THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE WORLD KARTING ASSOCIATION
JULY 2013 VOL. 45, NO.7
Rain Could Not Stop Us!!
06 ATWATER KART 12 MID-OHIO NATIO 28 TOP KART USA G
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UNITED TRAILERS RUSSELL KARTING TURK BROTHERS IAME HADDOCK TS RACING
39 PSI TRAILERS 09 KARTING FOR CHRIST 26 NKN 17 ON TRACK MINISTRY 27 RACING ELECTRONICS
TRACK - ATWATER, CA
ONALS
GRAND NATIONALS
ATWATER kart track atwater, california
WKA West Super Series Round 3
ATWATER, Calif. – Atwater Kart Track opened their gates to welcome the 85 drivers who were ready to set the track a blaze with their fierce driving skills!! Competitors had a fiery end to their race day last year at this track which left spectators pressed against the fence with anticipation of a possible repeat on such a warm day! Thankfully, the only thing on fire was the powerful competition brought by each driver for the 3rd round of racing for the 2013 WKA West Super Series!!! The day went so flawlessly, the requests for an increase to the Main Event laps were granted! HPV 1 As these 11 drivers made their way on to the track for the first session of the day, former Round 2 champ Wyatt Couch was wholly aware as to what was at stake! He worked hard to push out a
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hot time of 35.577, fast, but not fast enough to catch Clayton Williams who propelled out a 35.201 for pole position!! Tomas Mejia and Branden Benedix also stepped up their games to beat Couch out for the green flag in the Heat session. Couch was not about to give up, and fought his way ahead of Benedix and Williams! Mejia had some serious pressure from Couch, possibly a cause of Chase Farley having found a way by him in the Pre Final! Mejia was able to hold off the resilient competition behind him, but was not able to get by Farley! Farley took the checkered flag after having placed Mejia, Couch, Benedix, and Williams as the top 5 closers for HPV 1! Watch out for these guys in Round 4!! Kid Karts If you want to see dedication, simply look to the Kid w o r l d ka rt i n g . c o m
Karters! These kids are the future of racing and 4 enthusiastic kids came out to Atwater for Round 3!! As their wheels touched the track, there was felt excitement as Niki Dimitrov returned to defend his 1st place win from Dixon’s race! Wyatt Myers, returning Round 1 champ, was also there to regain his spot and started with a fast time of 48.543, just one second ahead of Dimitrov!! With Dimitrov hot on Myers’ bumper, there was no room for error! Myers was able to hold off Dimitrov, Ethan Nascimento, and Justin Haney all day, resulting in 1st place reclamation! Way to go Kid Karters!! Clone Sr. 22 drivers looked to one another as they waited on the grid for their Qualifying session! Luis Tyrell checked in with a 37.931 as a fast lap and hoped that would be fast enough to keep him comfortably in the first place finish for this round of racing! Rob Nascimento, Harrison Mills, Jeff Nelson, and Brain Hill were all sitting
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in between Tyrell and the current pole setter, Jonathan Leach, for the Heat session win!! Leach did his best to hold off the force behind him, but the battle was on and Leach was shuffled back to the 8th position behind Geoff Shaw for the Pre Final! Hill and Nelson dominated the top two spots for the Heat session, until R. Nascimento found his passed Nelson and brought Tyrell with him! Once that green flag went out, Hill shot out to the front and created a pull over R. Nascimento and Tyrell! Nelson, Kayden Rocha, and Nick Grossi were hot on Tyrell’s bumper! Nelson tore through the field and sat tight in first for the Victory win in the Clone Sr class! Tyrell pushed up to a 2nd place finish, Hill in 3rd, and Shaw and Rocha in 4th and 5th places. This class has been consistent in size, competition, and as always, entertainment! Great driving guys!!
HPV 2 With a comeback from a 4th place finish in the 2nd round of racing in the WKA West Super Series, Blake Milton qualified pole with a 32.913 over the remaining 10 drivers in the HPV 2 class! Jason Pettit secured the 2nd place behind Milton with a time only five thousandths slower than Milton, which created some intense pressure for Milton!! Pettit seized the opportunity to slide to 1st in the Heat and created enough of a pull to secure that spot for the day!! Milton had to fend off Carter Herrera, and Noah Garza for the remainder of the day, and neither driver made this a walk in the park for Milton. Herrera took to the inside in the Pre Final and shoved Milton back to 3rd,
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where he finished the day also! Credit goes out to Herrera who had to give it his all in the Main Event, but just could not fight the force put out by Noah Garza! Garza locked in a 2nd place finish for Round 3 and left Herrera who lead Mikey Prinzo into the scales for a 4th and 5th place finish! Formula 80 Masters/80 Senior/ Stock Moto 125 Noticeably missing from this combined class of 5 drivers, was that of Jon Ban, former champ from Rounds 1 and 2 of the WKA West Super Series. With Ban’s absence, Connor Soles was able to set a fast lap of 32.158 for Qualifying and take home the victory for the Formula 80 Senior drivers Sunday! Also left to take the win for his Stock Moto 125 class was Jesse Kozlowski! The Formula 80 Senior drivers still held out throughout the day and Wayne Bundy dominated over Darrel Dean with a lap time of 32.767! Dean withdrew his entry early in the day and left Bundy to also leave with a 1st place trophy! Great driving by those who were able to take the heat of the day and the competition!!
