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CODY HODGSON SHOWS STRONG IN NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES EVENT IN IOWA
“Solid result in East meets West showdown”
Cody Hodgson impresses in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East vs. West event in Iowa. Photo courtesy of Kenneth Spring Jr.
Ocala, Florida – May 26, 2011 – Traveling to the Iowa Speedway for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East meets West showdown, Californian pilot Cody Hodgson would look to make his presence felt in his Ocala Gran Prix sponsored Dave Davis Motorsports prepared entry. Competing in front of the NASCAR Nationwide teams and owners as a support program, the two-time defending Rotax DD2 United States National champion would try and continue his recent rookie success.
With the event taking place in Newton, Iowa at the Rusty Wallace owned Iowa Speedway, Hodgson would get up to speed early in his one and only ninety minute practice sessions. Averaging more than 130 miles per hour on the .875-mile oval, drivers would reach some of their highest speeds all season long as they looked to find that elusive setup come race time.
“I have to admit, the Iowa Speedway is pretty fast,” expressed Hodgson after his first time on the track. “Earlier in the year we competed at Richmond which is also quite quick but I think the Iowa track is going to provide better racing and with more than sixty drivers, it will be important for a good qualifying effort to ensure that we stay out of trouble. It took me a little to get up to speed but once I was comfortable, we were able to work on car setup and running fast and consistent race laps.”
After claiming the fifth quickest time in the practice session, Hodgson will look to qualify his #03 Ocala Gran Prix Dodge solidly in the field for the Pork “Be Inspired” 175 presented by Tompkins Industries event. When the dust had finally settled on their lone qualifying run, Hodgson would be awarded the twelfth quickest time of the session and an impressive outside sixth row starting spot.
The Escalon, California driver continued, “I am very happy with our qualifying efforts. A few tenths of a second separate the top fifteen so it was important to have a good lap. Now we will shift our focus to the race and try to gain as many championship points as possible.”
In the long 175-lap event, Hodgson battled hard with veteran drivers in the top ten as he continued to show his true speed. Moving up into the top four for his East program, Hodgson would eventually take the checkers in the twelfth position overall claiming 142 points towards the end of the year title chase. With the effort, the Dave Davis Motorsports driver claimed an eighth place finish among the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East drivers.
Moving forward, Hodgson currently sits twelfth overall in the K&N Pro Series East Championship and a solid fourth in the Sunoco Rookie-of-the-Year title chase. Enjoying the Memorial Day weekend off, Hodgson will travel to Bowman Gray Stadium for the fifth round of the series as he looks to take his first victory at the Army Strong 150. Having tested at the facility earlier in the year, the Ocala Gran Prix driver has high hopes heading to the next event.
For more information on Cody Hodgson, please visit him online at www.CodyHodgsonRacing.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 them at 352.291.0600 (Info@OcalaGranPrix.com). For more information on media releases, please contact Mike Maurini at 317.270.8723 (Mike@RaceTechDevelopment.com).
OCALA GRAN PRIX STANDS ATOP THE PODIUM IN FKCS ACTION
“Multiple race wins and podiums for OGP Team”
Ocala, Florida – May 19, 2011 – Heading to North Florida for the fourth round of the Florida Karting Championship Series, Ocala Gran Prix drivers would be shooting for race wins and podiums along the way. With the Florida Karting Championship Series (FKCS) event taking place at the Monticello Karting and Motorclub facility, championship contenders would rise to the top as they make a final push towards the end of the year championship chase.
Leading the way in the Senior categories was perennial front runner and senior rookie Nick Neri. After taking the top honors in the Stock Moto and overall shifter division, Neri also went on to claim the TaG Senior win and a third place result in Rotax Senior. OGP showed their true dominance in the TaG Senior class as Neri was followed across the line by Jonathon Kotyk and Brandon Salyer in second and third. Tony Kart’s own Andre Martins finished in fifth. Floridian Andrew Evans was looking to make it an OGP sweep in the top five but a broken seat and a dislodged weight caused him to be one pound light at the scales post race.
