Introduction
Kevin Chen continues to make history on the speedway, this time by becoming the first Asian American to race at 5.39 km. Dubai Autodrome. the F.I.A. sanctioned circuit is located in Dubai, UAE. According to Kevin, the circuit is unlike any he has raced on before. “Its degree of difficulty was such that it gave me an adrenalin rush to speed down the track during the practice laps”.
Main body
Now in the middle of the racing season, Team Champ Motorsport has built its reputation as an up-and-coming force to be reckoned with on the tracks. Kevin has often been commended by his fellow drivers for showing the determination and skill that is not commonly found in drivers of his age and experience. He has never been one to let any kind of difficulty stand in the way of a good position finish. this was the same attitude that he took with him to the Dubai leg of the race series.
Finding himself hounded by mechanical difficulties and failures since the start of the circuit, Kevin had been looking forward to getting a feel of the new track and working out new driving strategies that would propel him to the pole position during the testing laps. However, he was not allowed such liberties as he had only 30 minutes to practice before segueing directly into the qualifying rounds and then the race proper. An unexpected situation that he had to utilize the best way he could. Although unsatisfied with his finish, Kevin hoped to improve his standing the next day. In a press release issued by his handlers, Kevin was quoted as having said that ” If I only had more time to practice on the circuit, I would have done better than 18th place.” The race was composed of 26 drivers.
Kevin’s hopes of improving his standing were dashed by the cancellation of the next day’s race. Although the Middle East is known for dry weather, a sudden change in weather conditions saw the autodrome circuit dealing with an unexpected rainstorm. The whole area, from the pit stop to the speedway itself was flooded. Due to the unsafe driving conditions, the organizers thought it best to scrap the scheduled race instead.
This was a big disappointment for Kevin, who looked forward to trying out the new strategy that he had worked on the night before with his team. Team Champ Motorsport, which Kevin helms as the lead drivers, has decided to instead dust off this disappointing showing and concentrate all their efforts on performing brilliantly at the Bahrain International Circuit this coming January 2009.