ANTHONY GANGI JR. EARNS TWO TOP-FIVE FINISHES IN WKA AND NOW TURNS ATTENTION TO US ROTAX NATIONALS
After a whirlwind summer, GT7 Motorsports pilot Anthony Gangi Jr. is ready to take on his biggest karting event to date in 2012. Crisscrossing the eastern US over the past couple of months, Gangi Jr. took in the World Karting Association Manufacturer's Cup KartLift Nationals this past weekend at the Concept Haulers Motor Speedway in Norway, Illinois. Making a quick turnaround after the weekend's activities wrapped, Gangi Jr. and his GT7 Motorsports crew made the three hour trek east to South Bend, Indiana for this week's 2012 Rotax Max Challenge United States Grand Nationals. The busy and talented karter will look to conquer the 11-turn, 0.74-mile Jet Karting of Michiana Raceway Park circuit and improve upon his two top-five finishes earned at this past weekend's WKA action.
Focussing on the Cadet Junior Sportsman division in this year's WKA series, Gangi Jr. would look to turn his string of bad racing luck in the series around while in Illinois. Taking to the track Saturday for the Cadet Final 1, Gangi Jr. would put his GT7/TonyKart in eighth place during the qualifying session. After an aggressive prefinal, Gangi Jr. was forced to start the final from the rear of pack after being classified in 22nd position. Gangi Jr. would however post the fastest lap of the race, and he used that speed to make up lost positions in the final. Tearing through the field, Gangi Jr. went on to a solid fifth place finish when the checkered flag was waived.
Sunday would be a more consistent day for the rising star. Posting sixth in qualifying and maintaining that position for his prefinal result, Gangi Jr. would again post a fifth place finish in the day's final to leave WKA action with two top-five finishes.
With little time to spare, Gangi Jr. and the GT7 Motorsports crew would head directly to South Bend, Indiana for the 2012 Rotax Max Challenge United States Grand Nationals. Gangi Jr. has enjoyed tremendous success in the past two years of the US Rotax Nationals, earning the Micro Max championship title back in 2010 and earning a respectable fourth place finish last year. In 2012, Gangi Jr. will take on a stacked field in the Mini Max category, looking to add yet another US Rotax National title to his ever-growing list of accomplishments.
Gangi Jr. has already been on track for the last three days during the unofficial practice sessions Monday and Tuesday, as well as official practice on Wednesday, August 8. Today will see Gangi Jr. on track for the all-important qualifying session as well as the first of three heats. Friday, August 10 will set the grid for the prefinal after the second and third heats, with the event coming down to Saturday for the prefinal and final, which will decide the 2012 champions. Friends, family and fans can keep tabs on Gangi Jr. by tuning into www.kartracingnetwork.com beginning Thursday, August 9 at 10am Eastern Time for live video broadcasts as well as timing and scoring.
