Gold Cup, Jacksonville - recap
March 14, 2012
Emerson's first trip to the fast 103rd street racing complex in Jacksonville, FL would be an eventful one for sure. It would also be Emerson's first time driving a TaG Junior kart as well. After two days of racing, Emerson would score 2 pole positions, 2 pre-final wins, 2 podiums and 1 win.
Friday would provide 5 rounds of practice, and Emerson would lead the time charts in each round. Emerson showed great maturity adapting to both a new track and a new engine package. Jamie Sieraki and Franklin Kart did a great job of having the MR29 ready for Emerson when we arrived in Jacksonville, and this level of comfort helped Emerson adapt very quickly.
Saturday would prove to be exciting, with the threat of possible rain showers in the forcast. Emerson would waste no time taking the pole for Saturdays' prefinal. As the team rolled the kart to the grid for the final, the skies would open up. With a bit of scrambling to change over to rain tires, and a lot of help from the crew under the tent we would still arrive back to the grid a little late. Emerson would enter the track as the field was taking the green flag, easily 15 or more seconds behind the field. With only 7 laps for the pre-final, Emerson would waste no time catching the back of the field. With a brave pass going into turn 1 and another pass coming out of turn 1, Emerson would find himself in 2nd place with just a few laps to go. As the leader took the white flag, Emerson had a 3.5 second gap to close and close it he would. Emerson would win the pre-final by .5 seconds! Emerson would lead every lap of the final, only to be freight trained at the end of the back straight to be shuffled back to 3rd.
Sunday would bring more threat of rain and more wild racing. Emerson would once again claim pole, this time by over .2 on the rest of the field. Emerson laid down the fastest qualifying lap for a Junior TaG at Jacksonville in the process with a 34.181 second lap. After some shuffling during the race, Emerson would cross the finish line first, but be penalized for inadvertant contact during the race. With the points system used by Gold Cup, Emerson would still find himself on pole for the final. The racing in the final was pretty much follow the leader, as the rest of the field would tuck in behind Emerson and try to hold onto the ETrain's draft. The final lap would see Emerson defned the inside line down the back straight. P2 made an attempt to pass half in the grass, even further on the inside, but Emerson was able to hang on despite contact. P2 would again make a move in the 2nd to last turn, again making more contact, sending Emerson, all 4 wheels, into the grass. Emerson was able to keep his foot in it, rejoin the racing surface while maintaining control and win the race .032 ahead of P2.
Definitely an exciting weekend for sure. Special thanks again to Jamie and the Franklin Kart shop for all the help, and the great X30 TaG engine as well.
Next up for the ETrain is WKA Man Cup, Round #2 in Kershaw, SC.
News Archive
March 14, 2012
Emerson's first trip to the fast 103rd street racing complex in Jacksonville, FL would be an eventful one for sure. It would also be Emerson's first time driving a TaG Junior kart as well. After two days of racing, Emerson would score 2 pole positions, 2 pre-final wins, 2 podiums and 1 win.
Friday would provide 5 rounds of practice, and Emerson would lead the time charts in each round. Emerson showed great maturity adapting to both a new track and a new engine package. Jamie Sieraki and Franklin Kart did a great job of having the MR29 ready for Emerson when we arrived in Jacksonville, and this level of comfort helped Emerson adapt very quickly.
Saturday would prove to be exciting, with the threat of possible rain showers in the forcast. Emerson would waste no time taking the pole for Saturdays' prefinal. As the team rolled the kart to the grid for the final, the skies would open up. With a bit of scrambling to change over to rain tires, and a lot of help from the crew under the tent we would still arrive back to the grid a little late. Emerson would enter the track as the field was taking the green flag, easily 15 or more seconds behind the field. With only 7 laps for the pre-final, Emerson would waste no time catching the back of the field. With a brave pass going into turn 1 and another pass coming out of turn 1, Emerson would find himself in 2nd place with just a few laps to go. As the leader took the white flag, Emerson had a 3.5 second gap to close and close it he would. Emerson would win the pre-final by .5 seconds! Emerson would lead every lap of the final, only to be freight trained at the end of the back straight to be shuffled back to 3rd.
Sunday would bring more threat of rain and more wild racing. Emerson would once again claim pole, this time by over .2 on the rest of the field. Emerson laid down the fastest qualifying lap for a Junior TaG at Jacksonville in the process with a 34.181 second lap. After some shuffling during the race, Emerson would cross the finish line first, but be penalized for inadvertant contact during the race. With the points system used by Gold Cup, Emerson would still find himself on pole for the final. The racing in the final was pretty much follow the leader, as the rest of the field would tuck in behind Emerson and try to hold onto the ETrain's draft. The final lap would see Emerson defned the inside line down the back straight. P2 made an attempt to pass half in the grass, even further on the inside, but Emerson was able to hang on despite contact. P2 would again make a move in the 2nd to last turn, again making more contact, sending Emerson, all 4 wheels, into the grass. Emerson was able to keep his foot in it, rejoin the racing surface while maintaining control and win the race .032 ahead of P2.
Definitely an exciting weekend for sure. Special thanks again to Jamie and the Franklin Kart shop for all the help, and the great X30 TaG engine as well.
Next up for the ETrain is WKA Man Cup, Round #2 in Kershaw, SC.
News Archive
