Team Tuned riders Cody Sousa-Saints and Bruce Degrilla Jr. spent their first day on track at the Indianapolis Speedway taking part in their first International Event. It was no easy feat but it is one in which Degrilla Jr. and Sousa-Saints both have been waiting to experience since starting their race careers!
Competing on brand new Moriwaki 250H race machines proved to be a steeper learning curve than expected alongside the transition to a large 2 mile race track; much larger then Bermuda's 1km long race track.
Degrilla Jr. and Sousa-Saints both dropped over 3 seconds a lap off of their initial practice times from the morning sessions to the afternoon sessions. The team has made adjustments to their bikes based on the feedback from all 3 sessions in preparations for tomorrow’s race. Race 1 of the event will take place at the 4:30PM local time in Indianapolis (5:30PM Bermuda time). There will be no practice sessions tomorrow prior to the first race of the double header event.
Team Manager, Cyril Whitter III, said "We are very happy with the progress that both Degrilla Jr. and Sousa-Saints are making in their first event. To compete in their first world class event with the best in America on bikes they have never raced before is no easy task. They have both worked very hard to learn the bikes, track and their rivals in the space of 1 hour and 20 minutes in preparation for the first of 2 events tomorrow. As the times show they have both constantly improved over the weekend. We have had to make both mechanical and suspension adjustments in order to make both riders more comfortable and competitive each session.
We have made another adjustment to the gearing of the bikes hoping to give both Degrilla Jr. and Sousa-Saints a bit more of an edge heading into race 1 of 2 tomorrow. They are competing against the best of the best in America and the talent and experience of the field of riders is quite amazing. We will be looking to give it our all in tomorrow’s race with the goal of a top 10 finish!"
Practice 1
Cody Sousa-Saints - Position 13 - 2:07.100 Bruce Degrilla Jr. - Position 17 - 2:09.034 Fastest Lap - Garret Gerloff - 2:01.524
Qualifying 1 Cody Sousa-Saints - Position 16 - 2:04.87 Bruce Degrilla Jr. - Position 17 - 2:05.292 Fastest Lap - Garret Gerloff - 1:58.663
Qualifying 2 Cody Sousa-Saints - Position 18 - 2:04.411 Bruce Degrilla Jr. - Position 22 - 2:06.270 Fastest Lap - Garrett Gerloff - 1:57.513
