Hot hazy weather didn’t stop the go kart racers from competing at their home track.

STEAD (July 31): Desert Park Raceway was alive with the sound of racing as the Northern Nevada Kart Club (NNKC) staged the six round of its season.

The youngest drivers are in the Kid Kart class where they start to earn their racing spurs. Even though there is a winner all of these youngsters get the same medal because many times just finishing is winning for them.

On this day, however, two of these young drivers put on what may have been the race of the day.

Afterwards  Tarron Gaves, a 6-year-old said, “I was patient and, well I planned it and finally got it.”

Then he thanked his parents.

Kid Kart racers drive low power karts and use a standing start. Once the green flag waved Mia Wright took off with Tarron Graves following her.

When the Kid Kart main began Mia Wright (13) lead Tarron Graves.

Both youngsters then distanced themselves from the other two racers, Emmett Gunter and Alyssa Winters.

Up front it was nose-to-tail until Graves saw his chance and used an outside move in Turn 3 to take the lead. However Wright wasn’t going to let him get home free so the chase was on.

After Tarron Graves passed Mia Wright for the lead she chased him all the way to the finish line.

Lap after lap both youngsters ripped around the track but in the end Gaves won the race less than a half second ahead of Wright. Behind them Gunter used a steady drive to end up third while Winters, who is still coming to grips with her cornering but showing improvement, finished fourth.

For her part Winters was a bit disappointed but she has shown great improvement this season.

Asked what happened in Turn 3 and if she could have gotten by Tarron she said, “My kart slowed down and I needed a couple of more laps.”

Then she thanked God and her parents.

One crazy race combined the TAG and F-80 racers in one race. While the F-80 shifter karts use a standing start the TAG karts need to have a rolling start.

So they form into two groups, then the F-80 karts on the grid are released as the TAG karts went through the final turn. It usually takes less than a lap for the TAG drivers to catch and start passing the F-80 drivers.

Up front Jeff Wamre led Jeremy Holm, that is until a pass for the lead went wrong. Holm wound up off the track and out of the race in Turn 1 while Wamre also dropped out as the nose of his kart was damaged.

This left Turbo Sombatsiri, who also fell out and gave the lead as well as the victory to Kurt Holm.

Kurt Holm was the last man standing in the F-80 Shifter main so he won the race.

“I survived and it was a good race but it’s been a long, hot hard week,” Holm said later. “We’ve got a lot of people that support us, the Kays, help from Jeremy Kay and Team Bankruptcy.”

In the TAG side Steve Ryckebosch led the Masters group but it wasn’t a cakewalk. First he had to get past Mike McMullen, who then chased him to the finish.

Steve Ryckebosch not only won the TAG Masters class but was first over all in the combined TAG/F-80 main.

In the end Ryckebosch was able to get a 10-second lead over McMullen, which was probably the key to the victory.

After the race Ryckebosch said, “Man there was a lot going on, we held it on and luckily my brother wasn’t here. I lost my brakes completely on the last lap and could not stop so I just cruised.”

The Stock Moto 125 was a bit of a disappointment for the drivers as only three were on hand. During the second heat race Dean Andrews dropped out as his kart looked like it was going to overhead and Doug Hunter never made it past the first heat due to problem.

Even though there were only two Stock Moto 125 drivers it appeared they would have a close race. That is until Jeremy Kay (11) hurt a rib and had to drop out giving the race do Dean Andrews (43).

In the main it appeared that Andrews and Jeremy Kay were going to battle for the lead. Then Kay went over a curb, hurt a rib and had to pull out as he was in so much pain.

That gave Andrews the victory but he would have rather raced Kay for it.

When the Sr/Sumo LO206 main began Zachary Rivera flat took off and left everyone in his wake. The teenager has been putting in a lot of seat time this year and it’s really showing.

Zach Rivera on his way to winning the Sr. LO206 main.

Behind him there was a race long battle for second.

As Rivera extended his lead Gary Guzelis and Stephanie Callahan were dueling for second. Behind them Jon Mayer was leading a pack of six karts.

Eventually Callahan was able to take over second then she, Guzelis and Jacob Ciari began a many lap, nose-to-tail duel for second. Late in the race both Guzelis and Ciari may have contact because after that Callahan was in the clear although there would be no time to catch the flying Rivera.

Stephanie Callahan (6) has Gary Guzelis right behind her with Jacob Ciari (13) not far behind. She was able to keep both men at bay and finish in second place.

