With Max Verstappen (CRG / TM) and Patrik Hajek (Praga / Parilla) on the front row, Marco Ardigo (Tony Kart / Vortex) and Jorrit Pex (CRG / TM) on the second, Gary Carlton (Energy / BMB) and Ben Hanley (ART GP / TM) on the third and furious at their heels, the KZ2 final completed the SuperNationals at Las Vegas. Hajek took the lead ahead of Verstappen, Ardigo and Pex with Bas Lammers (Praga / Parilla) in 5th position. Carlton retired.
Verstappen took the lead from lap 2. Starting 11th, Anthony Abbasse (Sodi / TM) was back up to 7th position. Verstappen slowed suddenly, experiencing a mechanical problem and retired on the third lap. Ardigo was leading now with Hajek and Pex in pursuit. Lammers took third position ahead of Pex, Abbasse 5th, Fritz Leesmann (CRG / Maxter) 6th, and Mirko Torsellini (Tony Kart / Vortex) 7th. Dreezen and Hanley also retired.
Lap 7: Abbasse passed Pex and was in fourth, the fastest on the track. He attacked Lammers two laps later to gain 3rd position and continued to improve his times. Hajek, in second was 1.5” from the French driver. Ardigo led by only 3/10 against Hajek. After starting 30th, Armand Convers (Kosmic / Vortex) entered the top 10 at the halfway point. Abbasse again set the best time, he still had 10 laps to get back with Hajek, 1” ahead now, with Ardigo clearly ahead. The attack took place on lap 19 and he passed on the next lap. Now the leader was 1.5” ahead. Convers advanced further to 8th and Gianni Gazzurelli (FA Kart / Vortex) to 11th.
Ardigo won the $ 10,000 winner’s prize for the third time, Abbasse was a magnificent second, third was Hajek from Lammers, Pex 5th, Torsellini 6th and Leesmann 7th. Only 17 drivers finished the race, half of the field. It was shame for Verstappen who had dominated the category since the beginning and had the performance to win in Vegas this year. Great performance by Anthony Abbasse and his Sodi / TM, the fastest in the race.
Info Kartcom with Kartlink / © Photos KSP