Thursday, August 25, 2011

2011 F1 Race Factory Summer League Race #7


The 2011 F1 Summer League Top 3 Podium Finishers Race #7 "A" Main 8/16/2011

1st Place... Chaz Baca Jr

2nd Place... Jason Burstein

3rd Place ...Mike Davila

Honorable Mention goes to Eric Dickinson for Winning the "B" Main, moving into the "A" Main and going from 14th Place to 8th Place.

Congratulations! Chaz ...Jason...Mike...Eric.

2011 F1 Race Factory Summer League Race #8 of 8


Race #8 Top 3 Podium Finishers Main Race GP Track Final 8-21-2011

1st Place...Chaz Baca Jr

2nd Place...Austin Kipp

3rd Place...Keith Sears

Congratulations! Chaz...Austin...Keith.

Great finish to the 2011 F1 Summer Leagues

Chaz Baca Jr Wins 2011 F1 Race Factory Summer Leagues


Another Win by Chaz Baca Jr Captures the 2011 F1 Summer League Championship and Adds to his Trophy Collection
On Sunday August 21st the 2011 F1 Race Factory Summer Leagues wrapped up the Series and crowned Chaz Baca Jr “The Champion”.
2nd Place overall went to Jason Burstein and 3rd Place went to Mike Davila who seemed surprised by his overall 3rd Place finish.
The “Kandyman Award” went to, never gave up Greg Gillum. A most prestigious award given to the racer who does the most races, but scores the least points. Greg won it hands down. Congratulations Mr. GG.
Congratulations to Chaz, Jason ,and Mike for a job well done. Roger Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing called to see if they had signed any racing contracts yet.
The series was for the most part a race to see who would take 2nd overall. Chaz had stats that most of us dream of. This was an eight race series and he won 7 Mains out of the eight. Week 1 he finished 4th due to some late race contact. Add winning 5 of the 8 heats to his points total and you have the recipe for a successful goal of winning the league championship. Since we also drop 1 race, his lowest score of 54 out of a possible 57 was dropped. The only week he was not in 1st place was week one. He never gave up 1st position in overall points from that point on.

F1 Race Factory on a Tuesday night is the place to be for the Best Indoor Kart Racing in the Valley of the Sun. Averaging 24 racers week to week just goes to show you there are more than a few who want to see how they stack up against the best indoor kart racing has to offer.

We will all assemble again to compete in the 2011 F1 Race Factory Fall League Series starting Tuesday Sept 27th at 6:30pm. Clean slate for everyone and with some hard work by F1 Race Factory, potentially some new and different track layouts.
Maybe a figure 8 with some ramped jumps thru rings of fire and racing into tunnels of darkness with alligator moats on either side. Better call AFLAC to see if your life insurance is up to date!

Not to overlook the 7th race on Aug. 16th but the results were as follows:
“A” Main Top 10: Chaz Baca Jr…Jason Burstein…Mike Davila…Keith Sears…Kyler Repella…Josh Lambeth…Ian Pierce…Eric Dickinson…Kyle Tatman…Logan Swane.
Eric Dickinson won the “B” Main and moved into the “A” Main. Went from 14th to 8th by race end. That’s a lot of laps back to back but Eric was up to the task. Adrenaline pump working overtime!

Last race of the Summer Series saw 23 drivers looking to make the most of their overall points tally. The surprise of the day was Chaz Baca Jr qualifying 7th. Really? 7th? Wow! Did they mistakenly give him a kid kart?
On pole for the Heat was Austin Kipp who showed that he hadn’t lost his talent behind the wheel from lack of practice. Kipp shows up, suits up and is usually found at the front more often than not. Today he proved once again he is a force to be reckoned with. The other semi retired kart racer, due to work responsibilities, is Tony Rolfson who came to this race wincing from a toothache that had him searching for the gallon sized Ambesol to alleviate the stabbing pain in his molar. Fire up a kart and let’s get some string, we’ll have that baby out in no time. Tony would chose to go with a dental appointment the next day.( Dr. E.X. Traction) Nothing would keep him from competing this night and with a 4th Place Qualifier he was within striking distance of the win in the Heat if he could somehow get by Eric Dickinson (3rd) and Jason Burstein (2nd). Keith Sears rounded out the top 5 with a ….you guessed it 5th.

