Samuel Lupien Shines on Super Sunday in Rotax Junior

Quite possibly the most hyped Rotax race of the afternoon featured a crop full of hungry junior drivers all willing to put it all on the line for the National title.

Natael Cantin (BirelART) led the group to the green and with a huge jump he built a comfortable lead at the beginning of the Rotax Junior final ahead of Ryan MacDermid (FA Kart), Joe Soranno (Energy Kart) and Samuel Lupien (FA Kart), who initially started off-pole. Unfortunately for Cantin a red flag at the end of lap three for a big accident in corner two, bunching the field back up for a single file restart.

At the restart Lupien was right on Cantin’s tail which would then lead to a duel for the win. The two swapped positions back and forth until Lupien took the lead on the last lap. Cantin attempted a dive to the inside of the hairpin corner five, but he came in a little too hot and Lupien countered the move on the exit or the corner and pulled enough of a gap that Cantin was unable to attack again before the checkered flag.

Meanwhile it was a well battled race for third position as MacDermid fought with Roman DeAngelis (TonyKart). DeAngelis passed for third at midway but MacDermid slotted in right behind him and kept then pressure on. With two laps to go MacDermid passed DeAngelis in chicane and scored the final step of the podium while DeAngelis and Nicholas Hornbostel (Energy Kart) completed the top-five.

From the tail of the grid, Matthew Latifi (TonyKart) took sixth ahead of Alexandre Lacroix (FA Kart), Raphael Forcier (FA Kart), Russell Boyle (Intrepid) and Soranno.

Unofficial Results | Photo Gallery

Rotax Junior podium from Left to Right: Patrick Moreau of Rotax Max Canada, Natael Cantin (2nd), Samuel Lupien (1st) and Ryan MacDermid (3rd) – Photo by: Cody Schindel/CKN