OCALA GRAN PRIX TURNS HEADS IN OPENING ROUND OF 2013 FLORIDA WINTER TOUR

Ocala Gran Prix drivers Nick Neri and Oliver Askew led the way in Rotax Senior qualifying (Photo: Cody Schindel – INTL-KartingMedia.com

Ocala, Florida – January 24, 2013 – With the 2013 Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour kicking off this past weekend at the Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) in Jupiter, Florida, Ocala Gran Prix (OGP) once again flexed their muscles and showed why they are one of the most dominant teams in the series. With race wins and podium results throughout the weekend, Friday’s speed and qualifying efforts were hampered by Saturday’s weather for some drivers while others powered through to put themselves right in the thick of the championship battles.

“This year the Ocala Gran Prix team is surrounded by great talent,” explained OGP President Jorge Arellano. “There are no followers in this stable as everyone is a leader in one way shape or form. The rest of the Florida Winter Tour will be exciting to watch unfold as the talents rise throughout the series.”

Leading the way in the Rotax Junior category was Ocala Gran Prix newcomer Jack Weprin. After taking Friday afternoon’s qualifying sessions by storm and claiming both of the weekend’s pole positions, a post race technical infraction would see the hot shoe start from the tail of the last chance qualifier (LCQ) on Sunday afternoon. Claiming his first career FWT victory on Saturday, Weprin advanced through the LCQ to make Sunday’s main event and quickly stormed to the top five throughout the prefinal. Not to be outdone in the day’s main event, Weprin battled with fellow OGP pilot Kyle Kirkwood and come out on top to be a double victor on the weekend.

With a stout field of Rotax Junior drivers under the OGP tent, results were plentiful as Ashley Rogero showed her speed to cross the stripe second on Saturday. After a disappointing qualifying effort on Friday afternoon, Rogero turned her Saturday around when the heavens opened and rain began to fall on the circuit. Showing her wet weather prowess, Rogero stalked the eventual race winner only to come up just short after the 18 lap main event.

Kyle Kirkwood, who qualified second for both days of competition, would settle for an eighth place result on Sunday after battling for the race win while Gavin Reichelt would claim a seventh place result on Saturday and finish tenth on Sunday. Rogero would add an 18^th place effort after contact in Sunday’s main event while Olivier Bellanger would show speed throughout the weekend. Ryan Norborg added an 11^th place finish while Aaron Bass would come home 13^th, both in Sunday’s main event. Quentin de Bouever completed his first career FWT event by making the main event on Sunday. Floridian Brian Lockwood looked to have one of OGP’s strongest results of the weekend with a fifth place in Sunday’s final, but a disqualification after the event moved him to the tail of the field.

Nick Neri and Oliver Askew flexed their muscles in the Rotax Senior ranks, as both drivers were able to claim pole positions on Friday afternoon. Impressive through the heat races in both wet and dry weather competition, main event results did not show the drivers’ true speed when the event came to a close. Neri would claim a fifth place result on Saturday and improved to fourth on Sunday while Askew, in his Senior debut, would fall to 12^th on Saturday and narrowly missed the top five on Sunday coming home sixth despite winning both prefinal races.

Sam Beasley, Jonathon Kotyk, Morgan Healey and Alex Hornborg would also see action in the Rotax Senior ranks as all four would show speed throughout the weekend. Beasley scored the best result of the quartet with a 13^th place run on Sunday and all four will look to improve at the upcoming round at the Homestead Karting Complex.

Rotax Mini Max pilot Mathias Ramirez scored his first career podium with an impressive third place result on Saturday. Battling some of the country’s best pilots, Ramirez held his own throughout the heat races and main event to take the final step on the podium. Sunday would prove to be a little difficult for Ramirez as a solid heat race result would turn to disaster in the main event with a 30^th place finish. Rotax Micro Max driver Jordan Heffner impressed all weekend long showing speed in the youngest division in the series. Running at the pointy end of the field throughout the weekend, the young female would claim 32^nd and 11^th place finishes in her FWT debut.

