WKA Karting Scene - 2012 July Issue by World Karting Association

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE WORLD KARTING ASSOCIATION

JULY 2012 VOL. 42, NO. 7

WKA VEGA / TS RACING ROAD RACING SERIES

IS IN FULL GEAR

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Karting Scene July Issue

WKA’s Karting Scene is published monthly by World Karting Association® 6051 Victory Lane Concord, NC 28027 Phone: 704-455-1606 Fax: 704-455-1609 Contents ©2010 by World Karting (#ISSN 0194-7605). All Rights Reserved. Any use of articles or contents from this magazine, WKA’s Karting Scene (#ISSN 01947605), is prohibited unless written authorization is given by WKA’s Karting Scene. As the official publication of the World Karting Association at 6051 Victory Lane, Concord, North Carolina 28027, this magazine carries authorized notices and articles pertaining to the World Karting Association, Inc. Otherwise, no responsibility is assumed for statements of writers. Manuscripts or art work submitted to WKA’s Karting Scene (#ISSN 0194-7605) should be accompanied by self-addressed envelope and return postage. No responsibility is assumed for return of unsolicited manuscripts or art work. Advertising: A WKA’s Karting Scene Media Kit is available to interested companies. Contact Marie Borsuk via email at marie@worldkarting.com or call, 704-455-1606, Ext. 11.

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06 HOT SHOTS 10 GRATTAN NATIONAL 20 ROAD RACE GRAND NATIONALS

Photo by: Karen Brown -- Krapp4u@yahoo.com

Karting Scene July Issue

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Karting Scene July Issue

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Karting Scene July Issue

Myers Is The Man Again

Atkinson, Grenier, Honeywell and Snyder ea

Article by: Keith Shampine -- keith@worldkarting.com Photos By: Karen Brown - Krapp4U@yahoo.com

he WKA Vega / TS Racing Road Racing Series driven by Mazda returned to Grattan Raceway May 18-20 for the first Dart Kart Club-hosted national event at the scenic western Michigan venue since 2006. The 2012 Grattan Nationals marked only the third WKA national event ever held at the Belding, Mich., speed plant and the first of two Dart Kart Club-hosted events of the year. A respectable entry count of approximately 330 made it a solid turnout and encouraging event for the Dart Kart Club and WKA. This year’s entry count was about the same as the previous Grattan Nationals in 2006 and less than 75 entries short of the 400 entries that filled the Grattan pits in 2004, when the Road Racing Series had one of its strongest seasons, entry count-wise, over the last couple decades. Here’s a race-by-race recap of the Grattan Nationals, round three of the 2012 WKA National Road Racing Series. Saturday Race 1 – TaG, Yamaha Sprint Lite, Animal Sprint 335, Animal Sprint 385 Anthony Honeywell returned to WKA competition at Grattan and for the first time, the Oklahoma hot shoe was running a TaG kart. Honeywell battled with veteran Glen Critchett for the win in DRT Racing TaG Final 1. The pair raced hard throughout

the 30-minute affair and Honeywell came out on top over Critchett by a mere 0.155-second margin. Bill Dunkel was the only other driver on the lead lap, but finished over a minute behind the lead duo. Don Guilbeault was fourth and George Argiris fifth. Massachusetts’ Adam Trumbley made the long haul from New England and picked up the win in Yamaha Sprint Lite. Trumbley bested fellow New Englander Michael Hines by 11 seconds for the win. Ohio’s Jeff Langford about 14 seconds back of the winner in third. “I had to miss some karts spinning in front of me and had an adventure through the grass,” Trumbley said about his exploratory drive to the win. “I’d like to thank my dad for helping to get one of the best setups on the track on race day.” Coyote racer Steven Kilsdonk, a Wisconsin native now residing in Tennessee, won Hoosier Racing Tire Animal Sprint 335. Ohio’s Jack Reall was the top driver in Hoosier Racing Tire Animal Sprint 385 with a 21-second victory over Dennis Smith. Jerry Smith was third, Adam Ross fourth and Michigan Kart Supply’s Jerry Cole fifth. Paul Behnke won the DKC CIK Sprint 1 local option over Scott Gazillo. Brendan Lemkin won DKC Open Sprint 1 and Donald Axe was the victor in DKC

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n – Five Wins At Grattan!

ach win 3 races at Grattan Nationals

Vintage Euro 1.

option feature over Johnny West and Roy Efstratiu.

Race 2 – Unlimited, Stock Honda, DKC 250 Twin A large field of super karts, shifter karts and laydown enduros took the green flag in the fastest race group of the day.

Race 3 – 100cc Controlled, Yamaha Sportsman Heavy, Jr Enduro Lite Scott Grenier raced his beautiful new Richie Warren-built enduro to a dominating win in the hotly contested 100cc Controlled main. The LAD Specialties racer won by a 19-second margin over two-time WKA Triple Crown champion Courtney Atkinson, who was making her first Controlled start on her Emmick enduro. Todd Hayden was third, Sleeper Racing Team driver Don Chrzan fourth and Terry Koen fifth in the formidable 12-kart field.

