NEWS – The 2013 season for Bruce Brothers Racing got underway just over a month ago. With a fairly extensive travel schedule for me this spring, I had pretty much given up on having enough time to sit down and write race reports. I wasn’t sure that anyone read them anyway. After several complaints (including from the boys), I decided that I’d better get caught up and at least post something for each race, even if it’s a bit shorter than in the past.
MSOKC Race No. 1 – As it has been in recent years, Race No. 1 was supposed to be a qualifying format event so that any slower new-comers end up starting at the rear. Unfortunately, the timing system at Circleville Raceway Park did not cooperate, so we had to revert to a heat race format. Conor started and finished second (of eight) in his first heat race in our 80cc Shifter kart. Starting from seventh his second, he gained two positions at the start and then lost one while trying to move up to fourth on Lap 3. He gained the position back on Lap 6. A second and a fifth was good enough for the second starting position for the feature. The top three ran nose-to tail until about mid-distance when they became a bit more spaced out. Conor made a run at the leader in the last two laps but could not find a way past. Peter started on pole for his first heat race in our Spec 100 Pipe kart. He lost a position at the start and then locked his brakes and got sideways in Turn 5. Peter gained a position from seventh (of eight) at the start of his second heat race. He gained two more on Lap 4 for a fourth place finish. Peter also gained a position from sixth at the start of his feature race. He moved up to fourth on Lap 3 and to third on Lap 5, which is where he finished. After a disqualification in post-race tech inspection, Peter was promoted to second.
MSOKC Race No. 2 – Race No. 2 was changed to a qualifying format event to make up for the timing system problems during Race No. 1. In his qualifying session, Conor recorded the second fastest qualifying time (of 11). He timed the standing start perfectly in his heat race and led flag-to-flag. He also made a good start from pole in his feature and led for the first four laps. The second place kart slipped by in Turn 7 on Lap 5, but Conor was able to regain the lead in Turn 5 on the next lap. He went on to record our first feature race win of the season. Peter’s qualifying time was third fastest (of seven). As qualifying format races sometimes are, Peter’s heat race was a follow-the-leader affair – the top three finished where they started. Peter’s feature was much the same although he dropped a position from third at the start and finished fourth.
MSOKC Race No. 3 – Peter was absent from Race No. 3 – he and his Upper Arlington Crew teammates were competing in the Midwest Junior Rowing Championships at Lake Harsha near Cincinnati. Race No. 3 was a reverse direction event at CRP. As we did last season when Peter missed a race, we decided to have Conor run both karts. In 80cc Shifter, Conor got a great start from fourth and finished second (of 11) in his first heat. Starting from eighth in his second heat, he made up three places on the first lap after an altercation in Turn 9 (the second turn going in the reverse direction) and then gained another position on Lap 4. A second and a fourth earned Conor pole position for the feature. He made a great start, but the kart on the outside of the front row made a better one. While trying to make an early run on the leader, Conor pushed too hard in Turn 6 on the first lap and spun off in Turn 5. By the time he was able to give himself a push start, he was a lap down. There were two retirements, so Conor was credited with a seventh place finish. The spin in the shifter kart was nothing compared to the day Conor had in our Spec 100 Pipe kart. He was fast all day but had trouble acclimating to having rear brakes only. His row was slow to get going at the start (he started from third) and then he locked the brakes going into Turn 7, got sideways, and fell to last. He caught back up but not in time to make any passes. I can’t remember where he got sideways on the first lap of the second heat, but he did. This time he set the fastest lap of the race while catching up. There was a retirement in each of the heat races, so Conor started the feature from fifth (of six). He managed to lose a position at the start, but this time he time made it a whole lap without getting locking the brakes. That happened on Lap 2. I’m almost glad that he was at the rear all day because there were some ruffled feathers amongst the class regulars at the end of the day. It would not have been pleasant to have an interloper involved.
NEXT RACE – MSOKC Race No. 4 is Sunday, June 2, 2013, at CRP and will feature standing starts for all classes. Peter may have to miss the feature in order to get to the UA Crew Recognition Night on time, so we may have Conor fill in again. Hopefully he’s got a better feel for those brakes by now.
