The karting status of Devlin DeFrancesco changed drastically on Sunday as he added the title of Canadian National Karting Champion to his growing resume. The nine-year-old swept his way through racing en route to the title, but the road to the podium was anything but easy.

In the five day event at Goodwood Kartways just outside Toronto, Ontario, DeFrancesco and his Alonso Kart USA team began with practice days on Wednesday and Thursday. It marked the first time the full Alonso Kart paddock operation was on hand in Canada, and sent notice through the pit that the team meant business. Team Manager and Driving Coach Bobby Wilson was on hand, as was Ben Cruttenden of famed Supertune Rotax Racing Engines. The trio gradually worked toward the front in practice, and were definitely set to contend when race action began on Friday.

DeFrancesco set his best time of the weekend to qualify off-pole, just pipped by Gabriel Amaral on the last lap of the session. The pair were separated by just 0.040 seconds, and it was a definite sign of things to come. Joined by Allan Moreau in Friday’s Heat 1, the trio had an incredible race. Amaral held the lead at the start but DeFrancesco dove to the inside the first time through turn five. Moreau followed him through, and the trio raced the distance nose-to-tail, all three karts taking the checker in less than a half-second. Showing the depth of the field, none of the trio had fast lap of the race, that stat went to Tyler Ripani in fifth.

Saturday brought the remaining heat racing, and for the fourth straight day the competitors were blessed with a dry track and sunny skies. DeFrancesco took the lead from off-pole the second time around, only to have Amaral take it back through laps two and three. The Alonso Kart driver countered in turn five on the next lap, and once again held to the checker, this time chased by Amaral and Moreau. The trio again crossed within a half-second of each other, and once again none had the fastest lap which belonged to Austin Riley in fourth. Heat Three was the first time DeFrancesco ran flag-to-flag, this time winning by just under a half-second from Amaral with Jakob Sevigny becoming the third different driver to set a fast lap of the race.

Sunday morning brought a whole new set of circumstances to the paddock as the track was draped in fog and rain showered the facility before prefinals. The eight-lap Micro-Max run turned into a battle between DeFrancesco and Riley, the Alonso Kart sticking to the wet racing line while Riley tested the dry line and made a charge to the front. Riley set the fastest lap, and the pair were side-by-side multiple times before DeFrancesco emerged with pole for the national final.

The sun had returned to the sky as DeFrancesco held from pole, but racing toward turn four he found himself side-by-side with Amaral who had come forward from fourth on the grid in just two corners. As DeFrancesco held firm on the inside the pair touched wheels leading to the left-hander, DeFrancesco making the turn while Amaral went spinning. It would prove the most serious challenge for the lead, as from there DeFrancesco proceeded to check out on the field as he lapped with hypnotic consistency and set his fastest lap of the race on nineteen of twenty. He also owned the fastest lap in the field for the first time, and as he took the checkered flag he was ten seconds clear and the new Canadian National Champion.