The 10 lap Heat goes green and as we are racing there seems to be some confusion at the Pit rig scoring station. We soon find out that a computer entry problem has scrambled the field and the Heat print out sheets have nothing to do with reality. After some discussion it has been decided to rerun the Heat which will now give us 10 more laps to practice our passing or getting passed skills. We race the second Heat drama free and this one is a keeper.

Top 5 has Toothache Tony Rolfson finishing in the top spot followed by Austin Kipp Van Winkle, Keith Sears & Roebuck, Jason “Weight Vest Unabomber” Burstein, and Eric “Screaming Yellow Helmet” Dickinson.
We take a small break to congratulate or console each others’ Heat finish and anticipate a better one in the 20 lap Main. New kart draw and into our “Chariots of Speed” we go.

Twenty laps on the ½ mile GP Track is hardly enough time to get into a racing rhythm and then bam it’s over. Bam was the sound you heard as Steve Lattanzi & Bobby Neumann attempt to cross the finish line side by side with Lattanzi taking the inside line where little existed and had Bobby taking a wider line than he wanted and found himself sliding into and stuck on the outside wall with the other racers heading toward his rear bumper. One by one they stacked up in this blind corner and then scrambled to cross the finish line ahead of the hotshoes they passed earlier. And at the top of the charts you ask? We once again find a familiar face by the name of Chaz Baca Jr. After starting from P6, Baca slowly but Shirley, you remember Shirley from school, worked his magic and came thru the field to take another 1st in a Main. A rousing finish in the Main compared to an unusual start/finish in the Qualifier/Heat for Baca. All is well and the world has been set right. Papparrazzi pictures taken, $millions$ in prizes handed out, solid Gold trophys awarded and another F1 Race Factory league series is in the books.

Main Final on the GP Track:
Chaz Baca Jr…Austin Kipp…Keith Sears…Eric Dickinson…Tony Rolfson…Jason Burstein…Mike Davila…Kyler Repella…Steve Lattanzi…Bobby Neumann…Scott Lodding…Cody Gutierrez…Paul Miller…Chris Wynne…Josh Lambeth…Kyle Tatman…James Romero…Phillip Schroeder…Keaton Swane…Charles Crowe..Logan Swane…Craig Moore…Greg Gillum.

I would like to Thank each and every one of you for taking the time and resources to do this. Also want to provide a big THANK YOU to all the staff at F1 Race Factory that help to make this a racin’ fun place to be on a Tuesday night. Without you none of this happens. A few speed bumps along the way but nothing a few aspirin or a cold beer wouldn’t fix. Had fun racing with the best indoor kart racers in the USA and at F1 Race Factory the Best Indoor Kart Racing Facility in the USA.
Keeping the Rubberside Down,

Steve Lattanzi "Kandyman"
Team Titanium of F1 Race Factory
steve@f1rf.com
Specialty Events, F1 Race Factory
317 S. 48th Street . Phoenix, AZ 85034
(d) 602-427-4416 / 602-302-7223 (t) 602-321-2035(m)
Visit us online @ www.f1racefactory.com

F1 Race Factory - Your Phoenix Destination For Adrenaline-Packed Outings
Arizona's Premier Indoor Karting & Entertainment Venue
Seasonal Leagues, High Level Competition Events, Public Racing 363 Days A Year
Two Indoor Tracks, 45+MPH Karts, Billiards, Trackside Bar & Grill.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

2011 F1 Race Factory Summer League Race #6 Wrap Up


Chaz Baca Jr Rolls to Another Dominant Victory in the 2011 F1 Race Factory Summer Leagues

Every few years a racer emerges from the ranks of indoor karting and goes on to dominate the competition within his or her particular indoor kart club club. For the past year or so Chaz Baca Jr has taken on that role.

Racers like Truman (Brad) Godfrey, Tony Rolfson, Blake Ledesma, and a host of others have had their turn. Tony and Blake are still some of the best when they compete but with the realities of work, and family responsibilities are factored in the time and money spent chasing the racing dream gets sidelined. Both are still top contenders when they race which is pretty remarkable when you consider racing seat time is a huge factor in keeping the acquired indoor karting skills sharp. There is a direct correlation to seat time and fast times in most cases. Rolfson and Ledesma are able to find their way to the front with minimal weekly practice. Raw talent there. In the case of this writer my skills as a racer are fading faster than heat sensitive paper receipts left in the center console of an automobile in the summer heat.

