The iKart team traveled south to Homestead, Florida for their first on track activity of the New Year. Behind the wheel for the first race of 2014 were AJ Meyers and Mike Giessen competing in the Tag Senior Class. The Florida Winter Tour always brings out the best competition along with many International drivers as well. The iKart team was fast all weekend with AJ up near the top in just about every practice session, while Mike was working on different set ups and keeping his iKart machine easily in the top 10.
Saturday saw AJ qualify P3 just 4 hundredths off the pole time and Mike put his iKart in P5 just 2 hundredths back of AJ. Saturday’s feature race saw lots of action and misfortune for AJ Myers while Mike Giessen charged through the field from his P5 starting position to lead a large portion of the race. It looked like he was in control to take the win, but with just a handful of laps left he got tangled with Dan Roeper allowing Daniel Formal (the reigning FWT Champion) to get by and take the win. Mike came across the finish line in 2nd while AJ (although fast all day Friday and in qualifying) suffered through bad luck during the feature to finish back in 24th place.
Sunday morning saw AJ set fast time during the warm-up session while Mike was just 2 tenths back in P6. Qualifying saw both drivers right up at the top again with Mike putting in a lap at 47.726 and AJ right behind him at 47.735 good enough for P2 and P3 for the iKart teammates. Unfortunately the Leopard power plants on the iKarts just couldn’t quite keep up with the Rotax engines at this particular track. As the rubber continued to go down on the track as the day went on it became more and more difficult to get the drive necessary out of the tight hairpins that was needed to put them up front. Although AJ and Mike showed how fast the iKart chassis is, the Leopard engines were at a distinct disadvantage as the rubber built up on the track. Both drivers did the best they could and drove fantastic all weekend. The iKart chassis performed flawlessly and was fast all weekend. Although Sunday’s results weren’t what the team was hoping for Mike still managed to finish 4th and AJ crossed the finish line in 15th. The iKart Chassis was the only American made kart in the TAG SR. field. It was another David vs. Goliath, and David gave Goliath all he could handle.
The iKart Race Team will be back in action at the next round of the Florida Winter Tour at Ocala, Florida on Feb. 7th, 8th, and 9th. Check back here to keep up to date with all of Team iKart’s results!