IZOD IndyCar Series and Andretti Autosport driver James Hinchcliffe returned to his roots after a nine year hiatus from the sport. Taking some time to familiarize himself with the Rotax DD2 package, the GoDaddy.com driver improved greatly throughout the weekend. After taking home an 11^th place finish in Saturday’s rain soaked event, Hinch battle hard in Sunday’s final knocking wheels with world champions as he battle for a podium result. Getting the short end of the stick in the closing circuits, Hinchcliffe would settle for a fifth place finish and will look to stand on the podium in Homestead next month. Joining Hinchcliffe in a DD2 powered machine was DD2 Masters driver Anthony Honeywell. Coming from enduro-style racing, Honeywell is new to the sprint style format and would cross the line with a pair of 11^th place results.

With a few weeks off until the next round, Ocala Gran Prix will regroup and plan to attack the Homestead Karting Complex. Located on the grounds of the Homestead-Miami Speedway, OGP will look to carry the momentum gained through the first event and help put drivers in the proper positions to battle for series titles.

For more information on Ocala Gran Prix, OGP race team opportunities and info on how to get into karting, please visit Ocala Gran Prix online at www.OcalaGranPrix.com or contact them at 352.291.0600 or via e-mail to Info@OcalaGranPrix.com.

For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

OGDEN USA PERFORMS WELL AT FLORIDA WINTER TOUR

January 24, 2013 – After a very successful 2012 karting season, Ogden USA and host of talented and experienced drivers kicked off their 2013 season in fine form. Starting at the Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) for the annual Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour (FWT), Ogden USA supplied potent Rotax power plants to drivers in search for race wins and they did not disappoint scoring multiple victories and podiums as the prestigious series got underway.

Taking to the track for the Formula Kart weekend, three Ogden USA powered drivers would flex their muscles en route to podium results. TaG Junior and Team MDD driver Juan Manuel Correa topped the blocks in Sunday’s wheel-to-wheel action after scoring a solid second place finish on Saturday. Fellow junior pilot Jack Weprin would make it two Ogden powered drivers on the podium on Sunday with a third place effort, as he used the weekend to focus on Rotax competition that would take place the following week. Attacking the TaG Senior ranks, Roger Ralston claimed a third place finish on Saturday and improved on Sunday to come home second and score double podiums on the weekend.

“Ogden engines really performed well throughout the first rounds of the Florida Winter Tour,” explained Paul Howard. “The PBIR facility is a definite motor track and we proved that we had the power to run at the front of the field and challenge for race wins and podiums throughout the event.”

Back to the same PBIR facility one week later, Ogden USA powered drivers would take on the Rotax Max Challenge classes and come home with similar podium results. Leading the way with a pair of victories in a stout field of 56 Rotax Junior competitors, Jack Weprin dominated the weekend topping nearly every on track session. Coming from the last chance qualifying race on Sunday, Weprin powered his way through the field to take the double victory and commanding lead in the overall points battle.

Fellow Rotax Junior pilots Juan Manuel Correa and Sebastian Coulson would make runs into the top ten as Correa made it an Ogden one- two finish on Saturday coming home second. Coulson battled hard throughout the weekend and was awarded with a sixth place effort on Sunday.

Over the double race weekend, Ogden USA powered drivers would claim five top ten results in a stacked field of Rotax Senior drivers. Leading the way on Saturday was Brit pilot Luke Varley as he took the top honors whale Japanese star Tadasuke Makino would come home fourth. Nicholas Morales Fajardo would garner a seventh place run on Saturday but catapult forward on Sunday to take the third and final step on the podium. Luke Varley added a fifth place result on Sunday to Saturday’s incredible victory.

Rotax Masters pilot Jason Bell would add to Ogden USA’s podium efforts. Improving throughout the weekend, Bell would stand on the podium on Sunday coming home third.

With a few weeks off before the next round of the Florida Winter Tour, Ogden USA will continue to develop motor packages and add drivers to their existing line up. With engines leases available for the Florida Winter Tour as well as the Rotax Pan American Challenge and the United States Rotax Grand Nationals, interested parties are urged to contact Ogden USA as soon as possible.