We now record Chaz’s name into the record books, add more points to his score sheet total for the week and watch him grow that much closer to another League Championship. How about from now on we just give him a trophy at the start of the series and have him stay home so the rest of us don’t have to see the back of whatever kart he is in. Nobody really knows what the front of his helmet looks like because all we get to see lap after lap is the back of it. Two races left in the F1 Summer Leagues and 13 points is the deficit, #2 in points, Jason Burstein has to overcome. Third in overall points is Steve Lattanzi who has been falling by the wayside as of late and is struggling with getting his rhythm back. You should see him dance it’s even worse. Mike Davila, aka Zig Zag Blue Blocker, has been seen in the vicinity and is very good at leading the conga line that forms behind him. A vote was taken, unanimously approved and rear view mirrors will be professionally installed to Davila’s helmet before the next league race. Turn signals will be next so we know when he intends to makes those 2 or 3 lanes changes on the straightaway without warning.

Group 1 Qualifying/Heat has Jason Burstein on the pole for the Heat with Josh Walker, Mike Davila, Eric Dickinson and Kyler Repella rounding out the top 5.
Race goes green and Jason wastes no time pulling away from the rest of the pack. He leaves the rest of the racers fighting over 2nd place and multiple minor contact incidents moves Josh Walker out of second place to as far back as you could go… last. He manages to claw his way back to 7th before race end. Blue flag, give back the position, flagging was at an all time high this night and the dreaded Black Flag came out of retirement to be thrown in the direction of Kyler Repella. Repella responded with a hand sign that said, Who me??? He did serve his penalty and was later seen pleading his case to anyone with ears and a blank stare. He’s young, he’s fast, he’ll get over it. Newcomer, Ken Shihrer joined the F1 Race Factory leagues for the first time and by nights end had nothing but praise for the facility and the 24 other league racers that welcomed his first venture into the best league racing in town. Ken was also the weekly winner of the 50/50 raffle and was having such a great time donated his winnings back into the year end party fund. Thank You Ken.

Group 1 Heat Finish Order:
Jason Burstein…Mike Davila…Eric Dickinson…Logan Swane…Paul Miller…Chris Wynne…Josh Walker…Mike McClaran…Phillip Schroeder…Josh Sarchet…Ken Shihrer…Kyler Repella.

Group 2 Qualifying/Heat takes to the track and Chaz Baca Jr is on the pole for the Heat with Steve Lattanzi, Josh Lambeth, Keith Sears, & Bobby Neumann falling in line behind him.
Lambeth and Lattanzi were separated by 2-1000th of a second for best lap time in the Qualifier. So close that if you blink you miss it.
Not only does the green flag wave but almost in unison we wave goodbye to Baca as he falls into his determined fast lap cadence and proceeds to pull away.
If you remember last weeks contact between Lattanzi and Lambeth this week we see none of that and Lambeth catches Lattanzi at the high speed back corner and makes a perfect inside pass to take 2nd away and try to catch leader Baca. Top eight racers only had one position change and that was Lambeth to 2nd and Lattanzi to finish 3rd. Scott Lodding moves up 2 spots and Jason McCormack goes one up. Keaton Swane drops one spot. Greg Gillum, in his first league season and hailing from Prescott has a stranglehold on the back of the pack but never gives up and gives plenty of room when you need it. He’s one big, tall racer and if trouble starts you will find me hiding near Greg and on whatever side he’s on. He gets better week to week.

Group 2 Heat Finish Order:
Chaz Baca Jr…Josh Lambeth…Steve Lattanzi…Keith Sears…Bobby Neumann…Ian Pierce…Charles Crowe…Cody Gutierrez…Scott Lodding…Keaton Swane…Jason McCormack…Greg Gillum.

Small break to catch our breath, rehydrate and get ready for what’s up next. The “A” & “B” Mains which will be 48 laps on Track 2 c/w. This is where they separate the top halves of the Heats from the bottom halves and the Winner of the “B” Main gets to join the “A” Main for another 48 laps. A real test of one’s endurance and stamina. Charles Crowe is on pole for the “B” Main and never relinquishes that position even though more than once you thought he might lose it to Josh Walker or Cody Gutierrez who was right there to strike with one big mistake from Crowe. First lap also saw Phillip Schroeder get pushed wide and go from P6 to P12. Not a good start for Phillip.By lap 21 the five kart freight train had grown to eight karts a racin’. Seven swans a swimmin’, six geese a layin’, etc. The train comes upon lap traffic and in all the confusion league regular Mike McClaran gets moved back 3 spots with contact. Kyler Repella is racing to the front and ends his night in P5 after starting P11. By the end of 48 laps we have Josh Walker go from P2 to P11 which I’m sure was not his plan. Last week’s “A” Main 3rd place podium finisher, Josh Sarchet, must have had his newly acquired “Lucky” race suit on backwards tonight. I’m sure even though moving up to third in the “B” Main was good, “A” Main podium finishes are that much sweeter and pay off with more points. Charles Crowe wins the race and now joins the “A” Main race from the back of the field. Water weight loss for Crowe had him searching for that water bottle he would like to smuggle into the next 48 lap “A” Main. Sorry Charles the karts do not come with cup holders.

