Pro Karting - Giebler Racing Enters Menezes, Morales, Daughters, Gildin In Rotax Max Challenge At PBIR

Phil PALM BEACH, Jan. 10, 2012: Gustavo Menezes, Nicolas Morales, Mason Daughters and Felipe Gildin will drive for Phil Giebler Racing in the opening round of the Florida Winter Tour’s Rotax Max Challenge at Palm Beach International Raceway’s .8-mile karting track Thursday through Saturday (Jan. 12-14).

Menezes, of Coto de Caza, Calif., Morales, from Colombia, and Daughters, of Polo, Mo., will compete in Rotax Senior. Gildin, from Brazil, is in Rotax Junior.

“I think we have a great shot of running up front in both classes,” Giebler said. “Gustavo hasn’t been karting much lately, but I am sure he will be able to quickly adapt and get with the program. Nicolas will be strong as well. He has already proven he can run at the front in this level of competition and even thought it’s his first time running with our team, he is very familiar with the Fernando Alonso/Tony Kart chassis.

“This will be the first senior event for Mason and he will be the youngest (14 years old) in the class. He will be learning a lot during the first part of the year. The competition level is very high and although it will be an intense weekend, I think he can surprise a lot of people despite his age and limited experience Felipe showed a lot of promise in the (Superkarts! USA) SuperNationals with us in November, but he had some bad luck and didn’t finish. He is eager to learn and has a lot of determination. I think he will be challenging for podiums throughout the Florida Winter Tour Series.”

The 17-year-old Menezes has won multiple national championships in karting and was a factory driver for the famed Italian Tony Kart team for four seasons in Europe. He was eighth in the Star Mazda championship in 2011 and has signed with Team Pelfrey for a second Star Mazda season in 2012.

Morales finished 10th in TaG Senior feature in the prestigious SuperNationals last November Daughters is a development driver for Level 5 Motorsports, a sports car team that competes in multiple series worldwide, and finished 17th in the TaG Junior feature in the SuperNationals. Gildin made the feature in TaG Junior in the SuperNationals, but didn’t finish.

Owned by the 2007 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, Phil Giebler Racing is based in Orange, Calif., and competes nationally at the highest level of karting in the United States. Giebler is a resident of Huntington Beach, Calif.