For more information on Ogden Racing Engines USA, please visit them online at www.OgdenUSA.com or contact engine builder Paul Howard at 317.225.6199 or Jay Howard via e-mail at Jay@OgdenUSA.com.

 

DEVLIN DEFRANCESCO CLAIMS A PAIR OF TOP FIVE RESULTS IN ROTAX JUNIOR DEBUT

Devlin DeFrancesco claimed a pair of top five results in his Rotax Junior debut (Photo: Cody Schindel – CanadianKartingNews.com)

January 24, 2013 – The annual Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour (FWT) got underway this past weekend at the ultra fast Palm Beach International Raceway and DeFrancesco Racing (DFR) pilot Devlin DeFrancesco impressed in his Rotax Junior debut. After competing in the Formula Kart weekend January 11-13, DeFrancesco would be on a tear this past weekend during Rotax competition where he claimed a pair of top five results.

“Devlin showed how much he has matured over the last year,” expressed Team Manager and Driver Coach Nick Mitchell. “Even after being involved in an incident and finishing 25^th in Sunday’s prefinal, Devlin was able to drive forward in the day’s main event without contact to claim a top five result.”

With official practice taking place on Friday morning ahead of the weekend’s qualifying sessions, Devlin would turn times quick enough to be in the top-ten stacked field of more than 55 drivers. Looking to continue his pace during the afternoon’s qualifying sessions, the rookie driver claimed the tenth place starting position for Sunday’s wheel-to-wheel competition and an inside row five starting spot for Saturday’s action with a ninth place effort.

As one of the quickest drivers in Saturday’s prefinal, Devlin would greatly improve throughout the prefinal. Showing impressive race craft, the young driver moved forward five positions to cross the line in the fourth position. Looking for a shot at the win in the main event, Devlin and the rest of the Rotax Junior field would be forced to run in wet weather as the heavens opened for the majority of the day. Staying on track and showing great race pace despite the tricky conditions, Devlin would claim the third place podium result in his Rotax Junior debut.

“I love the junior field,” exclaimed Devlin. “The competition is at a very high level and the racing is very competitive. You need to be on your game to run at the front of this field.”

Sunday’s festivities would not go as smooth for the rising talent as a prefinal crash sent him down the running order and eventually classified him in the 25^th position. Disappointed with the result and lack of points gained in the prefinal, Devlin was bound and determined to improve in the day’s main event.

Taking the green flag for the start of the final, the young talent quickly began his march forward. With only 18 laps to get his work done, Devlin gained twenty positions and would be the fifth driver to reach the checkered flag. In his rookie weekend in the Rotax Junior field, Devlin claimed a pair of top five results and will be a driver to watch for in the remaining four event days.

On the Monday following the FWT, Devlin and his DFR crew jet set their way to Italy for some European testing. Running in the highly competitive KF3 division, Devlin is testing this week at La Conca in preparation for the upcoming WSK program.

For more information on Devlin and Lachlan DeFrancesco’s supporters, please visit them online at www.Alpinestars.com, www.BRM-Manufacture.com, www.Yogurtys.com, www.YogenFruz.com, www.SunnyBrook.ca, www.XYZLive.net, www.Delavaco.com and www.Alpinestars.com or follow them on Twitter at @Alpinestars, @MyWatchIs_BRM, @Yogurtys, @YogenFruz @SunnybrookHSC, @Delavaco and @Alpinestars.

For more information on DeFrancesco Racing, please contact Nick Mitchell via e-mail to Nick@Go-DFR.com or visit them online at www.DFRUSA.com. For more information on Devlin DeFrancesco, please visit him online at www.DevlinDeFrancesco.com. For more information on Nelson Piquet Jr, www.npiquet.com. For real time updates from DFR Racing, Devlin DeFrancesco and Nelson Piquet Jr live trackside, please follow them on Twitter at @DFR_USA, @DevlinD00, @LachlanD03 and @NelsonPiquet.