opportunity in the Heat race and took to the inside of Williams for the dash to 1st! Williams, who had Chase Farley hot on his track, landed a DNF position in the Pre Final, and handed over the win for the day to Mejia! Farley had fought off Wyatt Couch, but alas, could not hold that unrelenting force any farther and they both concluded the day in the 2nd and 3rd spots! Cannot wait to see what is to come for these drivers in Round 4!! PRD Spec It has been said before and it is being said again, what a difference a year makes for this talented group of drivers!! 7 contenders made their way to Atwater for Round 3 and Cabot Bigham dominated the entire day, starting with a hot qualifying time of 32.197! Bigham just one tenth of a second ahead of Ashlie Couch, and just two tenths ahead of Grayson Browne! Browne tried to stay snug to Couch’s bumper but was maneuvered back by Matt Chase in the Heat session. Chase clinched the 2nd position of the day and brought
Jr. 1-2 Cycle 36.350 was the fast lap for the Jr 1 2 Cycle driver’s Qualifying session and 12 drivers pursued the pole setter of Clayton Williams as they prepared to take the track for the Heat Session!! With Tomas Mejia, and former champ, Roy Fulmer, only 2 tenths slower, Williams knew they were going to put in work to pass him! Mejia seized his
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Matt Koerner and Couch with him into the scales, ahead of Browne for the Main Event! Round 4 is going to be intense! TaG Sr/ TaG Master The TaG Sr and TaG Master classes did not have any entries, but fans hope to see their return in Round 4 of the WKA West Super Series in Reno, NV, next month!! Clone Sumo 8 ready drivers hit the track, burning rubber, and full of excitement for Round 3!! Michael Grossi once again annihilated the competition in the Qualifying session, setting fast lap at a 39.083, three tenths faster than Doug Lemmons!! Grossi and Lemmons had set the bar high for the first Heat session and stayed tight together, but were shadowed by Josh Finkelstein who was able to sneak his way passed Lemmons, and start in the off pole position for the Main Event! J. Finkelstein had put the pressure on Grossi and had looked for anywhere j u ly 2 0 1 3 - ka rt i n g s c e n e
he could get his nose in the door for a pass! J. Finkelstein was not able to get it done and had drove to hold off Lemmons all the while. In a stroke of luck for J. Finkelstein, Grossi, who seized the checkered flag before J. Finkelstein, sadly ended up with a mechanical disqualification in tech. J. Finkelstein took home the trophy and points for this Round, but the games have only just begun! Look forward to some serious hustle from these guys in Round 4!! Big thanks go out to: Sponsor, RLV, who provided track-side support all weekend, Track Warrior Photos, Melanie Miller Photography, Race Monitor, Bridgestone, and Grand Products.  The 2013 WKA West Super Series next travels to Reno, NV for Round 4 scheduled for June 23rd and hosted by Northern Nevada Kart Club. Practice and Pit Parking will be available the day prior, June 22nd. Entry Forms and information can be found at www.nnkc.com or www.WKADistrict10.com.
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MID-OHIO nationals MID - OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE LEXIONGTON, OHIO
MYERS TAKES FOUR WINS AT 400PLUS ENTRY MID-OHIO NATIONAL The 2013 VEGA / TS Racing National Road Racing Series driven by Mazda made its annual spring stop at the famed Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course June 7-9 for the fifth round of WKA’s enduro-style national series. A terrific turnout of over 400 entries made it one of the best-attended WKA nationals – for enduro or sprint racing – of the season. The strong crowd continued to prove that the Midwest is one of the hotbeds for enduro-style karting and racers and teams who may only compete once or twice a year make it a point to bring their equipment out of the shop when the Dart Kart Club and WKA host a national at Mid-Ohio. Dart Kart Club officials ran another smooth event, and hats off to the group for promoting two WKA nationals in a three-week span. The series ran Grattan Raceway in Michigan just a few weeks before the Mid-Ohio national.