Having a season best run in the FKCS program was Floridian Jonathon Kotyk. Competing in both the TaG Senior and Rotax Senior classes, Kotyk would be at the pointy end of the field all weekend long. After claiming the pole position, Kotyk went on to win the Rotax Senior category in one of his best races of the year.
In the junior categories, it was Oliver Askew who would claim a victory in Sunday’s Rotax Junior class, rebounding from a disappointing third place result in Saturday’s TaG Junior program. Askew would also compete in KPP and Yamaha Junior where he would run in the top five throughout the weekend. Working with no tuner in this pair of classes, Askew would begin to learn the in’s and out’s of tuning as he worked on his own kart all weekend long.
First year driver Alex Hornborg continued to turn heads as his rapid development at the club level program has seen him turn into a podium contender in regional level action. Seeing battle in both the Rotax and TaG Junior categories, Hornborg worked with OGP tuner Nate Grindell to score a solid fifth place result in TaG Junior. Sunday would see mid-race contact while running fourth in the Rotax Junior class to eventually be classified in the eleventh position.
Mathias Ramirez would solidify another win for the OGP squad as he stood atop the podium in Rotax Micro Max while teammate Dylan Gennaro came home in twelfth. In the Cadet Junior Sportsman class, Ramirez would cross the stripe in P9 while Gennaro would come home in nineteenth.
National level front-runner and Florida Winter Tour TaG Junior champion Ashley Rogero would be back behind the wheel of her Tony Kart and would see battle in the Yamaha Junior and KPP Junior classes. Showing her speed, Rogero stole the show in the Yamaha division as she added another win to her already impressive resume. In the KPP Junior class, the female pilot would claim a solid fourth place result.
“It was another good weekend of racing and great results for the OGP team,” expressed Ocala Gran Prix President Jorge Arellano. “With two events left, we will now take a look at the championship points and try to do whatever possible to make a run at as many of them as we can.”
The next Florida Karting Championship Series event is only a month away as the series will travel to the 103rd Motorsports Complex in Jacksonville, Florida.
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 at352.291.0600 (Info@OcalaGranPrix.com) or Mike Maurini at 317.270.8723(Mike@RaceTechDevelopment.com).
NASCAR K&N PRO SERIES EAST DRIVER CODY HODGSON FIRST QUARTER REVIEW
“Two-time defending Rotax DD2 National Champion tries his hand in oval racing”
Cody Hodgson competes in K&N Pro Series with backing from Ocala Gran Prix Photo courtesy of - www.CodyHodgsonRacing.com
Ocala, Florida – May 16, 2011 – While the karting world has seen very little of Escalon, Californian driver Cody Hodgson since the Rotax World Finals in November of 2010, the Ocala Gran Prix sponsored pilot has been behind the wheel of his new NASCAR K&N Pro Series East machine. Competing with Dave Davis Motorsports, a high profile program out of Mooresville, North Carolina, Hodgson has already begun his march up NASCAR’s ladder and is gaining knowledge and experience with each passing weekend.
“The step from karting into the NASCAR world has been an easy one for me thanks to the guys at Dave Davis Motorsports and Jorge Arellano of Ocala Gran Prix,” explained Hodgson, after his first top ten result at the last event. “I am competing at all the tracks that you see on TV and where you dream of racing as a kid as well as alongside some of NASCAR’s best up and coming drivers.”
Hodgson started his season at the Greenville Pickens Speedway for the Kevin Whitacker 150 back at the end of March. With only testing under his belt up to this date, the Californian would try his hand at the ultra competitive wheel-to-wheel racing action that can be seen in the K&N Pro Series. Competing in the Ocala Gran Prix backed Dave Davis Motorsports Dodge, Hodgson finished on the lead lap and claimed an impressive tenth place result.
