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| July 30, 2005 News |
| EKN Trackside: Barber Pro Kart Invitational – Saturday Report |
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 | J.R. Osborne set quick lap in the morning session for the FE division
(Photo: Dennis Lathem - photobama.com) |
A quick day for on-track action with an early morning practice session as the Pro Kart Invitational continues at the Barber Motorsports Park in a hazy Birmingham, Alabama. Today’s activities for the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Porsche 250 presented by Bradley Arant began with a twenty minute session of the two karting groups making up the PKI at 8am. With the early time slot, many drivers misplaced their transponders for the first official timed session of the weekend where 75% of the karts did not record an official lap time.
The United States Superkart Championship was the second karting group to hit the track for a quick ten minute session. Of those who recorded official lap times, J.R. Osborne (P-1/Yamaha TZ) ripped off the quickest lap of the session overall as he was able to run a 1:25.230 lap time in heavy traffic, just four seconds off Christian Fittipaldi’s quickest lap time during yesterday’s practice day in his Daytona Prototype. First round ICE winner Derek Eastty (Nemesis/FPE), who made the switch to FE at the last round at Road America, was the second quickest in the FE group, two seconds off Osborne’s quickest lap. Eastty is on his third weekend with the French-built FPE package and is continuing to find more speed in each session. Also looking to continue a sting of podium finishes is Johnny West (Stockman/Honda RS). The runner-up currently in the standings run the session though did not record any official lap times, was not running up to par with some electrical issues slowing the power some.
In the ICE division, the Project SKI GP 250 car recorded the official quickest lap time with a 1:32.648. With still less then ten laps total on the track in two days, Marc Miller (Anderson/Honda CR) and car owner Jon Anderson are continuing to improve the ride’s performance and hope to earn a podium stop tomorrow. Also making his USSC debut is Woodbridge Kart Club regular Clark Gaynor Jr. (Anderson/Honda CR). Gaynor was second quickest officially just one second off Miller’s quickest time. Defending champion Andy Kiker (Anderson/Honda CR) and James Ingram (PVP/GasGas) were on-track during the session, though did not record on official lap time. Both drivers looked quick throughout the session and will be a factor in tomorrow’s events.
 | Project SKI GP 250 car piloted by Marc Miller set the "official" fast lap for ICE during practice
(Photo: Dennis Lathem - photobama.com) |
Also part of the second group was the contenders of the SKI Formula 125 Enduro Challenge. The top dog in the official lap charts was ’03 champion Scott Fiesler (Emmick/Honda). The Illinois pilot was almost two seconds clear of current point’s leader Kyle Schreiber (SLK/Pavesi) with a 1:37.712 lap time. Though, series organizer Brian Wilhelm (Owl/Pavesi) and Mitch White (Owl/Pavesi) are visiting the facility for the first time, they are within Schreiber’s quick lap and should make for an interesting qualifying session and final race tomorrow.
Making up much of the Unlimited group that will run at the same time as the USSC and SKI F125 divisions is the twin laydown karts. Leading the way will be Big South Road Racing Series director Robby Harper along with his son Robby Harper III Another father-son duo in the division include the Jim Farr and Jim Farr Jr. from the Michigan area. The elder Farr is a long-time B-stock driver and former WKA champion.
The first group to hit the track included the roughly 65 125cc shifter karts and a handful of TaG karts. With the amount of karts on the track, traffic was busy throughout the ten minute session. The usual suspects were quick this morning as the official quickest lap time of the session went to the young Josh Lane (Veloce/Honda). Lane was a factor in the photo finish event here in October where he finished second to ’03 Road Racer of the Year Chad Dokken (CKI/TM Moto). Dokken is on hand here this while looking quick in the early morning session though he did not record an official lap time. Depending on the weather conditions during tomorrow’s main event, times could drop below the 1:34 barrier. Quick in the TaG group were TS Racing duo of Bob Varga and Bret Spaude, who were able to run in the 1:42 range.
Sunday’s events start early again with an 8am beginning time for qualifying where each of the two groups will get a half hour to warm-up and record their quickest lap time to line them up for the finals set for 10am for the 125 sprint group and 10:30 for the USSC, SKI F125, and the Unlimited karts. |
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