| DEAN UNLEASHES ARMAGEDDON | |
| March 4th 2006 - Round 2 Winton In the middle of 2005, Dean and Jon Crooke turned up at a Victorian Superkart race, with an interest in the Rotax MAX class. What they saw, convinced them that they could do a better job. Day and night for 6 months they worked their magic. The result is the HyperMAXracer - incorporating a stunning new body design (600 hrs on the body plugs alone) and a radical new chassis design. In February, they debuted the new HyperMAXracer at Phillip Island. Dean Crooke drove away at a rate of 2.5 seconds a lap over the next best racer. It confirmed that the new body's aero was working well. But what about the chassis. The buzz doing the rounds was that it might be quick on a fast aero track like Phillip Island, but could the HyperMAXracer and it's driver cut the mustard at Winton, a track that tests chassis and drivers like no other. The answer, and the Winton round, was a month away. WINTON ............. ONE MONTH LATER 16 local and interstate karts in the race. 3 x 6 lap races 1 x 8 lap final QUALIFYING With the 04 National Champion and the 05 Club Champion drafting each other for the entire qualifying session, things looked bad for Dean, who was out on his own and pushing his own air. But when qualifying was over, Dean had done the business and stopped the clock's at a very fast 1:31.6622, half a second faster than the drafters. The lap record was a 1:31.1564, set by Gary Pegoraro in 2001 in a drafting train. Since that time, the track has deteriorated and has become very bumpy between Penrite and Kumho corner and through turn 10 onto the V8 pit straight. In the last 5 years, the condition of the track has robbed anyone of the chance to get close to the record, with the best drivers around a second off the 2001 record. RACE 1 Dean jumped the start. The starter said it was marginal, but Dean knew the damage was done. Dean said afterwards that he knew he couldn't redress the start, but was at Winton to prove a point and so decided to show all those watching, just how fast the HyperMAXracer really was. The 6 laps that followed were breathtaking. Pulling away from the field at over 2 seconds a lap, he scorched around the track to set the fastest lap of the day at 1:31.1850 - 3/100ths outside the lap record and the fastest solo lap ever done at Winton. As he crossed the finish line, second place was just entering the V8 Supercar straight, 13 seconds back. Over the 6 lap race, that's a break of over 2 seconds a lap. In the ultra compeditive Max class, it was a driving display that the US Military would have described as 'Shock and Awe'. RACE 2 Dean had received a 30 second penalty for his jumped start. He would start race two in 8th place. The flag dropped and Dean was away. Up to 4th by the sweeper, he was 3rd out of Penrite and then took the two leading drivers down the inside at the end of Falken straight. 8th to 1st inside 3/4 of a lap. By race end it was Dean 1st - Daylight second. RACE 3 Rod Clarke was on pole with Dean beside him in 2nd. As the Max's accelerated away from the start, the supremely confidant HyperMAXracer driver, looked across at Clarke and gave him a good-bye wave. Not a side to side - how are you - wave, but the wave every driver hates to see - the up and down, ta ta, I'm about to drive away into the mist and there ain't nothin' you or anybody else can do about it, type of wave. And then Dean was gone. RACE 4 Dean was back on pole for the 8 lap final. Pulling away from the field at 2 seconds a lap, Dean's millimeter perfect driving ability, saw his fastest and slowest laps separated by only 3/10ths of a second, his slowest lap still .2 sec faster than the next best compeditors fastest lap. Again it was Dean 1st - Daylight second. --------------------------- OVERALL RESULTS --------------------------- Jon Crooke in the second HyperMAXracer was a non-starter due to electrical problems. |
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The HyperRacer flip-up steering system is a copyright design. Copyright 2006. HyperRacer.
The HyperRacer faring, sidepods and seat are a copyright design. Copyright 2006. HyperRacer. |
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