“Entering the first event, I was hoping to finish on the lead lap and secure a top twenty result,” explained Hodgson. “When we got into the racing action, I found that I could run fast and consistent race laps and was not losing any time to the leader. Looking to stay out of trouble and advance forward as much as I could, I managed to finish in the tenth position and be the highest finishing Dodge driver.”
Hodgson’s second event would take place in mid-April at the South Boston Speedway for the South Boston 150. Looking to improve on his top ten result from the opening round, the OGP driver would suffer some setbacks due to mid race incidents. Finishing just off the lead lap, Hodgson crossed the stripe in the fifteenth position, finishing in the front half of the field for the second race in a row.
The third stop in the twelve-race program would see the Dave Davis Motorsports crew compete at the Blue Ox 100 at the famed Richmond International Raceway. Competing next to the NASCAR Nationwide program, the K&N Pro Series East cars would reach some of their highest speeds of the season as they approached 165 miles per hour.
With the biggest field of the season to date, Hodgson would compete against almost forty drivers as they looked to impress in front of some NASCAR’s biggest teams. When the dust had finally settled and the checkered flag was flown, the kid from California would come home in the nineteenth position.
Hodgson continued, “My only experience in cars before the 2011 season was a nine or so in a Late model stock car in northern California. Competing with Nascimento Motorsports at 99 speedway and Roseville out there, my Dad and I went to the race track just looking to make as many laps as possible. I learned a lot and showed I could run up front. This year has been quite a big change for me as I am living on the East coast and with the support from Ocala Gran Prix and Dave Davis Motorsports, I am racing and working in motorsports.”
“It hasn’t been easy for me,” added the 19-year-old driver. “The learning curve has been steep and the sacrifices have been big. I have learned a lot in the first four months of this season and still have a ton to go. I am making contacts for the future, meeting the right people and having great success as a rookie.”
There is no downtime for the up and coming driver as Hodgson is testing on a regular basis. Preparing for the upcoming May 21 event at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, Dave Davis Motorsports and their rookie pilot will enter the K&N Pro Series East meets West event at the .875 mile high banked oval. With sixty plus cars scheduled to compete, Hodgson will look to score another solid result and continue to turn heads in the NASCAR world.
Heading to Iowa, Ocala Grand Prix sponsored Cody Hodgson currently sits tenth in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East point standings.
For more information on Cody Hodgson, please visit him online atwww.CodyHodgsonRacing.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 atwww.OcalaGranPrix.com or contact them at 352.291.0600 (Info@OcalaGranPrix.com). For more information on media releases, please contact Mike Maurini at 317.270.8723(Mike@RaceTechDevelopment.com).
OCALA GRAN PRIX CONTINUES TO SHOW WINNING WAYS IN THE SUNSHINE STATE
“Drivers on track honing skills for US Rotax Nationals”
Ocala, Florida – May 11, 2011 – While you don’t see the Ocala Gran Prix (OGP) race team at many national events throughout the summer months, the team has been on track testing and honing their skills for the upcoming United States Rotax Grand Nationals. While team drivers have been testing throughout the sunshine state, they have also been competing in wheel-to-wheel racing action at the North Florida Rotax Max Challenge (NFRMC) and the Florida Karting Championship Series (FKCS).
“We have a solid business plan in place,” expressed OGP President Jorge Arellano. “Our team is based in Florida, my track is based in Florida so we really want to focus on the Florida karting market. Though you don’t see OGP at many national events other than the Florida Winter Tour, there is no lack of testing and racing that our squad competes in.”
Arellano speaks of both the North Florida Rotax and the FKCS programs, one of which his team will compete in this weekend. Taking place in northern Florida, the Ocala Gran Prix race team will travel to the Monticello Karting and Motorclub facility in Monticello, Florida. With a tent full of competitors, OGP drivers will look to continue their impressive streak of race wins and podiums in the series.
