Canadian Food Company Backs Rotax Drivers

A Canadian food processing company, Sofina Foods, is backing two Canadian Rotax drivers on the karting world stage. The company supports the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship and has just sent Jesse Lazare and Marco DiLeo to Spain for the Rotax International Open.

sofina rotax drivers
Above: Sofina Foods drivers Jesse Lazare (left) and Marco DiLeo. Sofina will also support the Canadian Junior Rotax drivers at the upcoming World Final in Italy.

press release

Sofina Foods of Toronto, Ontario, through its support of the newly created Eastern Canadian Karting Championship, has sent two of the Canada’s best drivers to the Rotax Max Challenge International Open being held in Zuera, Spain this weekend. Sofina Foods stepped up in 2010 to provide on the top prize packages awarded to the Rotax Senior Max driver and the Rotax Junior Max driver. Marco DiLeo of Stouffville, Ontario took the Senior title while Jesse Lazare of Dollard des Ormeaux, Quebec took the Junior title. Both championships came down to the final event as stacked fields in both classes had multiple drivers looking to grab this amazing prize. Sofina Foods is very proud to be sending these talented drivers to the Rotax Open to represent the ECKC and Canada. The goal of the Sofina Foods effort is to support karting and give accomplished athletes an opportunity to the best they can be on the world stage.

Zuera International Circuit opened on April 15, 2007 and hosted a round of the WSK Kart series for the first time. Since the opening, the circuit has held large national and international karting events. This weekend will mark the final weekend of the five event Rotax Euro Challenge. The year began with a Winter Cup followed by the Euro Challenge, a three weekend series and will cap off 2010 with the International Open. Looking at the layout of the circuit, it is fast and technical, and is considered one of the top circuits in the world by many kart racers and teams.

Marco began the year as the eKartingNews.com #1 Ranked TaG driver following a stellar end to his 2009 campaign. Entering the season of the ECKC you had to tip DiLeo as a favorite off of a Team Canada year that included a Canadian Nationals podium and the new series starting on his home track of Goodwood Kartways. A rough first round saw him finish in sixth and DiLeo bounced back to take the win in round two. It was double podiums at Mosport International Karting taking third and first in rounds three and four of the six round series. A tough Monaco of Trois Rivieres had Marco cross in eighth while a trip to the new Mont Tremblant track gave him a second place finish. DiLeo never finished outside the top ten in all six rounds of the ECKC to complete a 3.5 finishing average.

Jesse hit the track in his second season of Rotax Junior Max action at the ripe age of 13. An opening round fourth at Goodwood Kartways was followed by a disappointing 16th. Rounds three and four held at Mosport started with a tenth and then Jesse hit his stride taking the win on the Sunday and going on an absolute tear. Lazare dominated the Monaco taking the win from the back of the field. Jesse then headed to Mont Tremblant and took a third straight win. With a solid run of three straight top podiums, Lazare completed a 5.5 finishing average over the six race series.

“It’s great to have two drivers here at the Rotax Open representing the ECKC. Thanks to the support of Sofina Foods, Marco and Jesse have a great opportunity to compete on the world stage,” comments ECKC series principal Dan DiLeo from Zuera were he is overseeing the drivers. “Both drivers have outstanding resumes to their credit but most importantly they both understand that they are now competing at the highest level thanks to Sofina Foods. They know how difficult it will be but I’m confident that they will do the ECKC proud.”

The Sofina Foods program is based on karting and helping Canadian karting series to be able to offer young drivers a goal and a prize to work towards. The program was developed to help the new ECKC series as well as to support the Junior Max class for the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals. The objective of the program is to support the series and the drivers in karting. 

Up next for Sofina Foods drivers will be a trip to Muro Lacesse, Italy for the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals being held at the LaConca Karting Circuit from November 16 to 22.

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