chris latorre
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| Pitts IKF Grands Report |
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9 wins and 7 poles for Team Pitts Performance at IKF Grand Nationals.
July 6th, 2010. Van Nuys, Ca
Team Pitts Performance came to Willow with a team ready to do battle in every class, every day. They left with 9 Duffies, and 7 Screaming Eagles, more than any other squad. Team Pitts Performance was nearly unstoppable in the Junior classes winning an unheard of 9 out of 12 classes. If this were Major League Baseball they’d have a batting average of .750. The Yankee's “A Rod” bats only .275 and makes 33 million dollars a year; looks like Team Pitts Performance is a bargain at twice the price. Pitts Performance race winning engine packages won Duffies in KPV, Yamaha, Comer, PRD, and Kid Kart, cleaning house in all classes.
Jake Craig led the way for the team scoring 5 Duffies, 4 Screaming Eagles and the prestigious Lake Speed Award for excellence. Colton Herta came in a close second with 2 wins and a pole. Hudson Morrow grabbed a Duffy and an Eagle, Anthony Willis a Duffy and Carson Enright earned a Screaming Eagle for his pole.
Day1
Day 1 started off in the best possible way for Team Pitts Performance as Carson Enright earned the Kid Kart pole and Jake Craig topped the time charts in Junior Super Sportsman Heavy for his first pole of the week. The Kid Kart final was not all that exciting as Team Pitts Performance drivers ran one-two from the drop of the green flag. Anthony Willis led from the get-go and never looked back. He was chased by Hudson Morrow, but 6 year old Willis became the youngest IKF National championship, winning his first Duffy. Morrow's chase paid off with a great runner's up finish for 2nd place.
Jake Drew had a great start to begin the Rookie Sportsman final. Drew led the first few circuits ahead of fellow Team Pitts Performance driver Colton Herta. As the race progressed the lead changed repeatedly, but all the while Drew and Herta were there poised to strike, and strike they did. With one corner left to go Colton Herta rode in 3rd place. That didn't last long as he snuck inside on the exit of the corner and out drag-raced his foes to score his first national title. Drew held strong and finished in 5th.
Day 2
Day 2 was more business as usual for the Team Pitts Performance bevy of drivers as they picked up 3 Screaming Eagles and 3 More Duffies. With their wins on day two Colton Herta and Jake Craig earned their IKF Expert status. First up on the grid was Kid Karts and the pole went to Hudson Morrow. Morrow kept up a blistering pace in the final going flag to flag for the win. Hayden Wagner found something extra on day two improving on his first day’s performance and found himself on the podium with a 3rd place finish. Derek Deslauries finished right behind Wagner for 4th place giving Team Pitts Performance 3 out of 5 spots on the podium.
The drive of the week came from Colton Herta in Junior 1 Comer. Herta qualified on the pole, but a crash in the prefinal sent him back to 21st. Jake Drew and Christian Brooks were having a great run of their own and Pitts had the entire front row to start the final. Brooks and Drew battled it out up front as Herta put the hammer down in the back. Lap after lap Herta moved through the field picking off drivers one and two at a time. By halfway Herta had climbed up to 7th already and there was no sign of him stopping before he reached the front. As the white flag flew Herta again found himself sitting in 3rd place, and once again the inside move on the last turn paid off. At a photo finish Herta grabbed the win by only .006, the closest of the week. Drew and Brooks ended their days with 5th and 6th place finishes.
Jake Craig topped off a great race day for Team Pitts Performance in KPV 2 Heavy. Starting off with the Screaming Eagle Craig carried that momentum into the prefinal and straight on to the main event. Craig proved for the second day in a row that he is the driver to beat in every class he enters. It took two laps before Craig was well in control of the final and leaving everyone in his dust. With his second Duffy in two days Craig added his name to the short list of IKF expert drivers.
Day 3
Day 3 was another exceptional day for Team Pitts Performance drivers as they landed two more Duffies, and one more Screaming Eagle. Jake Craig once again climbed to the top of the heap in the Junior classes, but when you are a driver already on top it isn’t a long way to climb. Craig snagged another pole this time in Junior Super Sportsman. Craig put his stamp of authority on the class with a flag to flag win running unchallenged in the main event. Craig doubled his Duffy count in the Junior PRD class with another impressive drive. In an all too common sight, the mighty #00 driven by Craig dominated a stout field of junior drivers for his fourth Grand National win. Slater Stowell rebounded after having a little bad luck in qualifying and the prefinal to finish firmly on the podium in 3rd place.
The Team Pitts Performance KPV 1 contingent flew the banner high in the 24 kart field, but came up inches short of getting the win. Colton Herta, Jake Drew and Christian Brooks ran solidly in the top five all night long with Herta even leading for a spell. Lady luck ran out for Herta and his third win in three days was not to be. Herta had to settle for 2nd place by only .112. Brooks had his best run of the week finishing in 3rd place just ahead of teammate Drew in 4th.
Day 4
Day 4 was the last day of a long week for everyone competing against the Team Pitts Performance junior armada. With the sun setting on Willow for the last day of the IKF Grand Nationals Pitts struck one more blow to their foes in KPV 2. Jake Craig posted the fast time in KPV 2 qualifying and went on win the prefinal without any issues. Craig was on the verge of IKF greatness sitting pretty with four national titles and a fifth within his grasp. Lesser drivers might have caved in to the pressure, but Craig rose to the occasion with another outright spanking of the field. Undefeated is not a word to use lightly but Jake Craig was the master of all and completed his sweep of the junior classes. Five for five is a feat not soon to be duplicated.
All was not perfect for the Pitts crew as Colton Herta was poised to win his 3rd Duffy of the week and succumbed to a broken spindle while leading Junior 1. It was a tough break for a young driver who contributed so much to the action all week.
“We had a spectacular week,” said Chris LaTorre of Pitts Performance. “The atmosphere under the tent was unbeatable and made possible by all our great customers. Phil and I would like to personally thank the Brooks, Hertas, Craigs, Jacksons, Wagners, Stowells, Enrights, Drews, Danielles, Willis', Sawyers, and Deslaurieres for making our Grand Nationals unforgettable.” Special thanks to Chris Brooks for putting the tent together. Our BA-1 Cadet chassis has once again proven it has what it takes to make Champions.
Want Results? Look no further then Pitts Performance. We specialize in Engine Building and Kart parts, Racing Accessories, and are an authorized Rotax Service Center. Pitts Performance is the sole USA Importer for the BA-1 Cadet chassis. Order online @ www.pittsonline.com or come check out our 5500 square foot store at 7922 Woodley Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406 Phone: 818.780.2184
If you are looking for horsepower from C51 Comers to 125cc Rotax, contact Phil Carlson owner, engine builder. |
