US Open: Egozi Holds off LaRoque for Mini-Max Win

It all came down to a battle between two in the Mini-Max Final, that is until James Egozi (Koene/TonyKart) was able to pull away from Diego LaRoque (Speed Concepts/Energy Kart) in the closing laps and take the win and the ticket to Brazil.

Photo Gallery: US Open of New Jersey

LaRoque and Brent Crews (Nitro Kart) exchanged the lead through the first two laps until the two came together in turn three. Egozi erupted from the corner with the lead, just ahead of LaRoque with Crews still third but under attack from Felipe Bernasconi (Parolin).

The lead pack was broken up on lap four when Bernasconi and Crews came together, allowing Egozi and LaRoque to pull a big lead and moving Bernasconi back to twenty-sixth when he was finally able to get back on track.

With the leaders working together to extend their lead, Karsten Defonce (Lenzo Kart) overtook Crews for third at the halfway mark. He held on to the position until the final lap when Crews slipped back by to steal the final podium position.

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Out front, Egozi posted great laps in the second half of the fourteen lap Final to pull out to a seven-tenths of a second victory over LaRoque and score himself an invitation to the Rotax Grand Finals. In finishing third, Crews was the highest finishing driver eligible to compete in Micro Max at the Grand Finals and will join Team USA for the second year in a row.

The Mini-Max podium: Egozi on top with Laroque to his left and Crews to his right (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)