Page 11 - CalSpeed July 2020

BRound 4 - July 11
oth the temperatures and energy were high this past weekend as drivers finally returned to Sprint Series Round 4 after the lockdown-induced hiatus. Many
drivers had not seen the track for quite some time and it would be quite the story once the checkered flew for the final event of the day...
Qualifying
Drivers might have been a bit rusty from the Covid closure from the past few months, but it was not going to be so for the likes of Vladimir Orlov. He’d score pole for the day as the only driver to get into the sub-1:03 range with this 1:02.927. We can’t say that a little bit of practice the day before didn’t help out either.
Racing
From the getgo of heat 1C, it would be pretty clear that Matthew McCoy would keep a solid grip on the lead for the entirety of the race. John Rice, though not quite bumper to bumper, stayed close behind and away from the rest of the field. Heather Perrin led the brunt of the big pack, and after a stellar drive forward of 7 positions, made it up to 3rd to wrap it up behind McCoy’s uncontested P1 finish and Rice’s P2.
Starting on pole for the final main of the day, Matthew McCoy made clear his command of the field ahead of fellow Full Throttle Racing teammate Ivan Martinez at the green flag. Just behind them were the likes of Diego Alvarado and Matt Steele, both of which posing a threat as well as contenders for the 2020 season. After the first lap, things started to calm down a bit in the front and the top pack of McCoy, Martinez, Alvarado and Steele, kept things nice and clean. Near the end, some shuffling in the group led to a cluster of drivers nearly side by side out of the final corner– at the checkered flag, however, McCoy would manage to stave off any attacks and go on to achieve his first ever W in Sprint Series Round 4
A Main Podium
B-Main Winner Nathaniel Small
C-Main Winner Ernesto Sanchez