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While racing was intense, fierce and entertaining throughout the weekend, on Sunday afternoon everyone’s thoughts were with longtime enduro racer Michael McCombs. McCombs, of Columbiana, Alabama, was involved in a scary accident in Sunday’s first race group. He was competing in Yamaha Sportsman Medium when contact with another kart sent him hard into MidOhio’s concrete wall. McCombs was airlifted from the track and spent weeks in a Columbus, Ohio, hospital. McCombs suffered a serious head injury, however, his condition has greatly improved since the accident. In early July McCombs returned to his parents home in Pell City, Ala., and continues to improve daily. w o r l d ka rt i n g . c o m
Here’s a race-by-race recap of all the action this past June at Mid-Ohio. Saturday Race 1 – B Stock, Formula 125, Formula 100, Yamaha Medium Randy Fulks made an appearance in B Stock and drove away from the rest of the eight-kart field for the win. Fulks won by over a lap over Scott Goodman and set the race’s fast lap at a lightning-quick 1:32.542. Robby Harper was third, Jim Farr Jr. fourth and Robby Harper III fifth. Kelly Lawrence has found some good speed in his 125cc-powered laydown and won Formula 125 over Brian Wilhelm, who has dominated the class in recent years. Lawrence bested Wilhelm by a commanding 26-second margin. Gary Mikusch was third, Fran Mazzucotelli fourth and Michael Lattos fifth. Eight karts started. Don Chrzan earned the KALL Racing Formula 100 Final 1 victory. Chrzan had an easy time of it, winning by over a lap over Brent Brannon and Michael Tracy. Wayne Rumsey continues to run strong in Yamaha laydown. Rumsey won 100cc Yamaha Medium by a huge 36-second gap over Adam Trumbley. Ron Laska was third, James Rupert fourth and WKA 2-Cycle Vice President Dan Stowell fifth. A good field of 13 karts J U LY 2 0 1 3 - ka rt i n g s c e n e
started the class. Saturday Race 2 – CIK Shifter, WKA Shifter, TaG Heavy Twenty-four karts took the green in Saturday’s second group. Steven Rougeou was the fastest kart on the track. Rougeou wheeled his Birel to the win in CIK 125 Shifter 1 by a 2.7-second gap over Chad Donner. Richard White was third, Massachusetts’ Don Santini fourth and Randy McDaniel fifth. Philip Davis and Bryan Blair waged a spirited battle for the WKA 125 Shifter 1 win. Davis edged Blair for the victory by a mere 0.165-second advantage, making it one of the closest finishes of the weekend. John Boken was third, Charles Kelly fourth and Chris Schmitt fifth in the eight-kart field. In its first season on the circuit, TaG Heavy showed decent entry counts at Grattan and Mid-Ohio. Seven karts started the class on Saturday at Mid-Ohio and 2011 WKA Triple Crown champion Aaron Snyder won by a commanding 15-second advantage over veteran Glen Critchett. New England’s Michael Hines was third, George Argiris fourth and class points leader Keith Buffo fifth. Saturday Race 3 – 100cc Cont. Spec, Pipe Heavy, Yamaha Sportsman Lite
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MID-OHIO nationals MID - OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE LEXIONGTON, OHIO
A strong field of 12 laydowns started the Sleeper Racing Team 100cc Controlled Spec 1 main event. New York’s Adam Myers and Illinois’ Randy Fulks waged a great battle for the win. Myers, a former WKA Triple Crown champ, edged the wily veteran Fulks by a tight 0.048-second gap. The win was big for Myers, who’s won plenty of races in Piston Port laydown and WKA Sprint competition but few since moving up to the Spec division. Sebring, Florida’s Lance Yunck was third, John Ritchie fourth and Johnny Scavuzzo fifth. Courtney Atkinson won Hoosier Racing Tire Yamaha Sportsman Lite by a 10-second gap over Zack Clark. Atkinson made her return to the circuit for the first time since round two at Roebling Road. Jeramie Weeden was right behind Clark to
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take third. WKC regular Tim Linthicum was fourth and Georgia’s John Ellsworth filled the top five. Only three karts started Dart Kart Club 100cc Pipe Heavy. Steve Pasteiner took the win by 2.3 seconds over Mallory Davis. Cory Patterson retired on lap two and was credited with third. Saturday Race 4 – Unlimited, Stock Honda One of the largest groups of the weekend hit the track as midday approached at Mid-Ohio. Twelve drivers started Unlimited’s first final, an awesome field of 19 Stock Honda’s took the green and 10 superkarts started DKC 250 Twin 1. Jeff Metter scored the victory in Unlimited. Metter wheeled his 250cc-powered superkart to a big win over a couple of Formula 125 racers, Kelly Lawrence and Brian Wilhelm. Lawrence, who won F-125 earlier w o r l d ka rt i n g . c o m
in the day, ended up over 12 seconds back of Metter. Wilhelm fended off challenges from J Michael Long to finish just ahead of Long for third. Mike Lattos rounded out the top five, one lap down. “I took the lead on lap three and it was great racing all the way through,” Metter said. “Of course, the highlight was taking the checkered flag. I would like to thank all the WKA and Dart Kart Club officials and staff for a professional, well-run event… cheers!” Veteran shifter-kart racers Lance Lane and Byron “Bear” Rothenhoefer did battle for the Stock Honda triumph. Lane, an Illinois racer, edged Virginia’s Rothenhoefer by less than a second gap. The pair finished about six seconds ahead of third-place Noah Stark. Texas’ Carson Miller was fourth, 10 second back of the lead duo. Arizona’s Bill Pyles rounded out the top five in the competitive field. The fastest kart on the track belonged to Scott Fiesler, who won the DKC 250 Twin 1 local option by 33 seconds over Johnny West. DKC race director and WKA official Jerry Echols was third, Scott Loewenstine fourth and Doug Newhouse fifth. Mark Croslyn II won the East Coast Super Kart FE feature and Chris Reinhardt bested Jim Brannon to win the East Coast Super Kart ICE main.
