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In the most
unbelievable finish in World Formula Endurance
history, Bratton Racing (Jim Bratton, Brian
Phillipsen, Mike Mantel) were second at the
white flag but first to the checkered for Round
6 of the 2008 World Formula 6-Hour Endurance
Series at Adams Motorsports Park. As new
series points leaders Go Lowe Racing led
virtually from the green flag, Bratton's team
used a much more efficient oil change at the
3-hour mark to make up the difference. As
night fell and the lights came on, the two teams
were running on the same lap but out of pit
cycle with each-other. It continued that
way for the next 2-1/2 hours, with David Lowe
leading at the two-to-go mark and Mantel less
than half a lap behind. Lowe took the
white flag while running on fumes but then
immediately dove into the pits for a splash of
fuel. The team was unable to get the motor
restarted quickly enough, and Mantel went on to
take the checkered, with the Lowes finishing the
race out in the pits.
At the start of the day, Junior super-team Young
Guns, including HPV-2 front runners Maya
Gutierrez and Eric Reschke Jr., were the
favorites to beat the adults to the checkered
flag. Although they showed throughout the
race that they had the speed to run with the
leaders -- Gutierrez and David Lowe raced
nose-to-tail for nearly a full fuel run -- their
Tony Kart began to show the strain of constant
bottoming out. During the fourth-hour oil
change, the team made the decision to raise the
ride height, at the expense of valuable laps
lost. Once the kart finally made it back
on the ground, the engine was mysteriously
seized, and several more minutes were lost
during the ensuing swap. What had looked
like such a promising day finally ended with
multiple chain derailments and a sixth place
finish -- and the team vowing to return to win.
Autocross team Coneheads finished third for the
fourth time in five races, while 2008 hard-luck
award winners Skylite Media bounced back from an
ill team member and a broken chain on their new
Kosmic Kart to finish a solid fourth.
Honorable Mention for Round 6 goes to Team T-GAG
(The Get Along Gang) for keeping their
Stratos Kart moving and going home with a
fifth-place trophy in their first ever racing
event. For the fourth race in a row, Iron
Man entrant David Ayotte again ran more than
twice as many laps by himself than any other
competitor to finish in seventh place.
Second Iron Man entrant Will Harps finished
eighth, while the Dromo 1 team suffered a broken
axle that left them permanently sidelined in
ninth early on.
The next World Formula 6-Hour is August 23 at
Apex Racing in Perris, CA. Green flag 4:00
PM / Checkered 10:00 PM. Don't miss it!
Race #1
Report: Adams Motorsports Park
- Jan-08
Race #2
Report: Grange Motor Circuit
- Feb-08
Race #3
Report: Willow Springs Int'l Raceway Kart
Track
- Mar-08
Race #4
Report: Apex Racing - Apr-08 |
