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| August 07, 2012 News |
| Skip Barber: Double Victory for Portante at Lime Rock |
Skip Barber racers from around the country recently traveled to Lime Rock Park for Rounds Nine & Ten of the Skip Barber Racing School Summer Series. Skip Barber Racing School Winter Series Champion Jake Eidson experienced a successful weekend by extending his point lead in the Skip Barber Racing School open-wheel class of the Skip Barber Racing School Summer Series presented by Mazda. Peter Portante also scored his first win of the series, which inched him closer to Eidson in the point standings.
The Group 2 race one featured contact in the first turn of the first lap, shuffling the leaders. Tristan DeGrand, who started in first has to pit and loses track position. After the contact, Adrian Starrantino, Jack Mitchell Jr., and Eidson were out front. Starrantino unfortunately was forced to pull off via a black flag. In the back of the pack, Ayla Agren and Andrew Hobbs were working hard to make life difficult for each other, while out fron Eidson, Mitchell Jr., and Portante broke away in a tight pack. Mitchell Jr. spent a little time in first, and Portante spent a little time in second. In the end, Eidson pulled out to a victory by less than 3-hundredths of a second. Mitchell Jr. and Portante finish second and third in the close lead group.
Race two had Mitchell Jr. taking the lead after a jumbled first few turns. On lap two, Eidson took over the top spot, but his race came to a frustrating end. Contact in the turn one on lap 17 damaged Eidson’s car to a point where he had to call it quits. The lead now was hard for everyone to hold. Tristand DeGrand was out front, with Andrew Hobbs and Mitchell Jr, in pursuit. Hobbs got as high as third before getting black-flagged and subsequently disqualified for failing to pit. DeGrand and Mitchell Jr. subsequently were able to pull away and finish well ahead of the rest of the field in first and second. Portante finished in third.
Group Four race one had Portante starting on pole. As the green flagged waved, the pack fanned out and it was five wide going into Big Bend, with Portante in front, followed closely by Andrew Long and Mitchell Jr. After three laps, a breakaway group began to emerge. Mitchell Jr. used the draft to slowly reel in Pat Daly to take P3. After passing Daly, Mitchell Jr. set his sights on Longe in who was in second. After a few laps of filing his mirrors, Mitchell Jr. overtook Longe to acquiring the position. With the two wide racing behind, Portante built a comfortable lead over Mitchell Jr. and Longe. The fast charger of the race was Ayla Agren. She methodically moved herself into fifth from the 12th starting position. When the checkered flag waved, it was Portante, Mitchell Jr., and Longe making up the three podium spots, with Daly coming away with P4 and top masters honors.
After coming away with his first win, Portnate was again on pole for race two of the group, with Mitchell Jr. on the outside of the front-row. The green flag waved and everyone went single file for the first few laps. Portante was hounded by Mitchell Jr. as he tried to find a way to get around. Agren was there to pounce on any mistke by the top two. After four hard fought laps, Agren found herself in P2, with Portante holding a comfortable lead. Unfortunately, Agren was forced to pit for a four off before rejoining the field. With 10 laps to go it was Portante ahead by a mile, with Mitchell Jr. holding a solid second, and Pat Daly in third. At the stripe, it was Portante sweeping Group 4, with Mitchell Jr. and Daly taking second and third.
The next stop in the the Skip Barber Racing School Summer Series presented by Mazda is Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in northern California, with Rounds 11 & 12. |
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