For ROK Sonoma race #3, knowing it would only be a 3 kart field, we decided to go conservative with the setup during practice and qualifying in order save some wear on the engine. This left us a second or so back of both Mateo and Turner Brown (Chico) in qualifying, but with a strong southerly headwind down the main straight, and with more RPM to be had, I knew there was a bit a speed in the bag with just a few small tweaks to the setup.
The changes proved to work in the first pre-final and we picked up enough speed to run second, just off Chico in first and only four hundredths of second off Mateo's fastest lap of race with a 52.537. In the second pre-final, it was more of the same, I settled in behind Chico in second, who set fast lap at 52.668, but again the pace was there, just 3 tenths off.
For the final, I was outside pole after picking up 2nd in both pre-finals, but lost the position as Mateo stayed right on Chico's bumper into turn one, forcing me to fall into line in 3rd. I waited patiently as Mateo and Chico battled for the lead in the early laps and then made a move into second when the opportunity presented. I closed into Chicos bumper on lap, setting the fastest lap of the race with a 52.820. From there, I just waited on Chico's bumper until two to go when I got a good run out of turn 1, down the hill into Monaco. I made the pass for the lead under breaking into Monaco, but the narrow entry forced me to slide a bit wide at the exit, allowing Turner to come back into and re-pass into Kramer. This allowed Mateo to follow him through for 2nd. On the final lap, a passing opportunity would not present, and I had to settle for 3rd.
You can't change what happened. But you can still change what will happen. - Sebastian Vettel
Overall it was a good weekend. More experience in the Mini, and confidence that I have the pace to run towards the front.