The 30-minute show saw Ardalan Sadighi race to the score in Unlimited Final 1, which boasted a strong 18-kart field. Sadighi won by a comfortable margin over David Reid. WKA regular and multi-time national champion Michael Lattos was third, Ron Brinker fourth and Joey West fifth. Bear Roethenhoefer made the drive to Michigan from his northern Virginia base and certainly made it a good trip when he raced his Ital Kart to a 1.4-second win over Eric Chappel in Stock Honda 1. Rothenhoefer, a Woodbridge Kart Club regular and veteran enduro-style karter, was one of six Stock Honda starter to lay down fast laps in the 1:21-second bracket, the others being Chappel, thirdplace finisher Mark Nagy, fourth-place Brian Fisher and Tiffany McCollum and Lance Lane, who both retired before the finish. Ross Kasner rounded out the top five in the 14-kart field. “Thanks to Brian Fisher for the engine tuning,” Roethenhoefer said after the win. Tony Catenaro claimed the DKC 250 Twin local

Karting Scene July Issue

Michigan’s Dave Retzlaff won over John Retzlaff in Jr Enduro Lite. Joshua Krause placed third. “Grattan is a great track and it’s our home track,” the 12-year-old winner stated. “I’m glad it was a good turnout. Dad says a bit pricey!” Tennessee’s Ben Morris was the only entrant in Yamaha Sportsman Heavy, thus scoring the victory. Race 4 – Stock Leopard, WKA Sprint, Yamaha Sportsman Sprint, Animal Limited Mod 385, Jr Sprint Lite Anthony Honeywell made it two-for-two on the day with his triumph in Stock Leopard Final 1. Honeywell claimed the win by a wide margin over Streeter Super Stands racer Jeff Wesell. Racing at his home track, David Cole made his first Road Racing

start in a couple of years and came away with third. Sean Sholtis was fourth. New York’s Adam Myers continued his reign over the WKA Sprint division. Myers raced his CKI chassis to a dominating win in WKA Sprint Final 1 over Mitchell Staats. Jeff Langford picked up his second third-place result of the day. Kevin Olds was fourth and Bob Cole rounded out the top five. Courtney Atkinson laid down fast laps quicker than most of the WKA Sprint field on her way to the win in Heiser Trailer Leasing Yamaha Sportsman Sprint Final 1. Atkinson raced out to a 53-second lead over Andy Leighninger before the checkers waved. West Virginia’s Derek Somers was third, Kurt Nichols fourth and Ohio’s Pat Blake fifth. Dennis Smith won Animal Limited Modified 385 by 50 seconds over Charles Wilbur. The win kept Smith out front in the Limited Mod national point standings. Jerry Cole was third and Jack Reall fourth. Dominic Rudd and second-generation racer Zack Clark battled wheel-to-wheel in Team Finork Jr Sprint Lite. Rudd captured the win by a close 0.973

seconds over Clark. Michael Ryan Arnold was third. Robert Kurkowski won the DKC Vintage USA 1 local option Race 5 – Formula 125, Formula 100, Yamaha Medium Arkansas’ Brian Wilhelm earned his second Formula 125 victory of the season in this one. In a 15-kart field that quite possibly could have been the best Formula 125 field ever, Wilhelm bested Kelly Lawrence for the win. Ohio’s Jeremy Baldi was third, Michael Lattos fourth and Scott Davis fifth. Lawrence set the race’s quick lap at a 1:23.329. “Grattan is a fantastic track! It was great to see Jeremy Baldi and Kelly Lawrence also turn 1:23 laps. The F-125 class is getting tougher,” Wilhelm remarked following his win. Formula 100 Final 1 winner Donald Chrzan’s fast lap of 1:25.893 would have put him about fifth in the Formula 125 race. Chrzan was easily the fastest Formula 100 kart on track and backed it up with the win in the 45-minute enduro. Michael Fischer was second, Randall Johnson third, Scotty Campbell fourth and Jason Lorang fifth.

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The Dart Kart Club-sponsored 100cc Yamaha Medium race boasted 12 starters and saw a pair of “Adam’s” race for the win. Adam Myers bested Adam Trumbley by a half-second gap to post his second win of the day. The lead duo raced about three seconds ahead of third-place finisher Dar Lorang. Don Harrod was over 20 seconds back of the leaders in fourth, while Massachusetts’ Fran Mazzucotelli rounded out the top five.

