Cat 1,2,3 & Cat 3
The second to the last of the growing Tobacco series was set in a large field on a huge farm. The course was basically a big rectangle with a decent amount of elevation change per each short lap. Whereas all the races of the series were home-runs ( especially promoter Jim Thompson's races ), this one was more like a ground rule double. A mind-numbing 4 sets of barriers were laid out each lap, 2 of them before long straight-up-a-hill runs. There wasn't any technical sections to the course, and the inside-out spiral made yet another appearance.
For the Cat 3 race, he got a good start following a strong rider from CLR Racing. That guy wiped out badly though in a fast 90 degree corner leaving Hunter to charge off the front with Cat1 roadie Ernie Tautkus in tow. Hunter lead the race the entire rest of the way and Tautkus was content to sit on his wheel. Hunter tried a couple of times to shake him with surges up the long climbing straight-away, but the 2 stayed together with the youngster Austin Vincent sitting strongly in 3rd place, just unable to close 25 second gap. Austin was remounting after the barriers to quickly ride up the hill but losing time on power sections. Tautkus attacked on the final climb putting a few seconds into Hunter and was able to hold it to the line.
Hunter's 2nd place finish means he has clinched the Cat3 title for the series, which ends Sunday with Palmer CX.
Nice!
ReplyDeleteSeries champ for the 3's.
I gotta do this series next year.