John Fitzgerald Represents Chris Brandt Racing On Podium at Glen Helen
- Oct 3, 2013
After qualifying 5th for Saturday's feature, Chris Brandt returned to the track later that day to earn his rightful position for Sunday's race. When the dust had settled, Brandt finished his second qualifying race 6th in a field of fierce competitors. Lining up in the fifth row, when the waving of the green flag deemed round nine underway, Brandt, wasted no time working his way through the maze of drivers. Avoiding carnage and trouble, he managed to move into the sixth position prior to the halfway point of the race. However, bad luck eventually reared its ugly head. After heavy contact, a flat tire sent Brandt to the pits and in turn resulted in an 18th place finish. Starting in the sixth row on the following day, Chris Brandt once again went to work immediately at the waving of the green flag. Methodically maneuvering his way around competitors, he eventually made his way to the lead pack. At the end of the race, Chris Brandt was situated in sixth place.
Having qualified fifth for round nine of the Pro Buggy class of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing, Jon Fitzgerald took the hole shot in the feature, setting the pace for a field of talented drivers. Fitzgerald controlled the front position for the first couple of laps. However, carnage midway thru proved costly, putting the 2012 Limited Buggy champion in third place, where he would finish the race. Although Fitzgerald would have obviously preferred the leading two positions, he had earned a coveted spot on the podium. Fitzgerald returned the final day with an eagerness to get round 10 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing series underway. Lining up in the last row for the feature, the Fitzgerald had a lot of work ahead of him. But he was more than ready to accept the challenge. He eventually started gaining positions and worked his way to third in the field. Even though the laps ran out before he could challenge the top two drivers, John Fitzgerald had earned his second trip to the podium in the event. In reference to Fitzgerald's strong finishes in rounds nine and ten, Chris Brandt Racing's, Director of Operations, Jerrod Wedell, said "Getting on the podium is always a good thing. But his goal is to be on top of it at the season's end. The second and third places have kept him in a great points position for his first year in the class. He is still learning a lot about setup and driving of the Pro Buggy class and sees some potential for some good gains moving forward this season. "The key to success for Chris Brandt Racing is to continue to focus on the consistency of setup and performance," he continued. "To be able to have speed on Friday, to be fast on Saturday and Sunday - weekend-to-weekend. We have had some bad luck handed our way this year, and that is part of racing. We believe the better we can perform consistently, the better our luck will be. And that is what we expect from ourselves." Team Chris Brandt Racing is also conscious of the importance of keeping their rigs in tip-top running condition. That in mind, they are strong advocates of using K&N products to ensure their engines run contaminant free. "K&N products are phenomenal," said Jerrod Wedell. "We have had excellent success with them. They are a staple in racing. In off road racing, they are at the top of the chart and that's why we use them. There is a lot of money at stake if the products fail, and that's why we associate ourselves with the best on the market. We have seen other companies try and come into the sport and fail. We cannot afford that. Failures affect consistency, and consistency wins championships. And championships are the goal of Chris Brandt Racing." Looking at the "big picture" Jerrod Wedell concluded, "While a championship is looking slim after the 18th place at Glen Helen Raceway and the competition where it is right now, we are focusing on speed, consistency and getting both vehicles back to atop the podium where they belong. The team is capable. With the carburetor problems behind us on the #82 Pro-Lite and a little more development on the #14 Pro-Buggy, we should be there shortly." |
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| Related K&N News Articles about the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series: Stellar Performance for Casey Currie at Glen Helen Raceway in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series; Baja-Style Off-Road Racer Kyle LeDuc Rises to the Top in Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series; Bradley Morris Rules Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series Prolite Class in Rounds 9 & 10 at Glen Helen Raceway |
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