Green Speed Karting

GreenSpeed Karting Florida Winter Tour Orlando Report

Four Kart Ontario TonyKart team battles through misfortune to earn five top-ten finishes

The GreenSpeed karting team traveled to the brand new Orlando Karting Center in Orlando, Florida, USA last week to contend in the opening round of the 2010 Florida Winter Tour Rotax Max Challenge. Along with 2009 team members Darren White and Cameron Morrison, the team added strength with top Canadian pilots Eric Gerrits and Austin Milwain.

Junior Report:

Entering two pilots in the 58-kart Rotax Max Junior class, the two GreenSpeed pilots had their work cut out for them. After struggling in early in Friday practice, the two consistently got faster throughout the day with Milwain erupting into the top-10 for the final practice session. In qualifying Milwain continued to gain speed as he became accustomed to his new TonyKart chassis, slotting into a strong fifth place. The same could not be said about Morrison as only hundredths of a second separated a large portion of the class and he was classified in 30th position and forced to the last chance qualifier. Keeping focused and not letting it get to him Morrison took the lead in turn two of the LCQ and cruised wire to wire to earn the victory and a spot in the “A” main.

The start of the pre-final was a complete role reversal for the two Ontario pilots. Milwain was the victim in a turn one incident that saw a kart drive over top of him, damaging his radiator and his rear bumper. Morrison on the other hand fought his way through from his 29th starting position and was into the top twenty rounding lap one. Milwain hung on for as long as he could with the leaders, but with his engine over heating due the damaged radiator and his bumper eventually falling off he was forced to retire early. With the drive of the race Morrison continued his way forward picking off a total of sixteen karts in the fifteen-lap heat and finished thirteenth. In the 20-lap final, Milwain fought for some redemption and drove his way through the field to an impressive tenth-place finish. Showing he had the pace to run with the best of them Morrison held onto his position, kept his nose clean and battled throughout the entire race, crossing the finish line in fifteenth place.

On Sunday the two returned for race 2 action with Milwain again leading the way in qualifying, posting the seventh best time. Morrison posted the third best time in his group, which placed him 28th overall and directly into the main event.

The pre-final was much of the same for the juniors as disaster again struck for Milwain. An incident forced him into the barriers and to lose his chain. Quickly putting the chain back on, he resumed the heat in the last position, well behind the field. Morrison again charged through the incidents in front of him and rounded lap one inside the top-twenty. Working up to fifteenth the young Morrison was really making an impression in his first year of junior competition at the FWT. By the time the final came about, the bad luck that had plagued the team throughout the weekend had expired. In the charge of the weekend Milwain passed fourteen karts in opening lap crossing in sixth place and charging forward with the leaders. Battling upfront the entire twenty-lap race he finished fifth place. After falling down the order early on, plagued with an overheating engine as a result of a bent radiator after being driven over on the start, Morrison pushed forward to finish the final with another fifteenth place drive.

With his two top-ten finishes Milwain enters round two in West Palm Beach in sixth position in the overall points standings and Morrison sitting sixteenth. The two GreenSpeed pilots also emerge from round one as the top two Ontario Juniors in the FWT points standings.

"Our junior drivers picked up right where they left off last summer where both Austin and Cameron finished in the top three in BSRKC Junior Rotax points action in 2009," noted team owner Mike Morrison.

Despite the fact that both junior drivers have not had any seat time since September of 2009, and did not get on track this week until Thursday morning, Austin was immediately fast in the TonyKart Racer EVR as he laid down his best opening round performance since joining the FWT junior ranks in 2008. Cameron, in his FWT rookie junior year, displayed an opening round performance that bettered the rookie performances of some of the best Juniors in Canada over the years, and with three more seasons still in Junior for this youngster – the future looks very bright indeed.

Rotax DD2 Report:

2009 Florida Winter Tour Rotax Max DD2 champion Darren White started off his 2010 campaign looking to defend his championship. Joined by the 2006 Rotax Max Canadian National Karting Champion Eric Gerrits, the duo combined their significant racing knowledge in search of victory. Qualifying in the third position on Saturday, White was ready to pounce on the leaders in the pre-final, until a disastrous accident left Darren limping around the circuit with a broken frame. After struggling in qualifying with a faulty Master Cylinder on his new TonyKart, Gerrits moved forward from his eleventh place qualifying effort to seventh in the pre-final. The final race was one to forget for both pilots as White’s engine stalled in the opening lap falling to last in the order, and well behind the field. Putting in his best effort he battled back to finish in tenth. Although Gerrits was battling for a top-five position with only a handful of laps left, he had to settle for eighth when he crossed the finish line.

Rebounding on Sunday morning White placed his TonyKart inside row three for the pre-final after qualifying fifth. Gerrits lined up for the pre-final in twelfth but executed some impressive passes and moved forward to fifth in the pre-final. But as Gerrits moved forward, White fell backwards as shifting issues plagued him and he eventually crossed in tenth. Switching engines for the final, White still struggled with the shifting but managed to cross in fourth place earning himself some valuable points. An opening lap accident punctured one of Gerrits front tires forcing him to retire on lap two.

"Our duo of DD2 pilots, both Canadian Champions, have the racing experience and maturity to bounce back from the challenges of this weekend", stated GreenSpeed team manager Mike Roth. "They have both been through adversity before and have come out on top. We know we were plagued with bad luck, it happens to all drivers - its how you respond that separates the great drivers from the rest of the field - we are ready for round two and I am 100% confident we will be there in DD2."

The team owes a huge thank you to the tuning leadership of Mike Roth and the added support from Leonard Darrigo, as well as engine support from Rick Gerrits of G-Force Engines. Chiefs of Catering, Georgina Morrison and Kailee Morrison ensured that no one came in under weight, delivering incredible food and hospitality under the team tent all week long.

The team now prepares for round two held at Palm Beach International Raceway in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 19-21. For more information about GreenSpeed Karting please visit http://greenspeedkarting.com