“Seventeen podiums including eight main event victories”

June 17, 2010 – It was more of the same for the Ocala Gran Prix/Tony Kart race team this past weekend at the fourth round of the Florida Karting Championship Series held at the Ocala Gran Prix facility in Ocala, Florida. Taking away victories were Ashley Rogero, Nick Neri, Brand Salyer, Austin Osborne and Jacob Duvall while several other drivers had their hand in helping OGP score a total of seventeen podium results.

“Wow! That’s all I can say after another great weekend for the OGP team,” expressed an excited Team President Jorge Arellano. “I thought nothing was going to outdo our 2009 set of results but already, 2010 has produced more than I was expecting. With champions returning to score race wins and new drivers coming to stand upon the podium, what more can I ask for?”

With the racing action hot and heavy throughout the race weekend, some front running regulars as well as first time race winners rose to the top when the dust had settled. Female pilot Ashley Rogero scored two podium finishes including a win in the Cadet Junior Sportsman class while multi-time champion Nick Neri claimed three more victories on the season. Utilizing a borrowed kart and motor from the Rogero family, Texan Austin Osborne found his way to the front of the pack quickly as he managed to take the Yamaha Junior Sportsman race win in his first ever drive on a Tony Kart while Micro Max driver Devin Boutot garnered a solid second place result.

In Rotax Senior, it was a sweep of the podium for Ocala Gran Prix as Jacob Duvall, running an arrive and drive package, claimed top honors in the class. Rounding out the podium were Masters pilot Rob Maier and up-and-comer Brandon Salyer. Duvall and Salyer were not done there as the pair of drivers scored victories in the TaG 1 and TaG 2 classes respectively. Future star Oliver Askew scored a pair of second place results in his classes and heads to the next event with the overall points lead in Rotax Junior and TaG Junior while fellow junior driver Jonathon Koytek claimed a pair of podium results.

For a complete list of team results, please see below:

Arellano continued, “With a pair of FKCS races, a few WKA Manufacturer’s Cup events and the Rotax Grand Nationals still left on our schedule, we are set to top last year’s terrific season. Every time I turn around, there is a new trophy in our showroom and it usually says ‘1st Place’ on it. This is something that I have worked towards for a long time and am happy with the people I have surrounded myself with; we are having nothing but great success.”

For more information on the Florida Karting Championship Series, please visit the program’s website at www.FLWKASprintSeries.com.

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 Kyle Kraus at 352.291.0600 (Kyle@OcalaGranPrix.com) or Mike Maurini at 317.270.8723 (Mike@OcalaGranPrix.com).

Press release prepared by: Race Tech Development

Mike Maurini
Race Tech Development
Mike@RaceTechDevelopment.com
P: 317.270.8723

Announcements, Newsletter

“Six Podiums in Florida karting action”

Since the first round of the WKA program in Daytona, Neri has been on a tear scoring multiple race wins.

June 14, 2010 – Ocala Gran Prix and Tony Kart pilot Nick Neri dominated the past two weekends in Florida karting action as the up and coming driver scored five victories and six podiums in six classes entered in the past two weekends. Competing in the North Florida Rotax Max Challenge and the Florida Karting Championship Series, Neri dominated almost all on track action to take multiple race wins.

While both events took place at the Ocala Gran Prix facility in Ocala, Florida, the first weekend of action would be the North Florida Rotax Max Challenge (NFLRmax) where Neri would compete in the Rotax Senior category. Looking to gain enough punches to compete at the US Grand Nationals at the New Castle Motorsports Park facility in July, Neri swept the entire weekend of action scoring two pole positions, two prefinal wins and two main event victories while taking fast lap honors in both main events.

Looking to carry the momentum into the following weekend, Neri would compete in four classes at the Florida Karting Championship Series. Looking to utilize the series for World Karting Association Manufacturer’s Cup transfer points, Neri would compete in both Yamaha Junior and KPP Junior classes. Just like the prior weekend in Rotax Senior, Neri was able to sweep both classes throughout the weekend to add to his win total for 2010.

Neri would also enter the TaG Junior and Rotax Junior classes as he looked to work with team drivers and help prepare for the upcoming Rotax Grand Nationals. Utilizing a Rotax package in the TaG division, Neri would battle hard throughout the event weekend but would take the win after scoring the pole position.

“That was a fun race,” expressed Neri. “The different packages are faster or slower in certain areas of the track so you have to be smart about the way you race and where you make your passes. Though the OGP track may favor the Rotax motor, it is hard to say what the next event will bring in Jacksonville.”