For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

VICTORY AND PODIUM FOR ALAN RUDOLPH IN COA OPENER

Alan Rudolph started his 2013 season off with a victory (Photo: Sean Buur – Go Racing Magazine)

January 16, 2013 – Traveling to Tucson, Arizona for the opening round of the Rotax Challenge of the Americas, 2012 Team USA member and Florida Winter Tour Rotax DD2 Masters Champion Alan Rudolph would start his 2013 campaign off in fine form. Looking to make a return to this year’s Rotax Grand Finals, the veteran karter returned to the podium with a second place result on Saturday and improved Sunday to top the blocks and leave the opening round as the championship point leader.

As one of the quicker competitors during the unofficial practice sessions, Rudolph was excited heading into Saturday and the first wheel-to-wheel combat of the weekend. Looking to challenge for the pole position and ultimate race win, an ugly tire situation became apparent and Rudolph became a victim of it all.

“It was apparent after Saturday morning’s qualifying session that there was a major tire issue,” explained Rudolph. “It was deemed that a bunch of older tires were mixed in with the new ones and though the situation did not only affect me, it was a bad outcome for a lot of racers this past weekend. After the officials announced that there was a tire issue, they continued on with the day’s racing and would work on solving the problem for Sunday.”

After pacing the field by more than seven tenths of a second throughout testing, Rudolph would lose nearly a second with the tire issue. Working hard to overcome the problem, the multi-time champion would battle hard to claim the second step on the podium.

Back to the track on Sunday and with winning on his mind, Rudolph started the day off right claiming the pole position with a lap more than half a second clear of his competitors. Happy that the tire issue was resolved, Rudolph would start the prefinal from inside row one but was quickly overtaken in the fourth corner. Pushing hard to get back by the new leader, Rudolph would lock the brakes in one of the heavy braking zones resulting in the motor to shut off.

“It felt like it took ages to get the motor re-fired,” explained Alan. “When I was back rolling again I was deep in the field and really had to push hard to make up the time lost. By the time the checkered flag had flown, I was able to slot into the fourth position and outside row two starting spot for the main event.”

With a never-give-up attitude and always working hard for the best result, Rudolph proved his championship poise in the final event of the day, as he would take the victory. Advancing forward from his fourth place starting position to take the lead on the opening lap, the Arizona resident would never look back taking a commanding victory and putting an exclamation mark on the weekend.

With his double podium effort, the Vice President and General Manager of the Bondurant SuperKart School currently leads the Rotax Challenge of the Americas Rotax DD2 Masters points championship and will look to continue his winning ways at rounds three and four in Phoenix, Arizona in one month’s time.

Alan Rudolph would like to thank PSL Atlantic and Mike Dobbelsteyn for all of their hard work and continued support. Without them, making a charge at the Rotax Grand Finals ticket would not be possible. Continuing to thank his supporters, Rudolph would like to thank his Dad for getting his hands dirty with the mechanical work as well as Whisler Racing Services and AJ Whisler for the tent space and tuning advice

For more information on Alan Rudolph, PSL Atlantic, sponsorship opportunities or information on how to join the team, please contact PSL Atlantic Team Owner Mike Dobbelsteyn at 506.447.1573 or via e-mail to MDobbelsteyn@Dobbelsteyns.nb.ca or Whisler Racing Services at 602.502.6230 or via e-mail to AJ@Whisler-Racing.com.

For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

ROOKIE DRIVER SWEEPS WKA DAYTONA KARTWEEK

Jeremy Fairbairn sweeps WKA Daytona Kart Week (Photo: Sean Buur – Go Racing Magazine)

(Wellington, Fla.)—The cold, rainy weather during the 2012 World Karting Association (WKA) KartWeek in Daytona Beach, Fla. on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30 didn’t stop Wellington, Fla. resident Jeremy Fairbairn, 8, from turning up the heat. Though tall for his age, the young driver only began karting just over a year ago and this year’s KartWeek at Daytona International Speedway was his first. Inexperience didn’t stop Fairbairn as he went on to dominate the weekend going P1 in every competitive on-track session.

“I first became interested in karting from my dad,” said Fairbairn. “He’s very into racing and I’ve been tagging along to his track events for a few years now at Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR). Every time we would pull up to the track I’d ask, ‘Dad, now can I drive the karts?’”

