On the heels of another top 5th finish in the CIK-FIA KF3 European Championships in England, Santino Ferrucci displayed total domination at the United States Rotax Junior Championship this past weekend in South Bend Indiana. Both events were commentated by 60-year veteran British global motorsport journalist Ken Walker who summed up the last few weeks stating “I have witnessed firsthand, from Europe to the United States, the wet and dry skills of the young lad from Connecticut. He has most certainly arrived in world wide karting in his first year of junior eligibility”. Ferrucci made his way to the United States Rotax Grand Nationals in South Bend Indiana unable to test and with one goal, win the US Juniors and represent the United States at the Rotax World Championships in Portimao, Portugal later this year. The task this past weekend, to say the least, was a formidable one. Finally of age to compete at the World Championship and represent his country, the only way to get there was to podium against the best 14-17 year old Rotax Juniors in America, a Rotax class he had not competed in outside the regional level since 2009. Against the odds, the young pilot would have one of his best race events ever and was nothing short of perfect all week.
After a few days of official practice in the hot Indiana summer sun Santino found the pace but the next three days would be anything but hot and dry. The rain came down for the first competitive session which was qualifying and Santino found himself on Pole by more than half of a second over the fifty plus Junior field. “I love the rain and really hope it rains all week and I also found my dry pace so it doesn’t matter” expressed Santino.
Late Thursday afternoon The conditions for Heat One were the same as qualifying, wet, and from the pole position Santino took the lead in turn one and never looked backed, forging ahead at times to a nine second lead then putting it into cruise control to take the win. Friday morning and Heat two offered the same track condition, wet and again Santino would take the lead in turn one and finish well ahead of the field for his second Heat win. The final heat of the day was run on a dry track and the first time for slicks since Wednesday practice. The green flag dropped and Santino took the lead in turn one from Pole leaving the field once again to fight for second. At the conclusion of the heats, Santino had a perfect score of zero points and Pole position for Saturday’s Pre-final…
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