Another RMC Winter Trophy has come and gone, and once again it delivered two outstanding weeks of racing against some of the strongest competition we’ll see all year. The event is always a key benchmark for our drivers—an early-season test that sets the tone heading into the 2026 campaign.
The RMC Winter Trophy took place at SpeedSportz Raceway in Texas and featured a four-race championship format with one drop allowed. RMC Grand Finals tickets were on the line for the champions in each class, adding even more intensity to an already stacked field.
Week 1 was defined by soaking wet conditions and challenging weather. Week 2, while still cold, at least brought dry track conditions. Due to storms forecasted for the first weekend, Race 2 was postponed and run during Week 2, making the final week a busy one with three full days of racing to decide the championships.
If you missed our Week 1 recap, you can catch up here:
https://primepowerteam.com/rmc-winter-trophy-round-1-recap/
Mini Max – James Roots Dominates
We’ll start with the Mini Max class, where James Roots was simply on another level.
Across the two weeks of racing, James put his kart on pole in all four qualifying sessions and was nearly untouchable throughout the event. He followed up his Race 1 win with victories in Races 2 and 3, along with Pre-Final wins in Races 3 and 4. The only blemish on an otherwise flawless record came in the Pre-Final of Race 2, where contact pushed him wide and dropped him down the order.
That setback set the stage for one of the standout drives of the entire event. Starting P9 in the Final, James carved his way through the field with what can only be described as effortless overtakes, ultimately taking the win and reminding everyone exactly why he’s considered one of the top Mini drivers in the field. Over the course of the two weeks, the kart looked like it was on rails, and James’ smooth, controlled driving allowed him to open up commanding gaps at the front.
With three straight wins and one drop allowed under the championship format, James had already secured the title heading into the final race. He chose to start the race, led the field to green, opened a small gap—and then, on lap two, pulled into the pits to watch the remainder of the race unfold from the sidelines.
A classy move from a classy competitor.
James claimed the Mini Max RMC Winter Trophy Championship along with a ticket to the RMC Grand Finals in Portugal, where he will represent Team UK. This marks Prime Powerteam’s first Grand Finals ticket of the year, and with the depth of talent across our roster, it won’t be the last.
Strong Performances from Lincoln and Valuable Lessons for Mateo
Lincoln Lima showed excellent progress throughout the event and really found his form in Race 4. He qualified P2, raced strongly all day, and capped it off with a podium finish in the Mini field. Lincoln also impressed in the Micro class during Race 4, narrowly missing the podium with a P4 finish.
The Winter Trophy didn’t start the way Lincoln hoped, as early contact in the opening races put him on the back foot, but his response in Race 4 showed exactly what he’s capable of. He leaves Texas with confidence, momentum, and a clear focus on the upcoming Canadian season as he continues to establish himself as a premier Mini driver.
Mateo’s Winter Trophy was a bit of a disappointment by his own standards. After a dominant Canadian season last year, he never quite found the pace he was looking for in Texas. Whether it came down to track characteristics, early-season rust, or simply a tough couple of weekends, there’s no cause for concern. Interestingly, last year’s Winter Trophy played out in a similar fashion for Mateo, and we all know what followed—strong pace, sharp racecraft, and excellent results throughout the remainder of the season. We’re fully confident the same story will unfold again in 2026.
Junior Max – Speed, Depth, and Hard Racing
Our Junior Max lineup featured three strong drivers, including one joining us from the UK alongside two of our regular team drivers.
Aidan Hammond led the charge. With qualifying for Race 2 set during Week 1 (Aidan on pole), Friday became Aidan’s opportunity to shine. Powered by Aurum Racing Engines and a perfectly dialed-in OTK Red Speed chassis, Aidan delivered a dominant performance—winning both the Pre-Final and Final and taking the victory by an impressive 13-second margin. It was a clear statement that he belongs at the very front of the Junior field.
Race 3 qualifying was another highlight, with all three Prime drivers working together on track and qualifying 3rd (Hammond), 4th (Chassé), and 6th (Cabral). The Pre-Final was tough, but all three stayed inside the top ten, finishing 6th, 8th, and 9th and setting themselves up for an all-out Final.
That Final turned into an elbows-out battle, with the top seven drivers separated by just one second. Chassé delivered a standout drive, narrowly missing the podium in 4th and proving she has the pace and racecraft to be a serious contender anywhere. Hammond brought it home in 10th, with Ava Cabral close behind in 11th—solid results in one of the most competitive races of the event.
Race 4 was just as intense. Hammond qualified P3 in a session where the top 20 drivers were separated by less than a second. Chassé secured P8, while Cabral’s P20 didn’t reflect her true pace. The Pre-Final saw Hammond maintain P3, Chassé hold P8, and Cabral make up five positions.
The Final was exactly what we expected—multiple lead changes, constant battles through the pack, and a flurry of penalties for contact and pushback bumpers. When the dust settled, Hammond finished P8, Chassé P10, and Cabral, after early contact, mounted a strong recovery drive to finish P23.
Across the two weeks, all of our Junior drivers showed strong pace, resilience, and growth. The experience gained in Texas will pay dividends back home, and we fully expect Chassé and Cabral to be contenders throughout the Canadian season.
Senior Max and DD2 – Momentum Built Late
Week 1 was a forgettable one for our Senior drivers, but the turnaround in Week 2 was noticeable from the very first session.
In the Pre-Final for Race 2, Ryan Maxwell charged from P11 to P6, while Arnaud Sabourin moved from P12 to P8 in a stacked field. Ryan held P6 in the Final, while Arnaud slipped back to 14th.
Race 3 started strong with Maxwell qualifying P5 and Sabourin P11. Ryan gained another position in the Pre-Final to start the Final in P4, but the Final didn’t quite go to plan, with Maxwell finishing P9 and Sabourin P16. Despite that, it was clear the package was coming together.
On the final day, Ryan Maxwell saved his best for last. After a quiet qualifying and Pre-Final, he delivered when it mattered most, finishing P3 in the Final and securing his first podium of the year. It’s a result that sets the tone for what we expect to be a strong 2026 season.
Arnaud’s week in Senior Max didn’t reflect his true pace, but off weeks happen in motorsport. In DD2, he showed steady development and consistency, finishing solidly in the midfield while continuing to build race experience.
Texas Tally – RMC Winter Trophy
Across two weeks of racing at SpeedSportz Raceway, the Prime Powerteam program delivered a strong start to the 2026 season. Against deep international fields and constantly evolving conditions, our drivers and equipment performed at a very high level.
Final tally from Texas:
- 4 race wins
- 5 pole positions
- 6 podium finishes
- 1 RMC Winter Trophy championship
Looking Ahead
Overall, the RMC Winter Trophy was an excellent way to kick off our 2026 campaign. Our Mini and Micro drivers performed exceptionally well on Birel ART machinery, while the majority of our Junior and Senior drivers ran OTK chassis. Across both platforms, we picked up race wins and podium finishes.
Behind it all, Aurum Racing Engines proved to be a major performance advantage, delivering competitive power throughout the field and giving our drivers the confidence to race at the front.
We’re proud of the effort, the results, and the progress shown across all classes—and we can’t wait to get back on track as the season continues.
