"It's really important for us to go out and win again," crew chief Troy Denis said. "We don't want to slow down or take it easy. Every week we want to go out and win the race. The benefit may only last the first round in the playoffs, but better to maintain momentum than try to re-build it."
Law has now led 22 straight laps, and he'll see if he can continue that streak with another road course next race at Mirage II. His closest competitor was Hierjel Arvin Alonso, who finished runner-up and had his closest challenge coming off of pit lane when he was unable to complete the pass off of turn 1. "I think for me, a runner-up finish is good," Alonso said. "We should have won that race if we didn't make a mistake (on pit lane)." The only major issue in the race was in the first corner, when Jack Freeman tried to overtake the field on the inside and made contact with Craig Martin, clipped by 19carfan, who came across the track to hit and spin Ray Chapman. Points contender Robert Harrison swung wide into the gravel trap and lost spots he was not able to recover. Martin also had to make a pit stop on the final lap of the race, costing several spots. "Just a really bad break for us," Martin said. "A couple of races ago I thought we could run up front. Now it looks like we're in a must-win situation." Law's second victory opened up another playoff spot on points, which Noah Kim claims while Conor Mays and Kenny Knox hold the first two spots.
Last year's NFRN Elite Cup Series runner-up is currently 25th in the point standings and is looking at a must-win situation given the consistency of the top points drivers.
Robert Harrison and 19carfan joined Lindsay in being top-three in both practice sessions on the track. Western Motorsports also put three of its drivers in the top-10. Here's the best drivers turning right in this session: 1) Colin Lindsay - 1:02.208 (50 laps) 2) 19carfan - 1:02.263 (49) 3) Robert Harrison - 1:02.339 (45) 4) Joey Radcliffe - 1:02.368 (50) 5) Dwayne Callaway - 1:02.380 (47) 6) Jason Thales - 1:02.411 (51) 7) Griffin Lynn - 1:02.439 (49) 8) Shane Borlan - 1:02.444 (47) 9) Kyle Basaglia - 1:02.454 (46) 10) Donnie Moore - 1:02.459 (49)
For most drivers in the field -- save for those who attempted Calder Park Raceway for the NECS and a couple of veterans -- this is the first crack at a road course. The teams will head back to Death Valley, California, the race after this one for a run at another track in the Mirage complex, Mirage II. Kenny Knox won at Mirage Short Roval in the NECS earlier this season.
"That track alone could've been called a road course, and I guess it is kinda in the name," Knox said. "We feel good about going back there and just being on a road course again. We finished solid at Calder Park and I'd love to push for the playoffs." Here's the top 10 for the drivers facing their first road course: 1) Robert Harrison - 1:00.805 (75 laps) 2) 19carfan - 1:00.862 (77) 3) Colin Lindsay - 1:00.987 (72) 4) Kyle Law - 1:01.062 (76) 5) Craig Martin - 1:01.091 (75) 6) TJ Smith - 1:01.098 (72) 7) Justin Rodeback - 1:01.113 (73) 8) Al Callaway - 1:01.117 (72) 9) Shane Borlan - 1:01.120 (73) 10) Jake Thomas - 1:01.121 (71) |
Archives
February 2023
Categories |