What is Flow Forming Technology?
Adam Knapik Recaps Formula Drift Seattle!
FORMULA DRIFT SEATTLE – PRO 2 Round 3 | August 4th and 5th
Round 3 of the Formula Drift Pro2 series was held in Evergreen Speedway, located in Monroe Washington. This track has a massive high speed 5/8th mile banked right hand turn, and immediately follows into an infield that has a slower technical portion that has two outer clipping zones and two inner clipping points. I had never been to Evergreen but have only heard great things about it, so me, and the whole teams excitement was high to be testing our abilities there.
The drive up to Washington from Southern California was effortless, but that’s where our good fortune stopped. Come Thursday’s practice we where met with constant challenges and issues.
For this round we had installed a supercharger system, as we knew that we would need more power than the back up stock LS2 that we had in the car. With this new system on our car came some hurdles that we didn’t foresee. Because the long bank puts so much stress on the motor, and then coming off the bank unloads just as much, we where having issues with our serpentine belt snapping. Since the belt controls the water pump and power steering as well, when that belt goes, you looks everything. On our third practice run we hit some more bad luck. Our belt had snapped, and the slave cylinder o-ring had failed. We got the car back to the pits and noticed that when the belt snapped, it had also hit the wiring to the fans and not just cut the wiring, but had pulled it out of the fans. . The team scrambled like champs though. In no time the car was in the air, the front end was disassembled to get to the fans so that we could re-solder the wiring, changed the belt, and the transmission was out so we could replace the o-ring. We got the car back out for some practice runs, but on our 2nd lap the belt tensioner actually broke past the “stopper” and the pulley seized up. Again we brought it back to the pits and started working away. Right away one of the guys hopped into the truck to run over to a parts store to get another belt and tensioner. Unfortunately all local stores where out, and the closest store was 20 minutes away. And as luck would have it we where due to run our qualifying runs in about 15 minutes. We did what we could with what we had. We popped the tensioner back over, realigned the pulleys, threw on a new belt (that luckily Jeff Jones was nice enough to lend us), and lined up to qualify!
First run I put 2 tires off on the first infield outer “touch and go”, scoring a 61, and on the second run the belt had had enough, and snapped when I was coming off the bank. Down on power because the blower was no longer working, and with no power steering I was almost able to finish off the run, but unfortunately straighten at the very end, giving us a 0.
The score landed us just outside the top 16 in 18th place. The weekend was a tough one for us, but everyone worked great as a team, we learned alot, and can’t wait for the final round in Texas!
Adam Knapik is a Konig Sponsored Professional Drift driver that competes in Formula Drift Pro 2 Series. Adam drifts on Konig Rennforms in 18×9 et 23 all the way around. The Konig Rennform is Flow Formed.
Make sure to follow Adam Knapik on INSTAGRAM!
The Konig team is ready for Formula Drift Round 6!
THE KONIG FORMULA DRIFT TEAM
Nate Hamilton has returned back to FD Pro and has really shown his skills and maturity in the sport. This season as proven to be almost a graduate course for Nate. He has had more top 16 finishes this season then in his entire career. It just seems that Nate gets better and better at each event. That has shown through his confident and aggressive driving. Currently in 16th place the last two events this season are going to be defining for Hamilton. Of course it will be his best professional season in Formula Drift but it will also be an incredible benchmark in his professional drifting career. We’re super proud of Nate and are excited to be part of his program. Go get’em Nate!
Nate is running Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.
Kevin Lawrence is for sure a rising star in the Formula Drift series. With his most recent win at FD Orlando, Kevin and the Enjuku Racing team are pushing for another “W” in Seattle and are chasing that championship. Kevin is an extremely knowledgable and all around great person. He is the definition of a true enthusiast not to mention has one of the coolest cars in FD pro2 with his right hand drive RB25 powered S14. Kevin is making that journey across the country and looks nothing less than ready and prepared to come out on top! Kevin is currently in 5th place.
Kevin is running Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.
Travis Reeder is a 100% the one to beat on the PRO 2 track! The battle for the series at this point could be a face off between two Konig sponsored drivers, Reeder and Lawrence. Travis placed 2nd in Orlando to Kevin Lawrence but took the win in Atlanta. He is currently in 1st place in the pro 2 rankings. Travis and his 240SX are on Konig Ultraforms and are coming into Seattle armed and ready to take out the competition!