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Saturday Race 5 – TaG, WKA Sprint, Animal Aaron Snyder picked up his second win of the day in TaG Final 1. Snyder raced his Energy chassis to a huge 53-second win over New England-based teammates Michael Hines and Keith Buffo. Steve Steward and Michael Burrill were fourth and fifth. Ten karts started WKA Sprint Final 1. Adam Myers scored his second win of the day with an 11-second triumph over Adam Trumbley. Jay Chapman was third, about 10 seconds behind Trumbley. Massachusetts veteran Jim Sorrentino was right behind Chapman in fourth. Ted Carbonaro rounded out the top five. MGM Chassis racer Zachary Linsell remained just about unbeatable in Animal Sprint competition. Linsell scored the Animal Sprint 335 victory in a close race with Coyote racer Steven Kilsdonk and MGM racer Sam Sheckells. Linsell and Kilsdonk, both former WKA Gold Cup competitors, finished just 0.165 seconds apart. Sheckells was only 0.356 seconds back in third. Georgia’s Blake Beattie was fourth and Ohio’s Bryce Reall fifth in the 10-kart field. Maryland racer Jonathan Tedder bested North Carolina’s Joey Kuley by just 0.633 seconds for the win in Hoosier Racing Tire Animal Sprint 385. The lead duo crossed the stripe nearly 30 seconds ahead of Kevin Boyko and Andrew Boyer, who claimed third and fourth. Clark Simonton rounded
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MID-OHIO nationals MID - OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE LEXIONGTON, OHIO out the top five in the 12-kart class. Ohio’s Jeff Langford won the DKC Open Sprint 1 local option. David Yohn bested Mark D’Elia in DKC Vintage USA 1. Saturday Race 6 – 100cc Controlled, Yamaha Sportsman Heavy, Jr Enduro 100cc Controlled, sponsored by The Agile Group, Inc., marked one of the largest classes of the day at 16 entrants. Sean O’Shea, a New Jersey native now residing in Michigan, picked up the big win on his Coyote by a 6.7-second margin over Don Chrzan. Adam Myers was looking for win No. 3 on the day but had to settle for third; Myers crossed the stripe about nine seconds back of O’Shea. John Ritchie made it two top-fives in two starts on the day with a fourth-place result. Todd Hayden rounded out the top five. Past WKA national champion Scott Clark won Yamaha Sportsman Heavy by a five-second gap over Matt Kretchel. Michael McCombs was third, John Larue fourth and Bill Trumbley fifth.
run in Yamaha Sportsman Lite to win Heiser Trailer Leasing Yamaha Sportsman Sprint Final 1. Clark, who’s in his rookie season in the senior classes, won by a big 47-second gap over Ohio’s Andy Leighninger. Kenny Lawson was third, Jeff Leighninger fourth and Pat Blake fifth. Mike Stroik strapped on a Briggs Limited Modified and dominated Animal Limited Mod 385. Stroik won by a 38-second gap over Jonathan Tedder. WKA national regular Dennis Smith was third, Charles Wilbur fourth and Ben Morris fifth. Milford, Mich., racer Alex Frazer was the only entrant in Junior Sprint Lite, thus getting the win. Paul Smith did the same in Clone 385, while Wesley Delaney won Clone 335. “I would like to thank Buck Keen, the Myers, mom and dad and everyone else who was there supporting me,” Jr Sprint winner Alex Frazer commented.
