The 2013 Monaco de Trois-Rivieres, a very popular race in the city northeast of Montreal finally displayed some racing on Saturday for the fans on hand. Utilizing a portion of the GP3R street circuit, the go-karts navigate through the 1km track with almost no room for error. To stand on the podium at Le Monaco means more than just being fast, but being able to minimize even the slightest of errors, but with the tricky weather added in from Mother Nature today it made things just a little more difficult.
Olivier Bedard (KMS/Birel) converted his pole-position into the early lead of the Rotax Senior Prefinal with Zachary Claman DeMelo (IPK/Praga), Tyler Kashak (IPK/OK1) and Pier-Luc Ouellette (PSL Karting/CRG) in tow. DeMelo would grab the lead before the first lap was complete, with Kashak moving into second and PLO also getting by Bedard on lap one. In a easy run, DeMelo would take the heat ahead of Kashak, Ouellette, Michael Kundakcioglu (Maranello NA/Maranello) and Bedard.
The Final saw the lead trio of DeMelo, Ouellette and Kashak get away cleanly from the start and almost immediately break away from the pack. Behind, a great battle would ensue for fourth with Kundakcioglu holding it in the opening laps before Steven Szigeti (SH Karting/Zanardi) and Bedard would come knocking on his door. Szigeti would get by on lap five, with Bedard also following through, while up front DeMelo was keeping Ouellette at bay and Kashak not far behind. As the laps wound down, DeMelo would cross as the winner and the front three remaining unchanged, Szigeti and Bedard would catch Kashak, but just ran out of time settling for fourth and fifth.
Following the race, DeMelo was excluded for a technical violation, moving Ouellette to the top of the podium, Kashak to second and Szigeti to third.
