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Friday, April 25 2008

Shhh. Don’t tell anyone.  I’m going to quietly update this page throughout the weekend and not let anyone know about it. You can go elsewhere if you want results or the sunshine report, here is where you’ll get biased opinion along with the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Why? Because I’ve decided that 2008 is the Year of Fun. I am resolved to start having fun again, and let none stand in my way. Therefore, I’m on the lookout for people having fun, because I’m tired of people acting like their dog just got run over. If you’ve been to a big kart race lately, you know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ve seen happier people at the proctologist.

So here it is, Friday at the Miller Motorsports Park, and I’m cruising the paddock looking for some fun or some dirt to report to you, the insidious fun/dirt-loving reader. You know who you are. But there’s no fun yet (it’s Friday), nor any dirt to be found (yet), other than the sand that keeps gucking up my contact lenses every time the wind blows. I swear, there are only two weather forecasts for any kart track: hot and windy, cold and windy.

My early observations from the event are similar to what I’ve seen from the team principals over last 6-8 months. Mainly, people are on edge. Some of the easiest-going folk in our sport are now often seen with perpetual frowns. People jump on each other’s case for no reason; finanical uncertainty will do that to a fellow, and it’s clear that many people are struggling.

A notable absence from this event are a couple of the bigger players in the industry, as the rumor mill had it in good authority that with only one or two drivers committed to the event, there was no reason to make the haul for one customer. Make of it what you will. I know I’m going to take a ration of shit for saying this, but I think it’s a good thing for some of these businesses to stay home and take care of their local market. I say, good for them.  We all know that there’s usually more money in taking care of your local market than there is in the sexier, feel-good national series.

For that previous paragraph, I’ll probably get a ton of crap for mildly insinuating that people shouldn’t come to a Stars race. Good thing I have a large backyard where I store all such complaints. What I’m really saying is that, in this economy and in this current climate, I think it’s a really good thing for a kart business to support that local customer first and foremost. I understand that there are some teams/businesses whose model is built solely around arrive-and-drives for their national programs, and that’s fine and dandy, too.

I got an opportunity to sit down with Tony Ventresca (First Kart North America) for a few minutes, and I have to say, of all the industry-types I’ve been talking to lately, it seems to me that Tony has a really good grasp on what ails the community and the steps that should be taken to improve it. What I like most about his thoughts of late stem from his willingness to say that, hey, We The Industry have (in part) brought this upon ourselves. Now, what are we gonna do to fix it? Maybe I’ll corner him for an interview this weekend, I think he’s got some good things to say.  

I also chatted with Andrew Alfonso of Trackmagic, and he’s making steady progress on his reinvention of the brand. I laugh at the people who criticized him so heavily for taking his production to Italy; I laugh at those people not because I necessarily agree or disagree with Andrew’s choice, but because these so-called experts aren’t the people putting their money where their mouth is. Think it’s easy to develop and build a chassis here in the States? Do it yourself. So certain that there’s big greenbacks to be earned in producing it here? Then pony up your own money and do it, or just STFU. Walk a mile in the man’s shoes before you open the piehole.

What, you want to know about the racing action? Well, it was Friday, duh, racers just burned sets of tires and some folks run underweight. We’ll talk racing tomorrow, but the early money says that Carlton and Leesmann look mighty strong in ICC, TAG is anyone’s race, and JICA should put on the best show of the weekend. 

- Jeff Franz

Saturday, April 26 2008

10:30 AM - Qualifying for Cadet is underway, we’ll start our live updates once the TAG class hits the tarmac (unless, of course, there are some fireworks in the TAG ICC class, which given the presence of Jose Zanella, Bryan Eady, and Matthew Mair, is always a possibility). We’ll be back at 11:10.

11:10 AM - TAG qualifying is now underway.

11:13 AM -  Frontrunner Jason Toft breaks down before completing a flying lap. His GP is parked, he’ll be starting the heats from the back.

11:14 AM - Neil Alberico and Cody Tracy are one and two so far, Joey Licata in third.

