Peter Lenz represents the North at SoCal event

Mar 12, 2007, From a Press Release

Up and coming Metrakit Canada backed mini road racer Peter Lenz took two wins and a mid-pack finish at the SCminiGP season opener this past weekend at California Speedway.

Peter and his father left their home in Washington state early Friday morning arriving at the track in Southern California 1,100 miles later that evening. Their spur of the moment trip was the result of seeing the pre-registration of the event.

“SCminiGP had a very healthy grid for a season opener. We hadn’t planned on going but didn’t want to pass up the chance for Peter to run with all the fast kids in Southern California,” explained Peter’s father Michael Lenz. “Unfortunately our late decision to go resulted in Peter being last on the grid in all of his classes since they grid according to registration order.”

With so little seat time on the new Metrakits, Peter spent most of Saturday sorting out his Metrakit MiniGP 50 and Metrakit 80 XL.

“I told James (California Superbike School riding coach James Toohey) that the 50 wasn’t letting me get on the gas. The back end was sliding around on me,” commented Peter. Peter was able to provide good feedback on what the bike was doing to allow the 50 to be dialed in through simple suspension adjustments. The result of which was Peter knocking over two seconds off his fastest time of the day. What followed in the heats was nothing short of amazing. Peter pulled a Rossi and went from the very back of the grid to the lead of the race by the fourth corner. The race was a good one with Peter winning over local boy Austin DeHaven. He would pull a similar maneuver in the 65 class, where it took him half a lap to get to the front and he continued to extend his lead until the checker was thrown.

Again, starting at the back of the grid, Peter had his work cut out for him in the 80 class. Having only raced a 17” wheeled bike once before, Peter knew the race was going to be a learning experience. Though Peter did move up several positions in the order he spent the majority of his practice time setting up the 50 so the 80 wasn’t sorted enough to give Peter the confidence to push his 76cc Metrakit against the larger bikes. Peter’s time during the main was cut short when the race was red flagged just after half distance due to Austin DeHaven breaking his arm after high-siding his 93cc RS125. The class was won solidly by Benny Solis, Jr. aboard a CRF150R powered RS125 in what turns out was Solis’ last mini race as he now will focus on the USGPRU.

Peter is in action again March 17/18 in Stockton for the SMRRC season opener. You can keep up with Peter via his website: http://www.PeterLenz.com

2007 Sponsors
Metrakit Canada (http://metrakit.ca), California Superbike School, Arai Helmets, EDR Performance, MiniGPX, Pro Caliber Motorsports, Miller Paint and Graphics, All Things Drywall, Vortex, SpyOptic, Tranquil Velocity, Speed Graffix, Echo Alley Web Development.