Pole position and podium for Vortex in Lonato
On the occasion of the first round of the WSK Final Cup, the VTS-N engine of the OTK Kart Group “engine division” is the fastest in the qualifyings of the OKN-J category, also gaining a second place in the final of Sunday afternoon.
OKN-J – The Vortex VTS-N opens the Lonato del Garda event with a pole position in the qualifyings, thanks to the best time of 47.683 seconds set by Henri Kumpen (Jana Racing), which will remain unbeaten for the rest of the weekend. In the subsequent qualifying heats, our unit obtains three victories, a third place and a fastest lap, confirming his competitiveness with a second place in Sunday morning's Prefinal B.
From the second position on the starting grid of the final, Kumpen cannot take advantage from his trajectory in the first few corners, losing some ground and being forced to make a comeback. The Vortex VTS-N supports him in recovering some positions to be back again in the fight for victory in the final laps. The Belgian driver then crosses the finish line in second place, also signing the fastest lap of the race.
With nine positions recovered from the starting grid, Oiva Vettenranta (Kohtala Sports) is the second best classified for the Vortex colours, just ahead of Mael Le Marchand (Jana Racing), author of a success in the eliminatory heats.
OK – With more than 70 drivers in the category, the Vortex VTS occupies the top positions with David Walther (Tony Kart Racing Team), who is able to gain 18 positions between qualifying and eliminatory heats and to close the B pre-final in the top-5. After a good start of the race, the Danish climbs to fourth place in the final and narrowly misses a podium place.
In the last race of the weekend, the names of Thomas Pradier (Tony Kart Racing Team) and Jindrich Pesl (Tony Kart Racing Team) also emerge: the Frenchman climbs 10 places, while the Czech driver gains as many as 18. Macauley Bishop (Tony Kart Racing Team) is the author during the final of a surprising start and, after just three laps, gains 12 positions. Only an accident on the fifth lap prevented the British driver from aiming for a significant result. Finally, Oliver Rasmussen (Tony Kart Racing Team) is at the starting grid of the final.
OKJ – The “Junior” class also sees more than 70 drivers at the start, including Ilie Tristan Crisan (Tony Kart Racing Team) who, with his Vortex VTJ engine, is the second fastest driver in Group 1 of the Friday's qualifying heats. The Canadian driver scores a win and two top-3s in the subsequent qualifying heats, but is unfortunately forced to retire on the last lap of Prefinal A (due to a collision) while running in the top positions of the standings. The Tony Kart Racing Team driver collects a top-10 in Sunday afternoon's final, which also sees on track Augustus Toniolo (Tony Kart Racing Team).
MINI Gr.3 U10 - Even in the smallest category, Vortex has all the numbers to shine. Too bad, though, that luck is not on our side, as witnessed by the performance of Jean Poujol (Tony Kart Racing Team). After a not brilliant qualifying, the French driver makes the most of the potential offered to him by his Vortex VTM engine and in the heats climbs not less than 30 positions. But the rise in the rankings does not stop, because Poujol, who started in the B Prefinal in the 13th position, takes the fourth during the first lap already setting the second best time of the race. Unfortunately, just when he was fighting for victory, a collision forced him to raise the white flag, compromising the end of his weekend.
