Intrepid) can also be added into this mix as he is only 22 points behind Bizzotto.

This very well could be the largest DD2 field of the year and won’t be one to miss.

Unofficial Top-Six Rotax DD2 Standings

Rotax DD2 Masters

Paul Carvalho won the last ECKC race and has a solid shot at the overall title (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)

For the first time since 2011, a name different than Stuart Clark will claim the Rotax DD2 Masters title. A disastrous season for Clark has him completely out of the championship picture and the likes of Paul Carvalho (CRG), Francis Mondou (SH Racing/FA Kart) and Martin Verville (PSL/CRG) all vying for the title.

Carvalho has came out of nowhere to claim to race victories and holds a 100 point advantage over Mondou, the Canadian Champion. The two waged a very spirited battle three weeks ago and we expect it to carry over into this final ECKC round.

Verville has a long way to go if he wants to join the championship race as he is 216 points back of Carvalho but his 106 point advantage over John Cariati (Goodwood/Intrepid) should be enough to secure the final step of the championship podium. Etienne LaSalle (KCR/CRG) enters the weekend in fifth place.

Carvalho shouldn’t have any issue securing the ticket to the Rotax Grand Finals with Mondou already qualified.

Unofficial Top-Five Rotax DD2 Masters Standings