SCC: Daytona: Predators Autosports race report

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA The Ottawa based Predators Autosports team finished the season opening Koni Challenge Series race at Daytona with a top 20 finish. While they had hoped for a better finish, the team was happy with the result, as that finish came with a badly wounded Chevrolet Cobalt SS.

"We developed a technical problem with the engine after qualifying on Thursday, that we didn't know we had until Friday," team driver Matt Pritiko said. "I went out for the warm up and the engine just wouldn't pull."

Steve Morris' Predators Autosport team jumped on the car to see what could be done to fix it in time to make the start of the race. "We had an issue with the valves," Morris said. "We did what we could to fix the problem, but we knew the car wouldn't be at its best."

Robert Boyer started the race, and ran well, but the lack of power hurt Boyer on the straights. "I was doing all I could to make up time on the infield section," Boyer said.

Boyer turned the Cobalt over to Pritiko just two laps before a yellow flag came out. "Our stop was good," Pritiko said. "The yellow right after our stop hurt us as it put us at the tail end of the lead lap. We went a lap down, which hurt us. Still, the Predators team did a great job to get the car where we could run reasonably well, and I am happy with the 18th place finish. We know, when the car running well, we can run at the front and that gives us confidence moving forward to the next round."

-credit: pa