Multiple Podiums For Kyle Kirkwood in Pittsburgh
May 7, 2012 Leave a comment
Multiple Podiums For Kyle Kirkwood in Pittsburgh
Walldinger Racing Media Contact:
Matt Cleary, Sunday Group Management
Media
Wampum, PA (7 May 2012) – Walldinger Racing karter Kyle Kirkwood has three more trophies to add to his collection following another successful outing in Round 3 of the WKA Manufacturers Cup Series at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. The Shell-sponsored racer netted three podium finishes as he competed in multiple classes through the intense two-day race weekend.
It was a busy weekend for the Florida youngster. On Saturday, Kirkwood contested the Komet Junior Heavy and Yamaha Junior. Lite divisions before moving to race in the Komet Junior Lite and Yamaha Junior Heavy classes on Sunday.
Starting in Komet Jr. Heavy, Kirkwood qualified his No. 29 Arrow sixth among 35 karts to start the Pre-Final from the outside of Row 3.
As the field approached the green, the flagman waved off two attempts at a start and per WKA rules, each wave-off is scored as a green flag lap so the eight lap Pre-Final would only see six green flag laps.
With so many karters looking to get to the front early, Kirkwood got shuffled back to 10th position on the start, but made up one spot to take ninth at the finish in the short sprint. A fifth row start for the final saw Kirkwood move up at the start, jumping to sixth in the opening laps before moving up to finish fourth in the 13-lap Final to score his first podium of the weekend.
Jumping from kart to kart, Kirkwood shifted to the Yamaha Jr. Lite class, which featured one of the biggest fields of the weekend with 43 entries as he qualified the No. 29 Arrow sixth on the grid for the Pre-Final.
At the start of the Pre-Final, Kirkwood was forced off-track when several karts got together ahead of him on Lap 1, but he quickly gathered it back up and returned to the track 11th. He made quick work of moving back up the order to finish sixth. Kirkwood followed up that effort with a great run in the Final – moving into the fifth position and staging a race-long battle for fourth, ultimately taking fifth at the finish.
Sunday saw Kirkwood once again in dual-class action, campaigning the Komet Jr. Lite and Yamaha Junior Heavy classes.
The 13-year-old karter lined up 15th of 42 karts for Komet Jr. Lite and with the start of the Pre-Final waved off three times, the class would only have five laps of green flag racing. Kirkwood used the limited amount of laps wisely and worked his way up to 13th. Unfortunately, the forward movement would come to an early end in the Final when Kirkwood was caught up in a Lap 1 pile-up in Turn 3 leaving him to watch the race from off-track.
One final class for the weekend–Yamaha Jr. Heavy–brought promise as Kirkwood rebounded with a solid run in the Yamaha Jr. Heavy Final.
Starting from inside the second row, Kirkwood immediately slotted into second at the start and took over the lead by the end of Lap 1. In a tight battle for first, he would fall to second on Lap 2 but remained glued to the bumper of the first place kart throughout the entire 13-lap event to bring home his third podium result of the weekend in only his second WKA National appearance.
“Overall it was a good weekend,” said Kirkwood, who appeared with Allmendinger for media availability last weekend at the NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Richmond. “I obviously wasn’t happy with the outcome of the race in Komet Jr. Lite, but the rest of the weekend was good and I’m happy with second in Yamaha. I’ve improved a lot since the last time I raced here (at Pittsburgh International Race Complex) so I’m also really happy about that. I’ve got experience at South Bend, and I think the Arrow chassis will be good there, so I’m looking forward to it.”
The WKA Manufacturers Cup Series next heads to South Bend, Indiana for the MKP Nationals at Michiana Raceway Park July 6-8.
About Shell-Pennzoil:
Shell is a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with 93,000 employees in more than 90 countries. In the U.S., Shell operates in 50 states and employs nearly 20,000 people using technology and innovation to help tackle the challenges of the new energy future. The Shell downstream organization manages a portfolio of top-quality brands, including the No. 1 selling gasoline and premium gasoline brand[i] and Pennzoil®, the most trusted motor oil brand in America*. Shell’s motorsports technical alliances around the world provide a testing ground for fuel and lubricant technologies and products in demanding road conditions. The knowledge Shell and Pennzoil gain through these alliances help address tomorrow’s world mobility energy challenge with efficient solutions that power and protect motorists around the globe.
Walldinger Racing
About Walldinger Racing, Inc.: Walldinger Racing was formed in 2006 to support AJ Allmendinger’s motorsports career by developing commercial opportunities and partnership programs.
About KartSport
Formed in August 2010, KartSport is the exclusive North American importer of Arrow Racing Karts. Owned and operated by professional karting and racing veterans Justin Marks and Eric Jones, and operating out of a state-of-the-art facility in Mooresville, North Carolina, KartSport delivers to the karting industry a number of quality products and services. KartSport also designs and manufacturers it’s own line of karting tools and components.
About Sparco
Founded in 1977 Sparco is the world leader in motor sports safety equipment. More than 35 years later, Sparco’s ambition for producing the safest and innovative driving equipment possible, is still the number one priority for the company. At speeds of more than 200 mph, and temperatures above 120 degrees, a driver must be 100% confident in their safety equipment. Therefore, the world’s top professional drivers choose Sparco, more than any other brand.
About Sunday Group Management
Sunday Group Management is a leading motorsports management and communications consulting firm with clients in NASCAR, IndyCar, GRAND-AM, and ALMS. www.sundaymanagement.com, www.facebook.com/sundaygroup, or www.twitter.com/Sundaygroup
Sunday Group Management 