Travis is running Konig Ultraforms in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9 et 25 rear. The Konig Ultraforms is Flow Formed.
Kelsey Rowlings is an exciting driver to watch and definitely ready to show the field what she’s made of. Kelsey’s driving style is super agressive which makes her the one you can’t keep your eyes off. She’s struggled a bit the first half of the season but not due to lack of effort or skill. Seattle could really be an exciting breakout event for her. Its refreshing seeing a women driver in professional drifting but be very clear, Kelsey is as solid of a professional drift driver as anyone in pro 2. Make sure to keep your eyes on her, because she really is an incredible driver!
Kelsey is running Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.
Donovan Brockway and the Red Baron team are like no other! His turbo E30 BMW, nicknamed “theBeast”, throws more smoke than you can imagine and the platform is one of the sickest in FD. Brockway is another one of those extremely aggressive drivers. They have been working out the kinks the first half but its looking better and better every event. When they put it all together Donovan is going to pop in to action in a major way! Follow Donovan and the Red Baron team as they prepare to move up on the rankings in this round of Formula Drift Pro 2!
Donovan is running Konig Rennforms in 18×8 et 35mm front and 18×9 et 35 rear. The Konig Rennforms is Flow Formed.
Alec Robbins and the Koruworks team are getting the 350Z on Konig Hypergrams ready for the FD Seattle! If you follow pro-am drifting last year and a bunch of grassroots drifting events you will know this dude can drive. Pairing him with one of the coolest shops on the East Coast (Koruworks) is a killer combo. Alec is currently in 15th place and is looking to show the field whats up! Unfortunately he wont be driving in Seattle due to mechanical issues, however look for him at Gridlife and back at FD Texas.
Alec is running Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear in BRONZE. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.
Adam Knapik had a rough start to the Formula Drift season. It seemed like anything that could go wrong…well…went wrong for Adam. Blown engine, crazy electrical problems, etc, etc. So this round is definitely one of redemption for Adam and his team! Gearing up the V8 powered 240SX on Konig Rennforms, stay tuned and be ready to see Knapik lace up the track this time around!
Adam is running Konig Rennforms in 18×9 et 23 all the way around. The Konig Rennforms is Flow Formed.
Matt Vankirk is now part of the Konig family and we are super excited to have him. With a ranking of #4 on the PRO 2 board with 105pts, which is only 2 points away from 2nd place, it’s obvious Matt and his team are aiming for the top spot! MVK took second place at FD Atlanta right behind Travis Reeder. Who knows how that battle would have ended up as a mechanical issue forced MVK to shut the car down just as he entered into the first battle between him and Reeder. This event will be a test to see if MVK, Lawrence or Reeder will be the top Konig sponsored Pro 2 driver. Super exciting! Be sure to check out Matt’s 240sx on Konig Hypergrams!
Matt is running Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.
Nate Hamilton Recap Formula Drift: Montreal, Canada!
FORMULA DRIFT MONTREAL CANADA – PRO 1 Round 5 | July 14th and 15th
Photos by: @coreydenomy
Nate Hamilton here, this recap covers my 5th round of Formula Drift. This event marks 5/8 our season is over half way complete.
This was my second trip to Canada. If I remember correctly, the first time was in 2012, with XDC. 5 years later I am finally able to return.
Being that this was basically my first time running this track layout.. it took me a few laps to catch on. Thursday’s conditions, dry and sunny.
Friday morning was a whole other animal. With no sun in sight and the rain pouring down we had a practice session before qualifying.
At this point I was still trying to figure out the track… lol
Qualifying came quick and I was slightly nervous.
First run, with conditions half wet half dry… I scored a 61. Not the best. But a score. The second run, the track was drying out, I knew I had a score so I tried to remember my laps on Thursday, I landed an 82. Putting me in 13th overall for qualifying.
“Michael Essa vs Nate Hamilton” the headlines read, ha! I knew this was going to be a challenge and some would have counted me out on this battle. Essa is a champion and a real competitor. But I was focused and knew I would win! We had an insane battle, he lost his tire. We pushed harder as the crowd got way into the battle. I won, man it’s a great feeling to know you can do something and then actually accomplish it.
“Fredrick Aasbo vs Nate Hamilton” ok, ok! For sure I’m the underdog in this position. But, anything is possible. I kept my focus before the battle staying calm and collected. As soon as we left the line I realized I could have used a bit more grip in the car. I struggled with my timing coming out of the first outer zone and one mistake can cost the battle. Hats off to Fredrick, he is a true sportsman and it was a great learning experience to battle him in the top 16!