“B” Main Finish Order:
Charles Crowe…Cody Gutierrez…Josh Sarchet…Scott Lodding…Kyler Repella…Keaton Swane…Mike McClaran…Jason McCormack…Phillip Schroeder…Ken Shihrer…Josh Walker…Greg Gillum.
Congratulations: Charles...Cody...Josh S.

Now for the “A” Main. You know who on pole, everybody else behind ykw. Race goes green and within 5 laps we have separation between the top three, Baca/Burstein/Lambeth and the rest of the field that now find themselves battling to get by, Zig Zag Blue Blocker, Mike Davila. As that battle ensues the front three are pulling away and the back of the field are catching the 4th thru 7th place racers. Side by side action got a bit dicey with Lattanzi and then Ian Pierce getting squeezed off before the inevitable head on stop into the wall happened if they maintained their position. A three kart battle has Keith Sears squirting thru and getting by the fracas. Cries of don’t leave us Keith were heard from Lattanzi and Pierce. Add in the always right there Bobby Neumann and you have an action packed race to the finish. But not before Lattanzi finally gets by Davila and settles for a 5th place finish with Bobby Neumann on his bumper taking 6th. Chaz Baca not only wins the “A” Main but on his way picks up 2 pole positions (Heat/Main), a Heat win and sets fast time for the night in the “A” Main. Somebody had a perfect night.

Fast podium pictures were taken and with the next day being the first day of school for Baca Jr, our hopes are that he will have so much homework and so many female race fans to contend with that he will be distracted. Don’t bet on it. When he’s on track we are all going to school. I’m at the back of the class with my spitball straw ready to torment the teacher.

“A” Main Finish Order:
Chaz Baca Jr…Jason Burstein…Josh Lambeth…Keith Sears…Steve Lattanzi…Bobby Neumann…Ian Pierce…Mike Davila…Logan Swane…Charles Crowe…Eric Dickinson…Chris Wynne…Paul Miller.
Congratulations: Chaz...Jason...Josh L.

Want to Thank You all for taking the time and resources to compete in the Best League Series found anywhere See all of you next Tuesday Aug. 16th. 6/6:30 Check in…6:45 Driver meeting/Kart Draw…7pm Racing starts.

Don’t be Late or You May Have to Spectate!

Keeping the Rubberside Down,

Steve Lattanzi "Kandyman"
Team Titanium of F1 Race Factory
steve@f1rf.com
Specialty Events, F1 Race Factory
317 S. 48th Street . Phoenix, AZ 85034
(d) 602-427-4416 / 602-302-7223 (t) 602-321-2035(m)
Visit us online @ www.f1racefactory.com

F1 Race Factory - Your Phoenix Destination For Adrenaline-Packed Outings
Arizona's Premier Indoor Karting & Entertainment Venue
Seasonal Leagues, High Level Competition Events, Public Racing 363 Days A Year
Two Indoor Tracks, 45+MPH Karts, Billiards, Trackside Bar & Grill.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Chaz Baca Jr Wins Round 5 in the 2011 F1 Race Factory Summer League Series


Chaz Baca Jr Continues his Winning Ways in the 2011 F1 Race Factory Summer Leagues

Now with Race #5 in the record books and Chaz Baca Jr securing more points in his quest to win his 4th consecutive F1 Race Factory League Series the rest of the league racers have voted to come up with a new point system.
From this day forward we will be adding the points from 2nd Place and 3rd Place together to try to catch points leader Baca Jr. Our diabolical plan just may work. It was either that or we trick Chaz into racing one of the converted look-a-like detuned Sodi kid karts. Maybe a combination of both.