Bob Anderson and Brian Duensing had WKA 125 Shifter Final 1 onlookers on their feet throughout the 30-minute contest. The pair raced hard and close with Anderson capturing the win by just 0.121 seconds over Duensing. Doug Dodge was third,

Race 6 – CIK 125 Shifter, WKA 125 Shifter, Spec 125 TaG Thirteen CIK 125 Shifters took the green for their first of two weekend finals. Graham Wilcock scored the win in the state which he resided. Wilcock crossed the stripe only 0.070 seconds in front of veteran Lance Lane. Ted Steffke and Eric Chappel waged a spirited battle for third with Steffke taking the position by about a kart-length over Chappel. Mark Nagy completed the top five. “Racing tracks like Grattan and Mid-Ohio with the fast competition that produces close racing keeps me coming back for more,” Wilcock commented after his win. “Seeing an upturn in numbers is very encouraging for our sport. Thank you to everybody who has persevered and continued to be active making the future look bright.”

Karting Scene July Issue

Bryan Blair fourth and Bryan Kupper fifth. Defending Triple Crown champion Aaron Snyder posted his first win of the weekend with a 0.121-second triumph over New Hampshire’s Tyler Guilbeault. Keith Buffo was third and Chris Hines fourth. Race 7 – 100cc Controlled Spec, Yamaha Sportsman Lite, 100cc Pipe Heavy Scott Grenier won his second race of the day aboard his LAD Specialties-sponsored enduro with the win in Sleeper Racing Team 100cc Controlled Spec 1. Grenier bested fellow Illinois native Randy Fulks for the win. Sean O’Shea made the tow from his Massachusetts home and placed third. Scott Clark continues to make the transition from sprint-enduro racing to the ultra-competitive Controlled enduro classes and took fourth. Lance Fry rounded out the top five. Courtney Atkinson made it a pair of firsts and a second in day one of competition at the Grattan Nationals. The Wisconsin racer, who recently

completed her freshman year of college, won Yamaha Sportsman Lite over Ohio’s Brian Ellis. Jeramie Weeden was third, Fran Mazzucotelli fourth and Zackary Krause fifth. Adam Myers became the top winner on the day with his third triumph in 100cc Pipe Heavy. Myers dominated the race, albeit over a short field that comprised only three karts. Gary Patterson and Bruce Peck were second and third, both over a lap down to Myers. Sunday Race 1 – CIK 125 Shifter, WKA 125 Shifter, Spec 125 TaG After a disappointing Saturday race NSEW owner Noah Stark rebounded to win Sunday’s CIK 125 Shifter Final 2 in a tight race with Ted Steffke. The duo battled throughout and Steffke actually set the race’s fast lap at a 1:20.368 but had to settle for second to Stark by only 0.034 seconds. Eric Chappel was third, Florida’s Mikey Wright fourth and Louisiana’s Steven Rougeou fifth.

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Bob Anderson couldn’t make it a weekend sweep of the WKA 125 Shifter division when Bryan Kupper outran him by a 4.2-second margin in Sunday’s weekend capper. Anderson took second, Doug Dodge third, Tom Woerner fourth and Bryan Blair completed the top five of nine starters. Aaron Snyder swept the Spec 125 TaG contests on the weekend with a comfortable 12-second triumph over Tyler Guilbeault in Final 2. Tyler’s father, Don Guilbeault, was third with Keith Buffo fourth. Race 2 – Stock Leopard, WKA Sprint, Yamaha Sportsman Sprint, Animal Limited Modified 360, Jr Sprint Heavy Anthony Honeywell became the weekend’s second driver to score the hat trick and a weekend sweep of Stock Leopard Sprint in the process. Honeywell won the Sunday version of the class over Sean Sholits. Bill Dunkel was third, Jeff Wesell fourth and David Cole fifth. Three of the five starters – Honeywell, Sholtis and Cole – turned fast laps in the 1:28-second bracket while Dunkel’s fast lap was only about a second off of the three fastest competitors. While Honeywell was on the way to his third win Adam Myers was racing to his fourth victory and yet another sweep of the WKA Sprint category. Myers, who has dominated the popular sprint-enduro class in recent years – wheeled his CKI to the win by less than three seconds over Mitchell Staats, who finished in the runner-up slot in both WKA Sprint mains at Grattan. Adam Trumbley continued his strong weekend and took third. Michael Hines was fourth and Jeff Langford rounded out the top five of

Karting Scene July Issue

11 starters. Jarret Schwarz, a past WKA Triple Crown winner who makes only occasional appearances at WKA nationals in recent years, won the Yamaha Sportsman Sprint Final 2 main. Schwarz, out of Iowa, won by a hefty margin over Ohio’s Andy Leighninger. Past national champion Derek Somers was third, Pat Blake fourth and Kurt Nichols fifth. Saturday Sportsman Sprint winner Courtney Atkinson retired eight minutes into the 30-minute event and was credited with seventh. Charles Wilbur denied Dennis Smith of the sweep in the Animal Modified classes with his win over Smith in Animal Limited Modified 360. Jack Reall was third. Kentucky’s Michael Ryan Arnold rebounded from his third-place result in Saturday’s Jr Sprint Lite to win Team Finork Racing Jr Sprint Heavy. The past national champion bested Zack Clark for the victory and turned a fast time of 1:40.412 on his way to the triumph. Tennessee’s Todd King won the DKC Clone 410 local option. Race 3 – Formula 100, Yamaha Heavy, 100cc Controlled Spec 2 Michigan’s Jason Lorang scored the Formula 100 Final 2 victory by a 1.5-second advantage over Todd Hayden. The two leaders turned laps in the 1:25-second range on the way to the top-two spots, some two or three seconds faster a lap than the rest of