When Fairbairn turned 7 years old, his father, Marcel Fairbairn, set-up a lead-follow session on a Kid Kart with one of the instructors at the track. From that point forward he was instantly hooked and began practicing a few times each week. He’s been entering every local race he can and while his home track remains PBIR, he has also spent time at Ocala Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway and the RaceComplex in Ft. Myers.

The Manufacturer’s Cup series in Daytona Beach is one of the most coveted national races in all of karting and is home to many of the most well-known drivers. This year, more than 2,000 competitors from around the country competed on three tracks.

After skating through qualifiers, Fairbairn, who was competing in his first race in Yamaha Rookie, took first in the pre-final on Saturday. The win earned him a prime spot on the inside front row for the finals. Though losing his position at the start of the race, Fairbairn worked his way back up to take the lead and finished more than eight seconds ahead of the other drivers.

“Winning the final race on Saturday gave me confidence to keep going and push myself even harder during Sunday’s events,” said Fairbairn.

Turning heads for the second day in a row, the enthusiastic new driver qualified first and took his first career pole. Fairbairn swept the day, leading every lap from the start of the day through to the main event. Finishing once again eight seconds ahead of the competition, Fairbairn earned himself a sweet victory.

“It was a great weekend and I’m so excited to bring home such an important win,” said Fairbairn. “I’m looking forward to a repeat performance in Kershaw, S.C. in a couple of months.”

Fairbairn drives Tony Kart chassis’. He is racing Micromax (Rotax), Cadet Sportsman (Comer) and Yamaha Rookie. His sponsors include LED Source® and GearSource.com. For sponsorship information, please email mfairbairn@mac.com. For more information about Fairbairn, please visit www.JeremyFairbairn.com.

 

 

OCALA GRAN PRIX TO SEND NINETEEN DRIVERS TO ANNUAL FLORIDA WINTER TOUR

Ocala, Florida – January 10, 2013 – As the 2013 racing season takes the green flag, both the annually contested Florida Winter Tour and premiere Ocala Gran Prix race team do as well. With round one taking place at the ultra fast Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) in Jupiter, Florida, Ocala Gran Prix (OGP) will head south with a strong team of nineteen drivers. With at least one competitor in every Rotax Max class, OGP will be looking to close the series in March with multiple race wins, podium results and championships.

“We are ready for the 2013 season to get started,” explained Nate Grindell, Team Manager at Ocala Gran Prix. “After sending four drivers to the Rotax Grand Finals in 2012, we are looking to increase that number in 2013. We have assembled one of the strongest teams of drivers that Ocala Gran Prix has ever had and it’s only a matter of time before we are on the top step of the podium.”

With nineteen drivers under the team tent, six of them will do battle in the Rotax Senior ranks with multi-time champion and recent World Karting Association (WKA) Manufacturer’s Cup victor Nick Neri leading the way. Neri will be joined by Senior rookie and 2012 Rotax Junior Florida Winter Tour champion Oliver Askew, and WKA frontrunner Jonathon Kotyk. Making the switch to Ocala Gran Prix in 2013 will be Sam Beasley. Always a frontrunner in whatever he is racing, the two-time Team USA Rotax Grand Finals competitor will look to challenge for race wins, the championship and the elusive invitation to compete at the 2013 Grand Finals.

Alex Hornborg will return to the Ocala Gran Prix race team. Making the jump from the junior to senior ranks in the middle of 2012, Hornborg has achieved much success on the local level and will now look to do the same as a rookie at the 2013 edition of the Florida Winter Tour. Floridian Morgan Healy will also make the switch to the OGP squad, as she will compete in her first ever FWT event in only two weeks time.

A pair of competitors will see action in DD2 powered karts as Anthony Honeywell will battle in Rotax DD2 Masters and IndyCar Series frontrunner James Hinchcliffe will try his hand in DD2. While Honeywell comes from the enduro side of karting, the now turned sprint racer has competed in several events leading up to the FWT and will look to outdo the over-32 group of drivers this season.

