MotoIQ Pacific Tuner Car Championship Round 3 – Sonoma Raceway

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MPTCC Round 3 - Sonoma Raceway
At the start of Race 1, Edik pulled strong at the drop of the green flag, getting a slower group C car between him and Rockwood.
 
MPTCC Round 3 - Sonoma Raceway
Michele hung back and before the next lap started, she was able to get past Rockwood for second place. However, Edik was pulling away further and further.
 
MPTCC Round 3 - Sonoma Raceway
With each lap, Edik pulled further and further away and put cars between he and Michele as well. He was able to turn a best lap of 1:53, however on lap 6 of the 22 minute race the unthinkable happened.
 
MPTCC Round 3 - Sonoma Raceway
Edik Stepanyan was taken out of the race. Not by a mechanical difficulty, though an alternator did fail him in qualifying. Another racer didn't hit him, though there were some close calls. No, something completely unthinkable. Something you wouldn't think could take out a racecar. Noise. That's right, despite running all of qualifying and practice, Edo was too loud and on Lap 6, NASA-not MotoIQ, pulled Edik off track via the “meat ball flag” and would not be allowed back on. He would only earn half points for this race. However, I do have to ask, why is there a decibel limit at a track where there are trees, foothills, cows, and, well, nothing else?! Even the locals said this was a recent rule.
 
MPTCC Round 3 - Sonoma Raceway
When the checkered flag fell, Michele Abbate crossed the finish line and took her first win in the MPTCC Tuner Under class. While she didn't get a chance to chase down Edik Stepanyan, a win is a win!
 
MPTCC Round 3 - Sonoma Raceway
Because of the distance Edik had over Michele, she didn't even know she had won until entering the paddock area, where Steve went to congratulate her. However, there was something else brewing in the background too.
 

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