FWT: Anthony Gangi Jr. victorious in Mini-Max; Dylan Tavella takes Micro-Max on Saturday

Saturday in Homestead, Florida, USA was race day for the 2013 Florida Winter Tour. The Rotax Max classes finally competed in wheel to wheel competition after qualifying on Friday afternoon. The warm temperatures and sunny skies in south Florida put fatigue into play as drivers and everyone in the paddock needed to stay hydrated. With a Pre Final and Final for every class, things were very busy at Homestead-Miami Speedway and the racing was exciting in every division as round three of the FWT saw some new and returning winners after the opening rounds in West Palm Beach.

Mini-Max

Nicholas Brueckner (Birel) led the way into the first corner of the Mini Max Pre Final as he would lead Joshua Sirgany (Praga) and Anthony Gangi Jr.(TonyKart). Brueckner would gain a small gap to Sirgany, Gangi, and Michael Benyahia (Tecno) as the three would battle for second. On lap six Gangi would dive down to the inside of Sirgany in turn four to take the second positon away from the Jamaican driver. Gangi would then track down and get by Brueckner with five to go as Sirgany would also pass the pole sitter a few laps later. At the Line Gangi took the heat win ahead of Sirgany, Brueckner, Benyahia, and Neil Verhagen (Arrow) who completed the top five.

Anthony Gangi Jr. took the holeshot as the lights went out to start the Final ahead of Brueckner, and Verhagen as the inside line had the upper hand going into the first corner. Michael D’Orlando (Kosmic) passed Verhagen for third and just as Verhagen tried to pass back d’Orlando he would go spinning out. This promoted Mathias Ramirez (TonyKart), and Sirgany to the fourth and fifth positions. Ramierez then tried to make move on d’Orlando but was not able to keep the position. Moving his way forward, Antonio Serravalle (TonyKart) passed Sirgany for the fifth position. At the line it was Gangi Jr. taking another win ahead of Brueckner, d’Orlando, Ramirez, and Serravalle.

Micro-Max

Dylan Tavella (Tony Kart) took the early lead in the Micro Max Pre final ahead of Giovanni Bromante (Tony Kart) as the two karts broke away at the front of the field. Tyler Gonzalez (FA Kart), Guilherme Romano Peixoto (CRG), and Derek Carmenate (TonyKart) would have a three way battle for the third position as Nicholas D’Orlando (Kosmic) and Harry Coulton (Birel) would also join the battle for that position. Carmanate would go to the third position ahead of Peixoto, and d’Orlando dropping Gonzalez to sixth. At the front Bromante took over from Tavella with four laps remaining in the race. With one to go Tavella took the lead back from Bromante going into the first corner but Bromante retook the lead back in the Final corner as he just edged past Tavella for the heat win. Carmanate, Peixoto, and d’Orlando would complete the top-five.

Bromante had a great start in the final to take the lead in the final ahead of Carmenate and Tavella. The top three drivers drove away from Coulton in the fourth position as he was in another three kart battle with Peixoto and Gonzalez before surrendering the position on lap four and falling to sixth. Meanwhile up front Dylan Tavella took the second position from Carmenate as they both continued to follow leader Bromante. With seven laps to go there was a Red Flag putting a halt to the race. On the Restart Bromante took the lead with Tavella and Carmenate close behind. Tavella then took the lead back after the halfway point in the race. Further behind the leaders Leonardo Rinaldi (Praga) took the fourth position with Gonzalez and Coulton in fifth and sixth. At the checkered Tavella would prevail ahead of  Bromante, Carmenate, Gonzalez, and Peixoto finishing in the fifth position.

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