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| August 01, 2012 News |
| Champions Crowned in Eastern Canadian Karting Championship Finale at Trois-Rivieres |
 | Ben Cooper secured the DD2 title with the ECKC finale win in Trois-Rivieres
(Photo: Cody Schindel - CKN)
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Taking to the streets of Trois-Rivieres, Que., for the finale round of the 2012 Eastern Canadian Karting Championship this past Sunday (July 29), nine class champions were crowned as the third season of the prestigious Canadian series came to a close. With Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres playing host to the series finale, the popular and glamorous street race provided not only an incredible setting, but also intense racing action. All four Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals invitations were up for grabs heading into the day, only increasing the excitement and amplifying the need to excel on the challenging 1.2-km temporary circuit.
The fifth round of the Coupe du Quebec series took to the track on Saturday (July 28), allowing the ECKC competitors a chance to get accustomed to the new layout before championship Sunday. The confines of the circuit put everyone to the test, with those rising to the top earning ultimate Monaco glory and championship satisfaction.
“What a super weekend!” exclaimed ECKC series manager Louis-Philippe Gelinas. “It was a really great event, everyone liked the track and the beautiful weather was a perfect way to end the 2012 ECKC season. The racing too was incredible, and with the championships coming down to the wire, it made for an exciting day to say the least!”
In the headline Rotax DD2 category, the championship was up to three incredible talents. Two-time Rotax World Champions Pier-Luc Ouellette (PSL Karting/CRG) and Ben Cooper (SRA Karting/Birel), as well as five-time Canadian National Champion Christophe Boisclair (SRA Karting/Birel) took to the streets of Trois-Rivieres for the ultimate showdown. The three posted 1-2-3 finishes in Saturday’s Coupe du Quebec action, with Cooper gaining the edge over Ouellette and Boisclair. Qualifying for the ECKC finale on Sunday saw Cooper best the three, taking pole position over Boisclair by a scant 0.095 seconds, with Ouellette not far off in third. The prefinal race had Cooper again on top, followed by Ouellette and Brendan Bain (Prime Powersports/Maranello), with Boisclair slipping back to fourth. After driver introductions and the opening ceremonies, the finale DD2 feature race got underway and finally the DD2 champion would be determined. Getting a good jump from his pole position, Cooper was able to quickly escape Ouellette as Bain slotted into second. With Ouellette working to get past Bain, Cooper managed to lay down fast laps and build a gap in his quest for the win and championship title. By the time Ouellette made his way around Bain it was too late, and despite being the fastest kart on the track, he was not able to make up the two second gap Cooper had established. At the line, it was Cooper, Ouellette, Bain and Boisclair. Cooper’s sweep of the day was capped when he was crowned the 2012 ECKC DD2 champion, sweetened by the fact this is his first year running in the two-speed class. With Cooper’s RMCGF berth already secured via his Florida Winter Tour championship, vice-champion Ouellette was handed the ECKC ticket and will be back to defend his World Champion status in November. Boisclair completed the championship podium.
The DD2 Masters class saw the first ECKC RMCGF berth awarded to the class champion. With the championship down to Stuart Clark (Prime Powersports/Maranello) and class rookie Marc-Andre Bourgeois, both needed to be on top of their game to secure the inaugural invitation. Bourgeois started off right, taking pole over Clark, albeit by only 0.110 seconds. The two swapped positions in the 12-lap prefinal, giving Clark max points and the advantage of pole for the all-important final. Another flag-to-flag victory secured the title in the DD2 Masters category, as disaster for Bourgeois saw see him out of the race on the third lap. Saturday’s Coupe du Quebec winner Luc Sauriol (PSL Karting/CRG) and early championship contender also posted a DNF, as Clark drove to a three second victory over Enrico Bulduc (PSL Karting/CRG) and Michel Legrand (PSL Karting/CRG) to secure the title and Team Canada berth. Bourgeois and Sauriol finished second and third respectively in the overall points, behind Clark.
 | Marco Di Leo captured the Senior championship crown with the ECKC finale win in Quebec
(Photo: Cody Schindel - CKN)
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The Rotax Senior championship was down to two of Canada’s best, Marco Di Leo (Intrepid North America/Intrepid) and Steven Szigeti (SH Karting/TonyKart). Szigeti topped the blocks Saturday in the Coupe du Quebec and he needed to stay on top of his game to stop the two-time ECKC Rotax Senior champ Di Leo. DiLeo got the advantage in qualifying, as Szigeti was back in fifth after the timed session. Things continued to derail for Szigeti, as a DNF in the prefinal left room for Di Leo to take his third ECKC title. American Andrew Palmer (J3 Competition/Kosmic) took the prefinal victory, with Di Leo second, and Marc-Andre Levesque (SH Karting/TonyKart) third. With the championship in hand, Di Leo went on to do what he does best – win. A thrilling three way battle for the victory resulted with Di Leo coming out on top, taking the win by seven tenths over Palmer and Prime Powersports’ Luke Chudleigh (Maranello). Maxime Couturier (SH Karting/TonyKart) and Marc-Andre Levesque rounded out the top-five, with their SH Karting teammate Szigeti’s day not getting any better after posting another DNF. Di Leo’s third consecutive ECKC title secured him a return trip to the RMCGF, and a fifth post with Team Canada. After some recalculating of the points, Szigeti is officially the vice-champion, with Chudleigh finishing third overall.
