Daniel Bray has work to do to retain title
Kiwi karting international Daniel Bray has been left with some work to do if he is to retain his SuperKarts USA Pro Tour S1 class title after a tough second double-header round in Utah over the weekend.
Though the Aucklander adapted quickly to the Miller Motorsports Park circuit, qualifying second to first double-header round winner Joey Wimsett on Saturday, he could manage only fifth in the main event that day then eighth in the main event - after qualifying fifth - on Sunday.
"We just struggled with the set-up all weekend," the 24-year-old said from the United States this morning. "We were OK in qualifying because we could do a good time for a couple of laps before the kart started gripping up. But it was weird. We tried everything to dial the grip out but nothing, and I mean nothing, we tried - and which would have worked at any other track - seemed to work there."
Works CRG driver Wimsett was the dominant force over the weekend, setting the quickest lap time in both qualifying sessions before winning both heats and the main on Saturday and the first heat on Sunday.
A chain derailment saw him slip to 15th at the line in the second heat but he fought back in the main event, working his way back up the field from 15th place to third in a race won by CRG teammate and 2010 class title holder Fritz Leesmann.
Leesmann now leads Wimsett in the class series points standings with Bray third.
Bray now returns to New Zealand on Thursday to prepare for the third round of this year's Mi Sedaap New Zealand Pro Kart Series at KartSport Bay of Plenty's Fagan's Valley Raceway near Te Puke.
After two rounds 2010 series class winner Bray currently lies second to long-time rival and 2011 champion Ryan Grant in the premier KZ2 class.
The pair are again joint favourites heading into this weekend's meeting, as they will be at the fourth series round back in Auckland at the end of August.
After that meeting they then head to Europe where they will contest the KZ2 class at this year's World Championship meeting at Sarno in Italy.
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