Bill
p.s., Lap times, lap charts, and results can be found here, here, and here.
MSOKC Race No. 1 – As it has been in recent years, Race No. 1 was supposed to be a qualifying format event so that any slower new-comers end up starting at the rear. Unfortunately, the timing system at Circleville Raceway Park did not cooperate, so we had to revert to a heat race format. Conor started and finished second (of eight) in his first heat race in our 80cc Shifter kart. Starting from seventh his second, he gained two positions at the start and then lost one while trying to move up to fourth on Lap 3. He gained the position back on Lap 6. A second and a fifth was good enough for the second starting position for the feature. The top three ran nose-to tail until about mid-distance when they became a bit more spaced out. Conor made a run at the leader in the last two laps but could not find a way past. Peter started on pole for his first heat race in our Spec 100 Pipe kart. He lost a position at the start and then locked his brakes and got sideways in Turn 5. Peter gained a position from seventh (of eight) at the start of his second heat race. He gained two more on Lap 4 for a fourth place finish. Peter also gained a position from sixth at the start of his feature race. He moved up to fourth on Lap 3 and to third on Lap 5, which is where he finished. After a disqualification in post-race tech inspection, Peter was promoted to second.
MSOKC Race No. 2 – Race No. 2 was changed to a qualifying format event to make up for the timing system problems during Race No. 1. In his qualifying session, Conor recorded the second fastest qualifying time (of 11). He timed the standing start perfectly in his heat race and led flag-to-flag. He also made a good start from pole in his feature and led for the first four laps. The second place kart slipped by in Turn 7 on Lap 5, but Conor was able to regain the lead in Turn 5 on the next lap. He went on to record our first feature race win of the season. Peter’s qualifying time was third fastest (of seven). As qualifying format races sometimes are, Peter’s heat race was a follow-the-leader affair – the top three finished where they started. Peter’s feature was much the same although he dropped a position from third at the start and finished fourth.
MSOKC Race No. 3 – Peter was absent from Race No. 3 – he and his Upper Arlington Crew teammates were competing in the Midwest Junior Rowing Championships at Lake Harsha near Cincinnati. Race No. 3 was a reverse direction event at CRP. As we did last season when Peter missed a race, we decided to have Conor run both karts. In 80cc Shifter, Conor got a great start from fourth and finished second (of 11) in his first heat. Starting from eighth in his second heat, he made up three places on the first lap after an altercation in Turn 9 (the second turn going in the reverse direction) and then gained another position on Lap 4. A second and a fourth earned Conor pole position for the feature. He made a great start, but the kart on the outside of the front row made a better one. While trying to make an early run on the leader, Conor pushed too hard in Turn 6 on the first lap and spun off in Turn 5. By the time he was able to give himself a push start, he was a lap down. There were two retirements, so Conor was credited with a seventh place finish. The spin in the shifter kart was nothing compared to the day Conor had in our Spec 100 Pipe kart. He was fast all day but had trouble acclimating to having rear brakes only. His row was slow to get going at the start (he started from third) and then he locked the brakes going into Turn 7, got sideways, and fell to last. He caught back up but not in time to make any passes. I can’t remember where he got sideways on the first lap of the second heat, but he did. This time he set the fastest lap of the race while catching up. There was a retirement in each of the heat races, so Conor started the feature from fifth (of six). He managed to lose a position at the start, but this time he time made it a whole lap without getting locking the brakes. That happened on Lap 2. I’m almost glad that he was at the rear all day because there were some ruffled feathers amongst the class regulars at the end of the day. It would not have been pleasant to have an interloper involved.
NEXT RACE – MSOKC Race No. 4 is Sunday, June 2, 2013, at CRP and will feature standing starts for all classes. Peter may have to miss the feature in order to get to the UA Crew Recognition Night on time, so we may have Conor fill in again. Hopefully he’s got a better feel for those brakes by now.
Bill
p.s., Lap times, lap charts, and results can be found here, here, and here.
Posts
