RACE REPORT: SKUSA PRO TOUR SPRINGNATIONALS SUNDAY REPORT
The final day of the Superkarts! USA Honda Racing/HPD SpringNationals completed a near perfect start to the 2011 SKUSA Pro Tour. The Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona and the nearly 170 drivers on hand provided an exciting show from the morning hours in qualifying to the last corner of the final main event of the day. The weather was the best it had been all weekend with comfortable temperatures and a slight wind. Leaving the weekend, eight drivers have put themselves in the best position at claiming the Pro Tour championship, including a couple double winners on the weekend.
The front of the field looked much different in S2 qualifying on Sunday compared to Saturday. Evan Walters (Intrepid) held the provisional pole while a number of karts sat in the pit lane. Logan Jones (GP) took the spot from him with about six minutes to go. Jake French (Birel) was the driver to watch as he moved up to P2 on his out lap, then found some clear track to take the top position on the time chart. His 48.599-lap was best with Jones dropping to second. Patrick Cushenberry (CRG) ended up third in the order with Kyle Hathcox (CRG) and Arie Luyendyk Jr. (Zanardi) capping off the fast-five.
Holeshot for heat one went to Cushenberry from P3 on the grid but French came right back as they exited turn one to take back the point. Hathcox slid in behind them to form a three kart breakaway with Josh Lane (DR Kart) in fourth and Jones in fifth. Completing lap two, Hathcox drafted by Cushenberry for the second spot, allowing French to put three kart lengths on the two. With Hathcox into second, he cut right into the gap and closed right in on French’s bumper. Lap four, Hathcox drove past French in the same spot he advanced before and put himself at the point for the first time on the day. Completing lap seven, Cushenberry drafted around French for the second spot as Hathcox continued to stretch out his lead. At the checkered, Hathcox took the win by six-tenths of a second over Cushenberry and French. Daniel Langon (GP) was able to run down Lane and work by for fourth in the final lap.
As the lights went out for heat two, Lane’s kart did not move as his powerplant had an issue and luckily the field worked around him without any issues. Hathcox took the lead with French, Cushenberry, and Langon in the lead group. With four to go, the battle for third between Cushenberry and Langon gave the front two some distance and the second pack to close in and steal some positions. Walters moved into the third spot while Langon held fourth and ‘Cush’ dropped outside the top-five. Hathcox went on to score the win with French a close second. Walters ended up third with Langon and Ryan Kinnear (Intrepid) ahead of Cushenberry.
Hathcox held his P1 position as the lights went out to start the 20-lap main event for the S2 group. French held second as they pulled a slight gap on Kinnear, Saturday winner Nicky Freytag (Intrepid), Cushenberry and Walters. Lap four, Cushenberry and Walters made contact on the exit of turn five, taking them out of contention. At the same time, French took over the top spot but it was short-lived with Hathcox back in the spot after completing lap five. Lap six, French missed turn 10, allowing Kinnear and Freytag by for position and giving Hathcox more room out front. The front four stayed consistent with Hathcox holding a two-second advantage over the trio fighting for second. He would be too strong, posting his fast lap on lap 19 to secure the victory by 3.215-seconds. Kinnear held second at the white flag. French looked inside at turn four but the two bogged on the exit. This gave Freytag the room to move into third to put French back to fourth. Kinnear would cross the line second ahead of Freytag and French. Langon ran alone in fifth for a solid result in his first S2 weekend on the Pro Tour.
Walters Motorsports would like to thank all our business partners for their continued support to the team and racing in general. These include; Caribbean Creme, Champion Racing, Intrepid Kart Technology, Leading Edge Motorsport, WaltersWebDesign.com and WaltersImages.com.
For more information on Walters Motorsports please visit our website www.WaltersMotorsports.com
Written By: EKartingNews.com
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