Matt Hicks bested Lucas Maurer in Junior Enduro Lite. Saturday Race 7 – Stock Leopard, Yamaha Sprint, Animal Limited Mod The day’s final race saw Sean Sholtis score the Streeter Super Stands Stock Leopard Sprint Final 1 victory over Robert Wimmer. Sholtis won by a commanding 22-second margin. Bob Cole was third, Walter Troup fourth and Ben Kasa fifth. Veteran Yamaha Sprint racer Jeff Langford dominated the Yamaha Sprint Lite main event. Langford beat Eric Cole by a huge 54-second margin. Florida’s Jimmy Duguay was third, James Vandermeulen fourth and Adam McCarrick fifth. Zack Clark improved on his second-place
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Chris Kuley pulled away for a 27-second win over Will Delaney in Animal Junior Sprint Lite. Eight karts started the DKC Vintage Euro 1 local option. Kellie Mann won over Mark Hicks and Donald Axe. Thomas Caris won the DKC CIK Sprint 1 local option. Sunday Race 1 – Formula 100, Pipe Medium, Yamaha Sportsman Medium Sunday’s first race was interrupted by the aforementioned Michael McCombs accident. After a lengthy delay, the race was restarted and cut to 20 minutes. Only four drivers restarted the 11-kart Formula 100 Final 2 race. Sean O’Shea had an easy time of it, winning by a healthy margin over Don Chrzan, Mike Roncke and Michael Tracy. The win marked O’Shea’s second of the weekend. Michael McLaughlin scored the victory in Dart Kart Club 100cc Pipe Medium. McLaughlin won by a J U LY 2 0 1 3 - ka rt i n g s c e n e
13.5-second margin over a couple of female racers, Mallory Davis and Patricia Hechler. Massachusetts’ Fran Mazzucotelli was fourth and Kevin Olds fifth in the seven-kart field. “Starting in fourth position I moved up to third after a few laps,” McLaughlin explained. “I overtook second position going into turn one and made the pass for the lead on Mallory Davis two laps later in the esses. After the restart, it only took me a lap to take the lead. During this run I was able to drop my personal fastest lap around Mid-Ohio. “Sarah, Mom and Dad did an outstanding job prepping for each session and with track communication,” McLaughlin added. “Signature Signs once again created an outstanding livery and the LAD Specialties engine produced solid power for my Sarah Beth Designs Lola TMR34 chassis! Overall it was a very clean race weekend.” Zack Clark won race No. 2 on the weekend in Competition Karting Inc. Yamaha Sportsman Medium. Clark won by a tight 0.197-second gap over Matt Kretchel. Woodbridge Kart
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MID-OHIO nationals MID - OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE LEXIONGTON, OHIO
Club regular J.C. Sanders was third, John Ellsworth fourth and Robert Caroilo fifth. Sunday Race 2 – Unlimited, Stock Honda Unlimited and Stock Honda took center stage in Sunday’s second group. Jeff Metter was denied of win No. 2 in Unlimited and Kelly Lawrence stepped through the door to score his second win of the weekend. Lawrence wheeled his 125cc-powered laydown to the triumph in Unlimited Final 2 over J Michael Long. Margin of victory was five seconds. Scott Goodman was third on his B Stock kart. Jeremy Baldi took fourth and Jeff Metter fifth. Josh Lane retired early from Saturday’s Stock Honda go but rebounded Sunday for a big win in the 18kart Stock Honda 2 class. Lane won by a tight 0.197-second gap over DR Kart racer Brian
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Fisher. The pair finished about seven seconds ahead of the second-through-fifth trio. Saturday Stock Honda winner Lance Lane – Josh Lane’s dad – was third, just ahead of former WKA Man Cup racer Cody Gardner. Noah Stark rounded out the top five. Top runner and Saturday second-place finisher Bear Rothenhoefer retired after six laps. Chris Hurdzan was the fastest racer on the track with his 250 Twin Super Kart. Hurdzan set a blistering fast lap of 1:30.484 on his way to the DKC 250 Twin 2 win. Doug Newhouse was second and Scott Lowenstine third. Chris Reinhardt won the ESK ICE race over Jim Brannon. Sunday Race 3 – TaG, WKA Sprint, Animal Sprint Michael Hines took advantage over Aaron Snyder w o r l d ka rt i n g . c o m
leaving the grid late to win TaG Final 2. Hines won by a 20-second margin over Keith Buffo. Snyder was third and Steve Stewart fourth. Adam Myers made it two-for-two in WKA Sprint, winning Final 2 by a 21-second gap over Jay Chapman. Derek Somers was third, right behind Chapman. Saturday’s WKA Sprint second-place finisher Adam Trumbley had to settle for fourth in this one. Ted Carbonaro rounded out the top five. Sixteen karts started MGM-Moon Power Animal Sprint 360. Zachary Linsell, Steven Kilsdonk and Joey Kuley – all past Gold Cup racers who have taken a liking to Road Racing – finished within one second of one another in the top three. Linsell scored the win – his second of the weekend – over Kilsdonk and Kuley. Mike Stroik was fourth and Ben Thomason rounded out the top five on the former Paul Rice-driven MGM chassis. Kevin Boyko won Animal Sprint 410 by a 10-second gap over Clark Simonton. Simonton, Steve Jeffers and Rob Garland finished nose-to-tail in second, third and fourth. Robert Garland completed the top five. J U LY 2 0 1 3 - ka rt i n g s c e n e