Neri’s only falter would be in the Rotax Junior class as he would claim the third and final podium position. After taking the pole position, Neri struggled on the start and fell back to fourth before the exit of the first corner in the prefinal. Battling hard, the three time Florida Winter Tour champion drove back to a solid second place finish. The final would see very little action as Neri and a fellow competitor drew away from the field. Looking to fight for the checkers, Neri tried a last lap move but was forced to take evasive action to avoid contact and was slowed in the back section of the track. As the leader drove away, Neri would lose one more position as he struggled to get back up to speed to come home third.

Neri added, “The competition in the Florida karting region is tougher each and every race. Some of the nation’s best karters come from this state, and I am just happy I have the opportunity to race against some of the best.”

Nick Neri would like to thank his all of his 2010 supporters: Ocala Gran Prix, Tony Kart, Josh Power, High Rev Engineering, Alpinestars, SKF Bearings, Grand Products, Bridgestone, Koene Engines and Race Tech Development.

For sponsorship opportunities and more information on Nick Neri please contact Race Tech Development at 317.270.8723 or via e-mail to Mike@RaceTechDevelopment.com.

Press release prepared by: Race Tech Development
Photo courtesy of: On Track Promotions

Mike Maurini
Race Tech Development
Mike@RaceTechDevelopment.com
P: 317.270.8723

Announcements, Newsletter

“Shift of focus to OGP, race team and Tony Kart”

June 13, 2010 – Hot on the heels of the fourth largest round of the Florida Karting Championship Series (FKCS) in history, current President Jorge Arellano made it official that he will step down as President for the program at the end of the racing season and will not run for re-election for the 2011 program. Citing business opportunities and possible conflicts of interest in the future, Arellano will shift the majority of his focus to his Ocala Gran Prix (OGP) facility, the OGP race team, Tony Kart and the newly formed company of Ocala Grand Prix International Imports (OGPII).

“It has been a great two seasons, and I have really enjoyed the challenges of helping grow the series to where it is today. In the short period as the president of FKCS I have grown as a leader and as a person and from the bottom of my heart I say thank you to all members for allowing me the freedom to lead. This has been by far one period of my life I will always look back and smile. I have come to know the FKCS members as a growing family. I look forward to meet my upcoming challenges with the same intensity as I have done for FKCS,” expressed President Jorge Arellano. “I have several businesses in which I am trying to grow that will need my utmost attention, one which includes becoming a Tony Kart distributor for the United States, and I did not want there to be any conflicts of interest as an active board member in the future. I will continue to support the series for the years to come including the end of the year charity event to help raise money for the Victory Junction Camp, and OGP will continue series sponsorship and the end of the year gift certificates. I will always make myself available for any questions comments or concerns regarding the FKCS program.”

Informing the Board of Directors in a closed door meeting on Saturday evening, Arellano was emotional in his decision showing his true passion for the sport of karting and the FKCS. As the official World Karting Association state series for the state of Florida and providing national level classes to offer transfer points to the Manufacturer’s Cup, the competition level of the series has increased throughout the past seasons thanks to the hard work of Arellano and his Board of Directors.

Arellano continued, “The OGP race team is growing each and every season and our results continue to improve and I feel great about that. I have the right people in place to continue the success of the team, and I feel the same for the FKCS series moving forward. The Board of Directors is willing to work hard and grow the series even more and I am very confident in them. The Ocala Gran Prix and I will support the series by bringing our race team, offering arrive and drives, supporting customers as well as be a series sponsor.”

“This was a very hard decision for me to make as when I got involved on the board, the series was in dire straits with less than half of the entries at each event. We put programs in place, worked with professional tracks and provided a great atmosphere and the racers started to attend. Adding a few cookouts throughout the seasons at events, handing out t-shirts at registration and providing an end of the year awards banquet to start recognizing all the way down to the fifth place champion kept the smiles on people’s faces as entry numbers grew.”

The announcement was made to the FKCS members during Saturday at the drivers meeting this past weekend. Becoming emotional during his announcement, silence was brought upon the over 200 participant crowd as Arellano struggled to get through his speech. Though he was hugely involved in the day to day operations of the series at the track, the President worked diligently behind the scenes to ensure the utmost professionalism and fun at his series.

After the announcement, Arellano worked the pits as he visited each and every trailer to thank everyone for a great season and to ask for their support in the series coming years.

The next FKCS event will be July 16 – 18, 2010 at the 103rd Street Motorsports Complex in Jacksonville, Florida.

For more information on Ocala Grand Prix or the Florida Karting Championship Series, please contact FKCS President Jorge Arellano at 352.291.0600 or via e-mail at Jorge@OcalaGranPrix.com or any of the Board of Directors whose information you can find online at www.FLWKASprintSeries.com

Press release prepared by: Race Tech Development

Mike Maurini
Race Tech Development
Mike@RaceTechDevelopment.com
P: 317.270.8723

Announcements, Newsletter

(more…)

Announcements, Local Series Points Results, Newsletter