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| July 02, 2005 News |
| EKN Trackside: Stars East #3 - Jacksonville Saturday Report |
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 | Kyle Wiegand scores his first major of the year
(Photo: Todd McCall - otp.ca) |
Weather was the major player at the 103rd Street Sports Complex today as the storyline of the third round of the Stars of Karting Eastern Championship was molded by the heat, the humidity and, eventually, a torrential downpour that has forced the postponement of the ICA final to Sunday morning. Nonetheless, the racing was exciting and Jacksonville’s trademark 1000’ straightaway played its regular part in the outcome of more than one main event.
ICC
Leading the early part of the ICC qualifying session was Logan Gomez (MRP), pacing fellow Birel pilot Juliana Chiovitti and Merlin shoe Troy Hottmann in the opening group. In quick succession, Keith Spicer (Tony Kart) and championship leader Kyle Wiegand (GP) both went faster, dropping the pole time. The Group A session ended with Hottmann jumping to the top of the list on his final flying lap with a 32.008. With the lack of rubber, thanks to last night’s rainstorm, no one in this first group was able to match yesterday’s pace and dip into the 31s.
In the Group B session, Josh Schreiber (Kosmic) waited until very late in the run to hit the track. The first B grouper into the top five was Stuart Marsell (Arrow), who popped into fourth. Jumping to sixth was Daniel Morad (First Kart), who posted his best lap after having to return to the pits after losing his neck collar. After finally getting a clear track, Schreiber jumped to third and returned to the pits and directly to the scales.
Hanging onto the pole from Group A was Hottmann with Wiegand on the outside of the row. Schreiber slotted into third with Spicer in fourth and Marsell in fifth.
When the green dropped on the field for the ICC Prefinal, Wiegand leapt to the lead while Hottmann was very slow off the line. Hottmann slotted into second with Schreiber hot on his bumper. Wiegand checked out, leaving the rest of the group to fight for second. , Setting the fast lap of the Prefinal, Hottmann was able to hold off Schreiber, who finished third. Spicer and Marsell finished where they started, fourth and fifth respectively.
Taking a runaway win in the main event, one that was very popular in the paddock, was Wiegand. The Indiana hotshoe got a great shot off the line and took the early lead while Hottmann was once again slow off the flag. Schreiber settled into second as the battle began. Hottmann’s race lasted just two laps as he pulled off on the backstraight after his carburetor fell out of the boot. The Merlin driver’s retirement elevated Daniel Morad (First Kart) to third with Spicer and Marsell behind. Marsell is a Florida veteran and worked his way past his fellow rookies for the final podium step. Throughout the race, Wiegand built a good lead to cross the line with a comfortable cushion. The fight for second got a little closer, however, as Marsell began closing on Schreiber over the final laps. It was not enough, however. Unchallenged, Wiegand took the win followed by Schreiber and scoring the first podium for Arrow in pro-level ICC competition since Preston Peebles in 2003 was Marsell. Rounding out the top five were Spicer and Morad. Master’s Cup competitor Colin Lynn (Birel) was sixth.
ICA
The ICA qualifying session rolled off with several drivers waiting until later in the session to go out. Among those biding their time under the grid shed were Johnny Johnson (Kosmic) and Steve Welk (Merlin). Taking control early was Chris Keller (Biesse) with Chris Stage (Gillard) in second. Just prior to the halfway point of the session, Johnson rolled out onto the asphalt and after a warm-up circuit, he went to second on his first flying lap. Then, on lap two, Johnson dropped the hammer went to the pole where he stayed for the remainder of the session. Keller was second with Wehrheim (PCR) in third. Rounding out the top five were Stage and Caleb Loniewski (Margay).
The ICA Prefinal was last on the schedule for the heat session and Johnson was once again showing the strength of his J3 Competition Kosmic/Vortex package. Leading off the start, Johnson drove a flawless Prefinal on the way to the win. Keller maintained his second place and Wehrheim was third. Rounding out the top five were Giebler and Stage.
Positioned as the final event on the day’s schedules, the ICA main was doomed. With heavy, dark clouds threatening the track late in the afternoon, torrential rain eventually hit the facility, bringing an official move to ‘wet’ tires and the accompanying 30-minute time period to prep the cars. At the end of the half-hour, the track was inspected and with so much water having come down, standing water in several sections of the track motivated Race Director Kevin Williams to postpone the 23-lap event to 8:00 am tomorrow morning.
JICA
After flipping twice in JICA action at New Castle, Zachary Schiff (First Kart) was looking to get his season back on track at Jacksonville. Kicking off the qualifying session in the first group, Schiff was the fast man in the session but with the green track after last night’s deluge, every group would run faster than the previous. After the second session, Carlos Munoz (Birel) was on pole with Gustavo Yacaman (First Kart) beside him on the front row. Sergio Pena (Vanspeed) qualified third while Schiff settled for fourth. Florida’s Hayden Duerson (Tony Kart) was fifth. In post-qualifying scrutineering, however, Pena was DQ’d for a spark plug protrusion violation. Eric Morrow (Margay) moved into the top five as a result.
It took the better part of the Prefinal time schedule to get official JICA Prefinal results due to another penalty to Pena. After being DQ’d following qualifying, Pena crossed the line after the green flag in 14th, when he was supposed to start from the tail of the field. Race Director Kevin Williams penalized him 18 positions for jumping the start.
