2019CalSpeedMagazineApril

Pole - Sam Hunt T he fourth round for the 2019 Super Series season would see the Sportivo layout as the track of choice, once again a clockwise affair for the second month in stride. The first two rounds were won by one-off drivers before a full-time runner brought it home in round #3; this month would see a long time vet finally score win #2 in his career… The day would kick off with qualifying, and once again the raw speed from a young Sam Hunt was on display, scoring his second pole of the season, while reigning Super Series champ and IronMan race winner from earlier in the day, Alyssa Yauney, cut the second fastest time. Unfortunately, Yauney would come up light at the scales after forgetting some of her weight at her pit, allowing the final set of bonus points to go to a pair of Sportsman standouts. Seth Willits would bring home 3 points for the second-quickest time, while Sportsman point leader Evan Karp would start from pole for heat three, and carry a bonus point on the day as well. And while the newer drivers in the series had their time in the sun in qualifying, it was the veterans that would be the most consistent in the heat races, winning four out of the six on offer. Still, sophomore entry Sam Hunt and first year racer Chase Nickells did break the strangle hold on the W’s for the vets, each also nabbing a sixth to go along with their wins. Jose da Silva would be the one on top however after a win and a second, joined by Round #3 winner Patrick Britain who did the same feat. Chris Huerta would line up 3rd after a pair of thirds, while heat race winners Sean Fite and Bill Kreig filled in the rest of the top five, and the aforementioned Hunt sealing out the front three rows in 6th. Before the A-Main could roll however, the preliminary mains needed to head out, starting with the C-Main and a veteran leading the way. Last year’s Sportsman champion Rodney Bryant would lead the field away at the start, keeping things well in hand ahead of the pack, even with constant pressure from on-again off-again veteran runner David Arnold. Bryant would not relinquish the top spot once, until a bit of contact from Arnold in the Long Beach corner coming to the white flag lap. Bryant would not be able to get back to Arnold, but the positions would be reversed post-race and see the latter bring home the C-Main win and next main transfer. The B-Main would see a pair of veterans out front, as Steve Spring and Alyssa Yauney made rare appearances in the secondary main of the day. In general, it was a pretty calm affair, with both Spring and Yauney showing why they typically are in the A-Main, cutting fast lap after fast lap from start to finish. Yauney looked to be reeling in Spring in the first half of the race, but then the leader seemed to find a little bit more and started to pull away again. For her part, Yauney then had to keep up and coming talent Pietro Moro at bay at the end, the rookie finishing right on her heels when the checkers fell. A Main Podium B-Main Winner Steve Spring C-Main Winner Rodney Bryant Round 4 - April 27