the 10-kart field. Scotty Campbell was third, Mike Roncke fourth and Don Chrzan fifth. Twenty-one-year-old Dar Lorang won 100cc Yamaha Heavy. Lorang won by a comfortable margin over Fabio Cavalieri. Jade Lorang was third, Joe Cassidy fourth and Don Harrod rounded out the top five in the nine-kart field. “I almost ran out of gas because my motor was leaking fuel,” Dar Lorang said. “I want to thank my mom and dad for all their help, and J/C Karts for all their help.” Scott Grenier turned some heads at Grattan aboard his new Richie Warren chassis and made it threefor-three on the weekend with his win in 100cc Controlled Spec 2. Grenier beat out Brandon Fry for the win. New Jersey’s Scott Stauffer was third, Jim Fry fourth and Michael Radowski fifth. Race 4 – Unlimited, Stock Honda, DKC 250 Twin Brian Wilhelm earned his second win of the weekend aboard his sleek 125cc-powered Owl chassis. Wilhelm raced to a dominating win in Unlimited Final 2 over Mark Kupper and Wilhelm’s teammate, Mitch White. Kupper and White crossed the finish line over a minute back of Wilhelm but waged a terrific battle for the runner-up spot. Kupper was only less than a second in front of White at the stripe. Ron Brinker was fourth and Formula 125 newcomer Jeff Demello fifth. Fifteen of the fastest

karts in the country started the Sunday version of Unlimited. “Kelly Lawrence went by driving hard in turn three,” Wilhelm recalled. “Just before the bowl he tried to go by a super kart on the outside and spun off into the grass. Grattan is a tough track to learn. My fastest lap was on the last lap of the weekend. “Scotty Fiesler told me the lap record was a 1:23.1 by him, so that was my goal for the weekend. When I finally got comfortable on the track my last lap on Sunday was a 1:22.2,” Wilhelm added. Brian Fisher bounced back from a disappointing fourth-place finish in Saturday’s Stock Honda 1 to win Sunday’s Stock Honda 2 behind the wheel of his DRT Racing DR Kart. Fisher bested Lance Lane and Saturday winner Bear Rothenhoefer by less than a tenth of a second to capture the triumph. Eric Chappel was less than two seconds back of the lead trio in fourth. Tiffany McCollum rounded out the top five in the 11-kart field. Tony Caterno won the DKC 250 Twin 2 local option affair over Roy Efstatiu and Jerry Echols. Race 5 – TaG, Animal Sprint 360, Animal Sprint 410, Open Sprint 2, CIK Sprint 2 Defending Triple Crown champion Aaron Snyder joined the three-Grattan-win club when he won DRT Racing TaG Final 2. Snyder dominated the 30-minute affair and raced to a big lead over Don Guilbeault before the checkers waved. George Argiris was third, Keith Buffo fourth and Chris Hines fifth in the nine-kart field.

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Coyote Motorsports pilot Steven Kilsdonk won his second Grattan Nationals main with the score in Southern Kart Club Animal Sprint 360. Kilsdonk won over Dennis Smith and Jack Reall in the surprisingly short three-kart field. Jerry Smith was the class of the field in Animal Sprint 410. Smith raced to a convincing 21-second win over Ben Morris. Ageless veteran Jerry Cole was third while racing on his home track. Andy Leighninger claimed the DKC Team localoption win. Bob Young won the DKC Vintage Euro 2 local option. Brendan Lemkin won the DKC Open Sprint 2 local option and Paul Behnke won the DKC CIK Sprint 2 local option over Scott Gazillo in a close race. Race 6 – Yamaha Sportsman Medium, 100cc Pipe Medium Only six karts took the track in the weekend’s final race group. Courtney Atkinson bagged another national win, this time in Competition Karting Inc. Yamaha Sportsman Medium. Atkinson won by an 11-second gap over Brian Ellis. Fran Mazzucotelli finished third before he headed back east to his Massachusetts home. And Adam Myers left no doubt who the top winner at Grattan was when he raced his CKI enduro to his FIFTH victory of the weekend in the Dart Kart Club-sponsored 100cc Pipe Medium feature. Wayne Rumsey finished only 2.7 seconds back for a good showing in second. Ohio’s Mallory Davis was about 20 seconds off the winner in third place.

