ECKC: Curran and Duesburry Come Out On Top in Rotax Micro-Max

Round number one of the 2015 Eastern Canadian Karting Championship is in the books after a superb weekend of racing at Goodwood Kartways, just north of Toronto, Ontario. Over 170 competitors took the track amongst nice classes, displaying some of the best racing we have ever seen at the ECKC.

This years Rotax Micro-Max category proved to be one of the most competitive the class has had since it’s inception with 13 karts on the track and great racing all around.

Saturday:

Justin Arseneau (Ben Cooper Racing/BirelART) was the fast qualifier Saturday in Rotax Micro Max ahead of American Karsten Defonce (FA Kart) and Dale Curran (Ben Cooper Racing/BirelART) but in the PreFinal Curran came out on top ahead of Areseneau and Defonce setting up a great race for the final.

In what was the most competitive Micro Max finals in years as all 13 drivers were in on the action for majority of the race. At the start the race was controlled by the BCR teammates Arseneau and Curran and they battled all race long until an incident in corner four shuffled up the leaders. Ryland Duesburry (Energy Corse/Energy Kart) made his way up to the lead following the incident and he would keep the lead until the end of the race.

Behind Duesburry, disaster struck for the teammates as they both tangled going into Goodwood’s infamous turn four taking them out of contention for the win. Gabriel Savoie and Adam Moor capitalized by staying clear of the tangled BirelART’s and took second and third. Defonce had a great race going but due to the incident in front of him he had to go off the track and settle for a fourth place finish. Curran recovered to finish fifth.

Ryland Duesburry (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)

Sunday:

Arseneau was determined to rebound well after Saturday’s dissappointing final taking the Pole Position in Qualifying ahead of Austin Boyle (Goodwood/Intrepid) and Curran. In the Prefinal Arseneau and Curran worked together to stay 1-2 for majority of the race with Boyle following the two BCR drivers to the finish.

The Final had a bit of a rocky start, with the pace being too fast to start the race. After two false starts Arseneau and Curran were told to swap positions giving Curran the inside pole-position and Arseneau to the outside. Even after starting the race from the outside of row one Arseneau took the year lead from Curran, and Boyle slotted in right behind. Like they did in the Prefinal the two worked together to drive away from the field. Curren grabbed the lead early and it seemed like Arseneau was going to make a move on the last lap but with multiple yellow flags it was nearly impossible for Arseneau to make a move that wouldn’t penalize him, settling for second behind his teammate.

Further down the field Saturday winner Duesburry was charging through the field and after starting in the seventh position he drove up to third by the end of the race. If he didn’t have a poor starting spot it seemed as though Duesburry would have been able to fight for the win. Boyle finished the final in fourth followed by William Michaud (PSL Karting/BirelART) in fifth.

Dale Curran (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)