Recapping the Last Five Canadian Championships Race Winners

As we prepare for the 2016 ASN Open Canadian Karting Championships this week in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, the fifth time CKN will be trackside, we thought it would be fun to look back at the last five years and have a look at the names of who have left their mark as a Canadian National Champion. We also thought it would be fun to break down the victories by chassis manufacturer and province and do a stat-breakdown.

In the past five years, Mont-Tremblant has hosted the event three times (2011, 2012 and 2014) while Goodwood Kartways (2013) and Mosport Kartways (2015) have played host once apiece.

It is surprising to see how some of our National Champions have progressed up through the categories, taking multiple victories throughout their career, while some others are names we almost forgot about as they have moved on from karts in recent seasons.

Micro-Max

• 2011: Antonio Serravalle/Tecno Kart/Ontario
• 2012: Matthew Latifi/CRG/Ontario
• 2013: William Chayer/Birel/Quebec
• 2014: Jeremy Tallon/Birel/Ontario
• 2015: Dale Curran Jr/BirelART/Ontario

This is an impressive list of drivers who racked up many accomplishments while competing in the Micro-Max division and for most of them, the Canadian National title was the icing on the cake for their remarkable seasons. Antonio Serravalle and Matthew Latifi have now progressed up to Junior competition and will be competing this week in Tremblant. William Chayer is also still active, now racing in Briggs Junior while Jeremy Tallon moved south following his victory, no longer competing in Canada. Finally, Dale Curran Jr. used his Canadian Championship to launch him into Mini-Max this season and he is looking like a threat for a second title in as many years.

Matthew Latifi in 2012 (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Mini-Max

• 2011: Jeffrey Kingsley/CRG/Ontario
• 2012: Gianfranco Mazzaferro/Zanardi Kart/Quebec
• 2013: Antonio Serravalle/TonyKart/Ontario
• 2014: Alexandre Legare/CRG/Quebec
• 2015: Patrick Woods-Toth/BirelART/Quebec

Serravalle added a second Canadian Championship in dominant fashion at Goodwood in 2013. But two other names really got their karting careers going with their Mini-Max National titles. Jeffrey Kingsley took home the honours in 2011 and we now see him dominating in Rotax DD2, while Gianfranco Mazzaferro followed suit in 2012, kicking off an impressive run at the Canadian Championships. Unfortunately we don’t see Alexandre Legare in competition anymore, only competing one season of Junior Rotax in 2015 before withdrawing this season, while Patrick Woods-Toth is proving his abilities following his Canadian title, running up front in Junior in 2016.

Antonio Serravalle is looking to earn his third Canadian title this week. (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)

Rotax Junior

• 2011: Jesse Lazare/Intrepid/Quebec
• 2012: Tommy Lemaire-Ouellet/TonyKart/Quebec
• 2013: Gianfranco Mazzaferro/TonyKart/Quebec
• 2014: Gianfranco Mazzaferro/TonyKart/Quebec
• 2015: Samuel Lupien/FA Kart/Quebec

After his Mini-Max victory, Mazzaferro earned himself two more titles in Junior, making it three National titles in a row. It is interesting to note that drivers from the province of Quebec have owned the top of the podium in Rotax Junior over the past five years, although that could change this week with the likes of Ryan MacDermid and Matthew Latifi showing great speed this season. We cannot forget the impressive seasons Jesse Lazare had in karts, dominating in 2011 and now racing professionally in a Porsche. Tommy-Lemaire-Ouellet surprised many with his victory in 2012, but since has moved on from karts. Finally, Samuel Lupien is hoping to earn his second Canadian title in 2016, now as a driver in Rotax Senior.

Gianfranco Mazzaferro has two Canadian titles in Rotax Junior (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Rotax Senior

• 2011: Steven Szigeti/TonyKart/Quebec
• 2012: Jesse Lazare/TonyKart/Quebec
• 2013: Zachary Claman DeMelo/Praga/Quebec
• 2014: Zachary Claman DeMelo/Intrepid/Quebec
• 2015: Marco Di Leo/Intrepid/Ontario

Here is a list of drivers we wish were still racing together in Rotax Senior. Steven Szigeti and Jesse Lazare put SH Karting on top in 2011 and 2012, both with impressive performances all week long in Mont-Tremblant, and for Lazare, his second title in as many years. Then came the surge of Zachary Claman DeMelo who dominated both 2013 and 2014 for Goodwood Kartways, after being unable to race the Junior Final in 2012 due to a morning crash. Finally, Marco Di Leo has kept the title in Goodwood Kartways hands with his emotional victory last year at Mosport.