Karting Scene July Issue

Thanks… Many thanks and much appreciation goes out to the fine folks at the Ohio-based Dart Kart Club, including Gene Davis and his family, Jerry Echols, Sue Echols, Chuck Bunnell and many more – for an organized and successful return to Grattan for a national event. WKA thanks all the national series and DKC sponsors for contributing their business and advertising dollars to the event and series. And of course, much appreciation is extended to all the racers, teams, families and fans for coming out to Grattan to make it a safe and successful event for the DKC and WKA. The Road Racing Series has seen a small yet steady and encouraging increase in entry counts in 2012 and it appears the program is headed in a positive direction with the help of a lot of great people and race teams. After Grattan, next up for the Vega / TS Racing Road Racing Series driven by Mazda was the 2012 Road Race Grand Nationals at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The Grand Nationals race report is found elsewhere in this issue of WKA’s Karting Scene online magazine.

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Karting Scene July Issue

Myers takes home four Grand National Eagles from Mid-Ohio Atkinson, Ellis, Stroik score hat trick

Article by: Keith Shampine Photos by: "Geneva" Tom Margula

pproximately 430 entrants filled the paddock at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course June 1517 for the World Karting Association Road Race Grand Nationals, round four of the 2012 Vega / TS Racing Road Racing Series driven by Mazda. The solid turnout saw the upper paddock nearly full with team haulers and motor homes, a sight that hasn’t been seen at the last several WKA nationals at the historic Lexington, Ohio, venue. A special moment occurred prior to Saturday’s racing when Michael Davis Sr., a past road racer along with his late son, Michael Jr., was inducted

into the WKA Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport as a racer, crew member and now as WKA’s insurance agent of record. WKA’s Van Gilder and Lance Fry, a competitor of Michael Jr.’s and longtime close friend of the Davis family, presented Michael with the Hall of Fame award in an emotional presentation. Racers enjoyed beautiful weather for Friday practice and day one of racing. Temperatures reached the high 80s with sunny skies and a light breeze. Mother Nature made her presence known Sunday when rain moved into central Ohio and caused several delays throughout the morning and afternoon. Officials

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laydown-enduro victory with her win in Yamaha Sportsman Lite. Ellis won the two largest divisions of the weekend, Yamaha Medium and Yamaha Heavy, and bested Atkinson in Sunday’s Yamaha Sportsman Medium to win his third race and deny Atkinson of her fourth. Stroik wheeled his TS PT4 chassis to the win in Animal Sprint 335 and Animal Sprint 360 in close races each day. He also captured the Animal Limited Modified 360 win Sunday afternoon. Scott Grenier, Chris Kuley, Lance Lane, Kelly Lawrence and J.C. Sanders each won a pair of Grand National Eagles. Here’s a rundown of the 12 race groups. Saturday Group 1 LAD Specialties racer Scott Grenier kept the momentum going from his multi-national-win Grattan Nationals weekend when he opened the Grand Nationals with the score in 100cc Controlled. Grenier bested fellow Midwest racers Craig Keller and Michael Tracy for the win. Ron Taylor and Martin Powers were fourth and fifth. John Larue and Michael McCombs waged a fierce battle for the victory in Yamaha Sportsman Heavy. The pair made contact down the stretch that resulted in Larue capturing the win over McCombs and some words exchanged in the scale line and postrace tech area. Bryan Norman made the long trek from Oklahoma and took third. Anthony Gillum was fourth and Ben Morris fifth.

shortened the races and were able to get five of the six race groups in before a heavy thunderstorm hit just before the start of the day’s final event, which unfortunately canceled it. On the track West Seneca, N.Y., racer Adam Myers wheeled his laydown and sprint-enduro CKI chassis to four wins to become the top winner of the weekend. Myers swept the pair of WKA Sprint finals and 100cc Pipe laydown mains. Courtney Atkinson, Brian Ellis and Mike Stroik each scored three Grand National triumphs. Atkinson won both Yamaha Spotsman Sprint events and added a

Karting Scene July Issue

Woodbridge Kart Club regular J.C. Sanders won Jr Enduro Lite over Joshua Krause and Lucas Maurer. Sanders dominated the race and won by a large margin over Krause. Saturday Group 2 Sixteen starters made it one of the best WKA Sprint fields in recent memory. While 15 racers gave it a shot, no one was close to defending WKA Sprint national champion Adam Myers, who won by a convincing 37-second margin over Charlie Tustison. While Myers was easily in control out front, the race for second was a dandy among Tustison, Jeff Langford and Rodney Smith. Tustison made laterace passes on both Langford and Smith to take the

runner-up spot. Smith spun on the final lap while racing hard for the positions, relegating him to a disappointing eighth-place result after running inside the top five for most of the affair. Langford ended up third, Jay Chapman fourth and Ted Carbonaro rounded out the top five. Aaron Telitz smoked the eight-kart Stock Leopard Sprint Final 1 field. Telitz raced to a 33-second triumph over Sean Sholtis. Don Nelson was third, Bob Cole fourth and Streeter Super Standssponsored Jeff Wesell fifth. Courtney Atkinson won her first race of the weekend in this one. Atkinson raced to the Hesier Trailer Leasing Yamaha Sportsman Sprint Final 1 win by nearly a full minute margin over Brandon Taylor’s Coyote. Michael Holman was third, Andy Leighninger fourth and Pat Blake fifth. The closest races on the track were Animal Limited Mod 385 and Jr Sprint Lite. Dennis Smith captured the Limited Mod win by only 0.218 seconds over Charles Wilbur. Jerry Cole was third. Virginia’s Eli Brown raced to the Jr Sprint Lite victory by a 1.9-second margin over Zack Clark.