11:17 AM - Joey Wimsett now onto the pole by just 20 thousandths over Andrick Zeen, Chris Scribner in third.

11:25 AM -  Red flag out with one minute to go, TAG qualifying is done. Champion/Intrepid’s Joey Wimsett clocked a 58.507, Andrick Zeen and Chris Scribner, second and third respectively. Red flag was for Joey Licata, Jr., all reports are that driver is fine, looks like it was a brake issue. Short break now while the track crew does some clean-up and barrier work.

11:49 AM - JICA qualifying is now underway. This field is absolutely stacked. Gustavo Menezes, Daniel Formal, Taylor Miinch, Alex Madrigal, Tatiana Calderon, Phil De La O, Miles Maroney, Brendan Phinny, Spencer Pigot, Nick Neri, Tyler Thomas, the list just goes on and on.

11:50 AM - Phinny, Maroney, Neri are the top three, five minutes in.

11:53 AM - De La O, Neri, Phinny, Formal are now the top four, De La O with two tenths in hand. Second through fifth are separated by seven hundredths.

11:59 AM - JICA qualifying is complete. Tony Kart’s Phil De La O is on the pole, followed by Nick Neri, Brendan Phinny, Jordan Jadallah, Gustavo Menezes, Taylor Miinch, Daniel Formal, Alex Madrigal (you go girl).

12:05 PM - ICC qualifying is now underway for their fifteen minute session. Gary Carlton’s pole time from a year ago was a 54.133.

12:10 PM - Most drivers sitting and waiting, Nick Halen first one out, clocks a 55.735. Alex Speed (Trackmagic) and Ron White now pulling out onto the track. Fritz Leesmann climbing into his CRG.

12:15 PM - Getting good now. Speed to the top, then Ron White, then Carlton. Seconds later, Speed went a tenth better to a 54.849, only to have Carlton drop the hammer and unleash a 54.563. Speed holding down second, then Leesmann, Michael Vincec and White.

12:18 PM - Can’t…. type…. fast… enough. Carlton still on top, now Jordy Vorrath to second just a tenth behind. One lap later and Vorrath found some extra, snatching the pole with a 54.520. White, Speed, Leesmann, Carlton all hustling back onto the track to try for one more flier.

12:21 PM - Superb ICC qualifying session is now over. Unofficial, Champion/Intrepid’s Jordy Vorrath holds down the pole, then Carlton, Speed, Cody Jolly showing well in fourth, then Leesmann, Vincec, Scott Rossi, White, Ryan Yop and Clayton Snow rounding out the top ten out of 17 ICC entries. Both Speed and White earned three position penalties for Parc Ferme violations. Lunchbreak… must find food to mooch.

1:45 PM - Round 1 of the heats are now underway. Jose Zanella walked the TAG ICC heat race, with regular TAG up next.

1:54 PM - Green flag for TAG Heat 1, with Chris Scribner and Chris Wehrheim into first and second, polesitter Wimsett down to third.  

1:57 PM - Lap 2, Scribner moving away, Wimsett back into second while Wehrheim got shuffled to fourth, then a lap later Wehrheim moved back into third, Mike Self into fourth.

1:59 PM - Lap 5, Jason Toft making hay while the sun was shining, he was up to tenth by Lap 10 after starting 29th. Up front, Scribner had almost two seconds in hand, Wimsett still in second, Wehrheim still in third.

2:02 PM - Toft’s progress the primary point of interest now (up to eighth), though Cody Tracy was all over Wehrheim for third. Tracy made a move on the white flag lap, Chris snatched it back. Checkered flag for TAG Heat 1, Scribner, Wimsett, Wehrheim, Tracy, and Neil McCoy.

2:15 PM - Having some problems getting the JICA field set, we’re on our fifth parade lap. Off-pole sitter Nick Neri’s Maranello gave up the fight before the green flag even came out, he’ll be watching this one from the infield. Three aborted starts and the polesitter got moved back. Green flag finally and it was Brendan Phinny into the lead.  

