Back in action for the second day of competition, the 2013 Rotax Pan American Challenge returned to NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA to more humidity, sunshine, and great racing action. Saturday played host to the second and third round of heat races for all classes and was capped off by a Last Chance Race for Rotax Junior.
Rotax Micro Max action saw Canadian Matthew Latifi (TonyKart) rebound to score the win for heat two after a dismal 24th in heat one on Friday, as he enjoyed a great battle with the UK’s Harry Coulton (Birel) and Nicholas d’Orlando (TonyKart). Coulton would finish second ahead of USA duo Maxwell Waithman (Kosmic) and Tyler Gonzalez (AM Kart) as d’Orlando would place fifth.
The remaining Canadians would finish: Xavier Harris (Praga) 8th, Marco Kacic (CRG) 16th, Jordan Novota (Birel) 18th, Joshua Cunha (OK1) 19th, Jeremy Tallon (Birel) 26th and Patrick Woods-Toth (CRG) in 28th.
The third and final heat was an exciting battle. Latifi and Coulton waged another battle with Coulton taking the top honour and Latifi on his bumper at the line as d’Orlando rebounded to take third. Another good run by Harris had him place 11th, as Woods-Toth rebounded nicely to finish 16th. Cunha, Novota and Kacic finished in line takings positions 16 through 18, while Tallon was 27th.
With the heat race points calculated, it is a very close affair. Gonzalez will lead the field to green in Sunday’s prefinal with d’Orlando on the outside, while Mexican Emiliano Richards (CRG) and Columbian Sebastian Rodriguez (TonyKart) fill row two. Three solid heats by Harris has him starting fifth with Latifi beside in seventh. Toth-Woods will line up on the outside of row seven in 14th, with Novota a couple rows back in 18th. Cunha and Tallon start from 21st and 22nd while Kacic has his work cut out for him down in 26th.
Sunday will feature a Prefinal and Final for all classes to determine the Pan American Champions as well as the final tickets to next months Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals.