After the dust settled Rivera said, “It was good but you know I’m really testing for the next regional race. I feel I’m pretty good time wise and we’ll have some good competition when the KPX comes. For now that’s probably how the rest of the races are going to be if no one is showing up.”

Then he thanked his father’s shop, Nevada Kart Sport and Arturo Diaz for buying the kart he’s racing.

For her part Callahan said,, “Started second, ended up after Turns 1 and 2. Was battling with Gary Guzelis for a few laps, passed him so we were neck-in-neck for a few laps. Gary was so close he gave me a little bump through Turn 6 so that’s when I knew he was right behind me.”

Then she thanked Nevada Kart Sport for all their help.

It took two attempts to get the Jr-1 LO206 main going. Up front Garrett Randolph and Brooks Anderline were side-by-side going into Turn 1. Behind them the pack was giving chase.

Soon Randolph was in command, while in back of him there was a three-way duel for second between Anderline, Deano Pinten and Cole Gamma, who eventually slipped back to sixth at the finish.

Garrett Randolph (86) leads the pack as the Jr-1 LO206 main begins. He would go on to score the victory.

Late in the race Brianson Melear took over third dropping Pinten to fourth. But up front there would be no catching Randolph.

Then a two-kart incident at Turn 4 brought the race to a red flag halt as apparently one of the karts involved may have rolled over. Official rushed to check on the two young drivers and fortunately neither driver was injured in the crash.

The race was then called official and places awarded from the last green flag lap, which meant Randolph won followed by Anderline, Melear and Pinten.

The final race of the day was the Jr-2 LO206 main. When the green waved Aden Hawkins took off while behind him the pack broke up into three groups of two each.

Aiden Hawkins on his way to winning the Jr.-2 LO206 main.

Eventually the duel for second would be a three-way affair between Braden Bendix, Chase Dulude and Issac Bourque. Lap after lap they tore around the course nose-to-tail

After taking the white flag Bourque made his move, and using the outside pass at Turn 6 to get around his rivals to claim second. Dulude then chases him all the way to the checkered flag where they finished second and third while Hawkins scored another run away victory.

After taking second with three corners to go, Issac Bourque (27) had to hold off Chase Dulude (37) and Branden Benedix.

Hawkins then commented on racing while wearing a black driving suit on a hot day as well as the race.

“It was pretty horrible but it was fun. I need to thank my dad, my coach Cole Nelson and Kelsey Nelson for their support,” he said.

Then a delighted Bourque commented on his second place finish when he said, “I just had to get back up there, get in the draft andit was fun. That last pass on Turn 6, well I’ve never done it before, saw my opportunity to get second place and I took it.”

Then he thanked his father as well as Nevada Kart Sports and the racers in his call as well as the ones from California that came to compete here.

Next event for the NNKC is their annual night race slated for Saturday, August 20 at Desert Park Raceway. Those wishing further information on the club and its events please check their website at, www.nnkc.com.

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RESULTS:

Northern Kart Club – Round 6

Desert Park Raceway – July 31

Kid Kart: 1. Tarron Graves, 2. Mia Wright, 3. Emmett Gunter, 4. Alyssa Winters.

Jr. 1 LO206/Clone: 1. Garrett Randolph, 2. Brooks Anderline, 3. Brianson Melear, 4. Deano Pinten, 5. Eli Mays, 6. Cole Gamma, 7. Austin Hawkins, 8. Heavyn Hill, 9. Wyatt Sander, 10. Jack Schrady.

Not Classified: Isaiah Nobles, Korey Sander, Kendra Winters.

Jr. 2 LO206/Clone: 1. Aiden Hawkins, 2. Issac Bourque, 3. Chase Delude, 4. Branden Benedix, 5. Nick Short, 6. Jake Guzielis, 7. Bryce Berry, 8. Caleb Mayer.

Sr/Sumo LO206:

+ Sr. Heavy: 1. Jason Anderline, 2. Harrell Fishcer.

+ Sr. LO206: 1. Zachary Rivera, 2. Stephanie Callahan, 3. Gary Cuzelis, 4. Jacob Ciari, 5. Jon Mayer, 6. Rick McLeod, 7. Nat Sombatsiri, 8. Brud Beaudoin, 9. Kelly Chinander.

Tag Masters: 1. Steve Ryckebosch, 2. Mike McMullen, 3. Jeff Solvason.

Tag Senior: 1. Lexus Kay.

F80: 1. Kurt Holm

Not Classified: Jeff Wamre, Jeremy Holm, Turbo Sombatsiri.

Stock Moto 125: 1. Dean Andrews.

Not Classified: Jeremy Kay, Doug Hunter.