FWT: Christiano Morgado takes his third win in DD2 Masters; Derek Wang remains unbeaten in Max Masters

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.

Rotax DD2 Masters

Christiano Morgado (CRG) took the holeshot into the first corner of the DD2 Masters Pre final as Alessandro Manetti (Praga) slotted into the second position. On lap two Manetti would dive down the inside of Morgado to take the lead in the first corner. Two laps later Morgado retook the top position back from Manetti in the fourth corner. Behind the two leaders Scott Campbell (CRG) was in third as he was followed closely by Luis Schiavo (Praga) and Rene Martinelli (CRG). Past the halfway point in the race Morgado and Manetti both drove to a four-second gap ahead of Campbell in third. With two laps to go Manetti would retire from the race due to mechanical issue passing the start finish line. Morgado would go on to take the win ahead of Campbell, Schiavo, Martinelli, and Juan Font completing the top five.

Scott Campbell took the early lead in the DD2 Masters Final ahead of Morgado. Stuart Clark (Maranello) was able to get into the third position on the early stages of the race ahead of Martinelli and Schiavo. Morgado took the lead of the race back from Campbell on the fourth lap. Next time by Christophe Adams took third place from Clark but he would come right back and take the position back one lap later. On lap nine Manetti took the fourth position from Adams as contact between the two drivers would force Adams lose his front bumper. Manetti would then would get past Clark for the third spot next time passed the line. With two laps to go Manetti advanced past Campbell as he set the fastest lap of the race. But at the finish Morgado took his third win of the season ahead of Manetti, Campbell, Clark, Patricio Larrea who finished in the fifth position.

Rotax Max Masters

Derek Wang (FA Kart) took the early lead in the Rotax Masters Pre final ahead of Leonardo Nienkotter (Kosmic), and Jason Bell (Arrow). On lap Four Scott Falcone (Arrow) took the third position away from Bell as both Wang and Nienkotter would drive away from the battle for third. Raul Costa (Tony Kart) would then take the fourth position away from Bell in the first corner at the halfway mark. The top five would remain the same for the rest of the race as Wang would take the win ahead of Nienkotter, Falcone, Costa and Bell.

Derek Wang took a lengthy lead going into the first corner ahead of Costa, Falcone, and Bell. Leonardo Nienkotter recovered from last and would go to the fifth position on one lap as he would look to catch up to the leaders. The battle for third was close as Costa, Falcone and Bell all posted laps with in hundredths of a second of each other. Nienkotter would put down the fastest laps on the track and caught up to the Bell in fourth as the top-five driver would be separated by less than two-seconds. At the half way point Nienkotter got by Bell for fourth. At the line it would be Wang taking his third win of the Tour finishing ahead of Costa, Nienkotter, Falcone, and Bell.

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