2:21 PM - Lap 3, Phinny leading in a huge dogfight with De La O. Behind them, it was Formal and Menezes scrapping over third. But by the end of the lap, De La O was into the lead and looking very strong.

2:24 PM - Alex Madrigal from the Phillipines looking strong now, fastest driver on the track on Lap 5. She was now up to eighth. Menezes was into third and slowly closing on Phinny, while Miles Maroney put a good move on Formal for fourth.  

2:28 PM - Checkered flag for JICA Heat 1, De La O taking a comfortable win, while Phinny successfully did all he could to hold off Menezes for second. Maroney took fourth, followed by Miinch, Madrigal and a fading Formal.

2:35 PM - Standing start as always for the shifter gang, green flag for ICC. Carlton snatched the holeshot to take the lead, though by the end of Lap 1 it was Jordy back into the lead, Carlton apparently missing a shift onto the main straight and lost a handful of spots.

2:37 PM - Speed makes a bold move from fourth to second while Vorrath leads comfortably. Leesmann now into third, with the battle for fourth a real dog fight as White, Carlton, and Yop.

2:40 PM - Lap 6 and Carlton put a move on White by parking his CRG into the far hairpin, and that put Gary into fourth. No changes up front, but Speed was beginning to whittle away at Vorrath’s lead, while Carlton was the fastest man on the track and closing on Leesmann in third. Suddenly though, Lap 9 and Gary was out, looks like a gear problem. A rare DNF for the national champ.

2:44 PM - White and Michael Vincec came together in a battle of uncompromising wills. White spun around and lost a few spots. Suddenly, Speed began to turn up the wick and was less than a half second behind with two laps to go.

2:47 PM - Vorrath wins ICC Heat 1, Speed behind, but Leesmann pulls into the pits with the checkered in site? Did something break? Was it a brain fart? Doesn’t matter, instead of third he’ll finish in the mid-teens, and two of the heavily favored CRGs are suddenly facing poor finishes in the first heat.

2:55 PM - There’s a break between heat races, good time to find a snack. Ray’s Sonoma Valley Racing team seems a good place to start…

3:44 PM - TAG Heat race 2 underway, again Chris Scribner and Chris Wehrheim through into first and second, Wimsett shuffled to third. Pure madness behind them.

3:50 PM - Wimsett in trouble, fading fast and losing places like panties on prom night. Scribner and Wehrheim up front, Pat Ianucci in third, Neil Alberico and Neil McCoy in fourth and fifth. Scribner having it all his own way, while the battle for second is tightening up.

3:55 PM - TAG Heat race 2 complete, Scribner taking a dominant win, Wehrheim playing wingman, McCoy now up to third, while Mike Self took fourth and Ianucci in fifth. The first laps of these heats are good fun madness, but everyone’s mostly spread out by the end of these 10 lap heats on a .9 mile track.

4:02 PM - It’s kinda muggy here in the Timing and Scoring tower, did Howden break wind? Hard to tell. Seriously, Rob’s on the mic doing a great job as always. JICA Heat race 2 underway, De La O out to the lead but off-pole sitter Neri had more adventure and got run unmercilessly straight off the road heading into Turn 1. He never had a chance, and most of the train went by. Neri rejoined in 20th.

4:08 PM - De La O leading comfortably now at halfway, Menezes moved around Phinny into second. Miinch into fourth, Formal in fifth.  

4:12 PM - Checkered flag for JICA Heat 2, De La O in complete control, Menezes a quiet run to second, while Miinch made a great pass for third just corners from the finish, Phinny forced to settle for fourth. Alex Madrigal rounded out the top five, while Neri rebounded to finish tenth.

4:26 PM - ICC Heat race 2 now underway, with Carlton again getting the holeshot; he would lead into Turn 1. Leesmann also got a good start and demoted Vorrath to third, but Jordy took it back a lap later.

4:32 PM - Carlton all alone up front, Vorrath quietly holding down second, Leesmann in third, while Speed in fourth, Vincec in fifth, Yop in sixth. Gary threw down fast lap with two to go. That’s how they would finish, and that wraps the day’s on-track action.

