FWT: Micro-Max Win for Reese Gold; Gianluca Petecof Takes Mini-Max

After many days of testing this week in Homestead, Florida, it was finally race day for the 2014 Florida Winter Tour. Friday’s qualifying sessions set the grids for todays pre finals, setting up for a great day of action at Homestead-Miami Speedway under sunny skies and warm temperatures.

Mini-Max

Looking to continue his FWT winning streak from last weekend, Michael d’Orlando (KoeneUSA/TonyKart) kicked off the day right by taking the win in the Prefinal.

However in the Final he would have his work cut out for him as Brazilian Gianluca Petecof (AM Kart) made himself present at the front right from the get go.

d’Orlando got off to the early lead with Petecof on his rear bumper while Lachlan Defrancesco (DFR/Benik Kart) advanced from fifth to third with a great start. Petecof pressured d’Orlando as the laps clicked off, eventually making his move for the lead on lap four. Behind, Defrancesco was holding his own ahead of the melee for positions all the way back to the twenties.

Once out front Petecof created a gap to d’Orlando and managed his laps all the way to checkers and the victory. d’Orlando had the step down one step on the podium, but still had an impressive drive with Defrancesco making no mistakes en route to third.

Nicholas d’Orlando (KoeneUSA/TonyKart) ended up sixth with Matthew Latifi (Ferrolati Corse/TonyKart) driving from 32nd on the grid all the way to twelfth at the line. Both drivers are competing in Mini-Max for the first time. Finally Matthew Barry (Praga) had a tough run, ending up 33rd.

Saturday Results | Saturday Photo Gallery

Micro-Max

The little guys this weekend put on a great show on Saturday with action throughout both the prefinal and Final.

In the Micro-Max Final, it was Reese Gold (TonyKart) who was awarded the victory. A great drive by Matheus Morgado (Kosmic) placed the Brazilian first as he crossed the finish line, but he was accessed a two position penalty following the race moving Gold up to first and Alessandro de Tullio (Birel) onto the second step of the podium.

Joshua Cunha (Goodwood/Intrepid) is really coming into form in his second year of Micro-Max, finishing sixth while Jeremy Tallon (KMS/Birel) moved up to finish sixteenth after starting deep in the field. Finally Justin Arseneau (PSL/CRG) was eighteenth.

Reese Gold (55) was the big winner in Micro-Max on Saturday
(Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)