Michael Ryan Arnold was third. North Carolina’s Chris Kuley dominated the Animal Jr Sprint Lite race and won by a hefty margin over defending class national champion Brent Hadden. Will Delaney was third. Thomas Caris won the DKC CIK Sprint 1 local option. Saturday Group 3 Many of the fastest laydown-enduros in the country hit the track in Saturday’s third group, which featured B Stock, Formula 125, Formula 100 Final 1 and 100cc Yamaha Medium. Kelly Lawrence is proving tough to beat in his 125cc-powered laydown and he raced to a pair of Grand National wins Saturday at Mid-Ohio. Lawrence’s first triumph came in Formula 125 over Sleeper Racing Team driver Michael Lattos. Lawrence and Lattos lapped the Mid-Ohio course at fast times in the 1:34-second range and were clearly the fastest two Formula 125s in attendance. Scott Davis was third, Chuck Heinrich fourth and Derek Cuthbertson fifth.

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Milo Schoonover won Formula 100 Final 1 by a half-second over Todd Hayden. Schoonover and Hayden’s 100cc enduros were only a couple seconds a lap off the top Formula 125 times. Ohio’s Pierre Huang was third, Cliff Brannon fourth and Michael Fischer fifth in the seven-kart field. Brian Ellis scored the win in the largest class of the weekend, 100cc Yamaha Medium, which started an impressive 22 karts. Ellis won by a comfortable margin over Oklahoma’s Ryan Hatcher. Wayne Rumsey was third. Lance Yunck and his dad, Kerry, made the trip to central Ohio all the way from their Sebring, Fla., home. Yunck came home fourth in the Yamaha Medium main. Michael McLaughlin rounded out the top five. Adam Myers was sixth, Adam Trumbley seventh, Dar Lorang eighth, Carl Lankenau ninth and James Rupert 10th. Saturday Group 4 Over 30 karts took the green flag in the shifter and spec TaG group, which hit the track as Saturday’s fourth contest. Sixteen started CIK 125 Shifter Final 1, which saw Michigan’s Graham Wilcock race to the

Karting Scene July Issue

Grand National triumph. Wilcock fast laps in the 1:32-bracket put him a good distance in front of runner-up Lance Lane. John Stoutemyer was third, Noah Stark fourth and Andrew Schmitt fifth. John Pickens bested John Sullivan in WKA 125 Shifter Final 1. Pickens finished just 0.683 seconds ahead of Sullivan for the score. Philip Davis was third, Bryan Blair fourth and Bryan Kupper fifth in the 12-kart field. WKA Trustee Don Guilbeault won Spec 125 TaG Final 1 over his fellow New Englander Keith Buffo. Aaron Snyder dropped out 24 minutes into the 30-minute affair and was credited with third. Adrian Dale was fourth and Michael Hines fifth. Saturday Race 5 The opening laps of the 100cc Controlled Spec 1 race saw Randy Fulks a few seconds back of early leaders Scott Grenier and Scott Clark. Fulks, however, came on strong as the race progressed and ended up winning by a cool 15-second gap over Grattan winer Grenier. Veteran Jim Fry ran third as he continues to work through was he says will be his final season of full-time karting competition. Rick Fulks was fourth and Patricia Hechler fifth. Clark ran into problems about 12 laps into the race and retired

early. Courtney Atkinson picked up her second win of the day, this time winning behind the wheel of her Emmick enduro in Yamaha Sportsman Lite. Atkinson paced the field by 13 seconds over Yamaha Medium victor Brian Ellis. Lance Yunck was third, Zackary Krause fourth and Jeramie Weeden fifth. Adam Myers matched Atkinson’s Saturday success with his second win of the day. Myers raced his Buck Keen-powered CKI to the win in 100cc Pipe Heavy. Anthony Gillum was second, Bruce Peck third, Roger Hatcher fourth and Arthur McKenny fifth. Saturday Race 6 A trio of Aarons finished first through third in DRT Racing TaG Final 1. Aaron Telitz made a rare WKA Road Racing appearance and scored the win by a mere 0.188-second advantage over Aaron Jones. Defending TaG and WKA Triple Crown champion Aaron Snyder was third, Keith Buffo fourth and George Argiris fifth. New Englander Adam Trumbley triumphed in a solid eight-kart Yamaha Sprint Lite race. Michael Hines was second, about 15 seconds back of Trumbley. Ohio’s Jeff Langford was third, Maryland’s John Jezierski took fourth and Michigan’s Al Gierz fifth. Wisconin’s Mike Stroik won his first race of the weekend in Animal Sprint 335. Stroik bested fellow Badger State racer Ryan Vehring for the triumph. Jon

