Rolison Performance Group Junior Max
Sunday Report
The Rolison Performance Group Junior Max class features a stout field
of pilots backed by experienced and knowledge-packed teams, meaning
chassis set-up and running is rarely an issue. RPG’s Austin Versteeg (Kosmic)
swept the action on Saturday to increase his point lead, but come Sunday,
the playing field had leveled as the teams made overnight adjustments to
their karts and drivers. Nash Motorsportz’ Christian Brooks (Tony Kart) was
second overall on Day #1, but he turned things up for Sunday qualifying
with a 46.658, which gave him the pole over the 30-kart field. RPG’s Kyle
Wick (Kosmic) is on a strong upward rise in speed and racecraft, and he
sat second on the timesheets ahead of leading Junior rookie Sting Ray Robb
in his BBR Karting Tony Kart. Versteeg was less than three tenths back in
fourth, ahead of ART GP’s Phillippe Denes. Versteeg’s dominant position
from Saturday was gone as the field was prepped and ready to challenge.
That said, while the pack had dialed things in, Versteeg is one of the top
Juniors in the country and he rose up in the Prefinal to win over Brooks by
two seconds. A wreck in the opening complex of corners involving Robb,
Denes and Nicky Hayes (sixth place qualifier) opened the door for Versteeg
to settle in behind Brooks to pace the initial four-driver breakaway, and by
lap four, Versteeg was by to pull away to a 2.032-second lead by the end
of the 17-lap sprint. Brookes maintained his chase to finish second ahead of
emerging Canadian driver Jeff Fulham (Kosmic). Wick survived the open-
ing lap chaos to finish fourth ahead of Jake Boyle (CRG). Robb fought back
to 13th in the Prefinal to make sure he could still attack on the lead group
in the long-distance final.
The 25-lap final was a wild battle that was again punctuated by an inci-
dent between two of the primary players. Once the battle up front settled
into its rhthym, Brooks held the point. Robb ended up as the man on the
move, working his way into second on the strength of consistently quick
laps and precision overtaking maneuvers. His attack on the lead pack was
impressive. Versteeg’s pace quickened during the late going and he made
a move past Robb on late 17, knifing to the inside in turn 11, which is the
left-hand hairpin that is located directly after the banked monza at the end
of the Phoenix’s back straightaway. Versteeg’s move pushed deep into the
corner and he and Robb would eventually lock wheels, sending them both
off the track, allowing Brooks to pull away. Both drivers would continue,
with Versteeg ending up fifth, and Robb in seventh. The end of the race saw
Denes lead the final lap, only to have Brooks go deep in turn 11 to steal
the lead, although he went deep enough to almost allow Fulham to slide
through the inside for the win. Brooks defended enough to maintain the
lead and the win, although Fulham held on for second, his best ever COTA
finish. Denes came back for third, ahead of Wick.
Jr. Max
