CalSpeedMagMarch2018

SPORT RESULTS 1 32 Chris Carter [M] 2 33 Steve Spring [M] 3 43 Anthony Severson 4 48 Chris Huerta 5 44 Adam Nagao L ooking to bounce back after a mechanical issue took him out of the running last month, series veteran Chris Carter led from the lead of the sport class field to start the 60-minute contest on Sportivo. While a long time runner at CalSpeed, Carter was still looking for his first individual victory, having been close a few times before. The lead would stay his for several laps this time around, not giving up the top spot until about a quarter way through the event. Steve Spring would be the first to steal that honor away, with Tony Severson doing so over Spring just a couple laps later. Up to this point the trio had worked nicely to build up an almost 7 second lead on the trailing pack, but this is one driver decided to strike out on his own. While some drivers further back had elected to pit early, Carter was the first of the leaders to make the trip down pit road, stopping for the first time on lap 21, and again 18 laps later. Splitting the race into third as, Carter would essentially fly under the radar for the latter two thirds of the event, not popping up again until the final moments. Out front it was Spring and Severson staying out, not making their first stop until almost ten minutes to play when Severson ducked in first. Several seconds behind them -but on a different strategy- was the trio of Chris Huerta, Taylor Hays, and Adam Nagao; a group that certainly looked like the had a chance to reel in the leaders. Hays and Nagao had pit in the first two laps respectively, joined by Huerta a handful of laps later. Staying out since, the dutifully worked together to try and find the best drafting combination, the musical chairs and hand signals continuing for the duration of the race. When they finally decided to make their final stop, only about five or so minutes remained, working well for all but one. While Huerta and Nagao Hays’ second stop incurred him an uncharacteristic penalty that knocked him out of the hunt. That all said, fights with traffic and drivers all heading into the pits around the same time took its toll on the link up between drivers, and when the dust settled on on those stops, it was the driver breaking the strategy mold that came out on top; Chris Carter. Spring and Severson chose the second best route to go by staying out the longest it seemed, rounding out the podium, while the aforementioned Huerta and Nagao finished up the top five. Round 3 March 31