STEAD (OCT. 16) – Desert Park Raceway closed out its racing season as the Northern Nevada Kart Club hosted the final round of the KPX Karting Championship series. To say it was a bit soggy would be an understatment.
After the preliminary heat races the grids were set and Jr. 2 LO206 class was first on the slippery, wet track. By that time the rains that were absent from the qualifying sessions had return and were steady.
As a safety measure flagman Dave Brandt moved off the stand he usually is on and stood by the track close to Turn 1. That way the field wouldn’t reach the first turn going full steam.
On the green Kai Sorensen and Garretee Randolph Jr. led the charge with Brooks Anderline third.
One problem was water getting into the motor’s air filter. There were many solutions including soda bottles clamped to the filters.
Soon the top three were close but eventually Randolph faded as Boden Branwell took over third. U front Sorensen was busy keeping everyone at bay as he scored the victory.
Junior 1 winner Kai Sorenson leads runner up Aiden Kampf.
“It was really slippery in the last few laps but in the beginning it wasn’t too bad,” winner Sorensen said. I finished the race and got first, that’s all I had to do.”
Then he thanked his parents, Wolter and Praga chassis. Then he headed for his parents to warm up his very cold fingers.
Next up were the young Jr.2 LO206 racers and they too had to deal with the very wet track. On the green Tomas Mejia took off so the real battle was between Hayden Wagner and Braden Benedix for second.
At the end Mejia won by a comfortable margin while Wagner held on to claim second over Benedix.
Tomas Mejia on his way to winning the very wet Junior 2 main.
After the post race weigh in, Mejia said, “It is pretty challenging with the rain conditions to where the kart’s not really gripped up and you’re sliding across the corners. I want to win so I don’t spin out or anything.
The race itself secured the class championship for him. Then he thanked Jeff Osborn Racing Engines, Clint Perry and his family.
One problem many racers confronted was water getting into the air filters for their engines. The result was either a motor that was running rough or just quit as it was drowned. As a result each class has drivers that were unable to finish their races.
One class, among the others that suffered was the Masters division. Sixteen drivers took the green flag but only 10 finished.
On the green Kevin Straw Jr. took the lead with Dean Pinten right behindhim. Lap after lap they dueled then Straw did pull a small gap that gave him some breathing room.
Then the slick track took its toll as Straw spun on the front straight giving Pinten a huge lead that he used to win the race. Straw did finish second ahead of Joe Senna.
Early in the Masters race Dean Pinten had to hold off Kevin Straw Jr., who finished second.
After winning and checking his very cold fingers Pinten said, “It was a lot of fun, the go kart worked really well, I raced here in the rain against Joey Hand about 20-years ago and all my memories just came back. It was an honor and priveledge to race Reno in the last round of the KPX.”
Then he thanked his wife and everyone that supported KPX.
Finishing in third was Joe Senna, who won the class championship. He lives in Edina, Minnesota and flies out to each race.
Climbing out of his kart he said, “Cole Nelson Racing and everybody did an awesome job getting the kart ready. Must have the entire team helping me put rain tires on for the preheat and it’s definitely a team effort. We didn’t win a race this year but we came away with a top five in everyone and that was enough.”
With it being so wet drivers either had a temporary rain suit to wear over their uniforms or made them. There were various suits made from plastic and duct tape and even trash bags with three holes cut into them were put to use.
There were nine F-80 shifter karts early in the morning but by the time the main was run only three took the green. While it appeared that Cody McKinney might run away with it his kart just stopped running dropping him out of the main.
Up front Dan Harris took the gift and ran away with the victory with Jeff Wamre using a steady drive to finish a solid second. For Harris this was his first time running a race at his home track this season.
Dan Harris splashes on his way to winning the F-80 main.
“It was a matter of survival,” he said. “Looked like we had a couple of karts break and several of those guys didn’t have rain tires to day so they couldn’t run. It’s really slick, especially in Turn 4 so sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good I guess.”