Group 1 Qualifier saw long time F1 Race Factory member Eric Dickinson, who dons a screaming yellow helmet, take the pole position over up and coming fast racer Josh Sarchet. Josh Sarchet has steadily improved week to week so that now you can count him being at the front more often than not. He is also now sporting a very stylish light grey racing suit purchased from another fast racer by the name of Greg Jones. I think the fast times came with the suit and now Sarchet is convinced the suit is his lucky charm. He may be right. Rounding out the top 5 was Josh Lambeth, Mike Davila, and Chris Wynne. Group 1 also had outdoor stand out Alex Akers join the indoor kart racers and even though he qualified P12 Alex is a quick study and will move to the top of the charts in no time. The level of grip the indoor karts have compared to the grip outdoor karts have is very different and Akers is now thinking about a career in indoor drifting. A harder tire compound is used indoors as well as having a treated concrete surface. No Alex you can’t bring and mount your own tires next time!

Group 1 Heat Results:
Josh Sarchet…Eric Dickinson…Mike Davila…Steve Lattanzi…Josh Lambeth…Kyle Tatman…Chris Wynne…Bobby Neumann…Logan Swane…Phillip Schroeder…Alex Akers…Joe Flitner…Greg Gillum.
Congratulations to Josh Sarchet for his first Heat win in the Leagues.

Three racers in the league travel trillions of miles each week to compete. Kyle Tatman, Josh Tatman and parents travel all the way from Tucson, Az and have been doing this for about 2 years now. Kyle is moving thru the ranks and brother Josh will be on brother Kyle’s back bumper in no time. New to the leagues is Greg Gillum and I hear the family drive to Phoenix from Prescott, Az includes many hours of traveling car games like count the cactus. That’s dedication to the leagues and a testament to the competitive racing spirit that resonates thru all of Arizona.

Group 2 Qualifier had surprise, surprise Chaz Baca Jr on Pole with protégé Jason Burstein slipping to 2nd by 2-100’s of a second. Ian Pierce, Kyler Repella and Cody Gutierrez round out the top 5. Ian Pierce no stranger to fast times has taken Kyler Repella under his wing with his expert instruction. Wrenching on Kylers outdoor kart is just a small piece of the puzzle that has made Kyler a better, faster driver. As Kyler matures and his ego falls within reasonable parameters his indoor driving skills have propelled him to the front more than once. Teacher is now becoming student.

Group 2 Heat Results:
Jason Burstein…Chaz Baca Jr…Kyler Repella…Ian Pierce…Cody Gutierrez…Mike McClaran…Keith Sears…Scott Lodding…Keaton Swane…Charles Crowe…Paul Miller…Josh Tatman…Jason McCormack.
Congratulations to Jason Burstein for the win over the nearly unstoppable Chaz Baca Jr.

Two of the regular “A” Main racers decided to visit the “B” Main this week. Keith Sears was on pole for the “B” Main and Charles Crowe ended up starting from P6. Crowe, who recently returned from a cross country trip with his family in a Winnebago was overheard to say he now wants to grow a mullet to go with the Winnebago. Was that a chewin’ tobacco tin I saw in his pocket? A whopping 6 MPG & 5,000 miles = empty wallet syndrome or credit card meltdown. Exxon, Mobil & Shell have now added the Crowe family to their VIP Christmas card list.

Bobby Neumann, Scott Lodding, and Keaton Swane chased Sears to no avail from the start to the finish. Contact between Charles Crowe and Logan Swane had Swane fall back to finish 2 spots back from his original starting spot of 5th. Keith Sears wins the “B” Main and now gets to join the “A” Main from the rear of the field to race another 40 laps on Track 1. Where’s that 5 gallon Gott cooler filled with ice water when you need it?

“B” Main Finish Order:
Keith Sears…Bobby Neumann…Scott Lodding…Keaton Swane…Charles Crowe…Paul Miller…Phillip Schroeder…Logan Swane…Alex Akers…Josh Tatman…Jason McCormack…Joe Flitner…Greg Gillum.