Sunday, April 27 2008

10:24 AM - Damn bakery was a bit slow in getting my blueberry muffin nice and toasty, so I’ve arrived just in time to miss the last Cadet heat race. I weep.

10:29 AM - A little bit different action out in the third heat race for TAG; Chris Wehrheim couldn’t get his motor started, while Chris Scribner finally looked vulnerable once the green flew. He took the lead from polesitter Joey Wimsett for the third consecutive time, but then came under fire when Pat Ianucci took the lead and held it until the finish. Scribner had to work hard to fight off the advances of Andrick Zeen; they’d finish second and third respectively.

10:36 AM - JICA Heat race 3 had a bit of a snafu, as the green flew even though off-polesitter Nick Neri was about five kart lengths ahead of polesitter Phil De La O, who then had the further insult of being run off the track in Turn 1. Stars officials quickly realized the error and threw a full course yellow and regridded everyone, with De La O getting refired and assuming his spot on the pole once more.

10:38 AM - We’ve got a green flag now! De La O into the lead, followed by Brendan Phinny, Gustavo Menezes third, Neri down to fourth, Miles Maroney in fifth to complete Lap 1.  

10:43 AM - Four laps in and Phinny lost second to Menezes and then third to Neri. Alex Madrigal has continued her consistent form, holding station in fifth. One lap later and Menezes was through into the lead, demoting De La O to second.

10:48 AM -  Checkered flag, Menezes held off a late De La O charge, Neri finished third, while Madrigal worked her way into fourth and Miinch rounded out the top five.

10:54 AM - ICC Heat race 3 underway. Great start for Jordy Vorrath this time, Fritz Leesmann into second, Cody Jolly into third, Vincec to fourth into Turn 1. Bad start for Gary Carlton, who slipped from off-pole down to fifth.

10:58 AM - Five laps in, still Vorrath up front, Leesmann in second, Carlton now rebounding and into third. Behind them it was Jolly, Vincec, and Alex Speed. One lap later and Gary was past Leesmann and into third, halfway through.

11:02: AM - Lap 9 and Carlton was through into the lead, and while Vorrath just needed to finish second in order to earn the pole for the main, Jordy’s motor was looking a bit sluggish on earlier laps and sure enough, his motor let go that same lap on the long front straight.   

11:06 AM -  Carlton, bad start and all, walked away from the rest. Leesmann finished second, then Vincec, Jolly, and Ron White. With Carlton, Vorrath, and Leesmann all with poor heat race finishes, that puts Michael Vincec and Alex Speed on the front row for both of the afternoon mains. Carlton will start from the second row, and right now unless he encounters problems, he clearly looks like the favorite. Early lunch break right now.

12:47 PM - First round of mains are underway, woot, we finally got racing that counts. Cadet has just wrapped up…

CADET RESULTS - MAIN 1

1. Trent Hindman 2. Andrew Murray 3. Broc Yocom 4. Riley Reyes 5. Jake Craig 6. Jonny Norris 7. Michael Womack 8. Luis Tyrrell 9. Santino Ferrucci 10. Mason Chelootz.

TAG ICC is almost complete, Bryan Eady is leading comfortably over Matthew Mair, while polesitter Jose Zanella has slipped to fifth.

12:51 PM -  TAG ICC RESULTS - MAIN 1

1. Bryan Eady 2. Matthew Mair 3. Michael Hogg  4. Don McGregor 5.  Jose Zanella

1:01 PM - TAG MAIN 1 underway, first lap and it’s Chris Scribner at the point, followed by Michael Self, Cody Tracy, Joey Wimsett, and Chris Wehrheim.

1:05 PM - Lap 3, local boy Self now into the lead, Scribner, then Wimsett and Ianucci. Two laps later and Wimsett into the lead and looking strong. Scribner, Self, Tracy and Ianucci in hot pursuit.

1:09 PM - Lap 8 and Wimsett’s Champion/Intrepid is looking comfortable with about a half second lead, while Self has demoted Scribner to third, with Cody Tracy applying tons of heat to Scribner as well. Scribner looked near-invincible in the heats but so far the main has told a different tale.

