November 3, 2010 (Orange, Calif.) – Gatorz Karting is proud to present its class champions for the 2010 season. Beginning with the Gatorz Challenge of the Americas race in February at Calspeed, and finishing on the streets as part of the Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix, the six-round Gatorz Karting Cup saw closely-fought action at every round and had several of its drivers put in strong performances at the Rotax Grand Nationals.
After seven years, the series continues to produce not only some of the strongest drivers in the region, but drivers who are capable of competing at national and international levels.
Rotax Minimax – Adam Iavelli
The closest championship of the season, Rotax Minimax was not decided until the last lap of Sunday’s main at the Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix. Adam Iavelli entered the race weekend with a narrow margin over Royal McKee. After qualifying near the front and finishing with the leaders in the heat race, Iavelli had a miserable main as he didn’t complete a single lap and was eliminated in a first-lap crash. McKee finished third – but it wouldn’t be enough, as Iavelli’s margin enabled him to win the championship by a single point. Blaine Rocha, this year’s Gatorz Challenge of the Americas champion, finished in third.
Junior Rotax – Dakota Dickerson
Dickerson, a past Gatorz champion in Minimax, scored one win and banked on a season of consistent finishes to take his second class championship. Over the final two races, Dickerson was outscored by Jake Craig – with the battle between the two becoming quite fierce in the final race at the Streets of Lancaster – but Dickerson prevailed with enough points in hand to take his championship. Nova Brown was third in the championship.
Senior Rotax – Stepanova Nakeel
Nakeel, a former champion in the Gatorz Challenge of the Americas, used a win in the round five race held in conjunction with the Rotax Pan-Am and two strong results in the first two rounds of the Gatorz Karting Cup to win the title. Perhaps showing the future a bit, second and third placed in the championship were two drivers who made the move from Rotax Junior to Rotax Senior – Jeremy Kane and Louie Pagano.
Rotax Masters – Jim Busby Jr.
Jim Busby, Jr. won three events in dominating fashion to take his first Gatorz Karting Cup championship – the first two events at Calspeed as part of the Challenge of the Americas weekend, followed by a win at the Streets of Willow with an unheard of 32 second margin of victory. Finishing just behind was Colorado’s Scott Falcone, with past champion Paul Bonilla in third.
DD2 – Matthew Ostiguy
Emerging as one of Southern California’s best pilots in a DD-2 kart, Ostiguy took his second consecutive Gatorz Karting Cup DD-2 class championship with one win at round four at the Streets of Willow.
Gatorz Karting will kick off its campaign with the 2011 Gatorz Challenge of the Americas on January 24-16 in Phoenix, Arizona. The full 2011 Gatorz Karting Cup schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.