Competing in the Rotax Senior and TaG Senior categories will be standout drivers Nick Neri, Andrew Evans, Jonathon Koytk and Brandon Salyer while Oliver Askew and Alex Hornborg will look to keep their competitors at bay in the junior versions of the class. Dylan Genarro will be back in action in Cadet Junior Sportsman and Rotax Micro Max while Mathias Ramirez will do battle in Micro Max as well as Yamaha Junior Sportsman.
Turning the wrenches this weekend in Monticello will be Mike Maurini, Alex Speed and Wesley Boswell, Nate Grindell, Mario Ioffredo, Kyle Kraus and Cody Johnson as they look to ensure success for all team competitors.
With July just around the corner, any drivers looking to utilize Ocala Gran Prix’s arrive and drive program at the US Rotax Grand Nationals in Tooele, Utah are asked to contact the team immediately. With limited openings and a test week planned prior to the event, OGP will travel west with one goal.
Arellano continued, “We have had two tremendous years in Rotax competition and this year started off well at the Florida Winter Tour. We are going to keep the momentum going through our regional races and then make another attack on the competition in Utah. I am feeling very confident for both my team and my drivers as we head into the summer months and look forward to celebrating with them.”
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 (Info@OcalaGranPrix.com) or Mike Maurini at 317.270.8723 (Mike@RaceTechDevelopment.com).
Ocala Gran Prix Scores Three Victories At Florida Winter Tour
“Askew and Neri run at the front of the field in Junior and Senior”
Oliver Askew claims a pair of victories for OGP. Photo courtesy of: Autosports Media Grou
Ocala, Florida – March 29, 2011 – With the final round of the Florida Winter Tour taking place at Ocala Gran Prix (OGP), team drivers would look to utilize track knowledge and experience to take home race wins. Leading the way was multi-time champion Nick Neri who scored the Rotax Senior race win on Sunday as well as Rotax Junior competitor Oliver Askew who claimed a pair of dominating wins.
“I am so proud of my team and drivers,” exclaimed Jorge Arellano after the weekend was over. “We have had some great success over the past three months and to cap the tour off in the form that we did is something to build on in the future.”
As the season began to wind down, several Ocala Gran Prix drivers hit their stride as they entered the final round of the Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour. Competing in the ultra-competitive Rotax Junior class was a quartet of pilots, as Oliver Askew, Alex Keyes, Angus Hunt and Alex Hornborg would look to end off the series strong. While only one driver can win, that honor was given to Askew has he dominated the Rotax Junior class throughout the weekend.
After scoring the pole position for Sunday’s racing action, Askew claimed the fourth place starting spot for Saturday but would look to move forward. After claiming the second position in the heat race, Askew went on to take the lead at the drop of the green flag for the main event and never looked back. Leading all twenty-four laps and scoring the fastest lap of the race, Askew scored his first career Florida Winter Tour win.
Starting from the pole position on Sunday, Askew scored a perfect day taking the heat race win, main event victory and fastest race lap to score maximum points on the day. With the pair of victories, the Floridian pilot claimed the second position in the overall championship.
Michigan resident Alex Keyes did not have the best of luck in Ocala as multiple incidents hindered any chances at a good result. Though the 14-year old driver managed to make both main events, contact throughout the finals would force him to retire early with a pair of 31stplace results.
Fellow Floridian pilot Alex Hornborg would have a great showing in Saturday’s racing action as he claimed the 17th place position while Georgia’s Angus Hunt garnered a 19th place result on Sunday.
Ocala Gran prix’s other race win came at the hands of two-time Florida Winter Tour Rotax Junior champion Nick Neri as he took the top honors in Sunday’s Rotax Senior category. Jumping out to the lead early, Neri led all twenty-four laps as he stole the show. The race win made up for a disappointing result on Saturday as Neri was removed from the results after failing a controversial post-race technical inspection after claiming the second position on track.
