Eastern Canadian Karting Championship

Eastern Canadian Karting Championship Set to Crown Series Champions this Sunday

27 July 2012

Marco DiLeo will be going for his third consecutive ECKC Rotax Senior title
(Photo by: Cody Schindel/CanadianKartingNews.com)

The time has come. The 2012 Eastern Canadian Karting Championship (ECKC) is set to close out its third season this Sunday, as the series finale hits the streets of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec during the 14th annual Le Monaco de Trois-Rivieres. Only one of six Rotax titles have been decided, as Matthew Latifi has secured the Micro Max title with his stellar run in his rookie season. The remaining five will be determined on the temporary circuit, including the four titles that carry the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals (RMCGF) invitation. The atmosphere of the prestigious and glamorous event alone is enough to rouse excitement, but with the added championship titles on the line, the buzz only intensifies.

The headline Rotax DD2 category will continue to showcase the talents of three incredible drivers, and the championship battle will come down to Pier-Luc Ouellette (PSL Karting/CRG) and the SRA Karting/Birel duo of Ben Cooper and Christophe Boisclair. Four Rotax World Championship titles are shared between Ouellette and Cooper and coupled with Boisclair’s five Canadian National titles and eight Team Canada berths, the fight for the title is sure to be as intense as ever. Ouellette holds point in the standings over Boisclair and Cooper, however once current drops are calculated, Cooper moves to the lead over Ouellette and Boisclair. Only the streets of Trois-Rivieres will determine the championship winner and fences are sure to be packed whenever the DD2s roll out on the track.

With a RMCGF on the line for the first time in the DD2 Masters category, the battle for the over-32 drivers will come down to the finale round as well. Stuart Clark’s (Prime Powersports/Maranello) two wins and three podium finishes put him on top of the standings, 69 points before drops over PSL Karting/CRG pilot Marc-Andre Bourgeois. An array of various outcomes are possible and both drivers are set to take on the demands of the challenging street course come Sunday. Bourgeois’ teammate Luc Sauriol has been in the mix all season long, but all likely scenarios point to Sauriol out of contention for the title. Vice-champion titles could prove to be just as important however, as any forthcoming National and International berths take precedence over those from the ECKC.

Stuart Clark takes on the streets of Trois-Rivieres as the DD2 Masters point leader
­(Photo by: Cody Schindel/CanadianKartingNews.com)

The battle in the Rotax Senior class will prove to be an intense occasion as well, as the title will come down to two of Canada’s best, Marco DiLeo (Intrepid North America/Intrepid) and Steven Szigeti (SH Karting/Tony Kart). DiLeo is seeking his third consecutive ECKC Rotax Senior title, while Szigeti will look to put a stop to that this weekend. The two have accounted for all five feature wins in the 2012 series, three for DiLeo and two for Szigeti. When current drops are calculated, the two are only ten points apart, with DiLeo in the lead and hoping to stay there. After claiming vice-champion honours at the 2012 Florida Winter Tour, Szigeti will hope to come out on top this Sunday.

The Rotax Junior points lead is currently held by east coast and west coast standout Parker Thompson (SH Karting/Tony Kart). Despite troubles during the Mosport rounds, Thompson was able to keep his lead before drops by virtue of his two feature wins. Zachary Claman-DeMelo (PSL Karting/CRG) was able to capitalize during the Mosport event, taking the two wins to add to his Round #2 victory. His zero points from ICAR however will force Claman-DeMelo to be on top of his game this Sunday, as any points earned will matter in his overall score. The two are both fast and determined, but Junior rookie Jeffrey Kingsley (SRA Karting/Birel) may just be the driver to derail Thompson and Claman-DeMelo. However the results play out, the final outcome is sure to be an event to remember.

Gianfranco Mazzaferro leads the charge for the Rotax Mini Max title over Austin Riley, as the two are the only drivers left to fight for the overall championship. Matthew Latifi has already locked up the Mico Max title, only needing to take the green flag to be named the 2012 champ. The Briggs & Stratton Senior title belongs to three-time winner Simon Rousseau, as does the Masters title to Russell Kroon. The Junior title will come down to Brady Dylan and Christopher Proietto, who have two wins each.

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Gianfranco Mazzaferro leads the charge in the Rotax Mini Max category
(Photo by: Cody Schindel/CanadianKartingNews.com)

Practice is already underway on the streets of Trois-Rivieres. Saturday will feature the fifth round of the Coupe du Quebec series as well as the always-popular KZ shifter kart action. The final round of the 2012 Eastern Canadian Karting Championship will take to the track Sunday. Finals are set for 3:45pm on Saturday and 3:00pm Sunday, with ECKC championships awarded at the end of the day during podium presentations Sunday at 7:00pm.

The Eastern Canadian Karting Championship is an ASN-sanctioned, four round, six race series with venues in both Ontario and Quebec. Now in its third year, the ECKC will start off the 2012 season at Goodwood Kartways in Stouffville, Ontario May 26-27 for the first double-header weekend. Circuit ICAR will host the third race in Mirabel, Quebec June 17 followed by the second double-race weekend at Mosport International Karting in Bowmanville, Ontario June 30-July 1. The series will conclude at the Monaco Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres July 29, the prestigious street race set at the site of the GP3R at Exposition Park. The Eastern Canadian Karting Championship is a Rotax Max Challenge series and will award Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals tickets to the Rotax Senior, Rotax Junior, Rotax DD2 and Rotax DD2 Masters class champions. In 2012, the Briggs & Stratton classes will contest the series six-race series, making up a national four-stroke championship. For more information on the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, please visit www.eckc.ca.