Evans was third, Steven Kilsdonk fourth and Larry Palmer fifth. North Carolina’s Joey Kuley raced a Kart City Performance-powered Bandit to the victory in Animal Sprint 385. Kuley, a former WKA Gold Cup regular who has found a love for the Road Racing Series, won by a close 0.231-second margin over Scott Evans. Regan Vehring was only a kart-length back of the top two in third. Bud Varner was fourth and Jake Bustos fifth. Brendan Lemke won the DKC Open Sprint 1 local option and Kellie Mann scored the DKC Vintage Euro 1 local option win over Ryan Berkey and Donald Axe. Saturday Race 7 Kelly Lawrence found victory for the second time Saturday in the day’s final group. Lawrence drove to a convincing 42-second win over Mark Kupper in Unlimited Final 1. David Reid was third and only a few seconds back of Kupper. Scott Loewenstine took fourth and Ron Brinker fifth in the strong 16-kart field. Lance Lane wasn’t able to score the win in CIK Shifter but came back strong in the day’s last race to win the ultra-competitive Stock Honda 1 go. Lane, a veteran Illinois racer, bested David Harding and Philip Davis in a close race. Both Harding and Davis crossed the stripe less than a half-second back of the winner. John Sullivan was fourth and Carson Miller came up from his Texas home and finished fifth.

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Seventeen shifters started the weekend’s opening Stock Honda main. Andy Kiker, a former WKA and Yamaha Sprint racer, continues as one of the top Super Kart competitors in the country and won the DKC 250 Twin 1 main by a 6.8-second gap over Scott Fiesler. Michael Soh was third, Jerry Echols fourth and Roy Efstratiu fifth. The Dart Kart Club continues to get good numbers in its 250 Twin class; 11 started the Saturday main. Sunday Race 1 After Saturday winner Aaron Telitz wasn’t able to get off the starting grid, the door was left open for a new winner in Sunday’s Stock Leopard Final 2. Sean Sholtis took advantage and raced to a dominating 27-second win over Wisconsin’s Jeff Wesell. Don Nelson was third, Jeff Troup fourth and Hal Brown fifth. Another terrific 16-kart field took the green in WKA Sprint Final 2, but similar to Saturday’s affair, no one had anything for New York’s Adam Myers. Myers raced his Buck Keen-prepared Comer P51-powered CKI sprint-enduro to a convincing 13.8-second win over Jay Chapman, who was wheeled a kart powered by the Comer P50. Massachusetts’ Jim Sorrentino had his best run of the season thus far with a third-place result. A pair of Yamaha-powered sprinters came home fourth and fifth in Massachusetts’ Michael Hines and Virginia’s Brandon Taylor.

Karting Scene July Issue

Adam Trumbley, Charlie Tustison, Jeff Langford, Ted Carbonaro and Rodney Smith finished sixth through 10th. Courtney Atkinson passed over half the WKA Sprint field on her way to the Heiser Trailer Leasing Yamaha Sportsman Sprint Final 2 triumph. Atkinson was way out in front of runner-up Michael Holman, who continues to improve in his rookie season as a senior competitor. Three Ohio drivers finished third through fifth in Andy Leighninger, Pat Blake and Jeff Leighninger. Mike Stroik’s second win of the weekend came in Animal Limited Modified 360. Stroik dominated the race in a 23-second win over Ohio’s Bryce Reall. Dennis Smith was third and Charles Wilbur fourth. After finished second to Eli Brown in Saturday’s Jr Sprint Lite main, West Virginia’s Zack Clark put an exclamation point on the weekend with a big 15-second victory over Brown in Sunday’s Team Finork Racing Jr Sprint Heavy weekend capper. Kentucky’s Michael Ryan Arnold was third. North Carolina’s Chris Kuley made it a sweep of the Animal Jr Sprint divisions at Mid-Ohio. Kuley raced to a 4-second victory over defending national champion Brent Hadden in the Animal Jr Sprint Heavy contest. Alabama’s Will Delaney was third. Sunday Race 2 Todd Hayden won by an 11-second margin over Don

Chrzan in Formula 100 Final 2. Hayden quick time of the race was a 1:38.299 – about a half second better than Chrzan’s best lap. Pierre Huang was third, Mike Roncke fourth and Brent Brannon fifth. Another 22 karts started Sunday’s Yamaha enduro division – 100cc Yamaha Heavy. The stout fields had competitors and fans speaking highly of the terrific turnout for the traditional laydown divisions. What’s more impressive is that the Yamaha pipe divisions, easily the largest classes at Mid-Ohio, were axed from the Road Racing Series a few years ago but were brought back in 2011 and are now seeing outstanding entry counts. Brian Ellis again was the class of the field and swept the Yamaha enduro weekend with a nine-second win over Ryan Hatcher in 100cc Yamaha Heavy. Yamaha Sportsman Heavy winner John Larue was third, Michael McLaughlin fourth and Wayne Rumsey fifth.

