2009-10 Round 2
Lia Sophia Grand Prix - Rapids International
Round 2 of 14
September 17, 2009
FAST FACTS
2009 CHAMPION: Mark Walczak
2009 POLESITTER: Mark Walczak
TRACK LAYOUT: City Road Course
RACE LENGTH: 20 Minutes
TRACK RECORDS: Qualifying –2009, Mark Walczak, 55.977
Race –2009, Mark Walczak, 238 Laps
Fast Lap – 2008, Mark Walczak, 4.219
RACE ROUND: 2 of 16 in the 2009-2010 Indy Slot Car Series
INSTANT REPLAY:
The evening couldn’t have been any better for points leader Mark Walczak as he swept the 58 maximum points available. He was quickest in practice and in qualifying, setting a new track record in the process. Hometown favorite Ev Kamikawa was a close second.
In heat one, Ev Kamikawa jumped out to an early lead using his vast knowledge of the track. He lead by five laps at the halfway point over Tom Spehert, and finished with an eight lap lead over Tom Spehert, and eighteen lap lead over Mike Kristof.
The second heat started out as a tight race between Dan Margetta and Dean Strom for first while rookie John Wiedemann and Matt Hayek were left to battle for third. Dan and Dean were tied at the halfway point, waiting to see who would blink first. In the end it was Strom making the mistake that allowed Margetta to take the win and advance to the finals.
The third heat was the closest of the evening with a tight battle between John Shea, Mike Fitzlaff, and rookie Mike Lack. It was the rookie Lack who actually made his series debut the previous year in a one off event here jumping to the lead at the start. The lead would change multiple times threw out the event, but in the end Mike Lack was able to reclaim the lead and advance to his 4th final of the year.
The final heat was over as soon as it started as Walczak jumped out to a seven lap lead at the turn, and extended it to 18 laps over Larry Rotter at the end with Chris Spehert finishing third.
In the finals Walczak and Kamikawa spent a majority of the first half running within a few sections of each other before Mark started to pull away leaving Kamikawa to battle with Walczak’s teammate Dan Margetta. Walczak ends the race with a 14 lap lead over Margetta to take the win. Ev Kamikawa was third with rookie Mike Lack finishing 4th.
THE Lia Sophia Grand Prix HISTORY (9 events, 1995 - Present)
Year Race Winner
1995 Dave Austin Config 1
1996 Dave Austin Config 2
1998 Dan Margetta Config 3
1999 Ev Kamikawa Config 4
2000 John Shea Config 5
2001 Phil Cianciola Config 6
2007 Ev Kamikawa Config 7
2008 Mark Walczak
2009 Feb Mark Walczak
2009 Sept ????????????? Config 8
Top Stories
Ev Kamikawa took the opening win of the season in the Trokan Cup 500 last week. The series has instituted a new qualifying procedure for the road course events. Three to four drivers will be on the track at once with their best lap over the two minute time representing their qualifying spot. The city of Rapids under pressure from the drivers has raised the backstretch to go over the buildings. Corey Galbraith will be making his only start in this event. Mark Walczak is looking to be the first driver to win three races in a row.
Stats Watch
-Ev Kamikawa is now 2nd all time on the career wins list with 28
-Mike Kristof collected his 6th career pole and moved into a tie for 10th all time
-Chris Spehert moved into a tie for 13th all time with his 13th career heat win
-Chris Spehert is now tied for 14th all time with his 17th career finals appearance
-Matt Hayek moved into 25th on the laps completed list
John Wiedemann moved into 26th all time on the laps completed list
-Tom Spehert tied Phil Cianciola for 2nd place all time with 173 career starts
Chris Spehert moves into a tie for 7th all time with John Baas with 135 career starts
Mike Kristof is tied for 9th all time with Dave Austin with 118 career starts
Dean Strom is now 21st all time on the career starts list with 36
Matt Hayek is now 24th on the starts list with 21 career starts