The 2017 edition of the CIK-FIA OK and OK-Junior World Championships attracted no less than seven US drivers on the old continent, a participation record since 2013 and the establishment of the Junior and Senior World Championships. The trend seems to have been accentuated since the KF-Junior World Championship won by Logan Sargeant in 2015 and the appearance of the new generation of OK engines in 2016. European competition remains the best training to become an outstanding driver and the arrival of American drivers in the international categories can only be welcomed.
The competition proved very tough at the PF International circuit and it was not easy to qualify as one of the 34 finalists in each category with 181 drivers at the start. The clashes were often robust in the face of specialists in the English track. In OK, the two drivers from Comp Kart, Dante Yu, capable of being very fast, and Nicholas D’Orlando, twice penalized for his spoiler, did not reach their target.
Qualifying was decisive for the results of the five Juniors. Noticed for his 2nd place in a heat after his 21st fastest time, Tyler Gonzales and his Kosmic / Vortex from the Paul Carr Racing team were not far off at the finish line in a fantastic 5th position. A penalty of 10″ unfortunately sent him back to 17th place. The young Enzo Scionti (Exprit / Vortex / Fusion Motorsport) continued his discovery of OK-Junior after a season started in 60 Mini. He started with 42nd in Qualifying and drove two beautiful heats in the top 10 gaining six and five places. Despite his combativeness, he lost ground in the fight in the other heats and had to retire after an incident in the last, which cost him his place in the Final. Dillon Defonce (Tony Kart / Vortex / Strawberry Racing), Arias Deukmedjian (Tony Kart / Parilla / Piers Sexton Racing) and Sebastian Montoya (BirelART / TM / Birel ART Racing), both penalized twice, could not overcome their distant Qualifying results.
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