Hinchcliffe, who is a perennial frontrunner in the IZOD IndyCar Series fro Andretti Autosport, will trade his GoDaddy.com sponsored Chevy in for an Ocala Gran Prix prepared Rotax DD2. A former karter back in the day, Hinchcliffe will return to his roots and battle with some of North America’s best. Recently completing a test at the Ocala Gran Prix facility in mid-December, Hinchcliffe will look to shake the rust off and find the speed to win when he hits the track in just under two weeks time.

Ocala Gran Prix will enter a strong eight competitors in the Rotax Junior ranks. Claiming a victory in the 2012 Florida Winter Tour, female pilot Ashley Rogero will look to up her game and battle for the title in 2013. Always a frontrunner, Rogero will forgo the TaG weekend of the series to fully prepare for the ultra-competitive Rotax weekends. Another new competitor to the Ocala Gran Prix squad and instant favorite for the championship will be 2012 TaG Junior FWT champion Kyle Kirkwood. Making the switch to Tony Kart has been done with ease, as a recent test in Ocala proved that Kirkwood has the speed and experience to challenge for another championship. Aaron Bass and Brian Lockwood will compete at the 2013 Florida Winter Tour as both have been honing their skills in regional action throughout the state of Florida. While Lockwood saw action in 2012, he is looking to improve on his results and show the country that he has what it takes to win. Bass, who is a FWT newcomer, has been competing with Ocala Gran Prix throughout the 2012 season but will now try his hand at the challenging Florida Winter Tour. Adding to the Rotax Junior field will be Tony Kart pilots Austin Garrison and Ryan Norberg as both will join Ocala Gran Prix for the 2013 season.

With ten drivers in Rotax Junior, some new faces will be present under the team tent as Jack Weprin and Gavin Reichelt will join the talented team. Both drivers have experience at the annual Florida Winter Tour program and both are ready to get down to the business of winning. Olivier Bellanger and Quentin De Boever will look to start their 2013 karting seasons off at the Florida Winter Tour. While both drivers have competed locally throughout Florida and in the North Florida Rotax Max Challenge program, Bellanger and de Boever are looking to make a name for themselves on the national scene.

Showing their true diversity by having a driver in every racing division during the Rotax weekend, Mathias Ramirez will return to the OGP squad and see action in the Rotax Mini Max ranks. Claiming a podium result at the 2012 United States Rotax Grand Nationals last August, Ramirez is looking to carry his momentum into the 2013 Florida Winter Tour. Jordan Heffner will make her FWT debut in a few weeks time, as the young lady will compete in Rotax Micro Max. Running at the front of the field throughout the state of Florida, Jordan, daughter of 2012 Rotax Masters FWT Champion Jason Heffner, will look to follow in her fathers footsteps this season.

“My entire crew at OGP has done a great job in preparing for the Florida Winter Tour,” explained Jorge Arellano. “With some returning drivers and some new ones, the logistics of a program this size are tough. I have complete faith in my guys and know that we are in for a successful 2013 season.”

With a strong team of drivers, a talented crew of tuners is needed and that is exactly what OGP has put in place. With tuners from around the world with all levels of expertise, more than 300 years of experience can be found under the OGP Team tent. Tuning at all three Rotax rounds will be Gary Carlton, Alex Speed, John Russell, Mike Maurini, Tom Buckley, Tony Alvy, Austin Elliott, Wesley Boswell, Gary Willis, Arie Ouimet, Nate Grindell, Scott Gordinier, Cale Wyse, Mario Ioffredo, Jay McKeague, Kurt Folsom, Jim Rogero, Thomas Silva, Cody Johnson, Ben Beasley, Phil Kirby, Scott Grenier, Ismael Ramirez and Jason Heffner.

For more information on Ocala Grand Prix, OGP race team opportunities and info on how to get into karting, please visit Ocala Gran Prix online at www.OcalaGranPrix.com or contact them at 352.291.0600 or via e-mail to: Info@OcalaGranPrix.com.

For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.