Jeff Langford won the DKC Open Sprint 2 local option. Mike Schalager bested Keelie Mann in DKC Vintage Euro 2 and Jeramie Weeden won over Joshua Krause in DKC Team. Sunday Race 4 – 100cc Controlled, Yamaha Heavy, Jr Enduro Adam Myers won his fourth race of the weekend in 100cc Controlled Spec 2. The class boasted a dozen starters Saturday yet only Myers started the race on Sunday. Fewer racers seem to be content to race later in the day on Sunday, which never used to be the case in Road Racing. Disappointing. Terry Koen ran away with the 100cc Controlled Final 2 main event. Koen crossed the finish line nearly 50 seconds ahead of Michael Tracy. Timothy Koen was third. Michael McLaughlin earned his second win of the weekend in 100cc Yamaha Heavy. McLaughlin won a close race over James Rupert. Wayne Rumsey was right there, as well; he finished third. Don Harrod was fourth and Ronald Laska fifth
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MID-OHIO nationals MID - OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE LEXIONGTON, OHIO
in the nine-kart field. Matt Hicks bested Lucas Maurer by a 15-second gap to win Junior Enduro Heavy. Sunday Race 5 – CIK Shifter, WKA Shifter, TaG Heavy Mark Nagy and Steven Rougeou waged a good battle in CIK Shifter Final 2. Nagy edged the Saturday winner by a mere 0.241-second gap. The pair finished some 17 seconds in front of Dan Chalk, Chad Donner and Bill Pyles, who finished third through fifth. Bryan Blair won WKA 125 Shifter Final 2 by a 9.7-second gap over Chris Schmitt. Aaron Snyder scored the hat trick with his win in TaG Heavy Final 2. Snyder dominated the affair, winning by a 30-second margin over
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George Argiris. Michael Hines, Keith Buffo and Adrian Dale finished third through fifth. Sunday Race 6 – Stock Leopard, Yamaha Sprint, Limited Modified Sean Sholits completed the sweep of Streeter Super Stands Stock Leopard Sprint. Sholtis won by a 14-second margin over Robert Wimmer. Walter Troup was third. Eric Cole bested Jimmy Duguay by a five-second margin to win Yamaha Sprint Heavy. Zack Clark completed the sweep of Heiser Trailer Leasing Yamaha Sportsman Sprint. Clark won over Andy Leighninger, Kenny Lawson, Pat Blake and Jeff Leighninger. Mike Stroik was another weekend “sweeper.” Stroik w o r l d ka rt i n g . c o m
completed the sweep of Animal Limited Modified with the win in the 360 version of the class. Stroik won by an eight-second gap over Steven Kilsdonk. Dennis Smith was third, Bryce Reall fourth and Charles Wilbur fifth. Alex Frazer won Team Finork Racing Junior Sprint Heavy. Chris Kuley won over Will Delaney in Animal Junior Sprint Heavy.
David Yohn won over Mark D’Elia in DKC Vintage USA 2. Next up for the Road Racing Series is the annual WKA Road Race Grand Nationals. This year the Grand National takes place at VIRginia International Raceway Full Course July 26-28. The 2013 Road Racing campaign will close Sept. 6-8 at the Summit Point Motorsports Park Main Course in West Virginia.
Paul Smith was the only entrant and winner in Clone 360.
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KOYTK STEALS SHOW AT M
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – After years of trying Jonathan Kotyk won his first WKA Mazda / Bridgestone Manufacturers Cup Series final in May at New Castle Motorsports Park. At JET Karting at the June 28-30 Top Kart USA Grand Nationals, Kotyk backed up his first-ever national win with four main event victories in the four classes he entered.
Brandon Lemke accomplished the feat at New Castle in the Junior Sportsman category.
Kotyk, an OGP Tony Kart racer out of Oviedo, Fla., swept the Komet Pro main events and raced his Rotaxpowered mount to a sweep of the TaG Senior features to net the impressive four-win weekend.
The Kotyk team, privateers racing out of a small trailer and not under a major team’s tent, left South Bend with four prestigious Grand National Eagle trophies and $300 as the overall winner in Komet Pro, marking the second straight Man Cup national Kotyk has earned that award. Kotyk also now has a commanding lead in Komet Pro point standings and the inside shot on the $2,000 and new KPV engine kit year-end prize package.
Kotyk became only the second driver in 2013 Man Cup competition to win four races in a weekend.
“We knew the Rotax was good (at South Bend) last year so we figured we’d have a good package coming
MAN CUP GRAND NATIONALS
into the weekend,” Kotyk said Sunday afternoon. “I thought Chelootz and Giessen might get together on that last lap, and I was just sitting there waiting for it. It worked out great; I have to thank my dad, OGP, Tony Kart and everyone who helps with this effort. We’re really starting to hit on all cylinders.”
