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| June 10, 2003 News |
| Redemption For Bowles, Domination For Glover |
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Coverage courtesy of Champ Car Stars of Tomorrow
 | | Jason Bowles celebrates in the ICC podium |
Veteran racer Jason Bowles triumphed in the ICC shifter class Sunday after retiring from the lead in Saturday’s race at the Champ Car Stars of Tomorrow event held at CRE Motorsports COmplex in Calhan, Colo.
Burnaby, British Columbia’s Kevin Glover made it a clean sweep of the ICA class by taking another pole and win Sunday over JM Racing Avanti driver Andrew Alfonso.
The ICC field produced stories and surprises all weekend. Chief among them were Bowles heartbreak and victory as well as Orange, California’s Alan Sciuto’s struggles to get to the front. Sciuto, who is the current hot topic in kart racing after winning and placing second in his first senior shifter races, had a dismal day on Saturday, struggling with setup and finally falling victim to running mid pack with a first lap crash that put him out.
Sunday was a different day for the 15-year-old, as drastic chassis and setup changes resulted in a status quo pole position over the 21 kart field. Teammate Bowles held the second spot with the CRG/TM/MG package, Billy Johnson in the Alex Barron Avanti kart third, Birel drivers Michael Abbate and Nicholas Halen rounding out the top five.
 | | Kevin Glover, ICA winner on Sunday |
While Bowles won the pre-main, Alan Sciuto launched from the standing start for the main and took the lead going into the first turn. It appeared Sciuto was going to pull away but his pursuers, led by Bowles, Johnson, and Halen closed up after several laps. The race was nose-to-tail between the first four positions and the tension was clear both on the track and in the paddock. 16 year old Johnson forced the issue on Bowles just past halfway for second and the subsequent scramble bounced the Team Extreme driver back to fourth, behind Saturday winner Halen.
A few laps later, Johnson, who clearly had speed, was pressing Sciuto. Track space was scarce and Johnson launched over Sciuto, thumping him hard in the back and head.
Johnson’s ride was even more severe, as he barrel-rolled into the infield, quickly emerging from a cloud of dust from his inverted Barron/Avanti seemingly unscathed. Sciuto was forced off course from the contact but quickly got his kart back on track. A red flag was thrown as a precaution since Johnson flipped and had heavy impact to the body. He and Sciuto checked out okay, albeit a bit sore.
In what had to be the quickest exchange of good and bad racing luck in recent memory, Halen assumed the lead after the collision but then suffered a seized motor mere yards after the incident.
According to Stars/CIK regulations, the field was ordered for the restart from the last scored lap before the accident. This remarkably put Sciuto at the front with a bent steering wheel and shift lever. The young driver, known for his coolness under pressure, delivered with a solid restart.
Several drivers found new hope in the red flag, not least being Bowles, who had been in fourth when the accident occurred. Also poised to make a statement were Donald Durbin, Jr. in third and J.D. Howell following.
Bowles would not be denied and was clearly determined to seize the opportunity that developments had presented. With four laps remaining he charged by his teammate to take the lead. Howell had something go wrong and found himself in seventh after the first turn. Durbin faired better and was stuck to the leaders’ bumpers until the finish.
Bowles maintained a slim margin over Sciuto and scored a popular win for a driver that is known for his tenacity.
JM Racing’s Ryan Yop coolly came from 19th position in the main to fourth place at the checkered.
The ICA class was largely a repeat of Saturday as Kevin Glover capped a fabulous weekend with his second ICA win in two days. Glover also scored two ICA poles, and ICC pole on Saturday, and an ICC fifth place finish Sunday.
Andrew Alfonso again finished second, waging a tight points battle with Glover for the championship. Kevin’s brother Chris had his second podium of the weekend and has finished in the top five every race this season.
Clark Sanchez-Figueras once again annihilated the Rotax class for his fourth victory along with four Gatorz Eyewear pole awards
James Kennedy took his second win of the weekend in Junior Superbox as did Billy Scyphers III in 80cc Junior.
Ben Whetstone redeemed himself for Saturday’s wreck in the Grand Products Cadet class to take the victory over Brendan Langlois and Saturday winner Miles Maroney.
The next event for the Champ Car Stars of Tomorrow will be the second Eastern Division race at the Briggs and Stratton Motorplex at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on June 20-22 followed a week later by the Dodge Grand Prix of Windsor in Windsor/Detroit.
For full results, photos, and more information go to http://www.cartstars.com
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