#KartStarsCanada
Bower Jumps to Win Rok Senior Opener; Goodridge Snags VLR Masters Victory
Just as he did a year ago en route to the championship, Nolan Bower (NBM/Exprit) secured victory at the season opener of the KartStars Canada Championship in Rok Senior at Goodwood Kartways.
Bower had to overcome a 3-second time penalty for jumping the start as he leapt ahead of pole-sitter Andrew Maciel (VSR/TonyKart) before the start line and gained the advantage into the first corner.
Pulling away, Bower didn’t turn a wheel wrong in the 16-lap final and crossed the finish line a mere 3.2 seconds ahead of runner-up Maciel to outrun the penalty and score the win.
Maciel came under pressure from Gianluca Savaglio (Savaglio Racing/Kosmic) until lap twelve when he finally worked his way by for second place. However, a mistake on the next lap saw Savaglio clip the corner seven curb a little too hard and spin, handing the position back to Maciel and falling well down the order.
This elevated Matte Ferrari (Supertune/TonyKart) into a podium position as the first-year Senior had a solid drive. Recovering from the tail of the field, Nicky Palladino (VSR/TonyKart) made it up to fourth and needed another lap or two to pressure Ferrari for the final step of the podium. Stadium Super Trucks driver Russell Boyle (Goodwood/Exprit) was fifth in his first KartStars race.
KartStars Canada Round 1 Rok Senior Final Results
- Nolan Bower
- Andrew Maciel
- Matte Ferrari
- Nicky Palladino
- Russell Boyle
- Austin Boyle
- Lorenzo Morsillo
- Joe Crupi
- Gianluca Savaglio *fl
- Eric Kunz
- Anthony Boscia
- Nathan Tiemersma
It was a battle of two in VLR Masters this weekend as John Cariati (Intrepid Kart) and Cayden Goodridge (New Speed Motorsports/Intrepid Kart) were nearly a second faster than their competition.
Cariati held the advantage through Qualifying and the heat races, leading the way in all three, but Goodridge was right there.
In the Final, Goodridge had a great start to get into the early lead and controlled the first half of the race. Cariati put the pressure on and overtook at the halfway mark and even opened up a small gap.
Regaining his focus, Goodridge posted his quickest lap of the race with three to go to close back in, but still had two kart lengths to the rear bumper of the leader.
Thinking he had enough of a cushion, Cariati ran the normal racing line on the final lap and held the lead until corner nine, where Goodridge put it all on the line. A huge lunge caught Cariati off guard and the position was gained and a few moments later Goodridge celebrated at the finish line with a very exciting arm swing.
Cariati had to settle for second while Adam Hepworth (Intrepid Kart) won the battle for third over Andrew Valenzano (Intrepid Kart) and Mark Pavan (Intrepid Kart).
KartStars Canada Round 1 VLR Masters Final Results
- Cayden Goodridge
- John Cariati *fl
- Adam Hepworth
- Andrew Valenzano
- Mark Pavan
- Steve Zalunardo
- Paul Rhodes
- Gil Strassgurrtl
- Scott Fletcher
- Alexander Mankovski (DNS)
