Kasemets Cruises to Atlantic Victory, Grant Takes Title
Summit Point, WV – Tonis Kasemets led every lap from pole in his No. 96 Swift 014/Toyota for K-Hill Motorsports at Summit Point Motorsports Park to easily cruise to a win over Polestar Racing Group’s David and Keith Grant. David Grant, however, wrapped up the 2012 Atlantic Championship Series title with a solid second place drive in West Virginia.
For Kasemets, from Estonia, it was his first start in the newly created Atlantic Championship Series in 2012. The open-wheel veteran made it look easy for the K-Hill squad, taking pole by seven tenths, leading every lap and also setting the fastest lap of the event – which means he will start on pole for the season finale of the 2012 Championship on Sunday.
“That was a very good race, I need to thank Elite Engines since they worked their butts off on this,” said Kasemets. “It feels good to be back in an open-wheel car.”
Kasemets, who won by nearly 13 seconds, has also been driving an Aston Martin Vantage V8 in Grand-Am competition this year.
Grant came home second to take the Championship for Polestar Racing Group in the No. 12 blue and green Swift 014/Toyota, his first non-win result of 2012, having taken first place in the previous four races of the year with sweeps at Road Atlanta and New Jersey Motorsports Park.
“I got a great start and got past the front row going into turn one,” David Grant said. “But I blew turn three and Tonis got me. I think tomorrow, if we can stay with him at the start we may have something. He is very good on cold tires. I am ecstatic about the Championship, it’s been a good year and I need to thank Polestar for all their help, especially Jim and Bruce.”
Brother Keith, in a similar blue and green Swift 014/Toyota for Polestar, with paddle shifters, notched third place, and his fifth straight podium – making it two second places and three third places in a solid 2012 Atlantic season.
After starting second for Company Motorsports, Connor Burke came home in fourth place, with a fast lap of 1:05.409, some five tenths off David Grant’s pace.
Chris Fahan rounded out the top five in the No. 39 Swift 016/Mazda.
Completing the top ten in round five of the six-race, three-weekend 2012 season were John Burke, Rich Zober, John Dole, Bruce Hamilton and Andy Schaufelberger, all running on spec Hoosier tires, of which competitors are allowed eight per weekend.
The Summit Point event continues with the Atlantic Championship Series season finale, schedule for 11:45am on Sunday, with an early morning warmup also scheduled. Follow live updates and audio on www.atlanticchampionshipseries.com.
Race Results
Pos No. Name Laps Total Tm Diff Gap Avg. Speed Best Tm Best Spd 1 96 Tonis Kasemets 20 21:46.544 - - 110.214 1:04.531 111.574 2 12 David Grant 20 21:58.730 +12.186 +12.186 109.196 1:04.985 110.795 3 40 Keith Grant 20 22:03.546 +17.002 +4.816 108.799 1:05.214 110.406 4 19 Connor Burke 20 22:17.541 +30.997 +13.995 107.660 1:05.409 110.077 5 39 Chris Fahan 20 22:38.620 +52.076 +21.079 105.990 1:06.519 108.240 6 55 John Burke 20 22:39.243 +52.699 +0.623 105.941 1:06.414 108.411 7 66 Rich Zober 19 21:49.286 1 Lap 1 Lap 104.484 1:07.495 106.675 8 6 John Dole 19 21:49.796 +0.510 +0.510 104.444 1:07.638 106.449 9 36 Bruce Hamilton 19 21:53.880 +4.594 +4.084 104.119 1:06.343 108.527 10 34 Andy Schaufelberger 19 22:23.582 +34.296 +29.702 101.817 1:09.208 104.034 DNF 151 Nick Neri 2 2:31.664 18 Laps 17 Laps 94.947 1:13.174 98.396 DNF 31 Brendan Puderbach 1 1:20.502 19 Laps 1 Lap 89.439 1:18.901 91.254 DNF 11 Dwight Rider 1 1:33.306 +12.804 +12.804 77.165 1:29.869 80.117