NELSON PIQUET JR. AND DEVLIN DEFRANCESCO TO COMPETE FOR DFR RACING

Devlin DeFrancesco is set and ready to go for the 2013 Florida Winter Tour (Photo: Cody Schindel – CanadianKartingNews.com)

January 9, 2012 – As a New Year dawns on the karting community, a new season starts next week with the annual and prestigious running for the Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour (FWT). With the first event taking place at the Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) in Jupiter, Florida, DeFrancesco Racing (DFR) will enter a duo of drivers over the two race weekends across a host of different classes. While the familiar face of Devlin DeFrancesco will again be seen at the FWT, fellow teams and drivers will also see NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver and four-time race winner, Nelson Piquet Jr., join them.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Nelson into the program,” expressed DFR Team Manager Nick Mitchell. “He will be a force on track and while under the tent, he will be a role model who Devlin can look up to. He has won races in three of NASCAR’s sanctioned programs including the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide and the K&N Pro Series East.”

The first weekend of action will see Devlin compete in the TaG Junior division as he enters the series as one of the top rookies in the class. Graduation from the Vortex TaG Cadet class, DeFrancesco has already competed in one event aboard the bigger and faster kart fairing very well at the 2012 edition of the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals. Now back at the familiar Florida venue, DeFrancesco will look to start his 2013 campaign off right with a race win over the January 11-13 weekend.

With back-to-back weekends of action, Devlin will enter the Rotax Junior ranks January 18-20 at the same circuit. With a talent-laden field set to see action, DeFrancesco will look to turn his European experience from 2012 into speed around the fast PBIR facility. Slated to compete both weekends aboard a Supertune USA powered CRG, DeFrancesco will be a driver to watch come the main event.

Joining DFR for the opening round of Rotax competition will be NASCAR regular Nelson Piquet Jr. Always wanting to return to his roots, Piquet will see action in the Rotax Senior division aboard a Tony Kart. The recent NASCAR Camping World Series race winner and Delavaco supported driver is excited and ready to jump back in the seat of a competitive racing kart.

Running against him at the annual Granja Viana 500, DFR made the deal to have him at the Florida Winter Tour in 2013. Finishing second out of sixty teams in the prestigious event, the only Brazilian driver to ever win NASCAR events in the series national divisions, proved that he still has the natural talent to hustle a competitive kart around the track.

“We are welcoming Nelson with open arms,” expressed Team Owner Andy DeFrancesco. “It is great to have him support karting and the Florida Winter Tour.”

Mitchell continued, “The Florida Winter Tour has gained popularity around the world and the competition is second to none. To challenge for race wins and podium results in this series is something to be proud of. I am confident that both the drivers in the DFR program will the opportunity to run at the front of the field and with a little racing luck, we will be able to add to our team win total.”

Scheduled to be on track January 10^th, the DFR crew will begin with unofficial testing leading up to wheel-to-wheel action over the two separate weekends. With official practice taking place Saturday morning, friends, families, sponsors and supporters can follow all the real-time action by visiting www.FloridaWinter.Tour.com/Live.

For more information on Devlin and Lachlan DeFrancesco’s supporters, please visit them online at www.Alpinestars.com, www.BRM-Manufacture.com, www.Yogurtys.com, www.YogenFruz.com, www.SunnyBrook.ca, www.XYZLive.net, www.Delavaco.com and www.Alpinestars.com or follow them on Twitter at @Alpinestars, @MyWatchIs_BRM, @Yogurtys, @YogenFruz @SunnybrookHSC, @Delavaco and @Alpinestars.

For more information on DeFrancesco Racing, please contact Nick Mitchell via e-mail to Nick@Go-DFR.com or visit them online at www.DFRUSA.com. For more information on Devlin DeFrancesco, please visit him online at www.DevlinDeFrancesco.com. For more information on Nelson Piquet Jr, www.npiquet.com. For real time updates from DFR Racing, Devlin DeFrancesco and Nelson Piquet Jr live trackside, please follow them on Twitter at @DFR_USA, @DevlinD00, @LachlanD03 and @NelsonPiquet.

For information on press releases or other media services offered by Race Tech Development, please contact Mike Maurini via e-mail at Info@RaceTechDevelopment.com or 317.270.8723. Race Tech Development can also be found on Twitter at @RaceTechDvlp as well as Facebook at their Race Tech Development Fan Page.