Launi Cruises on Saturday while Maxwell Gets First Junior Win on Sunday

Putting his experience to good use, Joseph Launi (Powerhouse/Exprit) led from flag to flag on Sunday at the track he has grown up lapping around.

After getting a clean start, he opened up an early gap on Frankie Esposito (Prime/BirelART) and ticked off solid laps all the way to the checkered to score his second MRFKC win of the season.

It was a rather uneventful run in second for Esposito who also went unchallenged to the checkered but just didn’t have enough to stay with Launi. Third place went to Ryan Maxwell (REM/Kosmic) after he worked his way by teammate Anthony Martella (REM/Kosmic) at the halfway mark and then pulled away.

Sunday’s race featured a little more excitement, albeit with an unlucky situation.

The start saw Launi and Esposito tangle together and get linked together. Launi jumped out quickly and lifted his kart off, but the pack was well ahead by the time he was back up to speed with Esposito a few seconds further adrift.

Out front, Maxwell led Christian Menezes (KGR/RedSpeed) and Nolan Hofrichter (Prime/BirelART) through the first lap. Putting the pressure on early, Menezes went to the lead in corner one on lap three but Maxwell came back at him a few corners later to regain the lead.

It took a few laps for Menezes to regain his composure, but he closed the gap back to the leader and once again went for the lead just before the halfway mark, this time keeping the lead.

Building up a lead, the race looked to be locked for Menezes until the unthinkable happened.

Slowed up from an incident on the opening lap, Pearce Wade (Prime/BirelART) was well behind and the leader was catching. Receiving the blue flag, Wade slowed up and looked for the leader and exiting corner two, he spun half spun his kart right as Menezes was about to pass. It popped Menezes up in the air and allowed Maxwell to catch right back up.

A few corners later Maxwell went for the lead and it was evident Menezes kart was no longer as fast as it was earlier. Distraught, Menezes could only watch as Maxwell pulled away and a few laps later, scored the race win, his first as Junior.

Coming home in third place was Major Makovskis (PRO/CL Kart). Starting the final from last on the grid in 14th, Makovskis progressively worked his way forward all race long and was rewarded for his efforts with a trip to the podium.

While Launi charged back through the back half of the field, he received the meatball flag for a leaking rad that led to an eventual disqualification for ignoring the flag.