The “A” Main has Jason Burstein on pole, Josh Sarchet, still beaming from his Heat win, starting P2 and Chaz Baca Jr bringing up the, unfamiliar to him, 3rd starting spot. Top three very focused and the rest of the starting grid hoping for an impatient move or mistake by anyone ahead of them. This level of driver usually doesn’t swing the mistake door open very far or very often. That my readers was not the case in the vicinity of 8th place. Just so happened to be the same area that Steve Lattanzi was attempting and succeeding to terrorize all within striking distance. With laps clicking off and attempted passes being flagged back for position you could feel the pressure mount until an errant move by Lattanzi against Josh Lambeth planted Lambeth firmly into a barrier and essentially out of the race. With Ian Pierce passed for position earlier and Mike Davila passed it now was Eric Dickinson turn to feel the wrath of a fast kart in the wrong hands. Dickinson came into the crosshairs of Lattanzi and after holding a tight line for about 5 or so laps, Lattanzi decided enough is enough and proceeded to push Dickinson off line and by the wayside. Davila gets by Dickinson and another give back the position had Lattanzi giving back not one but two with Davila racing by first followed by the not too happy Dickinson. A payback was imminent and soon thereafter the “hit” contract was signed and the “hit” carried out. Sheepishly and knowing he did wrong by more than one person words were exchanged and apologies issued. Compensation will be issued and promises to race clean or out will be addressed at the next driver meeting. There’s not enough candy in the world to smooth this over so homemade cookie’s may be in order from Pro Cookie maker Gina D’Atrie who graciously provided all of the league racers with an outstandingly delicious sampling of her Peanut Butter/Oatmeal Cookie recipe.

Meanwhile at the front where the close and clean racing was happening the leaders were laughing all the way to the Checkered Flag with clean position changing passes all the way to the stripe. The 3rd step of the podium had a first time visitor named Josh Sarchet and I’m sure the smile of accomplishment hasn’t worn off even a week later. He now is two steps away from the podium top step and with having “Winner” of a league race posted next to his name. The sweet smell of victory is drifting his way. Congratulations to Podium picture models, Chaz Baca Jr…Jason Burstein…Josh Sarchet.

“A” Main Finish Order:
Chaz Baca Jr…Jason Burstein…Josh Sarchet…Kyler Repella…Eric Dickinson…Josh Lambeth…Mike Davila…Ian Pierce…Cody Gutierrez…Steve Lattanzi…Kyle Tatman…Mike McClaran…Keith Sears…Chris Wynne.

Thank You all for taking the time and resources to race in the best league at the best indoor kart racing facility in the country. I should know I belong to many and have been banned from a few. Begging my way back in hasn’t been successful. Karting is my “Fountain of Youth” and a daily dose is highly recommended.

The next 2011 F1 Race Factory Summer League Race is Tuesday Aug. 9th. Check in between 6/6:30…Driver Meeting/Kart Draw 6:45…Qualifying/Heats Start by 7pm.
If you’re Late, You get to Spectate!

Keeping the Rubberside Down,

Steve Lattanzi "Kandyman"
Team Titanium of F1 Race Factory
steve@f1rf.com
Specialty Events, F1 Race Factory
317 S. 48th Street . Phoenix, AZ 85034
(d) 602-427-4416 / 602-302-7223 (t) 602-321-2035(m)
Visit us online @ www.f1racefactory.com

F1 Race Factory - Your Phoenix Destination For Adrenaline-Packed Outings
Arizona's Premier Indoor Karting & Entertainment Venue
Seasonal Leagues, High Level Competition Events, Public Racing 363 Days A Year
Two Indoor Tracks, 45+MPH Karts, Billiards, Trackside Bar & Grill.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Tony Rolfson Wins AZIKC Race #6


On Sunday, July 31, F1 Race Factory hosted the 6th race of the AZIKC with twenty three entry’s signed up for the grueling 72 lap race with a 3 lap qualifier on the ½ mile GP Track. With outside temps exceeding 110 degrees proper hydration had become paramount to being able to finish this race. A sea of water bottles graced the tabletops of the Trackside Grill and by race end every one of them was as empty as a rain barrel in Arizona.
Tony Rolfson, who is the driver with the most wins in the AZIKC year after year, sat on pole for the 72 lap Main. Rounding out the top four were Josh Lambeth, Chaz Baca Jr, and Keith Sears. Strong front runner and multiple winner in the AZIKC, Blake Ledesma was set to challenge from the 5th starting spot. To count out Ledesma in any race he shows up for would be a mistake. Josh Lambeth had a seat adjustment issue but decided to stay with it and claimed the 2nd starting spot with that prudent decision.

Four very new to indoor kart racing decided to join this race and did pretty well competing against some of the best indoor karters under the F1 Race Factory banner. We shall see if John Dimercurio, George Ebacker, Brian Winegar and Russell Dailey return next month now that they have been properly baptized by the Cardinals of Speed. All four finished the race under their own steam.

