CalSpeedMagApril2018

Brackett and Smith earn double podiums for CSK in round Two! S unny skies and somewhat humid temps would welcome the second round of the Tri-C Karters 2018 racing season, with CSK Racing hosting 17 drivers under the team tent. Every one of them save one were returning from the first round, and each were more than happy to ditch the wet weather gear and get to tackle CalSpeed’s fast Grande Counter Clockwise configuration in dry conditions… VLR Spec 206 In the VLR Spec 206 class it was the usual suspects again showing pace in qualy, with Jake Hood and Rob Brackett again locking out the front row, duplicating their effort from the season opener. Jake Hood would back up his pole with a pair of 2nd place runs in the heat races, but handling woes would take over as the day went on, and he was unable to match his early pace in the main, settling for an 8th place finish in the end. Rob Brackett stayed strong throughout the day however, and never straying to far from the front, scoring a 3rd in the first heat, followed by a 5th in the second. In the main he would battle with 206 debutant Adam Nagao for a podium finish, coming up with his first podium in the spec class with a third place finish. And speaking of Adam Nagao, his Tri-C Karter’s debut was a stout one; qualifying 4th, he then backed it up with a heat win right away. While the second heat did not go his way, getting shuffled back to 6th, he surged forward to be in a podium spot for the main. While battling for third at the end with Brackett, he would end up snagging 2nd at the end after a surprising turn of events. Which brings us to one of the most impressive drivers thus far, rookie 206 racer TJ Blackledge. He showed impressive pace in round #1 in tough conditions, and again backed that up this past Saturday. Qualifying 5th, he never strayed from the front pack, and then went even better in the second heat race with a third, and fastest lap. In the Main he checked out with the leader, and after dutifully pushing until the end, finally made his move for the lead. He would battle the entire last lap until contact saw his chain come off rounding the final complex, sending him down the order. After the pace he has shown, it is a matter of when -not if- we see this kid on the top step of the podium. VLR Spec Top 5 in Points 1. Jake Hood 718 2. Mark Connell 703 3. Rob Brackett 674 4. Myan Spaccarelli 668 5. Jon Kimbrell 665 Senior 206 Round #1 winner Derek Esquibel looked like one of the guys to beat again for round #2, qualifying 2nd, then backing it up with a win in heat #1 with one of the fastest laps of the race. Unfortunately in heat two he would have contact while trying to pass for the lead, seeing him relegated to 13th, and with a lot of work in the Main. Still, he would charge back and get a 6th place finish after the 16 lap final, salvaging some solid points for the championship, where he currently sits second. For team manager Mike Smith, the second round of the championship would be a tough one, starting with a blown motor in Friday practice. Power plant gremlins would continue through the first heat race before the team could sort out the issue, and a 9th place qualifying effort and a 10th place in the first heat were the result. Going to work in the second heat, he would get up to 4th and into a solid position for the final race of the day. In the Main he would find himself among the chasing pack that included 2nd-5th, and although was able to come out on top of that group, could not catch the leader, securing a second place and a solid day in the points. 206 Senior Top 5 in Points 1. KC Cook 759 2. Derek Esquibel 736 3. Mike Smith 735 4. Riley Dugan 705 5. Jake Hood 674 206 Masters Reigning class champion Mark Connell again lead the charge in qualifying with a 2nd overall, backing it up with a 2nd and a 3rd in the heat races. It was a tough day for Connell however, having to get his kart repaired after ‘bicycling’ and crashing into a wall in the first Spec heat race. Battling an ill-handling kart after that incident, he was still able to race at the front of the Masters field in the Main, just getting nipped at the line by Rob Brackett for a podium. Bracketts’s prowess in qualy continued in the Master’s class, earning the 3rd fastest time in the green-white-checkered session. While he did have a tougher time in the heat races with a 5th and a 7th place finishes, he bounced back strong to be a part of the podium fight in the main. Battling with the Photos by Heather Perrin Round 2 April 14