DORE CHAPONICK JR. SHOWS SPEED AT WET PAN AMERICAN CHALLENGE EVENT

"Heat race win and two fast laps highlight Pan Am Championship event"

September 29, 2011

Miami, Florida - September 29, 2011 - 2010 Pan American Challenge Rotax Junior Vice-Champion Dore Chaponick Jr. headed to the New Castle Motorsports Park in New Castle, Indiana this past weekend for the 2011 edition of the international series. A new format for 2011 would see Sunday’s final race winner take claim to the overall championship, and the 14-year-old pilot had his sights set on adding another title to his already impressive resume.

Quick right out of the box, Chaponick Jr. and his DeFrancesco Racing crew went second fast during Friday’s first non-qualifying practice session. Utilizing the final two practice sessions to make adjustments to his FA Kart chassis and coming to grips with the cool and damp conditions at the 17-turn, one-mile circuit, Chaponick Jr. would end the first official day of competition with a solid seventh place qualifying time in the stacked Junior Max field.

Saturday would see the young talent back on track for three heat races, which would set the grid for the prefinal race on “Championship Sunday.” The first heat got underway with a slight drizzle falling on the track, with Chaponick Jr. slotting into the second place at the drop of the green. The DRF pilot would take over the lead working lap five, and once clear he was untouchable, cruising to a two second lead and posting fast lap in the process. As the track dried for the second heat, Chaponick Jr. posted a second strong result with a fifth place finish. Trouble would ensue for the 2011 Florida Winter Tour Rotax Junior champion in the final heat however, as a DNF relegated him to the 25th position. Despite his unfortunate third heat result, Chaponick Jr. would be classified in the fifth place after the heat points were calculated.

Rain would fall the entire day on Sunday, making the track precariously slippery. Chaponick Jr. was up to the task and proved he was strong in the rain the previous day. Starting on the inside third row for the 12-lap prefinal race, Chaponick Jr. fell down the running order at the drop of the green as karts spun and slid through the first corner. Battling his way back through the melee, the FA Kart pilot would finish the race in the 11th position.

As conditions continued to deteriorate, Chaponick Jr. looked strong at the start of the 16-lap final race. Laying it all on the line, the rising talent didn’t hold back as he catapulted up to the third place by the mid-point of the first lap! Running in third for two more laps, Chaponick Jr. would be relegated to 11th battling the slick track and stiff competition. Continuing to lose positions, Chaponick Jr. would ultimately retire on lap nine. The DNF would classify him in the 24th place, not the result he had hoped for, but Chaponick Jr. still impressed as he posted the fastest lap of the race by two and a half seconds.

“Suffering a DNF in the final is definitely a disappointment. I had the speed to run at the front, but racing in the rain is always a challenge and you never know what to expect,” stated a defeated Chaponick Jr. after the event. “As always, the entire DFR crew was fantastic, and I wish I could have given them a better result. I would like to thank my mechanic and mentor Mike, my mom and dad, everyone under the tent at DFR and all my supporters. Also, congratulations to my teammate Devlin DeFrancesco on his Mini Max championship.”

For more information on Dore Chaponick Jr., please visit his website www.DoreChaponick.com.