The field of 23 takes the green and position changes happen pronto. Tony Rolfson maintains his lead and behind him the position swap fest is in full swing. Lambeth is staying within striking distance of Rolfson but Baca Jr wants to be closer to the lead bumper. He accomplishes that goal laps later with a perfectly timed 20 second pit stop which is a mandatory AZIKC rule for all teams running solo or as a two man team.

Jason Burstein who has been on the move to the front after starting 10th is coming like a freight train and proves to be harder to catch than the star of the movie “Unstoppable”.

Driver pit stops/driver changes happen without much drama. Blake Ledesma and Kyler Repella are now racing nose to tail and Repella is not about to let Ledesma escape. They catch Lambeth and in the blink of an eye Lambeth goes from from P5 to P9 with contact between him and Ledesma. Many different versions of what happened circulated with no concrete conclusion and no penalty handed out much to the dismay of Lambeth. Meanwhile Keith Sears who has changed his driving skill set for the better is just out for a Sunday cruise and his plan to stay out of harms way seems to be working. Run silent, Run deep is his new mantra.

And where is Team Titanium you might ask…Don’t ask. Team Titanium has yet to find the good karma they were blessed with for the 2010 AZIKC Series. A qualifying run to start 14th is not what you would call a stellar start to a very competitive field. That said there was less than a 1 second time difference between first (52.037) and 15th(53.024).

Top 3 Podium Finishers:
Tony Rolfson…Jason Burstein…Chaz Baca Jr. Congratulations to these frequent podium finishers and to Tony Rolfson who spends little time practicing and a lot of time winning. Big talent, small budget.

4th thru 23rd is as follows:
Keith Sears…Blake Ledesma…Kyler Repella…Josh Lambeth…Peter Liwanag…Bill Hunter…Mike Davila…Matthew Lamanilao…Josh Sarchet…Mike McClaran…Ian Pierce…Team Titanium(Steve Lattanzi/Charles Crowe)…Chris Wynne…John Pappagallo…Ryan Casillas…Team Zippy(Jason McCormack/Joe Flitner)…George Ebacker…John Dimercurio…Russell Dailey…Brian Winegar.

Top 10 in Points w/o Drop after Race 6 of 10.
Chaz Baca Jr 176…Blake Ledesma 170…Jason Burstein 154…Tony Rolfson 154…Mike Davila 149…Peter Liwanag 138…Team Titanium 119…Mike McClaran…Pat Joyce 102…Bill Hunter 96.

The next AZIKC Race is #7 on Sunday August 28th. Check in by 6pm… Driver meeting/Kart draw 6:15…Qualifying starts at 6:30pm. All on the ½ mile GP Track c/w.
Thank You all for taking the time and resources to do this. It’s the most fun you can have with a helmet on.

Keeping the Rubberside Down,

Steve Lattanzi "Kandyman"
Team Titanium of F1 Race Factory
steve@f1rf.com
Specialty Events, F1 Race Factory
317 S. 48th Street . Phoenix, AZ 85034
(d) 602-427-4416 / 602-302-7223 (t) 602-321-2035(m)
Visit us online @ www.f1racefactory.com

F1 Race Factory - Your Phoenix Destination For Adrenaline-Packed Outings
Arizona's Premier Indoor Karting & Entertainment Venue
Seasonal Leagues, High Level Competition Events, Public Racing 363 Days A Year
Two Indoor Tracks, 45+MPH Karts, Billiards, Trackside Bar & Grill.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Josh Lambeth wins race #2 of the NASA League


Points Leader Austin Newmark dethroned by Birthday Boy Josh Lambeth in Race #2 of the 2011 NASA-AZ/F1 Race Factory League Series.

What do you get when twenty six competitive NASA guys come together and race on the indoor kart track at F1 Race Factory? Twenty six fast and furious drivers of all different skill levels coming together to have an afternoon of adrenaline producing fun with some good old fashioned sweat thrown in for good measure. The second of six races welcomed 10 newcomers to the kart racing fold and all were intent on making a good showing with their car racing skills hopefully transferring to the low clearance, 9hp Sodi Karts.

Group 1 Qualifier has Josh Lambeth sitting on Pole for the Group 1 Heat with a time 24.438.
Paul Miller 24.750, Kent Porter 24.845, Eric Jacobsen 24.869, and Kent Buckley 25.046 round out the top 5.
Group 1 Heat Results:
Josh Lambeth…Paul Miller…Eric Jacobsen…Kent Porter…Tage Evanson…Kent Buckley…Wayne Porter…Eric Dayton…Anthony Szirka…Stephen Busler…Terry Denton…Aaron Hiar…Darrell J. Covert.

