NEWS – It’s been a busy couple of weeks since MSOKC Race No. 5, which was the first reverse-direction race of the 2008 Mid-State of Ohio Kart Club season. It was also the first race where the new club-spec Bridgestone tires were required. Henry missed this race, as he was in the UK visiting family and friends for his high school graduation present.
PRACTICE – Conor had used the new Bridgestone tires during the Great Lakes Sprint Series race he ran back in April. They’re supposed to be a bit more durable than the Vega tires we’ve used for the past few seasons, but we found that they are about a half second or so slower per lap at Circleville Raceway Park. We arrived a bit earlier than usual so that both boys could re-acclimate to the reverse direction during open practice. Conor pushed a bit too hard and had an innocent-looking spin that resulted in a broken chain, a bent sprocket hub, and a chipped disc brake rotor. We managed to make the necessary repairs to the chain and sprocket in time for the organized class practices and decided that the brake rotor would last throughout the day. Peter enjoys the reverse direction races and had no problem coming to grips with the Bridgestone tires.
BRIGGS SPORTSMAN – Peter's class had one new participant, but two of the regulars did not
show up, so there were only three karts for Race No. 5. Peter timed the rolling starts great all day. From the second position in the first heat, be pulled out a bit of a lead over the first two laps. The kart that appears to be is main competition in this class closed the gap by mid distance and passed 
Peter going into Turn 4 on Lap 4. Peter managed to lead from flag to flag in the second heat. In the feature, which was shortened from 10 to 8 laps because of the threat of rain, Peter once again pulled out a bit of a lead only to have the gap closed up by mid distance. He managed to hold on this time, however. We’re looking forward to when there is a full complement of karts in this class.
YAMAHA JR. SUPERCAN – There were 10 karts in Conor’s class for Race No. 5. Some of
Conor’s success this season has been the result of our using Vega tires for the first four races. Others chose to start the season on Bridgestone tires in anticipation of the remainder of the season. Conor started his first heat from the second position and ran there to the finish, at about 0.4 seconds per lap off of the pace of the eventual winner. Starting from seventh in his second heat, he picked up two positions on Lap 1, another on Lap 3, and another on 
Lap 4. The winner of the first heat had run into trouble at the start, so a second and a third would have given him the pole position for the feature. He was clearly faster than the second place kart, but these two tangled when Conor went for an inside pass going into Turn 4. Conor lost two positions and finished fifth. Fourth is where he lined up for the feature. After holding his position at the start, he was a bit more patient this time. He made a pass for third on Lap 4 and another on Lap 5. The eventual winner had gotten away by that time and continued to extend his lead, so Conor finished second. The eventual winner is doing mostly national and regional races this year and will not compete for the MSOKC championship, so they forfeited the win to Conor when they learned that we were going to have to tear down the top end of the engines in post-race technical inspection, which they decided was not worth their trouble.
NEXT RACE – Henry has since returned and will participate in Race Nos. 6 and 7, which are back-to-back events on the same weekend – July 12 and 13, 2008. Both will involve timed qualifying sessions as opposed to the normal heat race format. Race No. 6 is in the regular direction and Race No. 7 is another reverse direction race. The annual MSOKC ‘Hog Roast’ will follow Race No. 6 on Saturday. The week after this, we will head to Iowa City for a belated one-year follow-up appointment for Conor with Dr. Menezes and then on to Kansas City to visit family.
Bill
p.s., Lap times, lap charts, and results can be found at http://www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=321513
PRACTICE – Conor had used the new Bridgestone tires during the Great Lakes Sprint Series race he ran back in April. They’re supposed to be a bit more durable than the Vega tires we’ve used for the past few seasons, but we found that they are about a half second or so slower per lap at Circleville Raceway Park. We arrived a bit earlier than usual so that both boys could re-acclimate to the reverse direction during open practice. Conor pushed a bit too hard and had an innocent-looking spin that resulted in a broken chain, a bent sprocket hub, and a chipped disc brake rotor. We managed to make the necessary repairs to the chain and sprocket in time for the organized class practices and decided that the brake rotor would last throughout the day. Peter enjoys the reverse direction races and had no problem coming to grips with the Bridgestone tires.
BRIGGS SPORTSMAN – Peter's class had one new participant, but two of the regulars did not
show up, so there were only three karts for Race No. 5. Peter timed the rolling starts great all day. From the second position in the first heat, be pulled out a bit of a lead over the first two laps. The kart that appears to be is main competition in this class closed the gap by mid distance and passed 
Peter going into Turn 4 on Lap 4. Peter managed to lead from flag to flag in the second heat. In the feature, which was shortened from 10 to 8 laps because of the threat of rain, Peter once again pulled out a bit of a lead only to have the gap closed up by mid distance. He managed to hold on this time, however. We’re looking forward to when there is a full complement of karts in this class.YAMAHA JR. SUPERCAN – There were 10 karts in Conor’s class for Race No. 5. Some of
Conor’s success this season has been the result of our using Vega tires for the first four races. Others chose to start the season on Bridgestone tires in anticipation of the remainder of the season. Conor started his first heat from the second position and ran there to the finish, at about 0.4 seconds per lap off of the pace of the eventual winner. Starting from seventh in his second heat, he picked up two positions on Lap 1, another on Lap 3, and another on 
Lap 4. The winner of the first heat had run into trouble at the start, so a second and a third would have given him the pole position for the feature. He was clearly faster than the second place kart, but these two tangled when Conor went for an inside pass going into Turn 4. Conor lost two positions and finished fifth. Fourth is where he lined up for the feature. After holding his position at the start, he was a bit more patient this time. He made a pass for third on Lap 4 and another on Lap 5. The eventual winner had gotten away by that time and continued to extend his lead, so Conor finished second. The eventual winner is doing mostly national and regional races this year and will not compete for the MSOKC championship, so they forfeited the win to Conor when they learned that we were going to have to tear down the top end of the engines in post-race technical inspection, which they decided was not worth their trouble.NEXT RACE – Henry has since returned and will participate in Race Nos. 6 and 7, which are back-to-back events on the same weekend – July 12 and 13, 2008. Both will involve timed qualifying sessions as opposed to the normal heat race format. Race No. 6 is in the regular direction and Race No. 7 is another reverse direction race. The annual MSOKC ‘Hog Roast’ will follow Race No. 6 on Saturday. The week after this, we will head to Iowa City for a belated one-year follow-up appointment for Conor with Dr. Menezes and then on to Kansas City to visit family.
Bill
p.s., Lap times, lap charts, and results can be found at http://www.mylaps.com/results/showevent.jsp?id=321513
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