CLIFF DEMPSEY RACING

16th March 2008

Peter Dempsey Finishes Third in his First America Race

Irishman Peter Dempsey finished third in his first Star Mazda race in Sebring, Florida on Friday 14th March 2008.

Dempsey, who had been setting the pace in all pre-season testing, had a difficult week when he arrived back, only to find the car he had gone so well in testing with was given to another driver on the team. But the Motorsport Ireland Young Driver of the Year 2007 runner up got down to business and started work on sorting out yet another car - this was his 3rd different car to drive within the team.

In the first session Peter said that the engine was down on power and the team tried everything to sort it out but in the end they had to change the engine. This left Peter going into qualifying with an unknown engine. He qualified 6th but admitted that he had messed up qualifying by getting caught behind a back marker on his quick lap.

Having set the car up around a down-on-power engine he now had some set up issues that he needed to sort out and he and his mechanic made some very big changes for the race. The gamble paid off as his car was much better.

Peter was really fired up for the race and as soon as the lights went green he shot up from 6th to 3rd. He was now behind his team mate Charles Hall who was driving the car that Peter had expected to be in. Lap after lap Dempsey put pressure on Hall but as soon as he got close his car started to understeer and there was no way to pass him. Peter, who received help from Irish legend Tommy Byrne, decided to hold position and keep his 3rd place and wait for another day.

Peter said, “I was pushing Charles [Hall] at the end. I was banking
on him making a few mistakes at the end, but it didn’t happen. It’s been a tough week, but I appreciate all the help of the Andersen Racing crew to make my first race in America go so well. I think finishing third got things off to a great start. I also want to thank Motorsport Ireland; Mazda of Ireland; Tommy Byrne, and also Doug Prendeville, who helped me with a set of tyres.”

The next round of the Star Mazda Championship will be on May 17th at Miller Motorsport Park, Utah.

 

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