Gangi Jnr: US Micro MAX National Champion
press release
Anthony Gangi Jr. and G7 Motorsports added a second major title to their record setting year by winning the 2010 Rotax Max Grand National Micro Max Championship.
Already the 2010 Florida Winter Tour Rotax Micro Max Champion, the G7 Motorsports Team has put their mark on a great season by adding the biggest karting title in the United States to their resume. Anthony Gangi Jr. was at the top of the charts all week long and completed a fantastic run of races as he paced the grueling four-day event that included the best 24 cadet drivers in the country. Despite charges from several competitors, Anthony Jr. held strong to take the final win and the National title.
Above: Anthony Gangi Jr. added US Rotax Grand National Champion to his already impressive resume
pic - On Track Promotions
“I still can’t believe we won the Rotax Grand National title,” commented Anthony Gangi Sr. from his home just outside New York, New York. “It was a perfect week and everything went really well for Anthony Jr.”
The team returned to New Castle Motorsports Park, host for the 2010 Rotax Grand Nationals, after a successful run at the Pan American Challenge a few weeks earlier. The team arrived on Tuesday for scrutineering and set-up, ready to hit the track for official practice on Wednesday. Gangi Jr. was solid all day long hitting the top of the sheets and posting the 6th fastest lap in the final timed session. In qualifying it was Anthony Jr. setting the third quickest time to earn an inside second spot for the three heat races that would determine the prefinal starting order. In heat one Gangi Jr. worked inside the lead group taking point early and crossing the line first and take the opening win score a valuable zero points. In heat two Gangi Jr. would again run at the top and push past the finishing stripe in second spot to score another fantastic round. In the third and final heat race Gangi was running at the front of the field until late race contact moved him to the back in the order. Anthony Jr. would recover and move up a few spots to take 20th in the field of 24 karts. After the heat race points tally, it was Anthony Jr. starting from the fifth position for the much anticipated prefinal which would set the grid for the run to the National title.
“Our qualifying and heats were great,” commented tuner and coach Chris Perez. “We had one bad heat, but other then that, things went really well for us.”
Super Saturday was a bright and beautiful day in the US mid west as the over 200 competitors streamed into NCMP to see who would be crowned National Champions in seven different classes. In the prefinal, from his third row inside starting spot, Anthony Jr. would head to the front and look to lead early. A close battle at the front saw the lead change several times but at the line it was Anthony Jr. with the win by 0.173 seconds and setting fast lap of the race. With the win, Anthony Jr. earned the front row pole position for the National final.
After the competitors completed the driver’s parade and the presentation of the colours, the Micro Max drivers would be the first to mine for National karting gold. From the drop of the green flag the lead group jostled for position and looked to be at the sharp end as the laps wound down. Gangi Jr. was not one to wait going to P1 from the start and looking to pace the race for the first three circuits. Gangi Jr. would slide to P2 on lap four and head back to first place the next lap. The lead would change hands once more and it was Anthony Jr. again storming back to the lead and never giving it back. At the line it was Anthony Jr. in first place, 1.5 seconds clear of second position, and the new National Rotax Micro Max Champion.
“I am so happy to take the Grand Nationals title,” smiled Anthony Jr. “Everyone worked so hard it was great to be able to win. My PSL Karting CRG Big Al was amazing all week long. I really want to thank Chris and my dad for everything.”
On hand to support Anthony Jr. on his quest for a National title was Chris Perez, Jon Nevoso, Joe Fredricks along with Dominic Lebreque, Alex “Frenchy” Louet, Daniel “Big Dan” Lambert and the rest of the PSL Karting team. Up next for Anthony Jr. and the G7 Motorsports team will be a trip north of the border to the river side town of Trois Rivieres for the Monaco de Trois Riveres street race. Following that, he will compete in the Canadian National Karting Championships at the Mont Tremblant Karting Facilty on August 18 to 22.