Motorsport Weekend Wrap-up
Apr 9, 2024
Kiwis were out competing in the United States with Shane van Gisbergen taking on the Martinsville short-oval, and Liam Sceats making his second appearance in the USF Pro 2000 series at Nola Motorsports Park.
NASCAR Xfinity
As seems to be the theme with NASCAR oval-racing, Shane van Gisbergen’s outing at the Martinsville Speedway short-oval proved to be a rollercoaster, ending in a solid P11 result.
Starting the race in P19, SVG spent 250 laps climbing and dropping positions, climbing as high as P10 in a race that featured no less than 11 caution periods.
With the number of incidents in the race, it’s a wonder that SVG managed to make it through relatively unscathed, but calm driving under pressure saw him manage an issue with is left-rear wheel and bring the car home in P11 with 26 points.
After two short-oval rounds in a row, this upcoming weekend has NASCAR going to Texas Motor Speedway and a return to intermediate-speedway driving.
USF Pro 2000
After an incredibly strong debut in St Petersburg which saw Liam Sceats take a podium, hopes were high as the young Kiwi arrived for Round 2 at Nola Motorsport Park. Unfortunately, the results didn’t quite match those of his debut weekend, but Sceats still showed promising pace as he faced mechanical issues and an incredibly competitive field.
In the first race, Sceats was gaining positions from a P10 start, on-track to finish in the top-5. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue would force the #26 car in to the pits and scupper any chances of a good result.
Sceats just couldn’t replicate his St Petersburg heroics in the following two races, with a P8 in Race 2 and P11 in Race 3.
He leaves Nola Motorsports Park P11 in the championship.