ECKC: Full Fences for ROK Shifter Races at ICAR

It what the most popular class of the weekend. ROK Shifter, as part of the Coupe du Quebec program and a special addition to the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship event provided the crowd at ICAR with the excitement of standing starts and some great battles at the sharp end of the field.

On Saturday it was returning karting veteren Michael Marjaba (TonyKart) who took pole in Qualifying ahead of Dominic Legrand (CRG) and Louis-Jean Boucher (BirelART) and Marjaba won the PreFinal ahead of Legrand and Dany St. Hilaire (BirelART).

In the Final Marjaba and Legrand had a great battle for the victory. Marjaba had the lead in the first five laps of the lead until Legrand made the pass for the lead in the back sector of the circuit. Legrand was able to gap Marjaba for a few laps but in the later stage Marjaba regained his composure and came right back to make a late race charge for the win. He wasn’t able to make a last lap pass stick however as Legrand was able to defend Marjaba on the final lap and take his second win of the season. St-Hilaire finished the final in third with Allan Moreau (BirelART) and Boucher completed the top-five.

Sunday began with a new addition to the field as Jean Francois Lafontaine (BirelART) joined the category, replacing Etienne LaSalle who struggled on Saturday.

Legrand was the fastest in the morning qualifying session with Lafontaine second and Marjaba third. In the PreFinal Marjaba was the victor with Legrand in second and Lafontaine third, setting up an excellent Final.

The three drivers were in a class of their own in the Sunday Final as they displayed great driving and racing all race long. The front three duked it with late braking passes and short shifting excitement. Lafontaine would go on to win the race after he passed Legrand for the lead with two laps to go while Marjaba came across the line in third place with St-Hilaire and Samuel Guerin (BirelART) in the top-five.

Jean-Francois Lafontaine (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)