Zachary Claman Demelo in 2013 (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Rotax DD2

• 2011: Pier-Luc Ouellette/CRG/Quebec
• 2012: Ben Cooper/Birel/Quebec
• 2013: Pier-Luc Ouellette/CRG/Quebec
• 2014: Jeffrey Kingsley/CRG/Ontario
• 2015: Tyler Kashak/Intrepid/Ontario

Pier-Luc Ouellette and Ben Cooper followed their Canadian National titles in 2011 and 2012 with Rotax Grand Finals victories for Canada, although in 2013 Ouellette was unable to repeat the feat. Since then Jeffrey Kingsley has taken control of the category, taking the title in 2014 and multiple ECKC titles as well, while chasing Tyler Kashak to victory in 2015. It’s unfortunate that we no long have the likes of Ouellette and Cooper competing in DD2 as those three seasons were the most competitive we’ve ever seen the category, but it still is a great category today.

Pier-Luc Ouellette and Ben Cooper (Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN)

Rotax DD2 Masters

• 2011: David Ivichek/MS Kart/Quebec
• 2012: Stuart Clark/Maranello/Ontario
• 2013: Stuart Clark/Maranello/Ontario
• 2014: Francis Mondou/FA Kart/Quebec
• 2015: Stuart Clark/Maranello/Ontario

Onto a category we could rename in the honour of Stuart Clark, Rotax DD2 Masters. Three titles in five years was beyond impressive for the Ontario driver who has now retired from racing to focus on his sons karting career. Francis Mondou and David Ivichek were the only two to upset Clark during his reign, but both now have also retired from the sport.

Stuart Clark in 2013 (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Briggs Junior

• 2011: Tommy Lemaire-Ouellet/TonyKart/Quebec
• 2012: Trevor Rancier/K&K Kart/Ontario
• 2013: Tyler McCullough/Praga/Ontario
• 2014: Roman DeAngelis/Birel/Ontario
• 2015: Tyler McCullough/Intrepid/Ontario

Many, including us, forget that before Tommy Lemaire-Ouellet scored a Canadian Championship in Rotax Junior, he was a Canadian Champion in Briggs & Stratton Junior. Following that, Trevor Rancier scored K&K Karts first ever Canadian title followed by the first of two for Tyler McCullough, who had Roman DeAngelis score one in-between. Rancier no longer races, DeAngelis has moved up to Formula 1600 race cars and McCullough has now moved to Senior Briggs and could be a threat following a successful summer run of victories.

Tyler McCullough in 2013 (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Briggs Senior

• 2011: Alexandre Gauthier/CRG Kart/Quebec
• 2012: Gerald Caseley/CRG Kart/Prince Edward Island
• 2013: Jean-Francois Lafontaine/Birel/Quebec
• 2014: Jean-Francois Lafontaine/Birel/Quebec
• 2015: Jonathon Treadwell/K&K Kart/Ontario

In the first year of competition for the Briggs & Stratton LO206 engines at the Canadian Championships, Alexandre Gauthier drove his battle-born CRG to victory. The following year, Gerald Caseley, the only driver not from Ontario or Quebec to win a Canadian title in the last five years, won in a photo finish. This was followed by two years of domination by Jean-Francois Lafontaine who appeared unbeatable on Canada’s largest stage before Jonathon Treadwell earned his first Canadian title in 2015 in one of the most exciting Nationals races we have ever seen.

The 2012 photo finish that saw Gerald Caseley come out on top (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Briggs Masters

• 2011: Jean Beltrami/TonyKart/Quebec
• 2012: Cameron Nabert/TonyKart/Quebec
• 2013: Jamie MacArthur/Birel/Ontario
• 2014: David Patrick/FA Kart/Ontario
• 2015: Marc Stehle/BirelART/Ontario

And last but not least, the Briggs Masters. In 2011 and 2012, they competing amongst the Briggs Senior category before getting their own race in 2013. Jean Beltrami and Cameron Nabert took home the honours in those mixed years followed by a run of Ontario karting veterans in the last three years. Jamie MacArthur took it home in 2013, with a very emotional David Patrick earning his first National title in over a decade of attempts in 2014. More tears fell on the National podium in 2015 when Marc Stehle topped the box, dedicating the victory to his daughter who supplied him with a good luck charm before the race to attach to his steering wheel. They may be Masters, but they still put their heart and soul into every race they run.

David Patrick (c) finally getting to take home a Canadian Championship (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Breakdown of Canadian Championship Victories by Manufacturer:

When we break down the chassis manufacturers that have won in the past five years, courtesy of PSL Karting, Ben Cooper Racing and some privateer efforts BirelART (formerly Birel) has 10 victories, good enough for 22%. This is followed by TonyKart with 9, mostly by driver with SH Karting. PSL Karting also won often with CRG Karts, who have 8 to stand on the third step of the podium.

A reminder, there will be a Teams Cup this weekend in Mont-Tremblant. Don’t forget to assign yourself to a team before the race week begins.

Number of Victories by Province

Quebec: 24

Ontario: 20

Prince Edward Island: 1

As you can see, Quebec drivers currently holds the lead with 24 victories in the past five season with Ontario close at 20. Thanks to Gerald Caseley, the east has one victory while none of the western provinces have been able to secure a title.

The action gets underway on Friday in Mont-Tremblant with SuperPole Qualifying. Keep tabs on CKN through the entire week to keep up with the action.