Global Time Attack – Palm Beach International Raceway
By Efrain Olivares
The second Formula Drift / Global Time Attack doubleheader of the 2012 season fell this past weekend at the recently renamed and renovated Palm Beach International Raceway. Off the back of the event at Road Atlanta, which was judged to be a big success by the series and its competitors, there was some head-scratching involved when only twelve cars made the trip to Palm Beach.
There are a few reasons for that. The Road Atlanta circuit, one of the fastest and most daunting in North America, claimed its fair share of cars that were not repaired in time for Palm Beach. Bad weather had been predicted, with some rain falling on Friday, no doubt keeping several cars and drivers at home.
Also, it’s Florida, in June. If you like humidity, Florida in June is your kind of place. If you don’t, you stay away. In fact, unless you are going to retire, have kids who want to see Disneyworld, or can live in some great beachfront property in Miami, staying away might be a good idea anyways.
It remains to be seen if Global Time Attack will make the decision to partner with Formula Drift at this venue again. While it seemed like a marriage made in heaven just last month at Road Atlanta, it may simply just not work in Palm Beach.
While the Palm Beach fans were treated to a great event put on by Formula Drift, they also were able to witness the mind-bending speed of two of the fastest Time Attack cars in the world. Making the trip to Palm Beach were the heavyweights of Jeff Westphal, in the GST Motorsports Unlimited AWD Subaru Impreza, and Chris Rado in his infamous Need For Speed / Descendent Racing Unlimited FWD Scion tC. Watching either car in action would be an experience to remember, especially since it was Time Attack’s first trip to the region. If more people will brave the heat and humidity and bring their cars out, it may not be the last time these Time Attack cars rip it up at PBIR.