1:12 PM - Top five have stabilized with Wimsett’s lead now a full second, but second through fifth are running nose to tail… but no passing among them with five laps to go. Fast forward to the white flag, SUPERB last lap pass by Ianucci to steal third place and the final podium spot from Scribner.

1:17 PM - TAG RESULTS - MAIN 1

1. Joey Wimsett 2. Michael Self 3. Pat Ianucci 4. Chris Scribner  5. Cody Tracy 6. Troy Diede 7. Andrick Zeen 8. Jason Toft 9. Colin Katzakian 10. Joe Paterson.

1:30 PM - JICA MAIN 1 about to go green, and I’ll be surprised if it’s anyone other than Phil De La O or Gustavo Menezes, the Tonys are lookin’ fast.

1:31 PM - Green flag, De La O into the lead, Menezes in hot pursuit, Phinny, Timmy Bachman, Spencer Pigot, Daniel Formal after two laps.

1:32 PM - Lap 3 and the top three are already 30 kart lengths ahead of the field. Daniel Formal finding some real pace for the first time this weekend, he’s now into fourth.

1:35 PM -  Lap 7 and no changes in the top three, but the leading trio are whuppin’ the rest, and are now five seconds clear of Formal in fourth spot. Bobby Runyan trying to put some heat on Formal, then Bachman and Madrigal.

1:39 PM -  Still no changes at the front, as De La O has begun to inch away from Menezes, who in turn has put some daylight between himself and Phinny. Madrigal is now up to sixth, the girl from the Phillippines doing very well. This class had promised to be a real show, but things are spreading out fast and not much action in the top six.

1:45 PM - JICA RESULTS - MAIN 1

1. Phil De La O 2. Gustavo Menezes 3. Brendan Phinny 4. Alex Madrigal 5. Bobby Runyan 6. Daniel Formal 7. Brett Felkins 8. Nick Neri 9. Miles Maroney 10. James Sullivan.

1:55 PM - ICC MAIN 1 now gridding up, with Michael Vincec on the pole alongside Alex Speed, then Jordy Vorrath and Gary Carlton. Green flag, Vorrath gets a great start around a sluggish Vincec. First corner it’s Vorrath, Speed, Carlton, Vincec and Leesmann.

1:58 PM -  Lap 3, Vorrath sets fastest lap so far and gapping Speed a bit, who’s now feeling the heat from Carlton in third. Another gap to Leesmann, Vincec, Josh Schreiber and Ron White.

2:01 PM - Speed now holding up Carlton a bit, much to Vorrath’s delight. Lap 6 and Gary had had enough and was into second, taking up the charge to close the one second gap to the leader. Behind them, Speed settled into third, still followed by Leesmann and Vincec and now White. Speed clearly fighting the handling of his Trackmagic, the kid’s really pedalling right now. Alex just missed stuffing it into the barriers on the exit of Turn 8.

2:04 PM - Now at halfway, things are mostly spreading out. Still Vorrath, Carlton, Speed, Leesmann, and Vincec. Carlton is whittling away at Jordy’s lead, but right now at only about a tenth of a second a lap, and that ain’t gonna cut it. Vorrath and Gary are now swapping fast lap times. We’ll see how the second half shakes out, as Gary’s CRG is usually awful quick as the race goes on…..

2:06 PM - Carlton just uncorked a 54.492 and clipped four tenths out of Jordy’s lead, then another three tenths the following lap. The gap is down to half a second.   

2:08 PM - And just like that, Carlton ripped off another flier and made his move for the lead at the end of the main straight on Lap 15. He’s already pulled out a two kart length advantage… Behind them it’s a bit of a snoozer, as Leesmann just demoted Speed to fourth, Vincec still in fifth.

2:12 PM - Two laps to go, and Vorrath will not go quietly. It’s a real valiant effort by Jordy to keep pace with Carlton, who’s now got a half second in hand.  Jordy just set his personal best of the race, but even that’s a tenth slower than Gary’s lap.

