Hot racing at Desert Park matched the temperature on Sunday.

STEAD (June 7) – Hot racing on a hot day at Desert Park Raceway this Sunday as NNKC staged its latest round of the season. Plenty of drivers showed up and there was one of the biggest, if not the biggest fields of 80cc shifters this year.

The closest Steve Ryckebosch (trailing) ever got to 125cc winner Mitch Kennedy (24) was at the state. After that Kennedy left everyone in his dust.

“It was on a rail,” Mitch Kennedy said after winning the 125-shifter main. “The track is actually good, lot of dirt from people putting dirt on the track but for the most part, a pretty good racetrack. And I have to thank my motivator Mark Nason.”

When the green lights sent the 125 shifters off into their main Kennedy got the jump on Mike Ryckebosch and sailed away from the pack. There would be no catching him.

Behind him Tom Gardner and another kart tangled but only Gardner was able to continue. After only two laps Ryckebosch was a distant second and had to hold off Alex Gray for the position.

At the checkered flag it was Kennedy by a mile followed by Ryckebosch and Gray.

The 80 Shifter class had 16 karts on the grid when the green lights sent them off into their mail. Up front Jon Ban led Jeremy Holm, Dan Harris and Steve Dow as the field screamed into Turns 1 and 2.

Jon Ban ((83) leads John Harris (13) early in the F80cc shifter main.

For the next few laps Ban extended his lead while Harris, Dow and Holm disputed second place. At one point Harris did take second but had to give it back due to a rough pass.

Finally after swapping places a few times Harris broke free and set his sights on the fleeing Ban. Behind him attrition and some aggressive driving took six karts out of the race.

Finally Harris caught Ban and their private duel began. Lap after lap they would either be a few feet or inches apart as they tore around the track.

Eventually Harris used the draft to slingshot his way onto the point and took off for the victory. Ban then had to settle for second ahead of Jereme Abshire and Steve Stein.

When John Harris (13) finally got the F80 lead he pulled away from early leader Jon Ban (behind).

Asked about the race Harris said, “I had to catch him but got sent back as I guess that was a rough pass on Steve. So I had to pass Steve again and Jeremy then I ran Ban down but it’s just so hard to pass as he’s so wide. I finally got a run on the straightaway and that’s how I got him.”

“It’s been fun today but we’re kind of at a disadvantage here as we’re running a little harder compound tire and I’ve giving up about 25 pounds on weight,” Ban, who came with Norcal Shifters said later. “He got me down in Turn 1 but we were having engine issues about halfway through the race as it started missing.

“It was a good race though and want to thank everybody from NorCal Super Group for coming out.”

Another place swapping race was in Tag Masters, which had the final race of the day.

When the green flag waved Brian Rivera took off with Dean Andrews and Randy Ryckebosch giving chase. Soon however it became a two-man race as Rivers and Andrews ran nose-to-tail and left everyone else in their dust.

Brian Rivers (81) leads Dean Andrews (43) early in the Tag Masters main.

Behind them Joe Senna was moving forward as was Taylor ut Uchytil. Ahead of those two Pandora Garcia was having a good run of her own.

Up front Rivera finally put a small gap between him and Andrews but it was not to last. By the halfway point in the 14-lap race the two leaders were almost a full straightaway lead over Senna.

Ryckebosch, Scott Andrews and Mike McMullen dropped out and Garcia’s good run came to an end after eight laps when the radiator on her kart lost all its water.

In her charge toward the front Taylor Uchytil (57) had to pass Pandora Garcia (2), who was having a good run until her kart had some problems.

Up front the duel ended when Andrews took the lead and Rivera had to back off as his rear bumper came loose but didn’t fall off.

Late in the Tag Masters race Dean Andrews (43) got the lead and dropped Brian Rivera (81) to second at the finish.

Uchytil finally got free of traffic and was reeling Senna but ran out of time and had to settle for fourth place. Up front Andrews reached the checkered flag first while Rivera managed to hang on for second.

“It was tough, we had a good start, they got past us before Turn 1 then just had to fight my way through,” Andrews said. “Then me and Brian had a good race for awhile and it was rough too, kind of broke his bumper. He was on me for awhile ut it was a good race and I kept it going.”

At the post race weigh in Rivera said, “It was a tough race, Dean stepped it up and they brought a Senior Rotax kart out as they’ve been running junior all year and he had the power so he should be faster than me. And it was a testament to myself, you know it’s all about pride out there, just wanted to see if I could keep up with the kid.

“And my bumper broke so I lost handling of the kart but was still zip tied with wire we put on and at that time we’re just trying to save the kart to the end because if it does come off I’m DQ’d.”

The Senior Clone was a runaway as the only time anyone was close to winner Rich Huston was right at the start. After that he showed everyone his heels and roared off to take the victory.

Rich Huston on his way to scoring a runaway victory in Senior Clone.

The Jr-2/206 raced looked like it would have been very competitive. That is until four of the seven racers took themselves out in a Turn 1 crash.

Zachery Rivera also scored a runaway victory in the Jr. 2 main.

