Wild Weekend in Windsor!

September 10, 2008 – Returning home for a few club races at Point Pelee Karting for the Sun Parlour Kart Club championship, CF Racing attended race eight on August 17. Cory and the CF Racing team were back on home soil and looked to add to his championship totals in both Rotax Junior and Junior Heavy classes.

Kicking the morning off with a number draw for starting positions, Cory drew a mid pack number and started in the middle of the twelve kart Junior Heavy class. Continuing his season long battle with Selena Ujj, Cory managed to hold her off for the first heat. Much was the same for the second heat as Cory drove another strong race and finished on top placing him on pole for the final. Taking an early lead for the final, Cory maintained a solid pace and was never really challenged for the win. Adding to his already solid points total Cory is in cruise control towards the year end championship.

The scenario in Rotax Junior was very different as only three karts entered for the day’s events. Cory finished the first heat right behind point’s leader Joshua Gilbert. The second heat was very much the same as again he finished on the bumper of Gilbert. Starting outside pole for the final, Cory grabbed the early lead as the two raced off from the third place kart. The two swapped the lead often throughout the final and everyone watching quickly knew it would come down to final lap. Leading into turn one of the final flier, Cory tried his very best to hold off Gilbert. However a pass in the back section and a drag race to finish line earned Gilbert the win, placing Cory in second.

After a quick weekend off, the CF Racing team traveled down the highway to Riverside Drive in Windsor for the Windsor Karting Grand Prix in conjunction with the Brian Stewart Racing Karting Championship. After a full day of practice in both the wet and dry, Cory and the team felt very confident about their chances of taking home a win or two in the three classes entered for the weekend.

After a heavy fog rolled in early Saturday morning, bright sunny skies kicked off the day’s events at the downtown Windsor location. Qualifying for the Junior Medium class was first and Cory placed himself nicely in the top five. Unfortunately the same could not be said for Rotax junior as an issue with the kart placed Cory thirteenth for the pre-final. Cory maintained his position in both pre-finals and looked to battle with the leaders in the Junior Medium final. Racing with the leaders early on, Cory maintained a solid pace but lost the draft near the mid way point and could only watch the lead group pull away. However, a race long battle with Max Preston for the fifth position lasted up until the checkered flag as the two crossed the finish line one-tenth of a second apart for the fifth position which went to Cory. More bad luck struck the team in the Junior Rotax final as Cory blew a brake line on lap four and crashed out early.

Sunday’s action was much of the same as Saturdays as Cory qualified fourth in the Junior Heavy class only tenths of a second off the pole position time. The pre-final was a wild one as many of the leaders were involved in incidents. Cory steered clear of everything and maintained his fourth position. Starting from the outside of row two Cory held his line through the tough turn one carousel. Slotting into third early on, Cory was waged in a battle with Preston, Mack Deman and AJ Emms. Falling as far back as sixth, Cory managed to hold on and finish fifth at the line.

A pair of top five’s in Honda action impressed the team this weekend. The team now looks forward to the Final race of the Brian Stewart Racing Karting Championship from September 12-14 at Downsview Park in Toronto.