Kamikawa Wins 2014 Championships and Rapids Invite

Kamikawa Wins 2014 Championships and Rapids Invite
Wins F1 & LMP Races

Mike Lack GTP Victor

The 20th edition of the Rapids Invitational was a fitting end to an interesting season as Everet Kamikawa won the F1 and LMP races to clinch the championships in both divisions.
It is Kamikawa's second F1 title and first LMP title in his career and the first championships he has won of any kind since 2004.
"I had a great second half of the season," Kamikawa said in the post race press conference. I have to acknowledge that even as well as I was driving luck and injuries played into this success.
No one would have known before the season that Mike Fitzlaff would be out with foot surgery and John Wiedemann's cars would blow up at successive races.
Mike Lack had to concentrate on winning the Indyslotcar title. So I kind of feel like Paul Tracy when he finally won the CART title in 2003 after all the big teams like Target and Penske left the series.
Still counts in the record books though so I'll take it!"

Kamikawa's win in the F1 championship wasn't quite as easy as he made it sound.
He, Wiedemann, Lack, and Cory Galbraith had a spirited battle in the first half of the F1 final.
Kamikawa led the first few laps only to be overtaken by Lack. Wiedemann hung close to Kamikawa with Galbraith not far behind in fourth.
Kamikawa and Lack switched places before the halfway pit stops, both switching from the option to prime tires.
Wiedemann and Galbraith had the opposite strategy.

Starting the second half Wiedemann immediately started having engine problems and his car died, the same problem he faced at Turtle Creek.
He was allowed by a special ruling from the commissioner to start a backup car.
Finding that car completely undrivable because it had never been raced before, he was ready to drop out but was allowed to race Kamikawa's back-up car (from right to left in picture above).
He would eventually finish third.
Galbraith was making his fourth start of the season and proved quick, but the handling on his new USF1 Mega G chassis left a lot to be desired and he could never overcome it to mount a challenge to the leaders.
Lack stayed on Kamikawa's six until have a few handling problems towards the end leaving Kamikawa with a one lap victory and the F1 championship.  

The LMP race wasn't as close of an affair. Mike Lack overtook Kamikawa on lap three and led until well into the second half.
John Wiedemann was third with Corey Galbraith in fourth in his new orange and blue Peugot.
Several cautions dominated the last quarter of the race as all drivers except Kamikawa started having handling problems.
Kamikawa gained a several lap advantage  and took the win. The fight for second was close with Lack taking the position at the flag with Wiedemann third and Galbraith fourth.

The field also ran a GTP event with Mike Lack's Tamiya Jaguar beating Wiedemann's Art Sports Mazda, Kamikawa's Shell Toyota, and Galbraith's Scotland Rules Toyota.
With Lack's win the 2014 ISF season came to an end.
It was the ISF's 200th event. Next season will be the ISF's 16th. A schedule and rules will be announced at a future date.

Until next time...It's not bad being in the pits! Steve The Wrench Ratchett

INTERNATIONAL SPORTSCAR FEDERATION Official Finish, Event # 2014-08

Rapids Invitational presented by Too Clean Laundry
April 17, 2014
Rapids International Raceway

F1 Grand Prix Category -- 16 Minute Final
Pos. Driver Car

1. Everet Kamikawa-Ferrari
2. Mike Lack-Jaguar 
3. John Wiedemann-Jaguar
4. Cory Galbraith-USF1

Fastest Qualifier --N/A B Main Winner --N/A

Heat Winners --N/A

 

LMP Category -- 12 Minute Final

Pos. Driver Car

1. Everet Kamikawa-Audi Black
2. Mike Lack-Audi R15
3. John Wiedemann-RacingNation.com Peugot
4. Cory Galbraith-Scotland Rules Peugot

Fastest Qualifier --N/A B Main Winner --N/A

Heat Winners --N/A

GTP Category -- 12 Minute Final

Pos. Driver Car

1. Mike Lack-Tamiya Jaguar
2. John Wiedemann-RacingNation.comJaguar
3.  Everet Kamikawa-Shell Toyota
4. Cory Galbraith-Scotland Rules Toyota

Fastest Qualifier --N/A B Main Winner --N/A

Heat Winners --N/A
 

The 2014 Austin Award Winner Is...

