Dore Chaponick February Review

Floridian karting pilot seeks victories in final month of winter season

March 9, 2010

Miami, FL - Over the past two months, Dore Chaponick Jr. has been one of the busiest kart racers in North America. The Floridian karting pilot has raced in six major winter season events, in three different classes. This on-track action has kept the driver and team very busy during what is usually considered the slow season. Looking ahead to the month of March, Dore and his mechanic Mike Contreras will compete in back-to-back-to-back weekends to complete the Florida Winter Tour and Championship Karting International Florida Cup schedules.

"It has been a very busy winter season this year," commented the thirteen year-old Chaponick. "With two series and three classes to manage, it has kept me on my toes, but I feel all this action in different classes has helped with my development."

During the previous round of the Florida Winter Tour Formula Kart events, Dore entered the weekend as the point's leader, but after a disastrous weekend, fell back to fourth place in the overall standings. Still within striking distance, and when the drop is factored in, he is considered a favourite. After qualifying second and winning the pre-final in the TaG Junior class, Dore was forced to retire after lap eleven, and take his first DNF of the year in the final. Relinquishing some momentum, he drove from last to fifth in the final on day two. With the FWT flipping the order of the final races, Dore will compete for the FWT TaG Junior championship during the March 26-28 weekend at Ocala Gran Prix.

Also competing in the ultra-competitive Rotax Max Junior class during the FWT Rotax Max Challenge, Dore entered the second round at the Palm Beach International Raceway in twelfth place in points and looking to advance. During race one of the weekend, Dore placed his DFR FA Kart on the outside of row two in the 51-kart class. After staying up front in the pre-final, contact on the start sent him all the way down the order to twenty-eighth when he finally completed lap one. However, he never gave up and when the checkered flag flew, he found himself all the way up to fourteenth. The events on Saturday seemed to upset the kart for Sunday's action, as Dore could only manage to cruise to a thirteenth place finish. Heading into the final weekend on March 19-21 at Ocala Gran Prix, Dore holds on to the tenth place position in the overall points standings and can still move forward with a solid weekend.

The final event in February for the young Chaponick was the CKI Florida Cup being held at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Right in the middle of the point's championship battle, Dore looked to improve from his fourth place standing the Rotax Junior class. In every on-track session, Dore battled up front with the leaders, but in both finals came up just short of the podium with fourth and fifth place finishes respectively. These results allowed him to maintain his fourth place position in the championship standings. The final events for the CKI Florida Cup will take place on March 12-14, and look for Dore to hold nothing back during the weekend's events.

"I really want to thank my mechanic Mike as he has worked really hard this year," said Chaponick following the events at Homestead. "It seems like we have been non-stop since the beginning of January."

Following the Florida Winter Tour and CKI Florida Cup events, Dore's 2010 schedule will include events such as the Rotax Pan American Challenge, US Rotax Summer Shootout, US Rotax Grand Nationals, WSK North American Series and more. All these events will be with the DFR FA Kart Racing Team.

Dore Chaponick Jr. is currently 13 years old and competes for the DFR Alonso Kart Racing Team. He is supported by: Quality Air Contractors, Tax Management Services, Autosports Media Group as well as his Mother and Father in pursuit of a professional racing career. Dore was the 2008 Florida Winter Tour Mini Max Champion. If you would like to follow the FWT events online, visit http://www.floridawintertour.com/fwtlive/2010/.