The chase for the title in Rotax Junior came down to two drivers as well, hot shoes Zachary Claman-DeMelo (PSL Karting/CRG) and Parker Thompson (SH Karting/TonyKart). A crash in Saturday’s Coupe du Quebec prefinal put Thompson behind the eight ball for ECKC action, but the west coast kid is never one to count out of the action. Qualifying saw Claman-DeMelo earn pole position, while Thompson had some ground to make up after posting only the ninth quickest time. The prefinal again had Claman-DeMelo on top, with Thompson gaining a few spots to finish sixth. Despite a great charge in the 20-lap main, Thompson did not have enough for Claman-DeMelo, as the CRG Factory pilot dominated with a three second win to secure the title and Team Canada berth. Thompson moved up to take the second place on the podium, with Tommy Lemaire-Ouellet (SH Karting/TonyKart) in third. After holding the point lead all season, Thompson fell to second in the points with Olivier Bedard (SRA Karting/Birel) third.
 | Gianfranco Mazzaferro exited the ECKC finale in Trois-Rivieres with the Mini Max championship
(Photo: Cody Schindel - CKN)
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Gianfranco Mazzaferro (Ferrolati Corse/Zanardi) was crowned the Rotax Mini Max champ, despite an up and down day. Claiming the pole position, Mazzaferro ended his prefinal run on only the fourth lap, with his championship rival Austin Riley only mustering up a sixth place result. Brazilian pilot and 2012 Florida Winter Tour Mini Max Champion Pedro Cardoso (PSL Karting/CRG) took the prefinal win over Natael Cantin (SRA Karting/Birel) and his PSL teammate Thierry Cote. The same three remained in play for the final, with Cantin battling Cardoso for the win, with Cote staying in third. Mazzaferro bettered Riley in the final results, with his seventh place finish over Riley’s eighth place result enough to take the Mini Max title over Riley and Joe Sorrano (Karts & Parts/LH Kart).
Matthew Latifi (Ferrolati Corse/CRG) was the only driver to lock up the championship title before the finale round, with several dominating performances in the Micro Max division in only his rookie year. Saturday saw the domination continue, as Latifi scored a staggering 11 second victory during the Coupe du Quebec round. He not able to repeat on Sunday, as Latifi retired from the final after only one lap, he still was crowned ECKC Micro Max champion. The final victory went to second place championship finisher Matthew Barry (Intrepid North America/Intrepid), with Sam Macri (SH Karting/TonyKart) and Thomas Simard (SRA Karting/Birel) completing the podium. Xavier Harris (Praga North America/Praga) completed the championship podium.
Alex VanSnick (PSL Moncton/CRG) took the Briggs & Stratton Senior victory over Simon Rousseu (CRG) and Gerald Caseley (PSL Moncton/CRG), with PSL Karting’s Sarah McKay the winner for the Junior contingent and Russ Kroon taking the win in Masters. Rousseau was honoured as the Briggs Senior champion, with Dylan Brady the champion in Junior, and Kroon taking the top step of the championship podium for Masters. All three will be rewarded with 2013 ECKC event registration plus one set of tires per round.
In the first year of the ECKC Manufacturers Championship, CRG took top honours over Intrepid and Birel.
With the 2012 ECKC series coming to a dramatic end during the famed Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres, series officials will take little time off as they prepare for 2013. The ECKC series will also follow the progress of their series champions at the 2012 ASN Canada FIA Canadian National Championships, as well as the ECKC representatives for Team Canada, as they utilize their Position 1 Fitness plans and prepare to take on the world November 26-December 1, at the Kartódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimao, Portugal for the 2012 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals.
The Eastern Canadian Karting Championship is an ASN-sanctioned, four round, six race series with venues in both Ontario and Quebec. Now in its third year, the ECKC started off the 2012 season at Goodwood Kartways in Stouffville, Ont., on May 26-27, for the first doubleheader weekend. Circuit ICAR hosted the third race in Mirabel, Que., on June 17 followed by the second double-race weekend at Mosport International Karting in Bowmanville, On., on June 30-July 1. The series concluded at the Monaco Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres on July 29, the prestigious street race set at the site of the GP3R at Exposition Park. The Eastern Canadian Karting Championship is a Rotax Max Challenge series and awarded Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals tickets to the Rotax Senior, Rotax Junior, Rotax DD2, and Rotax DD2 Masters class champions. In 2012, the Briggs & Stratton classes contested the series six-race series, making up a national four-stroke championship. For more information on the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, please visit http://www.eckc.ca |
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