Results – As the event ended and my results rolled in… I kept my same position and closed the gap by gaining some valuable points in the championship race. We are 20 points away from Chris Forsberg and I cant be more stoked for Seattle Round 6!
2017 point standings: Pro1
Round 1: 22nd – Top32 Finish
Round 2: 20th – Top16 Finish
Round 3: 17th – Top16 Finish
Round 4: 16th – Top16 Finish
Round 5: 16th – Top16 Finish
Round 6:
Round 7:
Round 8:
Huge thanks to my entire team and team of sponsors. It’s 100% a blessing to be in the position I am in today and I won’t forget these moments.
Nate Hamilton is a Konig Sponsored Professional Drift driver that competes in Formula Drift Pro Series. Nate runs as part of the Enjuku Racing team and drifts on Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.
Make sure to follow Nate on INSTAGRAM!
Nate Hamilton recaps Formula Drift New Jersey
FORMULA DRIFT WALL, NJ – PRO 1 Round 4 | June 2 and 3
Photos by: @coreydenomy
Coming from the Pro2 class, this track was not on our 2016 Pro2 schedule.. with that being said, I’m especially excited to get behind the wheel. This track is one of my favorites, purely for the wall riding and gnarly bank drop into the infield also the sweeping outer lines, this track is challenging but rewarding once you get it.
Thursday’s practice ended stronger than it started. Right from the start, I realized I had the “wall” section figured out, but my timing on the lower infield section was slightly behind the curve of the others.
Our team is always looking for grip. Bub Robarge is always saying “It’s easy to take grip out, but a challenge to find it.” Thursday’s practice we swapped spring rates, made a gear change, and went thru our rebound setting on the BC Racing Coilovers.
After our adjustments and a full day of practice, we are moving in the right direction and I feel ready for qualifying.
Being that this is a Konig Blog. ha, I’m going to give a quick shoutout to my dude, Scott Weiss. We signed on with Konig in 2016 and he has been right there if we needed anything. I just wanted to say it was awesome to see you at the event, thanks again Scott and I’m excited for the projects ahead.
Game Time: Friday’s qualification!
Run #1 = 87
Run #2 = 81
Friday morning I felt good vibes and I knew the goal for qualifying, My first run.. the judges gave me an 87! I found the wall and lost another bash bar and my infield section was committed. I felt that was a fair score.
The 87 put me in 13th position.
the Top32 bracket was released, I would battle Pat Goodin in the Top32.
Next, Top16 opening ceremonies. Out of 4 rounds, this would be my 3rd consecutive Top16. Making my mom proud and sh*t, haha!
This is a personal best, I appreciate everyone’s support as you reach out and cheer me on, I can’t thank you enough. More to come, we are building and getting stronger each race.
Next, I would battle Kristaps Bluss. For the record, it’s our second time to battle and I really don’t want him to win again. lol
Kristaps Bluss Wins! haha, I ended the battle on the first turn, dang! The front end pushed as I recall getting back into the throttle just a hair late. Bummer, I took myself out. Lesson learned and moving forward!
Wrecking and losing a battle is never how you want to end the race. But we took home some positives. My personal best qualifying score with 13th. Also, my 3rd Top16 in row this season, just missing Long Beach.
We are halfway through the season and an update on my current point standings are…
Round 1: 22nd – Top32 Finish
Round 2: 20th – Top16 Finish
Round 3: 17th – Top16 Finish
Round 4: 16th – Top16 Finish
Round 5:
Round 6:
Round 7:
Round 8:
Alright, thanks for reading. I’m headed back to the shop, time to fix the car and start getting ready for Canada!
Thanks again to everyone making this happen: Enjuku Racing/ Hankook Tires/ BC Racing/ Competition Clutch/ Vibrant Performance/ Konig Wheels/ Formula Drift/ Molly Water Co./ HJC motorsports/ Alpinestars and the entire crew and crews family!
Sometimes Champions Struggle
Kevin Lawrence is a real champion. Not because of his win at Formula Drift Orlando in Pro II. Certainly not because of the struggles he encountered at FD Atlanta. Kevin Lawrence is a champion because no matter what happens, he pushes past it with class, dignity and the attitude that real champions have. Lawrence struggled at Road Atlanta and missed qualifying. The car had some significant setup changes that happened after Orlando, he had limited practice seat time and flat out had a few technical difficulties. Thats racing folks! Sometimes you win, other times you get kicked in the teeth and are forced to drink massive amounts of alcohol. But that doesn’t stop his love for the sport or the fact that when pro 2 returns to the west coast, Lawrence will be there showing them what champions look like and exactly what they do!
