The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Pro Karting - Geibler Racing Produces Back To Back Wins


PHOTO (select to view enlarged photo)

Orange, Aug. 3, 2012: Phil Giebler Racing’s Carter Williams drove to back-to-back feature victories in TaG Junior and finished second in S5 Junior Stock Moto, Nicky Freytag took fourth and sixth in S1 Pro Stock Moto and teammates Vatche Tatikian, Kevin Hernandez, Shawn Cricca, Noah Grey and Valentina Sarmiento had top-10 finishes in the third and fourth rounds of the Superkarts! USA Pro Tour SummerNationals at Miller Motorsports Park in Toole, Utah, July 21-22.

Williams of Clovis, Calif., finished 1.239 seconds ahead of Luke Selliken of Portland, Ore., in Saturday’s 16-lap feature and 1.602 seconds in front of Brenden Baker of Palmdale, Calif., on Sunday in TaG Junior. He also had the fastest lap of the race on Sunday, averaging 53.409 mph on the .9-mile course. Wiliams was also eighth in S5 on Saturday.

“Carter has established himself as one of the top Junior karters in the United States,” team owner Giebler said. “His two wins in TaG Junior against some of the best talent in the country was an impressive achievement.”

Freytag of Paradise Valley, Ariz., was sixth Saturday and fourth Sunday in the strong S1 shifter class.

“Nicky ran consistently in the top five,” Giebler said. “He qualified well and raced well in the heats and features. He didn’t miss by much getting on the podium. Nicky had a very good weekend.”

Tatikian of North Hollywood, Calif., finished sixth in TaG Master on Saturday, but retired after completing five laps Sunday from a broken throttle cable.

“Vatche did very well Saturday and was hopeful of a podium on Sunday,” Giebler said. “The opposition was tough and it was one of the best performances of his career.”

Hernandez of Mexico was eighth in Sunday’s TaG Senior feature, with Cricca of Simi Valley, Calif., ninth. There were 37 starters in the class.

“Kevin had some bad luck and problems adjusting to the track on Saturday, but figured it all out on Sunday to move up to eighth and had the fourth fastest race lap,” Giebler said. “Shawn had carburetor problems Saturday, but ran in the top 10 in the entire main event Sunday.”

Grey of Dana Point, Calif., was ninth in both TaG Junior features.

“Noah was very fast, but had some mechanical issues with his carburetor on Saturday and was moving towards the lead group Sunday when he was pushed wide in the middle of the race,” Giebler explained. “He recovered very well.”

Sarmiento of Venezuela made her debut with PGR in TaG Cadet and finished ninth on Saturday and 11th on Sunday.

Mason Daughters of Polo, Mo., qualified seventh fastest and finished fifth and sixth in his heat races Saturday, but fell out early in the TaG Senior feature with mechanical problems. The Level 5 Motorsports development driver qualified fourth fastest and finished eighth and sixth in his heats Sunday, but an accident took him out.

Emily Maddison of Calgary, Canada, bounced back from a big impact on Friday to finish 16th in Sunday’s TaG Senior feature. She had the fifth fastest race lap.

Jonathan May of San Marcos, Calif., had a difficult weekend with an engine not suited to the track. He finished 23rd in Sunday’s TaG Senior feature.

David Martinez of Mexico finished 21st in the TaG Senior feature Saturday.

Owned by the 2007 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, Phil Giebler Racing is based in Orange, Calif., and competes nationally at the highest level of karting in the United States. Giebler is a resident of Huntington Beach, Calif. The team uses Fernando Alonso and Tony Karts.

For more information, go to www.philgieblerracing.com.

Phil Giebler Racing feature results at Miller Motorsports Park:

Saturday, July 21: TaG Junior—1. Carter Williams, Clovis, Calif., 9. Noah Grey, Dana Point, Calif., S1—6. Nicky Freytag, Paradise Valley, Ariz., TaG Master—Vatche Tatikian, North Hollywood, Calif., S5—8. Williams, TaG Cadet—9. Valentina Sarmiento, Venezuela, TaG Senior—20. Shawn Cricca, Simi Valley, Calif., 21. David Martinez, Mexico, 27. (DNF) Mason Daughters, Polo, Mo., DQ Jonathan May, San Marcos, Calif., DQ Kevin Hernandez, Mexico, DQ Emily Maddison, Canada.

Sunday, July 22: TaG Junior—1. Williams, 9. Grey, S1—4. Freytag, S5—2. Williams, TaG Senior—8. Hernandez, 9. Cricca, 11. Maddison, 23. May, 31. (DNF) Daughters, 34. (DNF) Martinez, TaG Cadet---11. Sarmiento, TaG Master—19. (DNF) Tatikian.