Anyone can be a pundit and chime in two cents on who will be or should be a champion in the HO IndySlotcar league. It takes a real handicapper to be able to pick the winner of the Austin Award for best comedian during the season.
An award that driver Everet Kamikawa has stated "If I can't win the league championship I want the Austin award because it least it shows I was funny outside of the car if I can't be competitive inside the car."

Here are my picks for the coveted 2014 Austin Award named after former champion both on the track and on camera. Criteria for my votes are simple:

1. Who contributed the most original ideas for the TV broadcasts

2. Who got the most laughs on race night

3. Who provides the best mix of humor and weirdness in the final edit for broadcast

#3. Dan Margetta: Always ready with a good throw away line like "bringing a knife to a gunfight" his driver lineup intros are still funny and fresh after all these years, although there were a couple of intros in the last couple of races that weren't up to his usual standards, however we attribute that more to his fellow announcer at those times. What Dan does very well is set announcers and drivers up so well that they can riff and then he will either support them by going along with the riff or giving them some other direction to go in.

#2. Dean Strom: This is a close call on #1 and #2 this year. Dean's alter ego "Sergio" the ever lusting lover from the country of "Latin" has become a fan favorite on screen and in print. Deano Bravo's imitation of Lee Skippy is classic. Not many other characters for broadcasting, however it's close between he and Dan about who is the perfect foil when announcing with Kitty Bo Peep. For driver interviews Dean always seems to create something fresh as opposed to other drivers doing standard " we hope to drive well and win" interviews. He also received the longest kiss in Indyslotcart history when he won a race earlier in the year.

#1. Everet Kamikawa: The introduction of "Lee Skippy" as a race host and reporter was a brilliant idea by Mike Kristof. Kamikawa made the character grow throughout the season and seems utterly comfortable in his on camera alter ego in a way that he hasn't been since his days as "Everet Bell." Getting clubbed by gangs, innuendo with Kitty Bo Peep, and doing impressions of Deano Bravo were some of the most memorable bits. We look forward to seeing more of Lee Skippy in the future. Everet also brought along his usual cast of characters such as Professor Rex Karz. He also brought a new twist of introducing drivers as former Milwaukee Brewers or ex-Indyslotcar drivers. If you didn't find the joke about Harry Carey comparing saying "balls" on a racing telecast as opposed to a baseball broadcast you missed something special.

Congratulations Everet!

Until next time

It's not bad being in the pits!

Steve "The Wrench" Ratchett

2014 Turtle Trot: Kamikawa and Lack Win

The penultimate race of the 2014 ISF season saw the points race draw ever tighter as Everet Kamikawa's Ferrari won the F1 division and Mike Lack's Hyundi was victorious in LMP.

The Turtle Trot is a favorite stop for ISF drivers, but the figure 8 park setting road course has never been trickier than this year with the new higher powered F1 and LMP cars. Several spins and off punctuated the action in both divisions. Larry Rotter took pole position but it was Kamikawa's Ferrari that beat him off the start and lead the F1 race lights to flag. Mike Lack's Red Bull was fast but experienced handling problems after the mandatory tire change and he finished second. Corey Galbriath continued his impressive return to ISF competition. An earlier heat race win got the rookie into the final, but a crash marred run left the rookie in third place. Rotter couldn't turn home track knowledge to his advantage as, in a rare result, he crashed out early in the competition.
John Wiedemann second half season struggles crept up again as he only managed fifth place.
Mike Kristof returned for his third career ISF start to finish 6th.
Dan Margetta never got to terms on the racy track and finished 7th while Todd Wolf had to shake off the rust of a six week layoff to finish 8th.

