Journalist Returns to Seat in Florida Program

HOMESTEAD, FL - Motor racing journalist Rob Howden got back behind the wheel after a four-month layoff to compete in the opening round of the Florida Winter Tour on January 21-22 at Miami-Homestead Speedway. A rib injury at last fall’s Rock Island Grand Prix put the magazine and website publisher on the DL for the winter months before the attraction of the Florida series grew too great. The assembly of a new magazine build-up program was put into gear, pairing Howden with First Kart North America and SRA Karting to focus on the growing Rotax Max program. First Kart supplied a new chassis for the base of the package while SRA brought an engine to the mix to get the magazine’s editor on the race track.

Howden ran out of the Firstkart.com team tent and was entered in the TaG Heavy category. Saturday’s action saw our driver qualify a solid third, enjoying the Homestead layout and high-speed sweepers. Contact with another driver on the final lap of the Prefinal, while defending fourth, pushed Rob out of the top ten and made things tough for the final. Starting 11th, Howden got caught up in an early-race incident and was sidelined, taking 19th in the final tally.

On Sunday, Rob was again quick in qualifying, taking fifth in the order despite having logged just two flying laps. Howden was forced to take evasive manuevers early in the timed run when a corner worker crossed the track in front of him, unaware of his approach. Howden dove to the apex and contacted the corner-marking tire instead of impacting the corner worker.

In the Prefinal, Rob stayed out of trouble and drove to fourth, putting him on the outside of the second row for the main event. The start was a wild one when the two leaders took each other out in the turn four hairpin, pinning Howden to the outside, where he locked up his brakes and spun to avoid the melee. After falling back to 14th, Rob charged back through the field and was making a move for fourth when he was collected with another driver after claiming the inside line in corner five. On the sidelines once again, Howden elected not to push through the scales and was posted as a DQ.

Despite the lack of results, it was a fun weekend for Howden and the First Kart North America crew. The speed was there but the luck did not follow. The second round of the Florida Winter Tour is up next in the middle of February at Moroso Raceway in Jupiter, FL.