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Andrew Comrie-Picard, “ACP” extended his lead in the Rally America Championship Series. He finished second overall in his NOS Energy Mitsubishi and became points leader in the series.
Andrew Comrie Picard was aggressive enough at the Olympus Rally to put him in first place in points in the Rally America Championship Series
“The Olympus Rally was incredibly tough,” said Comrie-Picard. “The competition between the top teams was intense and we fought hard for this result.” This was his third podium finish in three starts in the series.
Andrew Comrie-Picard will be ready for the Rally America Championship Series when it resumes on the Portland based Oregon Trail in May
Team ACP Rally uses K&N products on their vehicles. “I’ve used K&N since I began Rally racing more than a decade ago,” said Comrie-Picard. “We compete under tough conditions, with dust, mud and water splashes. We do the most extreme things we can do in a car and K&N is the perfect formula for our turbo charged motors. There is no compromise with K&N.”
Comrie-Picard entered the event tied with Rockstar Energy’s Tanner Foust for the championship lead. ACP came out ahead in the points after a two day battle over more than 100 miles of rugged stages. He has 48 points, while Foust and Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana are tied for second place with 45 points apiece.
The Olympus Rally opened with a series of extremely fast stages. Teams were racing at 120 mph on some of the straight-aways. Comrie-Picard and co-driver Robbie Durant finished the first day in third-place.
Day two in South Bend, Washington was more technical. ACP and Pastrana traded seconds all day. They also finished stages in dead-heats. “Andrew prepared to push into the final miles Sunday afternoon, but an ailing transmission began to cost them time,” said Jen Horsey of Team ACP Rally. “They didn’t have the use of third or fourth gear through the final two stages of the event and were unable to catch Travis Pastrana.”
Everyone in the lead had problems, Pastrana and Foust both had to do transmission work overnight after day one and Ken Block blew two motors. Third place went to Foust. He made an early bid for the lead but lost time to the leaders on Sunday while running with a back-up gearbox.
“We’re thrilled to be leading the championship,” said Comrie-Picard. “We’re gunning for top points this year and we plan to battle hard at every round. There’s no doubt this is a tough sport.”
The next round for Team ACP Rally is the Portland-based Oregon Trail Rally in May.
Jake Swanson drove his USAC Midget with K&N products to a podium finish at the I-10 Lucas Oil Speedway in Blythe, California in the Ford Focus Midget Series.
High School Sophomore Jake Swanson at the I-10 Lucas Oil Speedway in Blythe, California
The high school sophomore was really looking forward to the start of the race. “I was excited because I ran the No.88 Ford Focus Midget well the last time I was there,” said Swanson. “This is also my favorite pavement track.”
No.88 Ford Focus Midget driven to a 3rd place finish by teen Jake Swanson of Anaheim, California
The competition was tough in Blythe. Swanson was up against all pavement specialty cars. “My car is a combination dirt and pavement car,” he said. “This means I have a two or three tenths of a second disadvantage.”
Swanson had the second fastest time in the qualifying session. Swanson had to finish in 5th place or better to keep his starting position for the main, and he did.
“I immediately moved up to 4th position,” he said. “I was running with the lead pack the entire race.” During the race there were a few cautions and one red flag. Swanson finished in third place.
“This is my first official year of being supported by K&N, racing in the USAC Focus Midget and USAC Western States Dirt Midget Series,” said Swanson. “Last year I won the Junior Focus Midget Series with the support of K&N. It’s great to be part of the K&N 2009 Family. I’ve never used anything but K&N air filters. They work great and keep the track debris out of our engines.
Team Lovell went to Moab, Utah on top of the rock crawling world. The team won the WE ROCK competition in Tucson, Arizona. Brothers Brad and Roger Lovell were more than ready for the competition. “We ended up in second place,” said Brad Lovell. “It’s not a bad start to the season, first place in Arizona, then second in Utah.”
XRRA Moab Race was set against the backdrop of the La Sal Mountains in Utah, photo by Chad Jock Photography
K&N filters kept debris out of the engine on the Lovell Brothers Ford at the XRRA race in Moab, Utah, photo by Chad Jock Photography
“Racing can be the best job in the world,” said Brad Lovell. “It can also be the worst job in the world.” The Lovell brothers had to fix what they called an electrical phantom on their No. 32 Ford before they hit the land of red rocks and the so-called Mecca of their sport in Utah.
Xtreme Rock Racing Association XRRA second place win for Brad Lovell in Moab, Utah, photo by Jud Leslie
Brad and Roger Lovell had consistent runs in their No. 32 Ford at Moab, Utah, photo by Chad Jock Photography
“As soon as we arrived we went to tear up some rocks,” he said. “I was having a great run on the rocks and in the dirt until flames started shooting out of the tailpipes.”
