Balestri & Apolaro win at Florida Winternats

The 38th annual Florida Winternats were run last weekend in Fort Myers, Florida. The race again attracted a huge number of drivers including some international starts alongside the fastest nitro on-road racers from the U.S.. In 1/8th Open Capricorn driver Dario Balestri, running for his new engine sponsor XRD, took the win some six laps ahead of top qualifier Mike Swauger (Xray/Picco) with Flavio Elias (Mugen/Novarossi) coming in third another three laps down.

1/8th Open result
1. Dario Balestri – 229L 45:04.02
2. Mike Swauger – 223L 43:46.62
3. Flavio Elias – 220L 45:00.02
4. Tony Rice – 217L 45:11.12
5. Marco Vanni – 215L 45:02.84
6. Paolo Morganti – 211L 42:34.72
7. Roniel Regalado – 168L 36:46.02
8. Simon Kurzbuch– 148L 31:33.17
9. Ralph Burch – 38L 7:16.76
10.Vincent Jackson – 27L 5:51.72

In the 1/10th 200mm Sedan class the race was a much closer affair with winner DJ Apolaro, who made for a Capricorn/XRD double at the ’14 Winternats, and runner-up Paolo Morganti (Serpent/Novarossi) being separated by only a lap after the 45 minute A main. Sebastian Recio (Capricorn/Novarossi) grabbed the final podium spot four laps down.

1/10th Sedan result
1. DJ Apolaro – 205L 45:08.63
2. Paolo Morganti – 204L 45:01.87
3. Sebatian Recio – 200L 45:11.87
4. Jian Golobic – 197L 45:00.81
5. Leonardo Varga – 197L 45:01.91
6. Vincent Jackson – 197L 45:04.47
7. Fabrizio Martello – 186L 45:07.41
8. Rino Lino – 169L 43:41.71
9. Mike Swauger – 48L 11:05.88
10.Ralph Burch – 40L 8:48.45

Images: Florida Winternats