Harry Heads The Points After Homestead
Tweetpress release
Coming off an exceptional run at the second round of the Formula Kart Productions Florida Winter Tour (FWT), Lakeland, Florida's Harry Coulton enters the final round as the driver to beat in the Rotax Micro Max category. Taking to the Ocala Gran Prix circuit this week for the final rounds of the three event, six race series, Coulton enters the weekend as the leader in the overall Rotax Micro Max championship standings. Racing at the highest level of competition and in the world's largest Rotax Micro Max field ever assembled, Coulton has emerged as a top contender to take the ultra-prestigious Florida Winter Tour Micro Max championship title this weekend at the finale event.
Above: A win in Homestead, along with solid results during the entire Florida Winter Tour, have Harry Coulton in first place in the Rotax Micro Max championship standings heading into the finale event
pic - Cody Schindel, Autosports Media Group
Starting off the 2012 season at the Palm Beach International Raceway in January, Coulton kicked off his FWT campaign with a solid opening run. Clocking sixth quick for Saturday's qualifying session, the nine-year-old hot shoe dropped to seventh in the prefinal before powering back to a top-five finish in the day's final. Sunday in Palm Beach was met with more of a challenge for Coulton. Qualifying in the 11th place, Coulton was forced to start the final from the last position. The Birel driver then staged an incredible drive in the final, passing 27 drivers to finish with a solid seventh place result.
Heading south to sunny Homestead in February for the second event of the FWT, Coulton would progress nicely throughout Saturday's action. Starting with his sixth place in qualifying, Coulton moved up to third in the prefinal. Pressuring the lead kart from the beginning, Coulton ran a smart final race as he looked for an opportunity to make his move. Swiftly moving past lapped traffic and not letting several blocks by the leader hold him up, Coulton bided his time. Making his pass for the lead on the last corner of the last lap, Coulton reached the checkered flag first, scoring the win in dramatic fashion! His victory came with all the post-race glory, as Coulton explained during podium presentations how winning the race was "serious fun." Back in action on Sunday, Coulton would move up from his eighth place qualifying position to finish fourth in the prefinal race and then fifth in the afternoon final.
His win, two fifth place finishes, and a seventh has allowed Coulton to emerge as the driver to beat in the finale event. Taking on the large Micro Max fields at the FWT, and arguably the world's most competitive, Coulton's success to date would not have been possible without the support of his tuner and coach, Tim Lobaugh of MRP Motorsports, his engine builder Ariel Castro from AM Engines and his parents. Collectively, they have combined to create a winning package for Coulton, who is currently the point leader in the ultra-competitive class. With a 20-point gap from second place, Coulton and his team will look to garner more solid results in Ocala this weekend in hopes of securing the prestigious title of Florida Winter Tour Rotax Micro Max champion.
Coulton will take to the 6/10-mile Ocala track for unofficial practice during the week, leading up to Friday's two official qualifying sessions that lay the ground for Saturday and Sunday's wheel-to-wheel action.
Family, friends and fans can tune in to FWT Live! - http://floridawintertour.com/fwtlive/2012 - and follow live streaming video and audio, and timing and scoring, allowing everyone to keep tabs on Harry as he makes his bid for the Micro Max championship in Ocala.