Greg Stamm was the fastest Unlimited Final 2 kart on the track and raced to a strong 13-second victory over J Michael Long. Michael Lattos picked up another top-five result with his third-place run. Scott Hodges was fourth and Joey West fifth. Saturday Unlimited winner Kelly Lawrence retired from the race just past halfway and was credited with 10th in the 14-kart field. Illinois’ Lance Lane made it a sweep of Stock Honda with another close victory over David Harding in the Sunday version of the class. Lane, who splits his time between select sprint and road racing events, crossed the stripe 0.635 seconds in front of Harding for his second win of the weekend. Ryan Petty was third, Ross Kasner fourth and Mark Nagy fifth in the 17-kart field.

Sixth through 10th read Dar Lorang, Don Harrod, Kevin Thompson, Fabio Caraleen and Carl Lankenau.

Scott Fiesler won the DKC 250 Twin 2 feature by 12 seconds over early leader Johnny West. Fiesler followed West for the opening circuits before overtaking the veteran and pulling away. Michael Soh was third, Jerry Echols fourth and Doug Newhouse fifth. Saturday winner Andy Kiker did not start the main.

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After winning four Grand National Eagles at last year’s VIR event, Aaron Snyder ran into tough luck in Saturday’s TaG action but returned Sunday and was able to garner a feature win in TaG Final 2. Snyder had to work for it, however, as Aaron Jones challenged throughout the race but ended up falling back a little over three seconds before the checkers waved. Adrian Dale was third, George Argiris fourth and Keith Buffo fifth. Mike Stroik scored the hat trick with his big win in Southern Kart Club Animal Sprint 360. The 20-minute affair proved to be one of the best races of the weekend among six drivers – Stroik, Jon Evans, Ryan Vehring, Regan Vehring, Steven Kilsdonk and Joey Kuley. While all six battled for the win and all had a legitimate shot at it, Stroik proved too tough out front in his plain black No. 46 TS PT4. The Wisconsin racer crossed the stripe 0.097 seconds in front of Evans for the win. Ryan Vehring was about a half-second back in third, but did not weight, thus was disqualified. Ry. Vehring skipping the scales handed third to Kuley, fourth to Kilsdonk and fifth to Regan Vehring. Steve Wheatley and Bud Varner waged a hotly contested battle for the Grand National Eagle in

Karting Scene July Issue

Animal Sprint 410. Wheatley pulled ahead of Varner before the checkers waved and was able to fend him off down the stretch for a 0.288-second triumph. Bruce Peck crossed the line third but was disqualified in post-race tech, handing the position to Steve Johnson. Ben Morris was fourth and Todd King fifth. Indiana’s John Vanhimbergen took advantage of John Jezierski dropping out with a few laps remaining to win Yamaha Sprint Heavy. Jezierski was credited with second in the short two-kart field. Brendan Lemkin won the DKC Open Sprint 2 local option. Andy Leighninger bested Jim Farr Jr. and Karen Farr in DKC Team. Rick Chapman was the winner over Ryan Berkey in DKC Vintage Euro 2. Sunday Race 5 After another rain delay several group five teams loaded up and went home. But the shower was light and moved out of the Mansfield area quick enough that the track dried and the event was able to run, albeit under dark cloudy skies as another storm moved in. Scott Grenier, Jim Fry, Patricia Hechler and Lance Fry were the only racers to make the call in 100cc Controlled Spec 2. Grenier scored the win over Jim

Fry. Hechler was third and Lance Fry dropped out early and was credited with fourth. Brian Ellis won a close Yamaha Sportsman Medium contest over Courtney Atkinson. Ellisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; win gave him three on the weekend and denied Atkinson of her fourth. Nick Hechler was third and Lance Yunck fourth. Adam Myers was the only starter in 100cc Pipe Medium and scored the win. The victory was his fourth of the weekend to lead all drivers. J.C. Sanders made it a clean sweep of the Jr Enduro divisions. Sanders won by a comfortable margin over Lucas Maurer.

standings. Thanksâ&#x20AC;Ś Many thanks and much appreciation goes out to Gene Davis, Jerry Echols, Sue Echols, Chuck Bunnell and the rest of the fine Dart Kart Club staff for hosting another outstanding Mid-Ohio national event, one that came on the heels of the Grattan Nationals, which the DKC successfully promoted only about four weeks prior to the Grand Nationals. Thanks to all the racers and teams that made the event a great turnout and step in the right direction for the WKA Vega / TS Racing Road Racing Series driven by Mazda.

Sunday Race 6 As soon as race five moved off the track the skies opened up and soaked the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. After several light showers dampened the track throughout the morning and afternoon, a major storm finally found the Lexington venue and put an end to the racing program, albeit with only one event remaining on the schedule. Drivers in CIK 125 Shifter Final 2, WKA 125 Shifter Final 2 and Spec 125 TaG Final 2 will receive rain points toward the 2012 WKA national point

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Photo by Cody Shindle – Autosports Media

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