LMP was also a crash fest as the drivers had to switch from their sleek F1 racers to the wider and boxier LMP cars.
John Wiedeman put his car on pole and challenged his teammate Lack for the victory but could not beat "The Machine," as Lack is sometimes called because of his cool unflappable racing demeanor.
Kamikawa's black Audi suffered engine problems that required two long pit stops, however he recovered to finish 3rd with Galbraith 4th. Margetta was fifth on the night as his Peugot engine died during the semi-final. Mike Kristof made his debut in LMP with a sixth place finish. Rotter made only his second start in the modern LMP cars and Wolf debuted his new LMP with both finishing 7th and 8th respectively.

Kamikawa's F1 win gave him a slight edge over Wiedemann in the points, however the ISF counts only the top six finishes toward the championship so the last race will be critical to both drivers.
It is much the same in the LMP division between the same two drivers only that division drops the lowest score.

Until next time...It's not bad being in the pits! Steve The Wrench Ratchett

INTERNATIONAL SPORTSCAR FEDERATION Official Finish, Event # 2014-06
Turtle Trot
March 20, 2014
Turtle Creek Raceway Park

F1 Grand Prix Category -- 16 Minute Final
Pos. Driver Car

1. Everet Kamikawa-Ferrari
2. Mike Lack-Red Bull Jaguar
3. Cory Galbraith-USF1
4. Larry Rotter-Mclaren
5. John Wiedemann-Jaguar
6.  Mike Kristof-Jordan Honda
7. Dan Margetta-Lotus
8. Todd Wolf- Catheram F1

Fastest Qualifier --Rotter B Main Winner --Kamikawa

Heat Winners -- Kamikawa, Galbraith

LMP Category -- 12 Minute Final

Pos. Driver Car

1. Mike Lack - Hyundi Audi R15
2. John Wiedemann-KIA Peugeot
3.  Everet Kamikawa-Audi R15 Black
4. Corey Galbraith-Rookie Peugot Mike Fitzlaff-Nissen LMP
5. Larry Rotter-Audi R15
6. Mike Kristof-Audi R15
7. Dan Margetta-Peugot
8. Todd Wolf-Design Engine Peugeot

Fastest Qualifier --Wiedeman

B Main Winner --Kamikawa

Heat Winners -- Lack, Galbraith 

Kamikawa Sweeps 2014 RacingNation.com West Bend Grand Prix

It was a cold night for most race fans, but Everet Kamikawa's season went to red hot with two wins in the RacingNation.com Grand Prix at Lack Track in both F1 and LMP divisions.
"It's been a while since I did this so it's nice," said an understated Kamikawa.
Kamikawa didn't show any speed in qualifying, but when the flag dropped at the finish of both LMP and F1 Kamikawa was three laps ahead of John Wiedemann in each division.

Wiedemann continued his march to the championships with his second place finishes, although Kamikawa has closed the gaps. Mike Lack finished third  in both divisions. Not to be lost in the shuffle were the career best finishes of Keith Lindbeck of fourth place in F1 and Todd Wolf a fourth in LMP. Wolf has had previous fourth place finshes in F1, while Lindbeck has made some progress in his F1 program.

INTERNATIONAL SPORTSCAR FEDERATION Official Finish, Event # 2014-05
RacingNation.com Grand Prix presented by RacingNation.com
January 20, 2014

Lack Track

F1 Grand Prix Category -- 16 Minute Final
Pos. Driver Car

1. Everet Kamikawa-Ferrari
2. John Wiedemann-Jaguar
3.  Mike Lack-Red Bull Jaguar
4. Keith Lindbeck-Lotus
5. Todd Wolf- Catheram F1

Fastest Qualifier --Wiedemann B Main Winner - Kamikawa

Heat Winners -- N/A

LMP Category -- 12 Minute Final

Pos. Driver Car

1. Everet Kamikawa-Audi R15 Black
2. John Wiedemann-KIA Peugeot
3. Mike Lack-Hyundi Audi R15
4. Todd Wolf-Design Engine Peugeot
5.  Keith Lindbeck-Audi R15

Fastest Qualifier --Wiedemann

B Main Winner --Lack

Heat Winners -- N/A