Gatorz Challenge of the America's
Gatorz Challenge of the Americas - X-Plex Report
Performance Racing Industry Junior Rotax
Cameron Jocelyn entered this race as the points leader and looked like another driver ready to lock his Gatorz Challenge of the Americas title down. Justin Coplen, with no chance of winning the championship or the trip to the Worlds that came with it, looked ready to leave his mark on the class. He did that, storming to a win in the heat race. Mix in there the fact that Phillip Orcic was running second in the championship, and you had plenty of other fast drivers such as Adrian Starrantino, Mason Marotta, Taylor Miinch, Tyler Wheeler – who took pole – and Jordan Jadallah at the sharp end, and it was easy to see why this race lined the fences more than any other of the day.
Coplen jumped out to the lead of the main while Jocelyn was shuffled back to fourth. He followed Starrantino past Orcic a few laps later, before Starrantino made his way past Coplen and into the lead. Coplen and Jocelyn were putting heavy pressure on Starrantino, bump drafting him down the front straightaway each lap, before Jocelyn pushed Coplen past on the 17th tour.
The battle was on. Jocelyn’s second position would have secured him the championship, but he pushed Coplen hard for two laps before sailing past Coplen into turn two with seven laps remaining. Try as he might, Jocelyn could not get away from Coplen. On the final lap, Coplen drew even with Jocelyn on the inside of the two fast left hand corners through the X-Plex infield. Contact was made and the two went off in a big, big way – each nearly flipping over but thankfully staying rubber side down.
As the dust cleared, Marotta – who had passed Starrantino six laps earlier – drove past to take the win, with Wheeler crossing the line in second and Taylor Miinch, who started last, finishing in third. The ambulance rolled for both Coplen and Jocelyn, who were both shook up but otherwise unhurt.
Performance Racing Industry Junior Rotax
The championship battle brewing between Phillip Orcic and Cameron Jocelyn swung Orcic’s way in qualifying, when he put himself fourth with Jocelyn in seventh. Taylor Miinch took pole, ahead of Justin Coplen and Jordan Jadallah.
Coplen was sent off track in the first lap shuffle of the pre main, letting Miinch run up front with pressure coming from Jadallah and Orcic. Jadallah briefly took the lead but with one lap remaining was knocked back to fifth. Jocelyn had made good progress through the field and applied heavy pressure to Miinch for the win, but Miinch held on. Orcic crossed the line in third.
Which set up one very exciting main. Orcic swooped around Miinch at the start, while Jocelyn demoted Miinch one more position on the next lap. Miinch continued to slip back when Adrian Starrantino passed him and began to push Jocelyn – who was pushing Orcic. While the three began to build a small lead over the battle between Miinch and Jadallah, Justin Coplen was charging from the back. It took him thirteen laps to catch the leading group and move past Miinch for third.
With five laps remaining, Jocelyn drafted past Orcic and Coplen followed. Two laps later, Coplen made the same move happen on Jocelyn into turn two. Jocelyn looked for a way past, but after his big crash with Coplen the day before, was probably happy just to take the checkered flag in second and with it, the class championship – and the trip to the Worlds. Phillip Orcic, still battling, crossed the line in third.
However, Jocelyn’s Rotax engine did not pass tech, resulting in his disqualification. This promoted Orcic to second – and meant he was the class champion, and will be headed to the Grand Finals. Taylor Miinch took third.