It's a little after 9:30 a.m., and Alfonso Ribeiro isn't happy with his first practice run. He says the front tires weren't good, so he puts on new ones. The tires used in this type of racing, and in these conditions, are "slicks" -- and as the name implies, they have a slick surface that allows more contact with the track than regular tires. Maybe the new tires will help him in the qualifying heats. At 12:15 Ribeiro makes more adjustments to his vehicle, and at 2 p.m. the first heat begins. An hour later Flannery reviews the heat, declaring that Ribeiro should have been much better. He was sometimes 8/10 second behind the leader; this fact means that his cart's engine isn't getting enough RPMs. At 3:30 final adjustments are made to the tires and brake stems, and at 4:30 it's time for the big race. Ribeiro falls behind at times but makes up for it at others, but his motor isn't pulling through the gear. A healthy motor should have solved the problems he was having earlier, and he finishes third. Ribeiro admits he didn't get a full charge on the batteries (figure A), but he observes philosophically that it's not about winning -- it's about doing the best you can against competitors who are doing the best they can. And if you stop to think about it, that's pretty much true about life in general!
RESOURCES :
Shelby American Racing History
Model: 0760303096
Author: Dave Friedman
Out of Print
Motorbooks International (MBI Publishing)
Go-Kart Racing Chassis Setup
Model: 0960506845
Author: Brian Martin
Martin Motorsports Pub. Co.
International Karting Industry Buyer's Guide
Model: 0966146743
Author: Darrell E. Sitarz
Kart Marketing Association of America
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