The team only had one day until the XRRA Moab race and Brad Lovell said he started to stress. “My wife supported me and encouraged me and I tore into the truck and did my best to fix the problem,” he said. “With the deadline for the tech inspecting closing in, we began to accept our fate.” Fortunately they found the solution and the truck roared to life. The problem was a corroded connection in their computer.
“My runs were consistent and went well,” he said. “It was the typical bone jarring, metal shearing punishment that XRRA is known for. Our K&N air filters worked great the whole time. K&N keeps our sensors from clogging up and keeps the debris out of the engine.”
The Lovell’s next race will be in Primm, Nevada for the Terrible’s Town 250.
In the fourth Golden State Challenge Series of the season, Jonathan Allard took a very close second place finish at the Petaluma Speedway. Allard uses K&N products on his Sprint Car. “K&N makes the best oil and air filters for our cars,” he said. “K&N is easy to use and maintain. We just wash, assemble and race.”
K&N Filters No. 0 Driven by Jonathan Allard took second place in the fourth Golden State Challenge Series at Petaluma Speedway in California, photo by Steve's Racing Photos
This was the second time this season that Allard finished second to Tyler Walker. It was however, his fourth finish of second or better in eight starts at the track since 2005. “A second place finish is good in the long run,” said Allard. “We want wins. I thought I might have had Tyler off the final corner, but came up a bit short.”
Former King of California Jonathan Allard will race next in the series at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, California, photo by John's Racing Photos
The two-time and defending King of California lined-up on the outside of the second row in the main event and settled into third at the waving of the green flag. The 3/8 mile clay oval was very hooked up in the feature and Allard was up on the wheel as he tried to find the right line to put the Williams Motorsports, K&N Filters, Red Line Oil No. 0 on the sticky surface.
“It was difficult to make things happen in the open track,” said Allard. “At Petaluma, once lapped traffic comes into play the intensity heats up.”
During lap 15 Allard moved into second place. As soon as he was in position to take over and go into first place the caution lights came on and took them out of lapped traffic.
“On the restart Tyler escaped, but I quickly had a chance to close in,” said the Chico, California native. “As soon as I had that opportunity, there was another caution.”
Allard dove as hard as he could and shot to the high side of turn four. He could not get the opening he needed and had to settle for second at the stripe. “This place is exciting when lapped cars come into play,” he said. “A lot of times it is what decides the races at Petaluma.”
Next up for Allard and Williams Motorsports will be a double-header weekend starting with the re-scheduled Bill Brownell Memorial on Friday in Chico, followed by the fifth event of the Golden State Challenge Series season on Saturday at the Ocean Speedway in Watsonville. "We've been in position to win multiple races so far this year so hopefully next weekend we can get back into victory lane at Chico and Watsonville," said Allard.
Round two of the 2009 American Le Mans Series Racing Season was difficult for the Primetime Race Group. ALMS GT2 Class driver Joel Feinberg was confident they would make a solid gain in championship points in the St. Pete Street fight in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Primetime Racing Viper Stranded in the St. Pete Street Fight in the American Le Mans Series in Florida
“This particular street circuit is very technical with tight corners and hard braking points,” said Primetime co-driver Chris Hall. “This makes it extremely challenging for the front engine Viper to overtake. This forces us to driver harder than any other driver out there.”
Primetime Race Group will next take its Viper to The Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, California
With a precise strategy in place, Primetime owner and driver Feinberg worked his way through the field and attempted to pass the LG Corvette on lap three. In turn two he was forced off the track spinning. The Viper brushed the way lightly and compromised two positions. Feinberg regained control and hit the track and ran for another solid 35 laps to the 5th position.
The Primetime Viper was made as a competition coupe for the European racing circuit. “We took it and developed it for the GT2 Class,” he said. “It has a V10 engine and we run a K&N air filter. K&N gives us excellent filtration and more air for additional power in competitions.”
Fifty three minutes into the St. Pete Grand Prix, slippery track conditions and tire complications resulted in an equation that left the Primetime Viper stranded in turn 10 on the back straight. There was debris on the track and Feinberg locked up in the brake zone and blew out his right front tire.
The Viper limped around the downtown waterfront streets and Feinberg attempted to reach pit lane for a tire change. On the back straight, he lost steering control and the Viper went into the concrete barrier wall.
The chassis on the Viper was not affected by the accident. “It was a sad ending to an optimistic beginning,” said Feinberg. “I’m really at a loss for words. With our strategy and clean racing we had the potential to finish on the podium. That’s racing.”
The Primetime Group plans to return to The Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series in Long Beach, California.