2:15 PM - ICC RESULTS - MAIN 1

1. Gary Carlton 2. Jordy Vorrath 3. Fritz Leesmann 4. Alex Speed 5. Michael Vincec 6. Josh Schreiber 7. Cody Jolly 8. Jacob Neal 9. Scott Rossi 10. Jess Peterson.

2:24 PM - ICC podium and it looks like someone shot Gary’s dog. I’ll be having him words with him and reminding him that this is the Year of Fun, especially when you win the bloody race. Second round of mains are starting up, but I’m taking a break during the Cadet main. I should be back around 3:10 PM local Utah time.

2:59 PM - Well lookey here, I’m back a little bit early. You might have to get by without the full results from Cadet Main 2; all I know is that Trent Hindman won again. TAG ICC MAIN 2 is now underway, with Eady, Zanella and Michael Hogg running nose to tail after six laps.

3:03 PM - Top three unchanged, with Eady having about two kart lengths in hand over Zanella who has a similar gap over Hogg. Zanella just threw down fast lap of the race, six laps to go.  

3:05 PM - Eady and Zanella now bumper to bumper, and everyone’s hoping for some fireworks. There’s no love lost between these two drivers, who clashed on the Florida Winter Tour and the opening Stars race at Ocala. Two to go.  

3:09 PM - TAG ICC RESULTS - MAIN 2

1. Bryan Eady 2. Jose Zanella 3. Michael Hogg 4. Matthew Mair 5. Don McGregor 6. Devon Sandeen 7. Greg Welch 8. Jonathan Vitolo 9. Max Riddle 10. Guy who wasn’t even running so I’m not gonna mention him. Jeff’s World: you must finish the race to merit me typing out your name.

3:19 PM - Ooops, getting ahead of myself, I must be thinking about the end of the day. It’s TAG up next, not JICA. Drat.

3:24 PM - TAG MAIN 2 just went green, and Howden called it ”a dusty Turn 1.” Good call. Some guys went off into the kitty litter, but up front on Lap 1 it’s Scribner, Self, Tracy, Wimsett and McCoy. 

3:26 PM - Michael Self grabbed the lead from Scribner on Lap 3, then Wimsett also demoted Scribner, who seems to be struggling early.  

3:30 PM - Self and Wimsett have now distanced themselves from the field, and Wimsett is reeeeeling in the leader. Joey made an ill-advised look down the inside into 13, everyone behaved and Self still leads, Wimsett got away with that one.  

3:33 PM - A lap later and Wimsett is into the lead, Self hanging on best he can. Neil McCoy just lost third to Ianucci, while Scribner holds down fifth.  

3:36 PM - Two to go, and the Wimsett/Self duo are a good two seconds up the road from Ianucci. As easily as Wimsett caught and passed Self, Michael hasn’t given up. Ianucci is all alone in third, McCoy alone in fourth, Wehrheim now into fifth, Cody Tracy in sixth, Scribner now to seventh.  

3:39 PM - TAG RESULTS - MAIN 2

1. Joey Wimsett 2. Michael Self 3. Pat Ianucci 4. Neil McCoy 5. Chris Wehrheim 6. Cody Tracy 7. Chris Scribner 8. Troy Diede 9. Neil Alberico 10. Cody Diede. 

3:52 PM - JICA MAIN 2 about to get underway, the starts for this class have been an adventure all weekend. After watching the first main, I don’t see anyone having the answer for the Tony Karts of De La O and Menezes.

3:55 PM - Two aborted starts so far…  finally get the green, and a spinning kart at the start cleans out a corner worker, who mostly Kobe’d over the wayward kart. Worker looks okay, it’s just a flesh wound. On the track, De La O out front, then Phinny, Menezes, and Miinch.

4:00 PM -  Status quo at the front now on Lap 5, De La O and Menezes nose to tail. Madrigal up to third, with Phinny and Miinch in fourth and fifth. The media types in the scoring tower are wondering if a woman has ever podiumed at a Stars race before (at least in a class that counted).

