| Circuit City Team Protomotive #13 Miata Race Report |
|
|
 Johnny Kanavas, Scott Webb and brothers Jim and Joe Jordan, drivers of the #13 Circuit City Team Protomotive Miata, were forced to retire with engine failure in the 18th hour of the 25 Hours of Thunderhill this past weekend. The race was billed as "Severe Endurance Racing," and it did not disappoint, with harsh weather and treacherous track conditions challenging teams from the start of the race.
Although it was the first time for Webb and Kanavas with Team Protomotive, the team showed instant signs of chemistry that would prove invaluable even before the race began. Just after qualifying the night before the race, the #13 Miata developed engine management problems and an oil leak that required immediate attention. The Protomotive crew of Stormy McInery, Jon Pino and Dave Behrmann, and Kanavas Kompetition crew chief Brian Mezger, tackled the problems with methodical precision, and the car took the grid the next morning with all problems solved.
The 11:00 am drop of the green flag was preceded by drops of rain that wouldn't let up until the sun went down. "Dry" tires were on the car as the race began, since the rain fell only minutes before the start. Kanavas would pilot the Circuit City Miata for the first couple of hours, and brought the car from 11th in class up to 5th before handing over to Webb some time in hour three. Rain continued to fall, and standing water became an ever-increasing concern, eventually causing the Miata to exit the racing surface and become mired in mud. Retrieved by the track safety crew, the Protomotive Team immediately switched to full-tread Toyo RA-1 tires and began a quest to regain valuable time and track position with the new-found grip.
As darkness fell, the rain tapered, and lap times improved with nearly every passing circuit of the challenging Thunderhill course, despite the ever-increasing presence of mud and other slippery substances just off line. After Webb's first stint behind the wheel, both Jordan brothers were clicking off laps that drove the Circuit City Miata up the leader board and back into contention. The brilliant Sylvania Xenarc HID lights, supplemented with IPF rally lamps, meant that the Protomotive drivers could attack the un-lit track. Star Shield Armor headlight savers ensured that this advantage would last all night long.
The team continued to reel in their competition when Kanavas reported a lack of power, and then tell-tale noises from under the hood some time after 4 am. Within a lap, the engine in the Miata was sporting new ventilation to the crankcase and ceased running altogether. Although disappointed not to finish the race, all of the Protomotive team members were satisfied and proud of their accomplishments over the preceding hours, and they vowed to take to the track in anger again soon.
- Circuit City - www.circuitcity.com
- Toyo Tires - www.toyo.com
- Star Shield Armor - www.starshieldarmor.com
- Sylvania Xenarc - www.sylvania.com/xenarc/
- IPF - www.arbusa.com/IPF_Range.htm
- Webb Racing Limited - www.webbracing.com
- Kanavas Kompetition - www.kanavaskompetition.com
More KK Team News Available At: www.KanavasKompetition.com/news.html
Back to the Post Event Page
|
|
|
|
