December 30, 2008

EKN Trackside: WKA Daytona KartWeek - Tuesday Report

Yamaha Sportsman
Aidan Landauer (Merlin) earned his first pole position of the ‘09 season by posting the quickest time during the Yamaha Sportsman qualifying session. Jake Johnston was second quick ahead of Mike McAndrews in third. Kyle Kalish (Merlin) was fourth with James Bennett (Birel) fifth.

It was a Daytona 500 style freight train with as many as 12 drivers making up the lead draft pack in the Prefinal with Landauer, Johnston, and McAndrews showing the way. Not many positions were exchanged during the first half of the eight-lap event, especially up front. On lap five, McAndrews was able to take over second from Johnston while behind them, Santino Ferrucci (Maranello) finally broke into the top-five, beginning his charge to the front. Landauer continued to run a defensive line as they got the white flag, stacking up his competition behind him. Ferrucci, now into third, was able to slide inside McAndrews for second heading into turn one - his favorite passing location. On the backside of the track, Ferrucci quickly put Landauer behind him and took the checkered flag for the Prefinal win. Landauer came home in second with McAndrews third, as Kalish and Bennett completed the top-five.

The Yamaha Sportsman feature began with a number of drivers making contact to open up the 16-lap race, including many inside the top ten. Up front, Ferrucci, Landauer and McAndrews avoided the melee to show the way with Brandon Jarsocrak taking advantage as well to move up to fourth from outside the top-10, bringing Kyle Tilley with him. McAndrews put Landauer back to third early on as he put his nose on the bumper of Ferrucci and applyed pressure around the entire course.

After the halfway mark, the top three had a large advantage over the battle for fourth. No positions were exchanged among the leaders before receiving the white flag, as Ferrucci put some distance between himself and McAndrews. Ferrucci would take his second victory of the weekend as Landauer was able to get by McAndrews for the runner-up spot in the final corner. Tilley held on for fourth ahead of Jarsocrak.