STEAD (Aug. 16) – Once a year the Northern Nevada Kart Club honors one of its founders, the later Rick Jerome, with the annual night race. While most of the season is run in daylight this event begins in the late afternoon and ends under the lights.
Mark Nason dominated both the F80 and F125 Stock Moto shifter races at NNKC’s annual night race.
For most of the F125 Stock Moto main Todd Thompson (20) held off Mitch Kennedy, who would eventually finish second.
Issac Bourque was the surprise winner in the Jr. 1 Clone B main. His victory came in only his third race.
Jr. 1 Clone A winner Aiden Hawkins (44) paces the field with runner up Boch Marshall (13) beside him.
Michoela Spina (17) and winner Kelsey Nelson (33) pace lead the Sr. Clone field to the green flag.
Steve Ryckebosch (77) leads his brother Mike as they race for the victory in Tag Masters. In the end they finished in this order.
Only one kids kart driver showed up but he got his two heat and main. Unfortunately his name wasn’t listed in the results. Here he is heading down the front straight.
Before the main races began kids of all ages, including a shifter driver, had fun dancing in the A grid at Desert Park Raceway.
To celebrate this once a year happening many racers festoon their karts with lights, in the wheels, on the trim and one even had headlights. And it brings out a fairly large crowd of competitors.
After suffering two dnf’s this season one veteran driver, that races in both shifter classes, came with fire in his eyes and a desire to win. And win he did, dominating both of his main races.
His first win came in the F125 Stock Moto main and afterward Mark Nason said, “This thing was a rocket tonight. Did a ton of work with Mitch Kennedy the last three weeks, got it set up right and he finished a strong second behind me so it was a perfect night.”
In shifter karts use a standing start so when the flagman turns on the green lights, they are off and running. A good launch can make all the difference.
On this night when the lights came on Nason rocketed away from the pack as they tore down the straight toward the first turn. Not far behind him the trio of Todd Thompson, Mitch Kennedy and Matt Koerner began a long three-way battle for second.
Eventually Thompson faded to fourth while Koerner took third. Kennedy was finally able to get into second and was starting to close in on Nason but ran out of time.
One driver returning to competition was John Morgan, who managed to pull off a creditable fifth place.
Nason’s encore came later in the evening when the F80 main began. Once again he got the hole shot but this time Mike Conser and Bon Fisher were right behind him.
As the duel for second heated up Nason was able to motor away and claim his second victory of the night and a sweep of the event. Behind him Conser was able to hold second followed by Fisher and Steve Dow.
“Tonight went just about perfect,” Nason said later. “Had a little contact in one of the heats earlier but in the main event it was hooked up and the motor was working. Once again have to thank Mitch Kennedy and my competitors for keeping me honest.”
This season the Tag Masters has all but belonged to the Ryckebosch family as four of them race in this class and one of them usually wins. Brothers Steve and Mike put on one of the closest races of the night.
When the green waved Steve jumped into the lead ahead of his brother Mike. After that a large beach blanket could have covered both of them as they roared around the track, inches apart.
Round and around, up and down the hill they roared. It was only in the final laps that Steve did get a slight advantage, probably no more than a kart length at best when they crossed the finish line.
At the post race weigh in Steve said, “Another brother duel. I felt him a few times, started hitting my points in the corners and think I pulled him a little towards the end. The secret is not to make mistakes because the minute I do he’ll be by and since he’s my brother I don’t want him to beat me.”
The senior clone class was the scene of another close race that had a few lead changes. These low power karts put a premium on handling and a driver being smooth.
It took winner Kelsey Nelson several attempts but finally she was in the lead only to get passed by early leader Michoela Spina. Finally, as the lead group of four caught two lappers in Turn 3 things got a bit crazy.
One of the lappers spun while another was caught in the mix. Nelson came out of it with the lead while Spina was too far back to catch her. In the end that’s how they finished.
The finish itself may have set a record for the club as the first three finishers were women; Nelson, Spina and Stephanie Callahan coming home third. The first male driver to cross the finish line was Dave Schilt.
After winning the race Nelson said, “It was good, a lot of competition. I got the lead once in Turn 1 and 2 then in three when we came up on lappers, one spun out and the other slowed down a lot we tangled a little bit. I’m pretty sure I would have had her (Spina) anyway but that was my opportunity.
There were only two Clone Jr. 2 karts on hand and Zach Rivera won their main. Taylor Uchytil, usually a contender or winner, was hampered by a motor that was having problems so she finished a distant second.
When the Jr. 1 Clone B main began Gabe Vegors took off with Rylan Beeler inches behind him. Both boys had dominated their heat races and it appeared this was going to be a repeat of that.
However going into the final left-right-left complex leading onto the front straight both tangled and spun. Now Austin Hawkins found himself in the lead but it was short lived as rookie Issac Bourque soon grabbed the lead.
Vegors did recover and began a charge to the front but by the time he took second Bourque was too far ahead to catch. After winning his first ever victory Bourque got a huge welcome from his family and friends.
At the post race weigh in Bourque, who is 11-years old said, “I made the pass on the inside and drove the rest good. And this is my third race.”
The Jr. 1 Clone A main began with Asa Gourley and Beck Marshall close it wasn’t to be. After the first laps Hawkins pulled away and claimed the victory.
Unfortunately there was only one kids kart that competed but Brooks Anderline still got his two heats and main race. And he really scooted around the track. However when the photo was posted this reporter didn’t have his name at that time.
A pair of crashes had official stopping races as they raced to check on the drivers.
The first came in a TAG Masters heat when Mike McMullen, after contact with another kart, went cart wheeling over some hay bales. Fortunately the kart never landed on his while it dumped him on the ground.
While McMullen wasn’t injured the front end of his kart didn’t fare as well.
The next incident came right after the Jr. 1 Clone A main began when Asa Gourley and Nolan Wyman tangled on the front stretch. Both karts left the track and ended up on the embankment.
Once again, the race was stopped and fortunately both were uninjured. Wyman did continue but had to drop out with mechanical issues.
Then there were a few scuffles after races ended.
After the second F80 heat ended two drivers were involved in a fight at the weigh house. Both were disqualified for the night and one might face further action.
At the end of the night there was one more scuffle after the Clone Sr. main. That was quickly ended as the driver that started it was sent back to the pits
Sportsmanship in karting is not something that is requested but demanded. Mainly due to safety reasons as drivers are not surrounded by roll cages or belted in.
Any disciplinary action either of these individuals might face will be decided at a future meeting of the club’s board.
The final race of NNKC’s season plus the upcoming Clone War event will be in September and October.
RESULTS
Northern Nevada Kart Club – Aug. 16
Desert Park Raceway – Round 6
F125 Stock Moto – 1. Mark Nason, 2. Mitch Kennedy, 3. Matt Koerner, 4. Todd Thompson, 5. John Morgan
F-80 – 1. Mark Nason, 2. Mike Conser, 3. Bon Fisher, 4. Steve Dow, 5. Dan Harris
Tag Masters – 1. Steve Ryckebosch, 2. Mike Ryckebosch, 3. Dan Harris, 4. Randy Ryckebosch, 5. John Ryckebosch
Sr. Clone – 1. Kelsey Nelson, 2. Michaela Spina, 3. Stephanie Callahan, 4. Dave Schilt, 5. Beaudoin
Jr. 1 Clone A – 1. Aiden Hawkins, 2. Bock Marshall, 3. Jake Guzzelis, 3. Austin Smith, 5. Nolan Wyman
Jr. 1 Clong B – 1. Issac Bourque, 2. Gabe Vegors, 3. Ryan Beeler, 5. Heavyn Hill