Kevin Lawrence now takes over our blog to recap his experience at FD Atlanta….
FORMULA DRIFT ATLANTA – PRO 2 Round 3
Photos by: Corey Denomy / Video by: Corey Denomy / Enjuku Racing
FD Atlanta was a tough one for sure, We showed up with a few changes to the car since our win in Orlando which were great changes for the better but with out proper testing of the new setup I had trouble figuring the car out. Biggest change was we were on the New Hankook RS4 tire for Atlanta after being on their Ventus V12 tire in Orlando. The V12 is a great street tire but was quite slick in Orlando for competition so jumping to the new RS4 tire in Atlanta was a huge change.
First practice I had enough time for 3 laps on track, immediately on the first lap I could tell the car was going to drive completely different. On the entry when I went to pull the hand brake for Turn 1 I was surpised to find out how grippy the new tires were as I was not even able to lock the rear wheels with the hand brake. We made some adjustments to tire pressure, shocks, and final drive gear change and got the hand brake to cooperate but the amount of grip the car had I was still struggling with getting the tires to spin in 4th gear for the exit of the course.
Second practice we went in with another gear change in the rear end and this seemed to be our ideal gear selection / wheel speed combo. However I was still struggling with getting the first turn figured out and getting the car to float enough off throttle and have the car settled just right to power through the first clip. After our mere 3 runs in the second practice it was time to be thrown to the wolves and make an attempt to qualify.
Qualifying order had me going dead last as after my first place win in Orlando put me in the points lead going into Atlanta. This is a blessing and a curse as its really awesome to be able to watch how the field does before my runs but at the same time the gap from my last practice run to my first qualifying attempt is quite some time when there is around 30 drivers taking their turn to qualify. First run out I didn’t expect the track to cool down as much as it did so I attempted to enter how I had been doing in my second practice session. With the drastic temp change to the track the grip levels had spiked up again and me not being ready for it after the hand brake initiation trying to get the car setup for the first turn was met with a huge amount of grip that swung the front end of the car back forward and caused me to understeer off the edge of the track. Frustrated with my self and the outcome I shut down my lap attempt and returned to the top of the hill to clear my head and get ready for the second attempt. After the field had all taken their second qualifying runs I was last up to bat at my qualifying attempt. Now knowing the grip levels of the track I chucked the car into the first turn way more aggressive than I had been doing all day. Finally the car got settled properly and was heading in the proper direction for the first clip. However just as I got to the front clip and go to drop the hammer and get back on throttle I’m met with the sound of my car hitting the limiter but the wheels were not spinning. Yet again my car has decided to knock itself out of gear but this time at the worst time imaginable. I hammered the shifter now as hard as i could to get it now into 3rd and complete the pass for a score but the time the car wasn’t making any movement from being in neutral was long enough to net me with my second 0 score and ending my weekend in Atlanta.
I want to give a huge shout out to the team at this round they jumped under the car multiple times to make the changes needed to help me get the car and myself figured out. Unfortunately our transmission issue is still haunting us but we have now removed the transmission to have it throughly tested on a transmission dyno to see if we can figure out if the issue is possibly a bent internal main shaft or possibly something else internally out that we just cant see with the naked eye. We will get a bunch of practice in the break between the next round and will have the car dialed and ready for Seattle!
Nate Hamilton’s road to Atlanta…
FORMULA DRIFT ATLANTA – PRO 1 Round 3 | MAY 12 & 13
Photos by: @CoreyDenomy


I can’t thank my entire team and sponsors for all the love this season.
Nate Hamilton is a Konig Sponsored Professional Drift driver that competes in Formula Drift Pro Series. Nate runs as part of the Enjuku Racing team and drifts on Konig Hypergrams in 17×9 et 25mm front and 18×9.5 et 25 rear. The Konig Hypergram is Flow Formed.
Make sure to follow Nate on INSTAGRAM!
Robbins & Koruworks run Konig in 17!
Konig is excited to announce their partnership with Koruworks and their driver this year, Alec Robbins. Their widebody 350z is incredible and Koruworks is a first class operation, make sure to check them out (info below)!
