Excelent Racing for Round #5 of the 2009 Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Challenge

Round 5 of the Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Challenge completed the summer months with a solid turnout and tight racing on what was certainly a warm afternoon at the Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway. Running the Reverse Sprint track layout for the only time in 2009 not only posed a new challenge to the racers, but also tested their endurance as there is little room to rest on the 0.68 mile track. Eight race groups made for an action packed day.

Junior Rotax and Mini Max
A combined grouping of Junior and Mini Max drivers made for Le-Mans style racing for the day's young runners. In Qualifying, Dylan Lupton claimed the top spot among the Junior drivers followed closely by Brody Zink and Josh Fieber. Lupton continued his pace to sweep the day claiming convincing wins in both the Pre-Main and Main.

Mini Max kart piloted by Drew Setzer scored the pole position over JR Raczko and Harrison Mills in qualifying. Setzer lead flag to flag in the Pre-Main and got off to a similar start as the green dropped for the Main. In one of the day's best drives, JR Raczko made a clean pass on Mills to move into second spot before setting his sites on the leader in the closing laps. With only 3 laps remaining, Raczko saw the opening he was looking for and made another clean pass to take the lead away from Setzer. Setzer tried to fight back, but Raczko kart's setup was dialed in allowing him to pull away with over a one second lead to take the win.

Rotax Masters and Rotax Masters Light
Fourteen karts filled the combined grid of Masters and Master's light. Light's championship point's leader Andrea Delfanti grabbed the pole position with Donald Durbin (Masters) and David Harwin (Masters) falling in behind. Visiting from home country of Italy, Andrea's brother Luca Delfanti showed well in his first Rotax outing slotting in just behind the experienced front-runners.

In the Pre-Main, Andrea held a slim lead over the two top Masters drivers for the entire 12-lap race with Harwin taking 2nd and Durbin 3rd. Mert Solis (Lights) improved two positions to take 4th followed by Jack Arluck (Masters) and Luca.

Again Andrea took the early lead in the Main, but this time Harwin put more pressure on as they both pulled out over Durbin. Harwin found his shot and passed Andrea for the top spot holding on to cross the first. Harwin's victory was short lived as he ran afoul in the post-race tech process and was DQ'd due to a carburetor problem. Andrea was promoted to the overall winner while Durbin was handed the Masters Class win. Luca Delfanti 3rd overall 2nd in Lights, Arluck 4th overall and 2nd in Masters, Solis 5th overall and 3rd in Lights and Andre Eriksen taking first podium of the year with 6th overall and 3rd in Masters.

Rotax DD2
Eight DD2 entries on the day with 3-time winner Troy Castaneda taking his 4th pole of the year ahead of David Arnstein, Kyle Gimple and Tim Salvason. Castaneda, preparing for his run at the Rotax Nationals, took the early lead in the Pre-Main and never looked back. The same couldn't be said deeper in the field as Arnstein and Gimple were swapping positions eventually with Gimple coming out ahead with January Grove taking 4th ahead of David Palic.

Castaneda again showed the way in the Main taking the early lead and controlling the race. Gimple held 2nd place for the first 15 laps, but Arnstein got by late to nab the second spot. Grove came home 4th and first time DD2 driver Charles Duncan scored the 5th spot.

Micro Max
Entries for the first year Micro Max class have been steady all season and this race was no exception with most of the regulars taking the green flag. Missing from action was Wilson Skerven due to a broken arm that he sustained a couple weeks ago while riding a skateboard - and who says that kart racing is dangerous.

The reverse sprint track was much to Nicky Hays' liking as he took the pole by almost a second over Toni Breidinger, Nate Fleischli and points leader Michael Mitchoff. On the pace lap of the Pre-Main, Sarah Setzer ran into early trouble having to pit with brake problems. As the remaining drivers took the green flag, Hays lead the field through turn one, however the remaining runners all had to check up as Toni slid sideways, starting to spin. Toni, Nate and Annie Breidinger got going again, but Mitchoff threw a chain and had to sit out. Hays won handily followed by Toni and Nate.

In the Main, Hays took the early lead and never looked back. Toni again showed her improved driving by holding down a strong second over Fleischli and Mitchoff, until late in the race, when she put a wheel off and spun allowing both in tow to get by. The three karts then chased around looking for ways to get by each other. Michael finally got by Nate to take 2nd by less than a second with Toni less than a half second back in 4th. This was the best performance of the year by Hays, Fleischli and Toni Breidinger.

Senior Rotax
Four different winners in four races doesn't say enough for the strength of the Senior Rotax class where on any given weekend 10 drivers could be working the lead. That field got even stronger for round 5 as Southern California regular Mason Marrotta joined the fray.

Marrotta made his presence known landing a top the driver standings after the first half of qualifying, but it was short lived as he was pushed down to 7th quickly after the second half of qualifying kicked off. Taking the pole was Matthew Powers followed by the Rotax Shootout winner Greg Liefooghe, Nic LeDuc, Jake Mottaz and Wes Phillips.

Powers and Liefooghe battled early on in the Pre-Main with Liefooghe taking the lead and pulling away for a narrow win. Jake Mottaz overtook Powers for the second spot with Marrotta working his way up to fourth followed by Travis Duhn. David Harwin was making moves toward the front, but contact with Philips moved both drivers to the back of the field.

Liefooghe held the lead through turn one of the Main as Mottaz tried the outside line, only to put a wheel off losing several positions. Deep in the field, Mottaz had an additional scrum with Michael Garcia, moving Mottaz from the front row to last by the end of the first circuit. Up front, Liefooghe controlled the top position with Powers, Marrotta and Duhn in close tow. Starting from the rear, Wes Philips was charging through the field as Mottaz and Jordan Jadallah, last month's winner, followed.

Duhn was the first to retire as his chain failed, with Michael Garcia just behind. Nic LeDuc's dreadful day ended with retirement on lap 6. Marrotta's hopes of beating the Norcal gang went out the window when he dropped out on lap 12 from running near the front. In the end, no one could challenge Liefooghe as he came home 2.5 seconds in front to make it 5 races and 5 different winners. Powers came home a second in his best showing of 2009. Phillips worked his way up to 3rd, Jadallah finished 4th and Jake Mottaz made the best come back recovering to take 5th.

The Jim Russell Norcal Rotax Challenge will travel to Dixon September 5&6 where they will join up with the Kinsmen Kart Club program and run under the lights for the first time.

Full race results including MyLaps data posted on series website at http://results.norcalrotax.com.

Some snaps of the days events have been posted at http://www.norcalrotax.com/multimedia/.

2009 National points tables can be found at www.usrmaxnrd.com.

For more information about the Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Challenge, contact race director Ric Shaw at racedirector-ric@hotmail.com or go to the Nor Cal Rotax website at www.norcalrotax.com.

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