Also competing in the Rotax Senior category was Miami-area driver Andrew Evans. Looking to utilize his experience of the OGP facility, Evans had his best result at this year’s Florida Winter Tour on Saturday with a solid fourteenth place finish. Looking to improve on Sunday, Evans could only manage a 26th place finish.
Rotax Masters competitor Jason Bell entered the final weekend of action with a shot at the title. With a stout field of competitors, Bell garnered the third step on the podium on Saturday but ran into severe trouble on Sunday. After claiming the pole position for Sunday’s festivities earlier in the weekend, Bell would make contact with a fellow competitor on the opening laps and be forced to retire from the heat race. Starting from the tail of the field, Bell worked his way forward to claim an impressive twelfth place result but came just short of the overall series crown.
Another driver scoring his best Florida Winter Tour results to date was the young Enzo Fittipaldi. After running inside the top twenty at the opening two rounds, Fittipaldi jumped into the top ten during the final rounds claiming a ninth place finish on Saturday and a fourteenth place result on Sunday in the Rotax Mini Max class.
The young Mathias Ramirez would be Ocala Gran Prix’s sole entry in the Rotax Micro Max class as he would see battle against a host of seven to eleven year olds. Working with the OGP team personnel, Ramirez scored a solid eighth place result on Saturday but would falter slightly on Sunday to finish 16th.
Arellano added, “I am happy that this year’s Florida Winter Tour is over. Though we had some great results and memories that will last a while, it is time for me to give my guys a break and regroup as we work towards a busy summer season.”
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 at352.291.0600 (Kyle@OcalaGranPrix.com) or Mike Maurini at 317.270.8723
Ashely Rogero Claims Championship At Florida Winter Tour
“Another title for the Floridian female”
Ashley Rogero claims Formula Leopard Junior championship at FWT. Photo courtesy of Autosports Media Group
March 29, 2011 – Looking to have a breakout rookie season in the junior ranks, karting standout Ashley Rogero started off her 2011 racing season in fine form. After a dominating program in 2010 that saw Rogero claim multiple championships in the Sportsman ranks, the Floridian female moved to the tougher junior categories and did not miss a beat as she claimed the Florida Winter Tour Formula Leopard Junior championship.
“Winning a championship in my rookie season as a junior is something that I didn’t know I could do,” expressed Rogero. “I was going to take this season as a learning year but after the first event I knew that I could fight for race wins and championships. This is a great way to start off the season and it will provide a lot of momentum as we move forward.”
Heading to the final round two weeks ago at the Ocala Gran Prix facility in Ocala, Florida, Rogero was sitting second in the points battle with an outside shot at winning the title. Needing to score near perfect race results, Rogero did just that as she claimed a solid fourth place finish on Saturday and a second place finish on Sunday. Couple those results with a pair of heat race wins that reward with bonus points, Rogero managed to take the Formula Leopard Junior title by forty markers when the final points were tallied.
Rogero continued, “Though the kart count in the Leopard Junior class was lower than expected, the competition was second to none as top drivers from across the United States were here to compete. I am thankful to have the support from Tony Kart, Ocala Gran Prix, Comet Kart Sales as well as my friends and family.”
The young female was a model of consistency throughout the Florida Winter Tour as she claimed six top five results is six events. The up and coming driver was a threat each and every race weekend as was shown by her outright speed and determination to run at the front of the field. With six top five results including one main event win and two heat race victories as well as countless pole positions, Rogero proved that she will be a threat in each and every race in 2011.
Ashley would like to thank all of her sponsors for all their hard work and continued support: the entire crew at Ocala Gran Prix, Tony Kart and Comet Kart Sales.
For more information on Ashley Rogero, please contact Jim Rogero at 239.877.4302. For press release and media information, please contact Race Tech Development at 317.270.8723 or via e-mail atInfo@RaceTechDevelopment.com.
