Lopes lifts junior championship
Ryan Lopes clinched the Junior Clone Class (7-12 age group) in dominant fashion during weekend karting action at the Southside Raceway.Lopes took the chequered flag in all of the day’s three heats to lift the championship in style with two race days to spare.However, the same could not be said for the remaining classes which remainl wide open heading down the final stretch.Patrick Ingham, who managed one win last weekend, currently leads the TAG Senior Class by 32 points over nearest rival David Barbosa.Barbosa closed the gap on Ingham after chalking up two wins during the last round of racing at Southside to keep his championship hopes alive.The race for the 125cc Shifter Class championship has also yet to be decided with current leader Alexander Roque holding a 47-point advantage over nearest rival Ben Savill.Scott Barnes was the biggest winner in the 125cc Shifter Class at the weekend with two wins to his credit while Barbosa took the chequered flag in the remaining heat.The Junior Clone Class (12-15 age group) is also poised to go right down to the wire with current leader Amber Lopes holding a 65-point lead over nearest rival Al Seymour Jr.Seymour made further inroads into Lopes’ lead after recording three podium finishes, including victory in the second heat, during the last round of racing in challenging weather conditions.The next race day is slated for April 15 with the final races of the 2012 campaign set for April 29.