RENO (Dec. 6) – The Northern Nevada Kart Club gathered at the Grand Sierra Resort to pay tribute to its volunteers and honor its champions from the 2014 season.
After winning the F80 and 125 championships, Mark Nason was named Karter of the Year. It’s the highest honor NNKC has.
Being the only Kid Kart driver to compete in all seven events Brooks Anderline, a second grader, was awarded this huge championship trophy.Things got off to a slightly slow start as the trophies were late in arriving but after dinner everything was ready to go.
Jr. 1 Clone B top four line up with champion Issac Bourque on the right flanked by Gabe Vegors, Austin Hawkins and Heavyn Hill, who also won one of the Comback Driver of the Year award.
Aiden Hawkins (right) was the Jr. 1 Clone A group. Here’s joined by 2nd place Bech Marshall and Asa Gourley, who ended up third for the season.
Mike Arnold, here with his wife, won both the Volunteer of the Year award and a special Lifetime Achievement award.
Junior 1 Rookie of the Year Aiden Hawkins holds up his award.
Senior Clone champion and the Senior Rookie of the Year Kelsey Nelson stands with runner up Dave Schilt (Middle) and Alec Beaudoin, who was third in the points.
Tag Masters top three was an all brother finish. Champion Mike Ryckebosch (right) is joined by brother Steve and John (left).
When the meeting got going outgoing president Brian Rivera asked for several moments of silence in memory of a club member that passed two weeks earlier. Jeff Cloutier was a veteran racer, starting in motocross, moving to stockcars then to karts and he will be missed by those that knew him.
Rivera and Ed Diederich handled the MC chores. Several people were honored for their service to the club as they help with registration, scoring, race directing, flagman and a race director that’s going to take a hiatus from the sport.
Mike Arnold picked up two honors as he was named both the Volunteer of the Year as well as given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the club. He spends a lot of time at the track running practice laps with his wife and helped the club after some of things were stolen.
At the other end of the age scale second grader Brooks Anderline, a rookie that races in the Kids Kart division, earned a six-foot tall trophy. Even though the others in the class didn’t show up for the final races, Anderline did and raced in all seven of the events.
Needless to say, he was wowed by the trophy that is heavier and taller than he is.
The Most Improved Junior Driver of the year was Bech Marshall while Kevin Marshall was the Most Improved Senior Driver of the Year.
Kelsey Nelson, who is the Senior Clone champion, received the Senior Rookie of the Year award.
Afterwards she said, “It’s pretty exciting, it’s really exciting and fun.”
Asked if she was going to defend her title she said, “Well I’m pregnant so I’m not racing for a little bit. I want to start up halfway through the year after the baby is born in June so hopefully I’ll be back for the night race.”
The Junior Rookie of the Year was Aiden Hawkins while Alex Gray was named the Hard Charger of the Year and the Most Talented Driver Award went to Alec Beaudoin.
Two drivers shared the Comeback Driver of the Year award. Young Heavyn Hill returned after a frightening crash that saw her go through and under a fence due to a stuck throttle.
The other driver was Jeff Solvason, who received a very badly broken ankle after a freak accident right at the start of a race.
Each year the club picks one of its members to be the Karter of the Year. It’s the highest award a member can earn and this year it went to double champion Mark Nason.
“I love this club and I year ago I decided to put the effort into winning this year and that’s what’s rewarding and to feel like the hard work paid off,” he said. “Lot of people in the room worked hard, I was the one that it worked out the best for. I encouraged all the young people and those in my division to keep trying hard.”
Last year’s board, Rivera, Mitch Kennedy, John Morgan and Chelsi Wright stepped down and this year’s board is president Steve Dow, Vice President Jeff Wamre, Treasure Dan Harris and secretary Kelsey Nelson.
During the night there weren’t many gaps in the program as the club had the most things to raffle off it’s ever had. A list of the sponsors can be found in the result.
After the banquet ended many headed to the bowling alley as the club paid for the first game.
While NNKC won’t race again until March some drivers will head for Laguna Seca and/or Sonoma Speedway for one of their January races.
RESULTS
* Northern Nevada Kart Club banquet – Dec. 6
Awards:
Karter of the Year- Mark Nason
Hard Charger of the Year – Alex Gray
Most Talented Driver – Alex Beaudoin
Most Improved Driver of the Year – Bech Marshall
Most Improved Senior Driver of the Year – Kevin Marshall
Jr. 1 Rookie of the Year – Aiden Hawkins
Senior Rookie of the Year – Kelsey Nelson
Comeback Drivers of the Year – Heavyn Hill and Jeff Solvason
* Special Recognition Awards:
Lifetime Achievement – Mike Arnold
Volunteer of the Year – Mike Arnold
Chelsi Wagner – Outgoing Secretary
Shari Dow – Head Score Keeper
Sandy Diederich- Leaving after running the registration booth for years.
