FWT: Victory for Michael d’Orlando; Championship for Anthony Gangi in TaG Cadet

March Sunday’s in Ocala have become a special time for those involved in the karting industry. For the past few seasons, the Florida Winter Tour closes it’s two championship weekends at the Ocala Gran Prix location, with great racing, prizes, awards and excitement, and this year once again has delivered. For the Formula Kart classes, their Championships came to a close today but for some classes it went right down to the wire.

In TaG Cadet, the day started out with Championship leader Anthony Gangi Jr. (Tony Kart) taking pole position ahead of Michael d’Orlando (Kosmic), who has shown huge improvement to his form throughout the Winter Tour. Giovanni Bromante (Tony Kart) qualified in the third position ahead of Mathias Ramirez (Tony Kart), and Guilherme Romano Peixoto (Tony Kart).

In Heat one Gangi Jr. and Peixoto broke away from the field for a few laps until Peixoto dove down the inside of Gangi on lap six to take the lead and allowed D’Orlando, Ramirez and David Malukas (Birel) to catch up to the leading duo. On Lap seven d’Orlando took the lead ahead of Peixoto as Gangi would fall down the order to the sixth position. At the line d’Orlando would take the heat win ahead of Nicholas Brueckner (Birel), and Vincenzo Sarracino (Tony Kart). Gangi Jr. would have late contact in the heat resulting in his kart going into the barriers in the final corner as the top drivers would be shuffled around the order.

In Heat two d’Orlando and Ramirez would work together in the early going for the race to gap the pack of chasers behind them. The two would run in the same positions for the remainder of the heat as Malukas would finish third ahead of Antonio Serravalle (Tony Kart) and Gangi Jr.

In the Final d’Orlando would break away early, creating a gap over Sarracino and Serravalle on the opening lap of the race. With d’Orlando in the lead and Serravalle and Sarracino trying to catch the leader, the real battle on the track at the openning stages would be for fourth as Ramirez would lead a four kart pack.

At the half way point Serravalle was able to drop Sarracino and slowly catch up to the bumper of d’Orlando in front of him. Serravalle would take the lead from the Koene USA driver as d’Orlando would now put pressure on the young Canadian. d’Orlando would pass Serravalle for the first but the move was short lived as Serravalle came back on the inside of d’Orlando on the last corner. With three laps to go the d’Orlando went back by the Canadian for the lead. After making the move d’Orlando would drive to his first FWT win ahead of Serravalle. Ramirez would take the third position after a close battle with Birel teammates Malukas and Brueckner.

With the Championship complete, Gangi was able to collect enough points to take the top honours, while the excellent weekend by d’Orlando vaulted him to the second step on the Championship podium, with Brueckner taking third.

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