Apex Open at Perris, California Intense Battle for Teen Kart Racer
- 28 Jun 2007
Carlsbad, California teen Jacob Pearlman scored a 3rd place finish in the HPV-2
class in the Apex Open at Apex Raceway in Perris, California.
Jacob Pearlman takes 3rd at Apex Open
JP had to learn the redesigned and rebuilt track while his crew had to figure out the set up in just two 5 minute practice sessions. “The crew’s biggest challenges were determining the proper gearing, adjustments to the chassis set up, along with carburetion and spark plug tuning,” said Jacob’s father Richard Pearlman. “All of those factors were constantly changing variables as the racing day went from practice to preliminary. We faced heat in the afternoon and cool evening air.”
In the first heat race, JP was on the outside of the 4th row, in the 8th position. He picked up one spot at the start and was about to grab two more spots. Unfortunately JP’s heat race came to an abrupt end at the end of the back straight. He was hit hard from behind by a racer going too fast into the turn. The speeding kart T-boned JP’s No.25 DPK/Birel with K&N products in the middle of the turn and both karts spun into the dirt. “On the first lap I was passing,” said Jacob Pearlman. “The next thing I knew I was in the dirt with another kart hooked on top of mine.”
Despite the hard impact his kart was not damaged and JP took a spot on the outside of the 2nd for the final 12 lap heat race. He drove smoothly to finish the final heat in 2nd place.
The starting order for the 16 lap main was determined by combining the results of the two heat races. Despite a DNF (did not finish) in the first heat, Jacob was put in the 3rd spot for the main.
At the drop of the flag, the first two rows of karts dove into the first turn and emerged single file in the same order they started, with Jacob in 3rd spot. There was an intense battle for 3rd which allowed the two lead karts to really open up. After 7 laps of racing one of JP’s main competitors for third made a slight miscalculation and went skidding off the track.
There were no other karts to contest 3rd position and JP began to close the gap on the 2nd place racer. The leaders caught up to lapped traffic and it slowed JP’s advance.
“We were pleased with how well Jacob adapted to the new track,” said Richard Pearlman. “We were also pleased with our K&N products. JP uses the K&N Air box and Filter in all classes of national and regional sanctioned International Kart Federation (IFK) racing including HPV-2, HPV-4, Junior Supersportsman and Junior Sportsman.”
JP will return to the Apex Raceway in Perris, California on July 16 for round 7 of the Gatorz Champ Car Rotax Max Challenge.
Follow Jacob Pearlman throughout the racing season at the K&N news site. Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.
Jacob Pearlman takes 3rd at Apex Open
JP had to learn the redesigned and rebuilt track while his crew had to figure out the set up in just two 5 minute practice sessions. “The crew’s biggest challenges were determining the proper gearing, adjustments to the chassis set up, along with carburetion and spark plug tuning,” said Jacob’s father Richard Pearlman. “All of those factors were constantly changing variables as the racing day went from practice to preliminary. We faced heat in the afternoon and cool evening air.”
In the first heat race, JP was on the outside of the 4th row, in the 8th position. He picked up one spot at the start and was about to grab two more spots. Unfortunately JP’s heat race came to an abrupt end at the end of the back straight. He was hit hard from behind by a racer going too fast into the turn. The speeding kart T-boned JP’s No.25 DPK/Birel with K&N products in the middle of the turn and both karts spun into the dirt. “On the first lap I was passing,” said Jacob Pearlman. “The next thing I knew I was in the dirt with another kart hooked on top of mine.”
Despite the hard impact his kart was not damaged and JP took a spot on the outside of the 2nd for the final 12 lap heat race. He drove smoothly to finish the final heat in 2nd place.
The starting order for the 16 lap main was determined by combining the results of the two heat races. Despite a DNF (did not finish) in the first heat, Jacob was put in the 3rd spot for the main.
At the drop of the flag, the first two rows of karts dove into the first turn and emerged single file in the same order they started, with Jacob in 3rd spot. There was an intense battle for 3rd which allowed the two lead karts to really open up. After 7 laps of racing one of JP’s main competitors for third made a slight miscalculation and went skidding off the track.
There were no other karts to contest 3rd position and JP began to close the gap on the 2nd place racer. The leaders caught up to lapped traffic and it slowed JP’s advance.
“We were pleased with how well Jacob adapted to the new track,” said Richard Pearlman. “We were also pleased with our K&N products. JP uses the K&N Air box and Filter in all classes of national and regional sanctioned International Kart Federation (IFK) racing including HPV-2, HPV-4, Junior Supersportsman and Junior Sportsman.”
JP will return to the Apex Raceway in Perris, California on July 16 for round 7 of the Gatorz Champ Car Rotax Max Challenge.
Follow Jacob Pearlman throughout the racing season at the K&N news site. Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world.
