Race Report
May 13, 2006
Track – Reverse Sprint Course Configuration Russell Kart Track Infineon Raceway Complex Sonoma, CA
It was a suiting 80 degrees when we pulled into the paddock for the third race of the Yokohama-Tag Saturday Series. This race would feature the reverse-sprint track configuration. Although we had almost no time on this configuration, we were ready to give it our best.
Before we knew it, it was time for the first practice session. We were looking forward to the practice sessions a great deal, since we didn’t get a lot of practice time. Unfortunately the air box fell off on the second lap, forcing us to bring the Lemans Karting #67 Birel into the pits. By the time we got the air box back on, the white flag was waving so we had to look to the second practice session for our chance to get acclimated to the track.
By the time the second practice session was under way, it was pushing 90 degrees and sweat was starting to build up under my helmet. We were running strong and felt confident that we would qualify well.
After finding a better mechanism to secure down the air box, it was time to qualify. We used the first two laps to scrub our new set of Bridgestone YHC racing tires, and then planned to use the last three laps to get that one fast lap time. Our plan soon failed as we came up behind lap traffic. After I got by the lap traffic, there was only one lap left. Although we were held up for two laps, I still felt that my last lap was enough to get us up somewhere in the front of the pack. We ended up qualifying off pole, which was good considering we got held up in qualifying.
Starting off pole in the pre-final was going to interesting. In the first corner I got freight-trained and ended up in third. Lap after lap the order was the same, Ostrowski leading, Moon in second, and the Lemans Karting #67 in third. I was right on Moon’s tail, and finally got a run on him coming out of tic-tac-toe. I kept it going down the chute, and stuck it in and made the pass. So we finished second in the pre-final, and again would start off pole for the final.
As the day got a little cooler it was time to re-think our tire pressures. So we made a change and got ready for the final. Again we got freight-trained on the start, which put me back to third. Although the top three was the same, there was a different spin to this race now Lewis’s number 66 was right behind me. So there were 4 karts running nose to tail all fighting each other for position. So there was Moon trying to pass Ostrowski for the lead, while I was trying to pass Moon for second, while Lewis was trying to pass me for third. It was a great battle.
In the end Moon passed Ostrowski for the lead, and I held off Lewis for third. So the end result was our first podium finish in this series.