Hebner wins inaugural Desert Kart Challenge

Grant Hebner won the first-ever Desert Kart Challenge race April 7.

The 2006 Fallbrook High School graduate won both Touch and Go class heat races April 7 as well as the main event at the P1 Kart Circuit track in Tucson. He also had the fast qualifying lap on April 6.

“We just had a great race,” Hebner said.

The April 6-7 competition was the first of six races comprising the new Desert Region of the Pro Kart Challenge Series. “Our team said we would come out there,” said Hebner, who has

affiliated with Eagle One Motorsports.

The P1 Kart Circuit track is a replica of the Suzuka track in Japan which is considered by many as the world’s premier karting track. The 13-turn track measures 0.7996 miles (1,264 meters) with the longest straightaway measuring 680 feet (220 meters).

Hebner took six qualifying laps; his best time of 51.549 seconds occurred on lap two. Kyle Heathcox, the second-fastest qualifier, took nine qualifying laps and had a fast time of

51.586 seconds on the ninth lap.

The heat races consisted of ten laps apiece. Hebner, whose qualifying time put him on the pole, won the first heat race with a time of 8:43.079 and the second heat with a time of 8:40.573. Heathcox was second in both races, finishing 3.184 seconds behind Hebner in the first competition and 2.096 seconds behind Hebner in the second heat.

Hebner had the fastest lap of the first heat race, with a time of 51.618 seconds on the second lap. In the second race fourth-place Dante Dupree had a third-lap time of 51.745 seconds, third-place Harley Owen covered the fourth lap in 51.821 seconds, and Hebner’s best time was 51.843 seconds in the fourth lap.

Heathcox, who finished third in the main event, had a lap time of 51.641 seconds in the 12th lap and was the only driver with a faster lap than Hebner, who traversed the fourth lap in

51.740 seconds. Hebner’s time of 17:22.319 in the main event was 2.537 seconds faster than Owen, who finished second, and 2.951 seconds ahead of Heathcox.

“It was a good race,” Hebner said. “There weren’t that many people there, but there were a few good drivers.”

By the end of the race Hebner had to maneuver around lapped cars. “Other than that everything basically just went perfect,” he said.