For the first time all week, the sun came out, although the cold biting wind still cut through your jacket like a frigid knife. Sun meant dry qualifying, which many were thankful for as we have already seen snow on the lakebed this week. Today had 49 qualifying for starting order for KOH on Friday, 19 running the Last Chance Qualifier, and 14 were to run in Power Hour.
Tom Wayes was looking good in qualifying … until he wasn’t.
Power Hour was amazing to watch as some of the fastest drivers conquered the course…well, almost. Tom Wayes took a beautiful line off a ledge only to hit the flat part and throttle down a bit too much and bicycle the single seat car on its passenger side eventually going 3/4 of the way over.
Chris May is sitting in the 39th spot after the first day of qualifying, but that will certainly change when the next group of racers take the course tomorrow.
Andrew McLaughlin from Letz Roll (oh, the irony) did an end-over-end landing on the wheels and continued on to the finish line – heck, he even qualified third on the day. The crowd went wild! Check out the spectacular photo sequence of his roll below. But wait, that’s not all! As McLaughlin crossed the finish line he nailed a rock that ended up costing him a tire and wheel.
But the story of the day was not from Power Hour, but from the Gomez Brothers who qualified blisteringly fast earlier in the day. JP Gomez is sitting on the pole at the end of day one of qualifying. The little guy who really isn’t that quiet is definitely the dark horse to watch this year at the Nitto King of the Hammers powered by Optima Batteries.