Posted (01/12/2008) -
Team Sahlen recently attended the KONI Challenge Series January Test Days. Although the goal of the weekend was a very modest plan to get additional track time in the newly acquired Mazda RX-8, the end result was a bit surprising.
With 29 Street Tuner race cars entered during the weekend, competition on the track for ultimate lap time was up for grabs. Many teams were running brand new tires and low fuel loads to accomplish hot laps. The Team Sahlen HRPWorld.com Mazda RX-8 was instead running on tires remaining from the Fall Virginia race and full fuel loads. Despite this handicap on the competition, Team Sahlen surprised a few people in the paddock by setting the 2nd fastest time in practice session 3. After all 6 session of the weekend were over, this time of 2:10.78 was good enough for 11th fastest, only 1/2 second off of the fastest time.
"The HRPWorld.com Mazda ran great. The RX-8 is a great car to drive. I am really looking forward to coming back here at the end of the month for the season opener. There will be over 55 Street Tuner cars in that race, so this track time now will be invaluable." - States Joe Sahlen
The 2008 Team Sahlen KONI Challenge Series Campaign is support by HRPWorld.com, GOJO, HAWK Performance, Cool Shirt, TheRaceSite.com, TheRaceMarket.com, Grassroots Motorsports, Holliday Canopies, CM Racing, Joe Gibbs Motor Oil, Genesis Technologies, Endurance Karting and Mazdaspeed.
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