Ed Diederich – For 11 years of work with the club
Gerry Williams – For his work as Race Director
Dave Brant – Thanks to the club’s long time flagman.
• Final finishing orders for 2014
Kid Kart – 1. Brooks Anderline*, 2. Jack Ridgel, 3. Cooper Hung, 4. Leila Hawkins, 5. Quintessa Rowland
Jr. 1 Clone B – 1. Issac Bourque*, 2. Gabe Vegors, 3. Austin Hawkins, 4. Heavyn Hill, 5. Rylan Beeler, 6. Chase Dulude, 7. Danielle Martinez, 8. Lucas Morgan, 9. Jacob Ban Spanje, 10. Nolan Wyman, 11. Garrett Gilmore, 12. Aiden Rowland
Jr. 1 Clone A – 1.Aiden Hawkins*, 2. Jake Guzelis, 3. Bech Marshall, 4. Asa Gourley, 5. Austin Smith, 6. Bryce Berry, 7. Sami Martinez, 8. Nolan Wyman, 9. Brandon Apodaca, 10. Austin Hawkins, 11. Lucas Morgan,12. Garrett Gilmore, 13. Rylan Beeler, 14.Alec Acevedo, 15. Gabe Vegos, 16. Danielle Martinez, 17. Josh Chassaing
Jr. 2 Clone – 1. Taylor Uchytil*, 2. Kaleb Nilsson, 3. Zach Rivera, 4. Pandora Garcia, 5. Jeremy Kay, 6. Dean Andrews, 7.Lexas Kay, 8. Finley Swan
Senior Clone – 1. Kelsey Nelson*, 2.David Schilt, 3. Alec Beaudoin, 5. ShannonWyman, 6.Adam Cole, 7.Scott Peterson, 8. Kelly Chinander, 9. Schott Andrews, 10. Jeff Cloutier, 11. Jess Peterson, 12. Michaela LaSpina, 13. NickGrossi, 14. Brian Michaud, 15. Johnny Martinez, 16. Stephanie Callahan, 17. Tyler Van Spanje, 18. Sonita Harris
TAG Masters – 1. Mike Ryckebosch*, 2. Steve Ryckebosch, 3. John Ryckebosch, 4. Kevin Marshall, 5. Randy Ryckebosch, 6. Mike Arnold, 7. Mike McMullen, 8. Shawn Kerns, 9. Eric Westenburg,10. Jeff Solvason, 11. Dan Harris,12. Scott Andrews, 13. Brian Rivera, 14. Javier Avila, 15. Eric Swan, 16. Marty McNew
Formula 80 – 1. Mark Nason*, 2. SteveDow, 3. Dan Harris,4. Ben Fisher, 5.Cody McKinney, 6. Jerem Holm, 7.Dan Votino, 8. Jeff Wamre, 9. Jeff Ridgel, 10. John Michul, 11. Brian Hicks, 12. Mike Cosner, 13. Jesse Gwin, 14. Rick Gutzke,15. Chuck Hastings, 16.Steve Stein, 17.Greg Jaime, 18. Jon Ban, 19. Steven Shafe, 20. Bobby McCourt, 21. Bryan Chambers, 22. Jason Figura, 23. Gerry Williams, 24. Cole Trickel, 25. Kevin Reed, 26. Boyd Ferry, 27. Adam Booker
Stock Moto 125 – 1. Mark Nason*, 2. Matt Koerner, 3. Alex Gray, 4. Todd Thompson, 4. Chelsi Wagner, 6. Jeff Wamre, 7. John Morgan, 8. Mike Faker, 9. Biran Rivera, 10. Alan Jaime, 11. Ben Fisher, 12. Ronnie Parker, 13. Mitch Kennedy, 14. Milas Mills, 15. Garrett Dixon, 16. Cody McKinney
Raffle Prize sponsors:
Scribner Plastics – Rick Scribner
Nevada Kart Sport – Rodney Rivera
Performance Marine – Dave Schilt
Dentistry – The Smile Shop – Dr. Rich Adams
Dentistry – Eric Dean
Kevin Marshall
Travis Hawkins
Kid Kart pop – Jason Anderline
