Challenge of the Americas - Race 2
This was the first time I had to do back-to-back race days after only a couple practice days as well, so while I was still super excited and having a great time, all the driving and kart-lifting really wore me out. On Monday morning, I was afraid I couldn't make it to school due to the agonizing pain! However, this second race still provided a great venue to continue to get more experience against the best drivers on the West Coast.
Qualifying
Qualifying was difficult. It was difficult because the driver ahead of me was slower, and he wasn't planning on letting me through. At one point, I gave myself some space so that I could get a clean lap in, but on the same lap, I caught right back up to him. I was quite surprised by how easy it was to close the gap on someone who is more experienced than I am, but in the end, I wasn't able to qualify to my full potential.
Heat Race
The heat race was just as underwhelming as qualifying. At the start of the race, I proceeded cautiously because I wanted to bring the kart home safe at the end of the day, which seemed smart at first, but I later found myself stuck behind the same driver who slowed me down in Qualifying. For a good fraction of the race, we battled for positions out of desperation not to finish in last place. The driver ahead of me drove extremely defensively, from brake testing halfway down the straight to almost running me off into the dirt whenever I try to pass. After several laps in, I finally managed to get a clean overtake on him coming into the main straight with super late braking.
Main Race
The Main Race went better than the race before. At the start, I was able to get in on the inside as soon as possible, closing the doors on the driver mentioned earlier. I gained a lot of ground in the first couple corners, taking advantage of every open opportunity given to me. Finishing the race in one piece is one thing, but finishing the race with maximum effort is something better. At about halfway through, I found myself battling with quite a few really fast drivers, all of whom are recognized for their previous success in national level karting. It was a very intense yet fun battle because I was able to learn a lot from just watching and driving at the same time. The moment I got passed was the moment I was able to match my pace with the driver who just passed me. We traded positions here and there, but he finished in front of me in the end. However, that doesn't mean the race itself was a loss to me. As a matter of fact, it was far beyond a win because it was my very first national race, and I was able to stick right with the pack. I had no high expectations, which led to a happy ending for the weekend.
Full Results:
Current Standings:
After the first 2 races, Kyle is currently 20th overall in points. Not a bad start for a rookie.
Read about the other races from 2016 Challenge of the Americas