While we’re still locked down and unable to hit up real karting tracks across the country, many young racers and industry members have turned to online Sim racing to keep their skills sharp and this past weekend a young Canadian has taken victory in one of the biggest gatherings of kart racers from around the world, and he was joined by two more Canadians in the top-five.
Patrick Woods-Toth, who is no stranger to Rotax competition, competing in the Grand Finals three times including this past year in Italy, scored the victory after a brilliant final lap pass.
Initially qualifying eleventh overall when the 319 competitors took to the Okayama International Circuit in Japan, which took place over a number of days, that helped put Woods-Toth into the show. He then requalified second this morning, finished second his Pre-Final and advanced to the main event. Keeping pace with the leader all race long, he waited until the final lap to make his move and executed it perfectly and rolled to the finish line to secure the victory.
Taking third place was Kenneth O’Keefe, Woods-Toth’s mechanic at Prime Powerteam. He initially qualified fifth overall and maintained his spot at the top-end of the charts throughout his Prefinal transfer to the main. Starting third for the Final, he stayed with the leaders early but lost the draft after coming into contact with a lap car with five laps to go. From there, he just cruised to the finish line.
A third Canadian completed the top-five as Curtis Fung kept his nose clean all race long to secure the spot. Richard Basford finished sixteenth as Canadians surely left an impression at the event.
For his victory, Patrick Woods-Toth has been invited to compete at the 2020 Rotax Grand Finals in Bahrain in the E-Max electric kart division. Kenneth O’Keefe also earned a nice 250 €.
Watch the replay of the action below! The main event starts at the 1:15:00 mark.