Chelootz shot to the inside of Giessen in turn nine, looking for the inside pass and the Grand National win. Chelootz’s right-front made contact with Giessen’s left-rear, setting both karts sideways and allowing Kotyk to sneak past on the inside and take the big win and a sweep of TaG Senior.
Kotyk speaks of Sunday’s TaG Senior main event, which was easily the most exciting of his wins. Mike Giessen, Mason Chelootz and Kotyk ran nose to tail throughout the 18-lapper. Chelootz and Kotyk looked low several times throughout the race, but it wasn’t until turn nine on the final lap that an overtaking move occurred.
HYTORC Komet Pro 1 top five saw Kotyk best Top Kart racer Patrick Olsen, Jay Howard, Darren Brubaker and James Brock. In Sunday’s Komet Pro 2 main event, Kotyk won over Olsen, Brock, Brubaker and Bobby Cummings. Kotyk pocketed the $300 first-place overall prize for the second consecutive Man Cup national. Olsen took
top kart usa grand nationals jet karting south bend, indiana
home $200 for second and Brock earned the $100 prize for third overall. TSRacing.com TaG Senior 1 saw Kotyk win over fellow Tony Kart racer Mick Gabriel. T.J. Koyen was third on an Exprit chassis. Jake Johnston took home fourth and Colton Ramsey fifth. The OTK TaG Senior 2 running order showed Kotyk ahead of Giessen, Chelootz, Koyen and Austin Elliott. Lemke scored the hat trick and made it seven wins in the last two Man Cup outings to solidify himself as the hottest Sportsman racer in WKA. The Merlin pilot swept the Yamaha Sportsman main events and took one of two in Cadet
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Sportsman to pick up the three-win weekend. Lemke, out of Eagle, Wis., beat Zach Holden to the stripe in both Yamaha mains. Lemke nearly swept Cadet; after winning Saturday’s KoeneUSA.com Cadet Sportsman 1 contest over Anthony Gangi Jr., Lemke crossed the stripe first in Grand Products / Top Kart Cadet Sportsman 2, but the win was overturned as Lemke made contact with David Malukas in turn nine on the final lap. Officials penalized Lemke for the contact, giving Malukas his only triumph of the weekend. Cadet 1 top five was Lemke, Gangi, Malukas, Giovanni Bromante and Holden. Cadet 2 top five was Malukas, Lemke, Holden, Gangi w o r l d ka rt i n g . c o m
and Bromante. Gangi crossed the stripe first in Saturday’s MRP / Birel Yamaha Sportsman main but was disqualified in post-race tech, giving the win to Lemke. After the Gangi DQ, Holden moved up to second, Mayer third, Schaff fourth and Michael d’Orlando fifth. Gangi rebounded Sunday to dominate GT7 Motorsporst Komet Sportsman 2, taking the win over Malukas. Austin Schaff was third, Bromante fourth and Holden fifth. Merlin racer Austin Schaff proved he’s one of the best Sportsman racers in the country when the track is wet. In a rain-drenched GT7 Motorsports Komet Sportsman 1 race late Saturday, Schaff dominated the likes of Lemke, Malukas, Gangi and Holden on his way to the win. Lemke took second with young Bromante third. Sam Mayer was fourth and Gangi fifth. “To race against the best Sportsman racers in the country and win my first Man Cup race at a Grand National is without a doubt the highlight of my racing career,” the 11-year-old Schaff stated. “But to put
our Merlin on the pole, clock in fast time for the weekend and get the win is hard to put into words. I would like to thank everyone who was part of this accomplishment. George, Jamie and Cale from Franklin Motorsports, Woltjer Racing Engines, Merlin Karts and Kyle Kalish for taking the time to coach me on wet-weather driving.” Mike McAndrews made it five wins in six starts in Komet Junior in 2013 with another sweep of the division. McAndrwes won Saturday’s Tecno Chassis Komet Junior 1 contest in the rain when he was one of only two racers to go out on rain tires. The onand-off rain showers had teams second-guessing and McAndrews and second-place finisher Julia Boos were the only two to stay on rains. Point leader Austin McCusker was the first driver on slick tires across the line, over 20 seconds back of McAndrews. Grant Quinlan was fourth and Ryan Raffa fifth. McAndrews returned Sunday to wheel his Birel to the Orlando Kart Center Komet Junior 2 win over Quinlan and McCusker. Killian Keaveny had his best run of the weekend with a fourth-place effort. Raffa was fifth for
top kart usa grand nationals jet karting south bend, indiana
the second day in a row. Quinlan gave Man Cup fans one of the most impressive races in recent memory when he started 20th in Sunday’s Verde Speed Resources Yamaha Junior main and passed 19 karts on his way to the win. Quinlan overtook Brandon Jarsocrak with about five laps left before pulling away for the big win. Jarsocrak was second and Matt Solarczyk third. McAndrews and local runner Becker Reardon rounded out the top five. “It was a really good weekend, that’s for