Once the Prefinal went green, Munoz and Yacaman battled for the lead early but Yacaman would build a cushion and went on to the win with Munoz in second. Duerson was third while Zach Schiff remained in fourth. Rounding out the top five was Jacob Neal (CRG).
It took two attempts to get the Final underway but, once they got rolling, Yacaman took the early lead before the jockeying began and the lead swapped several times. Towards the end of the race, Schiff showed his strength and closed onto Munoz’s bumper as the Birel held the point. Heading down the backstraight for the last time, Schiff drafted down the inside of the corner to take over the top spot. Unchallenged to the stripe, Schiff took the win while Duerson and Yacaman pounced on the opening and pushed Munoz back to fourth. Over the final 100’, Yacaman was able to slip to the left of Duerson and his better exit speed gave him the advantage at the line for second. Duerson took third ahead of Munoz and Llopiz. These results are unofficial as the race is currently being reviewed by the Race Director and finishing positions may be altered following his decision.
 | Hayden Duerson took a convincing win in 80 Junior
(Photo: Todd McCall - opt.ca) |
80 JUNIOR
Leading the way in 80 Junior qualifying was Hayden Duerson (Tony Kart). Fellow Tony Kart driver Chip Challis qualified in second while the second row consisted of Nicholas Andries (Biesse) and David Carmendy (First Kart). Rounding out the top five was James Bayliss (CRG). Point leader Zach Schiff (First Kart) and current second place man Michael Vincec (CRG) struggled, lining up ninth and sixth respectively.
Launching hard off the line in the Prefinal, Duerson took control and never looked back, leading the event flag-to-flag. Bayliss finished second while Challis crossed the stripe in third. Carmendy drove a solid race to fourth. Making the huge move forward was Schiff, who started tenth and stormed forward to fifth. Schiff was particularly impressive under braking going into the first turn and looked ready to fight for the win in the final.
Once again off the line, in the 80 Junior Final, Challis stumbled off the line, falling to fifth while Duerson rocketed to the lead. Schiff moved aggressively into the hunt for the win and soon was in second place. As the Final was nearing the end, Schiff began closing on the leader. Taking the white flag, Schiff was glued to Duerson’s bumper, setting up what looked to be a backstraight draft-and-pass move. However, when the duo appeared out of the Monza and the southern section of the track, Duerson had retained a comfortable gap and cruised to the win. Schiff was second while Nick Darinzo who passed Challis on the final lap scored his first Stars podium with a strong third.
 | | A bold move in the final corner gave Paul Harraka the win in Easykart(Photo: Todd McCall - otp.ca) |
EASYKART
With 14 Easykarts on hand, Andre Villarreal led the way most of the session. When the checkers fell, Villarreal held on for the fast time. Ian Harms qualified second with Ryan Fowler in third. Rounding out the top five were Sean Burstyn and Guillermo Freile.
A clean start in the Saturday Prefinal got the Easykart field underway. Villarreal got a good jump and took control early. He led all the way with Fowler in second and Freile in third. Rounding out the top five were Harms and Burstyn.
What will go down as one of the better finishes in Easykart Stars competition, Paul Harraka narrowly beat Ryan Fowler to the line. After early leader Villarreal fell back, Harraka and Fowler came to the front. On the final circuit, Fowler held the lead but Harraka dove into the final two corners and came out in the lead. Running to the line, Fowler fought back but came up just .02 seconds short. Villarreal recovered for third with Harms and Burstyn in fourth and fifth.
CADET
In the qualifying session, Sage Karam set the quick time early aboard his new Top Kart and no one was able to top his time. Joining him of the front row was Spencer Pigot (Nevoso). Sebastian Ordonez (Nevoso) qualified third with Nick Neri (Birel) in fourth. Oscar Tunjo Sanchez (Birel) qualified in fifth. Making a gutsy run was Gabriel Chaves (Birel). Chaves spun off turn one but was able to restart the motor twice and push his back onto the track. Despite his efforts, he qualified well back in the field.
The Cadet Prefinal was a wild affair, especially the last couple laps as the little guys went four-wide heading into the banked first corner - Ordonez, Pigot, Karam and Bijon Spinazzola (Nevoso). Ordonez took the lead within that four-kart battle and held on to take the win followed closely by Pigot and Karam. Rounding out the top five were Spinazzola and Eric Filguerias (Gillard).
The Cadet Prefinal came down to the last two corners of the last lap as a pack of seven drivers all were in the hunt for the win. Coming down the back straight, Pigot dropped to the inside to protect his line so Spinazzola stayed high and drove to the lead. Spinazzola held on for the win, Pigot was second and Karam was third. Rounding out the top five were Sanchez and Cody Humphreys (KRT).
WRAP-UP
Heading into the weekend, everyone knew the weather would be a factor. However, as the event drew near, the forecasts indicated heat and oppressive humidity and only a slight chance of rain. Instead, the competitors have faced all three as both days have been affected by very heavy rain. Tomorrow there can be no mulligans. The Stars crew must get the full day’s schedule in the books, as the option of postponing for a day does not exist.
We’ll be back tomorrow with full coverage of the ICA final and the rest of the regularly scheduled action. |
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