Alec got his start in motorsports at a young age. Growing up, he spent much of his time with his father at car shows and other various motorsports events. Having been riding snowmobiles, dirt bikes and four wheelers ever since he could reach the handlebars, Alec has always been at home with anything on wheels. Having an itch for adrenaline, he has been into extreme sports as well and started racing motocross at the age of 14 where his hunger for competition and all out racing on the edge began. Alec’s love for cars began to develop shortly after getting his drivers license. His parents gave him his first vehicle; a 1986 Nissan d21 truck. The truck was a hand-me-down and was purchased by his dad in 1987. Throughout highschool Alec made it his own by lowering and adding a few small custom touches to the truck.
After high school, Alec continued his education and passion for cars and got a degree in automotive service at a local technical college. It was in College that he discovered drifting and had to give it a try. A Chevy v8 was sourced from a car behind a neighbors shed was dropped in the D21 truck, along with a welded diff and some minor suspension modifications. Alec attended some of his first drift events in 2013 and shortly after he started pushing harder and winning most of the local drift events he was attending. All the while the truck was getting upgraded just as fast as Alec’s skills progressed. Eventually a 400hp LS2 and t56 transmission found its way into his dads old truck.
In 2016 it was time to take the next step and Alec went out to drive in the Midwest Drift Union Pro-am series. Having only driven a few tracks locally, the higher level of driving and new tracks were the main reasons for making the jump to pro-am. Alec quickly made heads turn at round 1 by being the first and only truck in the pro-am series, and kept all eyes on him by qualifying 3rd and taking home a 4th place finish at out of a 40+ driver field! Alec continued the high qualifying and was able to finish on the podium at the remaining 3 rounds making him the MDU season champion AND rookie of the year.
In 2017, Alec will take the next step up the ladder and make his debut as a Pro-2 rookie. Alec was able to join forces with Koruworks LLC and will be debuting their all new 350z. Sporting Konig Hypergrams, a Chevy crate LS3, Gforce transmission, Quick change rear end, Wisefab arms and knuckles with Fortune auto suspension, and a little extra help from Nitrous Express; It is the recipe Alec needed to progress his driving to its highest level.
Back home Alec currently works for Metro Transit, as a mechanic on locomotives and passenger rail cars. He is newly married to his wife Chelsea Robbins and has two children, Elliana and Ryder Robbins. Alec spends most of his off time with his family or working on his cars in the shop. They also enjoy going to local drift events, car cruises, and bracket drag races with their gear head in laws. To say the least, family and racing are what drives Alec to be the man he is today.
Alec Robbins and the Koruworks team run Konig Hypergrams in 18×9.5 et 25 all the way around in Race Bronze. Here the team’s contact info, make sure to follow them!
Koruworks: koruworks.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koruworks/
Alex Robbins Racing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alecrobbinsracing/
Knapik heads to Formula Drift pro 2 round 2
Knapik Heads to Formula Drift Pro 2 Round 2 in Atlanta!
Adam Knapik is one of those enthusiasts that loves cars and drifting so much that he will take an endless amount of a abuse just to have the opportunity to spend his day on track. Unfortunately that is exactly what has been happening to Adam and his team, abuse!
Preparing for Round 1 of Formula Drift Pro 2 in Orlando, with only days left before loading the car on the trailer for the cross country journey, Adam’s engine developed a rod knock. To blame was a faulty oil check valve…as disappointed as they were, the clock had run out and the game was over. While making the trip to Orlando wasn’t in the cards the team knew they needed to keep on pushing. Round 2 in Atlanta was only 2 weeks late and they still had to get a new engine in the car, tune it and make the cross country trip to Georgia. After a few days of work Knapik and the team had their backup LS2 engine swapped in, tuned and ready to flex in Atlanta this coming weekend at Road Atlanta.
We’ve been proud to be associated with Adam and his program for a few years now. ** Check out this video of Adam from a couple of years ago:**
He made his way through some road racing and time attack events but drifting seems to be where his heart is. Competing previously in Top Drift, a win there paved the way for his Formula D pro 2 license.
We look forward to see what Knapik and his team will do in Atlanta and are proud to have the opportunity to support an incredible driver and real enthusiast! Good Luck Adam…
Adam Knapik is a Konig Sponsored Formula Drift Pro 2 Driver that runs the Flow Formed Konig Rennform in 18×9 et23 all the way around on his Nissan 240sx S14.