Group 2 Qualifier has Austin Newmark sitting on Pole for the Group 2 Heat with a time of 24.385.
Chris Wynne 24.509…George Sklyarevsky 24.561…Stenos Wijaya 24.665…Jeff Abrams 24.682 round out the top 5.
Group 2 Heat Results:
Austin Newmark…Chris Wynne…George Sklyarevsky…Stenos Wijaya…Eric Kennel…Leland Forbes…Dave Schutt…Leroy Moore…Paul Kuzma…Jeff Abrams…Jason Noel…Michael Browning…Ryan Denton.

After a small break to reset the fields for the “A” & “B” Mains we have Wayne Porter on Pole for the “B” Main. 10 to 12 laps in, a computer glitch has the field come to a stop for a restart. Leroy Moore starting again from P2 is having to work his way around Wayne Porter again after doing so after 6 laps in the first start. Race is restarted and Leroy makes his move early into the second start and keeps the position for most of the race. Wayne Porter never loses sight of the leader Moore and eventually finds his way around to take the “B” Main win and move into the “A” Main as a bonus for winning the “B” Main. Like 48 laps isn’t enough Porter will be doing another 48 laps to add to his bottom line score for the day. A look of relief is seen on the face of Moore.

“B” Main Finish Order:
Wayne Porter…Paul Kuzma…Leroy Moore…Jeff Abrams…Michael Browning…Jason Noel…Stephen Busler…Aaron Hiar…Eric Dayton…Anthony Szirka…Ryan Denton…Terry Denton…Darrell Covert.

Next up is the “A” Main racers who manage to have no less than four group races within one race. Austin Newmark is on Pole but has Mr. Birthday JML Pictures President/Producer/Director Josh Lambeth sitting right behind him and ready to strike if Newmark makes a mistake. Chris Wynne is starting from P3 if the party of two Newmark/Lambeth should tangle. Paul Miller and George Sklyarevsky plan to sneak up and make a run at the top two spots together. Seems like the only plan that worked was the one from Lambeth. He got by Newmark and went on to win but not before they nearly lapped the rest of the field. The biggest drop in position came from Chris Wynne who went from P3 to P12 with a little help from his kart racing friends in the middle of the pack. Biggest position gain was from NASA-AZ Pres. Tage Evanson who came from P10 all the way up to P4 by race end of 48 laps. Lambeth also set fast time in that race with a 23.962. Dave Schutt saw many different flags this day, so many he thought he might be at the United Nations building in N.Y .The dreaded Black Flag was for contact between him and Leland Forbes. Leland will be out of the full body cast any year now. Good way to make to 200# weight minimum, Leland. Congratulations to Josh Lambeth for the win on his birthday. Hey, where’s the cake?

“A” Main Finish Order:
Josh Lambeth…Austin Newmark…Paul Miller…Tage Evanson…Stenos Wijaya…George Sklyarevsky…Kent Buckley…Eric Jacobsen…Eric Kennel…Leland Forbes…Kent Porter…Chris Wynne…Wayne Porter…Dave Schutt.

Top Ten Points after Race #2 (July 31):
Austin Newmark 89…Paul Miller 83…Tage Evanson 81…Chris Wynne 75…George Sklyarevsky 75…Stenos Wijaya 74…Kent Porter 69…Kent Buckley 69…Eric Jacobsen 68…Leland Forbes 63.

Next NASA-AZ/F1 Race Factory League race will be on Sunday Aug. 28th. Track 1 c/c/w… Check in between 1 to 1:30…Driver meeting/Kart draw 1:45… Qualifying/Heats start 2pm. Entry is $45.00 tax included.

Thank You all for taking the time and the resources to do this.
Don’t Be late, or You get to Spectate!

Keeping the Rubberside Down,

Steve Lattanzi "Kandyman"
Team Titanium of F1 Race Factory
steve@f1rf.com
Specialty Events, F1 Race Factory
317 S. 48th Street . Phoenix, AZ 85034
(d) 602-427-4416 / 602-302-7223 (t) 602-321-2035(m)
Visit us online @ www.f1racefactory.com

F1 Race Factory - Your Phoenix Destination For Adrenaline-Packed Outings
Arizona's Premier Indoor Karting & Entertainment Venue
Seasonal Leagues, High Level Competition Events, Public Racing 363 Days A Year
Two Indoor Tracks, 45+MPH Karts, Billiards, Trackside Bar & Grill.