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| December 06, 2011 |
| Driver News: Devlin DeFrancesco Overcomes Disappointing Qualifying to Score Top-10 at SuperNationals |
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Heading to the fifteenth annual running of the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals, front-running pilot Devlin DeFrancesco was one of the favored drivers to take the overall race win in the TaG Cadet class. Looking to score SuperNats glory at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino, DeFrancesco had to overcome a mechanical issue in qualifying to score an impressive top ten result.
"Devlin drove a very smart race from all aspects," explained Team Manager and driver coach Nick Mitchell. "After qualifying outside the top forty, Devlin had to work his way around slower and more inexperienced drivers to have a chance at Sunday's main event win. Avoiding incidents when starting deep in the field is very hard but Devlin impressed us all."
After qualifying a staggering 44th overall, the DeFrancesco Racing (DFR) crew went to work on the mechanical side of the chassis to determine what was hindering his performance and overall speed. Working to overcome a 22nd place starting spot in all three heats, the talented 11-year-old would move forward in all of his races.
Devlin was consistently in the top five in the two days of testing leading up to the wheel-to-wheel action and he drove like a veteran as he sliced and diced his way through the field in the heat races. Utilizing his aggressive nature and experience gained from competing in multiple events in Europe, Devlin battled hard to score 12th, tenth and ninth place results in his three heats. With the heat race flight format in effect, DeFrancesco would garner enough points to transfer directly to Super Sunday's main event but would be forced to start on the inside of row eight in the 15th position.
Sunday morning would see DeFrancesco and his Supertune USA powered Top Kart run in the top-ten in the warm-up session. Taking the top time early in the practice session, DeFrancesco would swap positions with fellow competitors throughout the seven-minute session to eventually finish P6.
With a great deal of confidence heading into the final, Devlin and his DFR team were confident of a solid performance. Making moves early, DeFrancesco progressed inside the top ten before a red flag for a major accident would halt the racing action. While drivers were checked out and the clean up ensued, the TaG Cadet drivers would be forced to a run a three lap shootout due to a time specific schedule. Just inside the top ten, chances of gaining a race win and podium were dashed due to the official's decision. Moving forward in the shootout, Devlin ran inside the top five but when the final checkered flag had flown, the multi-time champion would come home seventh.
Mitchell continued, "It is unfortunate that the race had to end under the circumstances that it did. We completed very few of the actual race laps which made it hard to move forward from starting so deep in the field. Devlin once again proved that he is one of the top TaG Cadet drivers in the country as he battled wheel-to-wheel with some of the world's best up-and-coming talents."
For more information on DeFrancesco Racing, please contact Andy DeFrancesco via e-mail to Info@DFRUSA.com or visit them online at http://www.DFRUSA.com |
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