Arizona State University athletes won seven events at the ASU Invitational, March 25, at Sun Angel Stadium. Those in attendance enjoyed mild weather and a fireworks show, courtesy of the ASU baseball game.
Images from the 2006 ASU Invitational
If you want to experience hair raising speed on four wheels, you must try the Bondurant Ultimate Shifter Kart Course. The shifter karts have a six speed manual transmission, and are capable of going zero to 100 mph in six seconds, and zero to 100 to zero mph in around 10 seconds.
I didn’t start feeling comfortable in the kart until the end of the three hour class. The experience of driving a shifter kart is unlike driving any street car. First, you sit a few inches off the ground, in a machine with mind-blowing acceleration ( check out the Kart vs. Corvette video on the Bondurant site). The karts do not have a clutch pedal, nor an H-pattern shifter. My left foot kept reaching for the clutch, and instead found the brakes. Unfamiliarity with the sequential gearbox would cause me to lose track of which gear I was in. Making those two blunders and then trying to find the right line into a high-speed turn is an unsettling experience, to say the least. When one finally nails a good lap, it’s quite a rush.
I can’t wait to go back for “lapping sessions…”
Jeff Nappi’s Shifter Kart Gallery, with videos!
The Arizona State University outdoor track season opened with the Baldy Castillo Invitational on a chilly Saturday evening, March 18, at Sun Angel Stadium. Arizona State hosted competitors from Fordham, Kentucky, Louisville, Manhattan, Northern Arizona, Northern Illinois, Texas A&M, Western State College and others.
Images from the 2006 Baldy Castillo Invitational
I must admit to approaching this event with a bit of trepidation. After 143 days without rain, the Phoenix area was drenched by a chilly, day-long downpour the day before the Valley of the Sun Half Marathon. Add to that the uncertainties of a new race route, the 6:15 AM starting time, and the overall logistical difficulty of coordinating a road relay. It had the potential to be a cold, wet, unpleasant morning.
What a pleasant surprise it turned out to be. The rain moved out a few hours before race time. The air was clear and cool, with a light breeze. On the horizon, the Four Peaks wore a dramatic blanket of snow.
Quest Club entered three relay teams. The Quest Gold team took first place in the co-ed division, and was the first team to finish overall, in 1:25:08. The Quest Blue team finished 3rd overall and was the first all-women’s team, in 1:33:11. The Quest Red team finished 5th overall, and was 3rd in the co-ed division, with a time of 1:42:02. Patty Beckman ran the full half marathon in 1:41:46, a nine minute PR!
Images from the 2006 Valley of the Sun Half Marathon
I’ve been a motorsports fan for as long as I can remember; longer than I’ve been involved with either photography or running. For years, I was a spectator, watching races live or on TV. Then, some friends from work and I discovered indoor karting. Being a spectator is fun, but skimming along 3 inches off the ground at 45 mph is way more addictive.
So far, my racing has been limited to the two indoor tracks at F1 Race Factory in Phoenix. I can’t seem to get enough, but at the same time, look forward to going faster. So, in a couple weeks, it’s on to the shifter karts at the Bondurant Ultimate Shifter Kart Course. The shifter karts have a six speed manual transmission, and are reportedly capable of going 120 mph. I can’t wait! It should be a blast.