News
BYERS, Colo. - Kirk Kindsfater secured his entry in the 2009 SCCA Runoffs, later this month at Road America, by placing second in the Saturday "Last
Chance National" Formula Continental race at High Plains Raceway in Byers, CO. The racetrack, in it's first year of operation, is about an hour east
of Denver and is owned and operated by the Colorado Region of the SCCA.
For those of you that know ancient history of ArmsUp Motorsport, a
"Last Chance" National race was totally unsuccessful for this guest reporter a few years ago, even with Brent and Brian's prefect race prep! Kirk
overcame the Shepherd Curse, even with the cursed former ArmsUp driver in attendance, on a wonderfully warm sunny Colorado day, even if Byers is in
the middle of nowhere on the eastern plains!
Kirk, known as K squared on the Colorado Region entry list, drove a rented Zetec prepared by Front
Range Motorsports which is owned by the Colorado Gregg Borland, J. D. McDermit.
High Plains Raceway is a 2.5 mile, 15 turn road course with
lots of elevation changes and several high speed corners. Kindsfater only needed half of the first 20 minute practice session to get comfortable with
the track and car and come up to speed close to previous lap times of other Front Range Motorsports driver's from earlier races held at the track
this year. Before qualifying, the Front Range crew worked to improve the car from some under steer that Kirk was having in slow corners. With those
changes made, Kirk drove well in the shortened 25 minute qualifying session. The session was stopped once for fellow Central Division driver J. R.
Smart who spun in turn 2 and wound up facing the apex of the corner and blocking most of the track. After the black, Kindsfater came into the pits
after a couple of hot laps to adjust tire pressures and then completed the session with a 2nd in the FC class and 7th overall in the 23 car combined
group field.
Kirk drove well in the race surviving a heart stopping start that saw eventual FC winner, and Front Range Motorsports driver,
Dwight Rider slip in between an FB and a DSR with less than an inch on either side of his car approaching turn 1. (The in car video in the hauler
after the race was ugly and scary). Kirk drove a smart race staying out of an intense FM battle with 3 cars battling for second in that class and
closing on the class leader. 45 miles later Kirk was securely in the FC field for the Runoffs with a fine second place finish and 9 points, following
Rider to the checker and comfortably ahead of third place finisher J. R. Smart. Kirk will be attending the ArmsUp test session at Road America next
week and then try to work his Runoff's week into his surgery schedule in Fort Collins.
Formed in 1995, ArmsUp Motorsports is one of the
premier SCCA Formula Continental and Formula Atlantic racing teams. Based in Elkhart Lake, Wis ArmsUp Motorsports is a full service prep shop for
Formula Continentals, Formula Atlantics, and Vintage racing cars. For more information please visit the official ArmsUp website at
www.ArmsUpMotorsports.com.
Kirk Kindsfater earned a spot in the 2009 SCCA Runoffs last weekend at the Last Chance National in Byers Colorado.
(Photo Courtesy Brian Shepherd)
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