Fortunately no one was hurt, except maybe a kart or two, and that handed Zachery Rivera a huge lead, which he used to run away with the victory.

It took two attempts to get the Jr. 1 Clone main started but when the green finally waved Aiden Hawkins led Even McGraw and the pack into the first turn.

Aiden Hawkins (42Y) leads the pack at the start of the Jr. 1 Clone race. He went on to leave everyone in his dust.

Behind them Chase McGraw and Chase Dulude started a race long duel for the next positions.

Late in the race Evan McGraw had to pull to the side and was out. Up front Hawkins just ran away to the victory while, behind him, the two Chases, Dulude and McGraw ended up second and third.

Once again there was only one Kid Kart racer on hand but no matter the club makes sure this racer will get his laps in. NNKC does this no matter if there is just one or 10 racers.

Cooper Perez scooted around the track and showed he’s becoming very good at recovering from spins but his kart kept quitting during his final lap. And some of the track crew help by getting him restarted and on his way.

Young Cooper Perez in his Kid Kart at Sunday’s race.

Now the club will take a few weeks off until its next race on June 28.

• After being rained out on May 22 the Lovelock Speedway made up the race on Friday, June 5.

Tony Taylor won the Hobby Stock feature while Robert Cooney topped the 360 Sprint Car field.

When the dust settled on the IMCA Main Robert Miller emerged the victor. But he admitted the following day that he was worried about Malen Gonzalez, who was closing on him at the end.

For his part Gonzalez said that if the race had gone a couple of more laps he would have caught Miller. The full results are at the end of this article.

OTHER RACING NEWS

• Last Saturday’s racing was rained out at Fernley 95A Speedway. There was just too much rain to do anything past the hot lap session.

• This weekend the Xfinity series got some time off but NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series raced at Poncono and a trio of Nevada natives were in the field.

Kurt Busch started on pole but finished fifth while younger brother Kyle started 10th and ended up 9th. Brendan Gaughan’s car had electrical problems and he ended up 43rd at the day’s end.

If you enjoyed this article please be sure to “like,” it and share it as wildly as possible. And comments are always welcome.

RESULTS

Desert Park Raceway – June 7

Northern Nevada Kart Club – Round 4

Kid Kart: 1. Cooper Perez

Jr. 1, Clone: 1. Aiden Hawkins, 2. Chase Dulude, 3. Chase McGraw, 4. Brooks  Anderline, 5. Asa Gourley, 6. Heavyn Hill, 7. Korey Sander, 8. Austin Perez

Jr. 2/206: 1. Zachery Rivera, 2. Hayden McGraw, 3. Rowdy Staffon

Sr. Clone/World Formula: 1. Rich Huston, 2. Ron Carello, 3. Simon Whitworth, 4. Nat Sombatsiri, 5. Brud Beaudoin, 6. Alec Beaudon, 7. Jason Anderline

Tag Masters: 1. Dean Andrews, 2. Brian Rivera, 3. Joe Senna, 4. Taylor Uchytil, 5. Dan Harris, 6. Jeff Solvason

F-80: 1. Dan Harris, 2. Jon Ban, 3. Jeremy Abshire, 4. Steve Stein, 5. Jeremy Holm, 6. Roger Cornwall, 7. Jeff Wamre, 8. Geoff Provo, 9. Brock Gardner, 10. Greg Jaime

Stock Moto 125: 1. Mitch Kennedy, 2. Steve Ryckebosch, 3. Alex Gray, 4. Mike Ryckebosch, 5. John Morgan, 6. Steve Dow

• Lovelock Speedway – June 5

(May 22, rain make up)

Hobby Stocks:

Heat 1: 1. Tony Taylor, 2. Rick Ellison, 3. Bob Shank, 4. Shirley Reeves

Heat 2: 1. Dennis Buehn, 2. Tim Russell, 3. Tami Buehn, 4. Paul Shamlian

Main (20-Laps) – 1. Tony Taylor, 2. Tim Russell, 3. Dennis Buehn, 4. Rick Ellison, 5. Tami Buehn, 6. Bob Shank, 7. Shirley Reeves, 8. Paul Shamlian*

360 Sprints:

Heat Race: 1. Robert Cooney, 2. Bob Cooney, 3. Loren Cooney, 4. Jeffrey Macedo*, 5. Bob Cooney*

Main (25-Laps) – 1. Robert Cooney, 2. Loren      Cooney, 3. Keith Mikelson, 4. Jeffrey Macedo*, 5. Bob Cooney*

IMCA Modifieds:

Heat 1: 1. Jeffrey Macedo, 2. Vincent Evenson, 3. Shawn LaRocque, 4. J.D. Jurad, 5. Don Child

Heat 2: 1. Robert Miller, 2. Malen Gonzalez, 3. Alec Child, 4. Zach Cail, 5. Andy Strait

Main (25-Laps) – 1. Robert Miller, 2. Malen Gonzalez, 3. Zach Cail, 4. Andy Strait, 5. Don Child, 6. Alec Child, 7. J.D. Jurad, 8. Shawn Laroque, 9. Jeffrey Macedo*, 10. Vincent Evenson*

* – Did Not Finish