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| January 11, 2013 News |
| Rotax Challenge of the Americas - Tucson Preview - Senior Classes |
The Rotax Challenge of the Americas program is entering its sixth season, kicking off with a full weekend (January 11-13) of action set for the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona. The several of the best Rotax drivers from Canada will battle at the premier winter karting series on the left coast. On the line for the registered drivers are direct tickets to the Rotax Grand Finals for the DD2, Senior, DD2 Masters, and Junior championship winners, with Grand Nationals tickets to the Masters, Mini-Max and Micro-Max title winners.
The first stop toward those championship awards is the 8/10-mile course outside Tucson. Built in 2005, the circuit - formally known as the P1 Kart Circuit - is a replica of the famous Suzuka track in Japan. A full day of official practice will take place on Friday, followed by two independent rounds on Saturday and Sunday. Each on track session will be important toward the series championship, with five points going toward top qualifier, up to 10 points in the Prefinal, another five for fast lap in the main event and 100 points for the victory at the end of the day.
The Junior class previews were published Thursday, thus today we review the Senior classes featuring Canadians. Complete coverage can be found in the EKN Event Page, updates posted throughout the weekend on the EKN.com Official Discussion Thread and EKN.ca Official Discussion Threadwith live coverage set for Saturday and Sunday at http://www.ekartingnews.com/live
Senior
 | Adam Dowler will make the switch to the Energy chassis and be joined by his brother Noel Dowler on the Senior grid in Arizona
(Photo: Dowler) |
The fight for top honors in Rotax Senior always proves to be an entertaining affair, with a mix of returning class standouts dueling with talented young karters making the move up. In the Challenge of the Americas season-opener, this fight will once again feature some quality Canadian content with Adam Dowler, Noel Dowler, Bradley Dezall, and Nathan Kelly on hand in Arizona and looking to follow in the footsteps of Luke Chudleigh, who captured a win in the 2011 edition of the event. Adam Dowler appears set to enjoy a strong outing in his Buddy Rice Karting Energy kart, building on a podium run in the 2011 Western Canadian Championships to better his finishes of 22nd and 25th last year in Tuscon, and 20 place finish in the overall standings.
"I'm really looking forward to this year in the Challenge of the Americas, as last year was not my best year," stated Adam Dowler. "This year Fred Causer will be tuning for me. We have worked together many times before, usually being quite successful. I'll have my brother Noel working and driving with me as well, and Griffin [his younger brother racing in Mini-Max] is showing real promise this year. The Energy kart is a fine machine, and I will do my best to lead it to victory."
Noel Dowler likewise is poised to showcase his talents in a Buddy Rice Karting Energy entry, returning to the COA tour after a one year hiatus (12th in the 2011 final standings with one runner-up result). Despite now being focused on stock car racing, having finished 10th in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series with six top-10s and one podium finish, as well as making his NASCAR Nationwide start, Noel Dowler remains more than capable being the wheel of a kart, as indicated by podium finishes in the 2012 WCC.
"I'm excited to get back into a quick handling kart," commented Noel Dowler. "The goal is to have a great weekend with my brother Adam as my Senior teammate and my brother Griffin in Mini-Max. This will be first race in five years that I won't driving a Tony Kart, but I'm really looking forward to driving the Energy kart with BRK."
Piloting a Overdrive Motorsports Tony Kart, Dezall has his eyes firmly set on bettering his two runs of 28th and 24th during his debut COA outing last year in Arizona. With another year's experience under his belt, which included a podium outing in the competitive Western Canadian Championships, Dezall is positioned to do just that, and finish higher than 30th in the overall championship fight.
For Kelly, the COA will be a new experience, with the racer making the long journey from the east coast of Canada. Driving a CRG entry for Team WRS, the plan is to build on the knowledge gained from racing in both the Coupe de Quebec and Eastern Canadian Championships last year, as well as a run at the Canadian Karting Championships.