If you want to keep tabs on Adam here is where you can follow him along:
Website: http://knapikracing.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knapikracing/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KnapikRacing
Kelsey Rowlings talks FD Orlando
Kelsey Rowlings took a few minutes to run through her experience at Formula Drift Orlando. It’s not everyday that you can climb in the mind of a professional driver and really know what they were thinking and feeling. Kelsey takes over the rest of this blog to do just that! Check it out below!
Round One of Formula Drift’s Pro 2 at Orlando Speedworld was a solid start for my team and I. We had a few hiccups starting in Thursday’s practice where we had to deal with a low oil pressure issue that we thought we had fixed during testing. The issue popped up again during Thursday practice when the oil pressure would drop below 35psi ever so briefly, and trigger a “safety mode” we set on our Haltech ECU. That safety would set the rev limiter to 5k RPMS to save any damage to the engine without cutting all the power in case it were to happen at a bad part of the track. It is a great safety feature, but drifting the OSW bank when the power is limited is still extremely sketchy!
Besides the low oil pressure issue, we noticed that the amount of blow-by coming from our driver-side head was not normal. We were getting too much blow-by from one side and not the other. Worried we had an internal issue, we compression tested the engine. To our relief, the numbers were perfect, but we did notice another issue while looking over our data logs. The engine ran so cool that the oil temperature was not rising above 200 degrees. We also discovered that the breather on the passenger side head that led to our catch can had a PCV type valve in it. We drilled out the valve to allow more breathability, and we covered a portion of our oil cooler with tape to make the cooling less efficient. With these few small changes, we fixed the problem and were back in business!
Once we got the car settled, I started feeling more prepared and ready for qualifying. When we went out for our qualifying run, I realized the sun was right in my line of vision for the entry making it extremely difficult to see and judge the distance before entry. Without a tinted visor or sunglasses, I knew I had to just go for it. I committed to my entry and threw the car hard. Once I was entering I realized I was just the slightest bit late, setting me up for a really high line… too high. I tap the wall with a decent amount of force, but I correct and floor the throttle. I tap again, lighter this time and again stay in the gas. I steer my car down off the bank and past the first inner clip almost perfectly. I transition slightly cautiously through the infield, knowing I had a close call on the bank and that I needed to clean up my act towards the end. I pass the second inner clip with good proximity and push out into the final outer zone. I make my way around the apron and finish the run that would be my high score, a 73, putting me in 10th for qualifying.
My qualifying position meant I was against the number 7 qualifier from Australia, Josh Robinson, in his imported Holden Ute. I was excited to drift with a car that we don’t have in the US. During top 16 practice, my spotter informed me that Josh was having trouble during the transition through the infield, and spun almost every time due to some issues they were having with the car. Josh was also kind enough to let me know before the battle of his struggles with the car so I wouldn’t be surprised on track.
Knowing Josh’s Ute was much slower than my Coyote powered rocket ship, and knowing he was having issues, I decided I was going to give him some room for the entry so I wouldn’t get stuck behind him during initiation. Unfortunately, Once I started to take of from the line, I realized I may have been in fourth gear instead of second, the gear I normally start in. I quickly took the car out of gear and slam it back into second to be sure and take off as fast as I can behind Josh. I wanted to give him a little room… but it turned into playing a game of catch up!
I round the bank with my eyes set on the Ute. I gain on him quickly as we head down the bank towards the inner clip. In my head, I’m wondering if he is going to make the transition successfully. I navigate through the smoke and once I see his car settled the other direction, I hammer down. I bump the second inner clip as I get closer and closer, positioning myself on his door for the last few seconds of the run.
Knowing my follow run wasn’t ideal, I wanted to put down the best possible lead run. That is where I got in my head. I floored it and clutch-kicked into the bank on a really high line. I tap the wall lightly followed by a larger tap and a big correction. I stay in the gas and throw more angle to keep the front end away from the wall. I over-corrected, bringing my car down the bank a bit too early, putting two tires off course to the inside coming down the bank. I correct and make it past the first clip, transition to the second inner clip where I stay in it for a solid finish.
Unfortunately, I beat myself as soon as I tapped the wall, forcing me to over-correct and go tires off. I wanted to put down an amazing run but just went a bit too hard! Although we were knocked out in the top 16, I’m happy with my driving overall, and I look forward to Round two at Road Atlanta, where I plan to go 100%… instead of 110%… 🙂
-Kelsey Rowlings
