05/24/2007

Clark Sanchez-Figueras showed top form

Photo: Sean Burr

Warm sunny weather welcomed the competitors at the Willow Springs Round of the Gatorz Eyewear Golden State Karting Cup this past weekend.  Kart Mini of America driver, Clark Sanchez-Figueras showed top form from the beginning of Saturday practice.  Due to college class commitments, Clark could not make the almost obligatory Friday open practice session so he began from scratch Saturday morning.  In morning practice he was amongst the top five in times and the team was very optimistic for qualifying.  A pre-grid mix up led to karts being let out two laps into the qualifying session and three of these were let out right in front of Clark's fastest lap, ruining his chances for a possible front row spot in the pre main.  He and his Kart Mini of America Smart chassis qualified 5th for the pre-main.

Clark timed the start perfectly and was in second position exiting turn one.  He was never headed and finished the premain in second.  Understeer had set in at around lap 7 of the 18 lap semifinal and back at the pits, some set up changes were made to try to avoid this scenario from happening in the 30 lap main event.

Clark was on the front row for the start of the main but was bumped from behind to fourth spot going into turn one. Three turns later he had dispatched of the 3rd place kart and set out after the leading karts of Joey Collins and Chelsie Jackman.  Within two laps it was a three way freight train battle for  the lead that would accordion back and forth every lap amongst the three drivers.  On lap 18 the understeer set in and the charge was halted.  Clark finished a very credible third in only his third start this season and without Friday practice to aid kart setup to boot.

The Kart Mini / Sanchez-Figueras duo will next contest the Calspeed round of the Pro Kart Challenge series on June 2 in TaG senior.