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sure,” the humble GQ said Sunday evening. “We’re really happy. I didn’t think we’d ever have enough to get up there and win. It’s hard enough to win a WKA national race when you start up front. I just have to thank the Lobaughs and everyone at MRP and of course, my dad, for all the help. The kart was on a rail and it was one of the most fun races I’ve been in.” On Saturday, Emerson Reed scored his first Man Cup win of the season in Woltjer Racing Engines Yamaha Junior 1. Reed wheeled his Top Kart to a dominating victory over Yamaha Junior point leader Jarsocrak and Birel racer Solarczyk. Quinlan was fourth and w o r l d ka rt i n g . c o m
McAndrews fifth, placing three MRP Birels in the top five. Sam Cate and Dakota Pesek split the Yamaha Senior mains. Cate dominated on his Tony Kart on Saturday, taking the win by a wide margin over Olivia Horn, who had the best Man Cup run of her career in the second-place effort in what was her first weekend as a senior racer. Chase Jones followed Cate and Horn across the stripe for third. Olsen was fourth and Dakota Pesek fifth. Horn and Cate finished a disappointing sixth and seventh in Sunday’s Yamaha Senior final, while Pesek made a late-race pass on Chase Jones to score the Grand National win. Jones looked to have the race in hand until Pesek closed late and overtook the fellow Top Kart driver with one lap remaining. Jones held on for second with Patrick Olsen third, making it an all-Top Kart top three. Brett Schneider was fourth and Brock fifth. Kyle Kalish dominated Saturday’s Parilla Senior main event on his Merlin. Kalish finished well ahead of Jacob Knueven and Derek Dignan for the score, his first as a senior driver in WKA Man Cup competition. Jake Duvall was third on his X30-powered DR Kart. Garrett Johnston was fifth on his Top Kart. J U LY 2 0 1 3 - ka rt i n g s c e n e
Kalish had to return to his Illinois home Sunday morning, leaving the Parilla Senior 2 class wide open. Knueven stepped up to the plate, passing Garrett Johnston in the 18-lap final and racing his Arrow to the chassis make’s only win of the weekend. Johnston was second and California’s Austin Elliott third. Colton Ramsey took fourth with Chelootz rounding out the top five. “I qualified 12th in the rain and finished seventh in the pre-final,” the 17-year-old Knueven explained. “I was running sixth in the final in the opening laps. On lap three I started to move forward and I was second by the sixth or seventh lap. Then I ran down and passed Garrett Johnston for the lead at halfway. He stayed on me until the final few laps when I pulled away. “I would of course like to thank my parents and Brian Seward of BBS Engines for all of his help,” Kneuven added. “The racing was good, hard and respectful which made for an enjoyable race.” Scott Ferris continued his dominance of TaG Masters. Ferris won both days over Steve Schiewer. Brothers Scot and Kim Carapellatti were the only other entrants in the short four-kart Masters field. Birel racers Gage Rodgers and Mark J.
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top kart usa grand nationals jet karting south bend, indiana
Fineis gave Birel two more Man Cup wins in the Yamaha Rookie classes. Rodgers won Saturday’s Rookie contest over Tony Kart racer Jeremy Fairbairn and Fineis. Nic Sheppard raced to a fourth-place result with Andrew Castelucci fifth. “I had a tight battle with Jeremy Fairbairn before pulling away for the win,” the 9-year-old Michigan racer commented. “Doug Fleming, my engine builder, gave me the hang loose sign with one to go so I knew I had a big lead.” Fineis, from Zionsville, Ind., led most of Sunday’s Rookie final and held on late to best Rodgers and Aiden Harrington, who were both right behind Fineis at the finish. Sheppard was fourth, again, while Tyler Ferris rounded out the top five on his Top Kart. The top three finishers were all on Birels. Rookie racing was clean and safe throughout the weekend. Birel and Tony Kart each won six finals on the weekend to lead the chassis manufacturers. Merlin scored five wins – three from
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Lemke and one each from Kalish and Schaff – with Top Kart earning four wins. Knueven gave Arrow its lone win. Updated Manufacturers Cup chassis points look like this. 1. Top Kart – 22 wins 2. Tony Kart – 18 3. Birel – 17 4. Merlin – 12 5. Arrow – 6 6. Haase – 6 7. iKart – 2 8. Exprit – 2 9. Kosmic – 1 10. JMK – 1 Next up for the Man Cup is round five of the national series, August 16-18, 2013. The Checkered Motorsports / Zero Error Racing Nationals will run at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
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