4:03 PM - Phinny, ever the chauvinist, decided he would have no part of letting Madrigal make history, and took third from her on Lap 6. Five corners later and Alex went back around into third, Phinny quickly losing another spot to Miinch, while Menezes was beginning to have some looks at the leader De La O.

4:07 PM - De La O and Menezes are now three seconds ahead of third placed Madrigal, now working 12 of 16. Alex is clear of Miinch and Phinny who are having a spirited dice for fourth.  

4:09 PM - Problem for De La O? He had a half second lead with two to go and suddenly Gustavo is through and into the lead. Phil’s lap time was two seconds slower than his previous one, he’s back on the pace now but it’s too late to rally! Menezes takes the win and behind them, Phinny makes a last lap pass on Madrigal to deny her the podium spot. Chivalry is officially dead.

4:12 PM - JICA RESULTS - MAIN 2

1. Gustavo Menezes 2. Phi De La O 3. Brendan Phinny 4. Alex Madrigal 5. Taylor Miinch 6. Timmy Bachman 7. Bobby Runyan 8. Sage Karam 9. Miles Maroney 10. Brett Felkins.

4:24 PM - ICC MAIN 2 underway, there’s a wreck in Turn 1 though. Looks Ron White, Alex Speed and Michael Vincec, with Speed and Vincec done for the day. Another great start for Vorrath, he leads from Carlton, Ryan Yop and Cody Jolly.  Carlton is lucky to still be in this, he got run over up the back at that mess in Turn 1.

4:26 PM - Vorrath and Carlton at each other’s throats, it’s tooth and nail and no love lost, these two wrecked each other at this track a year ago! Lap 5 and Carlton grabs the lead, now Yop on their tail as well. Jordy tried coming back in Turn 12, minor contact but Carlton still leads.

4:31 PM - Carlton sets fast lap of the race, but he’s only got two kart lengths on Jordy. These two are VERY closely matched right now. Yop is holding down third but isn’t part of the equation, behind him it’s Jolly and Jacob Neal in fifth.

4:35 PM - Just past halfway, and as before, here is where Carlton and his CRG really seem to shine. Gary’s pulled out almost a full second over Vorrath, Yop another second back, with Jolly slowly closing up on third spot. Neal still in fifth, then Scott Rossi and Nick Halen.

4:38 PM - This one’s turned into a snooze fest. I’m going to Zalud with my master plan on how to make these mains more exciting. It involves one hand grenade per driver and water balloons filled with oil. Top seven are the same.

4:42 PM - ICC RESULTS - MAIN 2

1. Gary Carlton 2. Jordy Vorrath 3. Ryan Yop 4. Cody Jolly 5. Jacob Neal 6. Scott Rossi 7. Fritz Leesmann 8. Ron White 9. Nick Halen 10. Nick Boulle.

5:10 PM - That will do it from here. Carlton was much happier this time around, Jordy now has four runner-up finishes in Stars competition this year, he’s sooo close to getting it done. I’ll probably give some after-event thoughts later tonight or tomorrow.

Monday, April 28 2008

I had the opportunity to chat with Paul Zalud for about five minutes after the conclusion of Sunday’s racing. While I chose not to hit him with my aforementioned plan on how to make the racing more exciting, we did talk about both his series and my mag and where we’re headed for the coming year, both playing to our strengths while addressing our shortcomings.

All in all, the Miller event was pretty good. I continue to praise the logistics and operations staff of Stars of Karting, as they’re second to none in North America. Their track staff kept a close eye on the racing and made the right calls, near as I could tell.

You’re all waiting for the “but” paragraph. I’m going to refrain from that this time around, because I want to see what happens in New Castle for the East-West combined event. I thought Stars’ Ocala turnout was decent enough (given the cancellation of ICA), but Miller was down to about 100 entries. The challenges of running a national series in the current economic climate (recession, dollar-euro, gas prices) means that it’s bound to be a tough 2008; we’ll have a better idea of where this series is headed after the New Castle event, methinks.

Until then, have some fun, people.

- Jeff Franz

  

This entry was posted on Monday, April 28th, 2008 at 8:54 pm.