Red Bull GRC RD1: Memphis - Full Report DAY 1
Red Bull GRC Full Report: Rd1 Memphis
Red Bull GRC Rd1: Memphis Full Report by Vermont SportsCar | Day1 | Subaru Rally Team USA
Host Town: Memphis, TN
Time Zone: Central Daylight Time USA (UTC -6)
Nearest Intl Airport: MEM (Memphis Intl Airport)
Race Day Weather: Hot and Humid 20C/low 30C/high with 88% humidity
Conditions of the course: Dry
Drivers: Chris Atkinson (Car # 55) & Patrik Sandell (Car # 18)
Cars: Subaru WRX STI GRC SuperCar (VT17x)
Track : 1.18 miles length. (82.7% Pavement / 17.3% Dirt)
Jump Type: Dirt / Tabletop
Joker Lap: Shortcut between Turns 6-10
Turns: 11
GRC Memphis Course Layout
DAY1 (Fri 4/28/17): PRACTICE
During practice, the SRTUSA cars were in the top quarter of the pack and visibly stable throughout the whole track. The dirt section deteriorated throughout the first and second practice sessions, but the cars remained very quick through the dirt split zone. Sandell opted for a tire change part way through the session that could have attributed to his faster times during practice. A very good example of how far the program has come this year.
QUALIFYING
Qualifying subjected Patrik to a bit of bad luck. Early on, his passenger front tire acquired a puncture. Only later to find out it was debris (nail) that was on track. Atkinson had a strong qualifying time, dead center of the pack in P6, but it was evident there was more time to find. No track maintenance took place during qualifying, and the dirt section deteriorated quickly which was evident in the slower times as the session progressed.
Patrik Sandell - “I had a good feeling, so I was out on my hot lap, pushing hard. Then when there was about three-quarters to go, I must have picked up a slow puncture somewhere; I believe it was in the dirt. It’s kind of strange because it was the inside wheel, but the tire just came off the rim and I had to cruise back. I still have a good feeling, you know, the car is good. Now the real heats start."
Chris Atkinson - “I felt that I put in a pretty good lap. P6 in Qualifying, but a bit of a gap to the leaders, so that’s frustrating. It’s nice to be a bit quicker, and that’s the main priority at the moment. As nice as P6 is in qualifying [for heats], I want to be P1, P1.”
HEAT 1A
Heat 1A (4 cars) got off to a great start with Atkinson getting the holeshot. Sandell had a slower start, later to find out it was a minor shifting issue. Coming into Turn 2 and 3 prior to the jump, Atko and Bigham traded some paint, then Bigham bumped into Atko while going over the jump, sending Atko sideways. He was later forced to slow with a puncture due to the contact, but was classified P3 . Sandell pushed hard during the final laps, but it wasn’t enough to reel in Arpin. The final result for SRTUSA was Atko P3 and Sandell P2.
Chris Atkinson - “It was cool, I think we had a really good start, a really good launch. Got out in front and then something happened between turn three and four, we had a bit of a miss. Then one car got passed me, I got pushed out, and then I was in trouble. I got a puncture and had to end the race; we finished third, but I’m a bit disappointed.”
Patrik Sandell - “I had a really good launch directly off the line. Through the whole race, we were closing the gap to Arpin, every lap; so, we were faster on the track. The gap was too big so we never reached him, but it was a good heat and we got good points. Good overall.”
PHOTOS BY LARS GANGE & BEN HAULENBEEK | SRTUSA
REPORTS BY VERMONT SPORTSCAR COMMUNICATIONS
Tags: #Subaru #SubaruRallyX #Rallycross #GRC #WRX #STI #Race #Motorsports
Join In
Comments (0)