Full Pre-Entry List
| No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | City | State/Prov.| 300 | Joe Criscione | Black Flag Racing | Energy | Lake Oswego | OR | | 302 | Augie Lerch | Pure Karting | Tony Kart | Tucson | AZ | | 303 | Adam Dowler | Buddy Rice Karting | Energy | Sherwood Park | AB | | 304 | Geoffery Roberti | Buddy Rice Karting | Energy | Portland | OR | | 305 | Parker McKean | Rolison Performance Group | Kosmic | Gig Harbor | WA | | 308 | Ryan Casner | Buddy Rice Karting | Energy | Sheridan | CA | | 311 | Josh De Losier | Acceleration Kart Racing | Birel | Las Vegas | NV | | 312 | Mike Herda | | Tony Kart | Las Vegas | NV | | 313 | Bailey Murphy | AZ Kart Werx | CRG | Phoenix | AZ | | 314 | Hailey Groff | Rolison Performance Group | Kosmic | Richland | WA | | 315 | Andrew Wiener | ART GP America | ART GP | Spring Valley | CA | | 316 | Alex Keyes | | CRG | Folsom | CA | | 316 | Sean Conyers | | Intrepid | Phoenix | AZ | | 317 | Sabre' Cook | CRG-USA | CRG | Grand Junction | CO | | 321 | Andrew Palmer | | Kosmic | Chicago | IL | | 323 | Will Owen | Full Throttle Karting | Arrow | Castle Rock | CO | | 324 | Bradley Dezall | Overdrive Motorsports | Tony Kart | Okotoks | AB | | 325 | Louie Pagano | | Birel | Santa Rosa Valley | CA | | 326 | Alejandro Fernandez | Buddy Rice Karting | Energy | San Bernadino | CA | | 328 | Jake Craig | G-Phactory | Kosmic | Mission Viejo | CA | | 332 | Michael Ilavia | Dallas Karting Complex | Sodi Kart | Houston | TX | | 333 | Carlos Calderon | Aluminos | CRG | San Jose | CA | | 341 | Nick Rivellini | Team WRS | CRG | Great Falls | VA | | 343 | Izak Hayda | MSquared Karting | Tony Kart | Rigby | ID | | 345 | Tyler Edwards | Billet Performance | Arrow | Littleton | CO | | 350 | Noel Dowler | Buddy Rice Karting | Energy | Sherwood Park | AB | | 354 | Mason Marotta | Ryan Perry Motorsports | FA | Bakersfield | CA | | 355 | Ben Schermerhorn | Schermerhorn Motorsports | Arrow | Highlands Ranch | CO | | 357 | Phillip Arscott | Rolison Performance Group | Kosmic | Portland | OR | | 371 | Max Mallinen | Yardley Racing | CRG | Liberty Lake | WA | | 373 | Andrew Zimmer | Buddy Rice Karting | Energy | Tigard | OR | | 377 | Nathan Kelly | Team WRS | CRG | Amherst | NS | | 380 | Dakota Dickerson | Phil Giebler Racing | FA | San Diego | CA | | 382 | Carlee Taylor | | Tony Kart | Yucaipa | CA | | 397 | Jonathan May | Phil Giebler Racing | FA | San Marcos | CA | |
DD2
After a strong showing by Canadian Daniel Burkett last year in Tucson (third in race one of the doubleheader), fans 'North of the Border' are hoping for another strong showing in DD2. It will be up to Daryle Redlin to accomplish the feat, as he is the lone Canadian in the class. Racing a True-North Zanardi entry, Redlin will seeking to use his Westwood Karting Association experience to showcase his speed and racecraft en route to a top result.
Full Pre-Entry List
| No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | City | State/Prov.| 405 | Cory Milne | | Arrow | Westminster | CO | | 427 | Andrew Evans | Rolison Performance Group | Kosmic | Sammamish | WA | | 461 | Fritz Leesmann | | CRG | Elk Grove | CA | | 504 | Mike Jones | Dallas Karting Complex | Sodi Kart | Sachse | TX | | 512 | Brent Harper | Dallas Karting Complex | Sodi Kart | Lubbock | TX | | 515 | Robby Mott | | DR | Victoria | TX | | 520 | Paul Bonilla | Full Throttle Karting | Arrow | Cypress | CA | | 531 | John Crow | Billet Performance | Arrow | Anaheim | CA | | 533 | Trey Bennett | Dallas Karting Complex | | Heath | TX | | 546 | Trevor McAlister | Dallas Karting Complex | Sodi Kart | Los Angeles | CA | | 577 | Alan Rudolph | Team WRS | CRG | Gilbert | AZ | | 590 | Daryle Redlin | True-North Zanardi | Zanardi | Aldergrove | BC | | 599 | Scott Falcone | Billet Performance | Arrow | Lone Tree | CO | |
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