Then he thanked Steve Dow for his rain tires.
Next up was the World Formula class. When the green waved Steven Taylor took the lead only to spin out and hand it to Rich Huston. Later Taylor got back to the front and Huston, who was in second spun.
In the end Taylor won followed by Simon Whitworth, Dennis Holma and Huston while three of the starters didn’t finish the main.
The World Formula winner was Steven Taylor.
“I went out pretty hot and spun but luckily was able to get back to the front with Rich in second place but I don’t know what happened to him. So I had the rest of the race by myself but I was more fighting my focus, not sliding and crashing,” he said.
Then Taylor thanked Black Star Motorsports, my wife and everyone that’s been in my life from karting.
Finally the wet and windy day ended with the Senior LO206 Class. And once again the rain took its toll as 25 answered the green but only 13 finished the 18-lap race.
During the warm lap several karts spun but were able to keep going. On the green Harison Mills and Blake Milton led the charge through Turn. 1.
From there it turned into a pair of two kart duels up front. Leader Mills was being hounded by Milton while in back of them third place Taylor Young had his hands full fending off Kenny Manchester.
Lap after lap they splashed and slid their way around the track. Then leaders began to catch lap traffic.
Then Mills made a mistake going through Turn 1 and Milton got the lead and began to pull away. Behind them Young ended up third not far ahead of Manchester.
In the Senior LO206 main winner Blake Milton leads runner up Harrison Mills.
At the end of each race both the kart and driver are weighed and they need to make a certain minimum weight. Then they head for the post race tech inspection.
After the post-race weigh in winner Milton said, “Harrison made a little mistake in Turn 1 and he just went around and I just went around. And it’s very cold.”
Then he thanked his father and Speed Sense Motorsports.
The day not only ended the racing this year at Desert Park Raceway but NNKC bid farewell to its flagman for the past 14-years. Now Dave Brant is going to relax and get more involved in the land speed record type of racing he’s been involved in for the past several years.
Before Sunday’s rains started Dave Brant took his place on the flag stand for the last time ending 14 season holding down that post.
Next up for the club is the annual awards banquet that will be held on December 3rd. After the holidays drivers will either go over the hill to race or begin to prepare for the 2017 season.
Reporters note: When this article was published the Masters results were still unofficial and subject to review.
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RESULTS
KPX Karting Championship – Round 5
Desert Park Raceway – Oct. 16
+ Junior 1 LO206: 1. Kai Sorensen, 2. Aiden Kampf, 3. Boden Barnwell, 4. Garrett Randolph Jr., 5. Deano Pinten, 6. Heavyn Hill, 7. Brinley Barnwell, 8. Alec Auvedo, 9. Brandson Melar, 10. Landon Kwapich, 11. Lucas French.
DNF: Eli Mays, Cole Gamma, Seth Huntley, Matthew Fecko, Stephen Eisert, Brooks Anderline.
+ Junior 2 LO206: 1. Tomas Mejia, 2. Hayden Wagner, 3. Braden Benedix, 4. Wyatt Couch, 5. Jake Guzelis, 6. Nick Short, 7. Brandon Apodaca, 8. Matt Winfrey, 9. Jocelyn Murphy, 10. Owen Rule.
DNF: Doug Dawkins, R.J. Geraldizo, Bryce Berry.
+ Senior LO206: 1. Blake Milton, 2. Harrison Mills, 3. Taylor Young, 4. Kenny Manchester, 5. Nick Robertson, 6. David Vasquez, 7. Andrew Cyrus, 8. Jacob Ciari, 9. Cameron Inhoff, 10. Geff Shaw, 11. Dean Andrews, 12. Jullian Wong, 13. Jonas Cope.
DNF: Nick Grossi, Andrew Kemp, Kevin Straw Jr., Brandon Tomko, Ryan Perry, Alec Beaudon, Zachary Rivera, James Selby, Chad Nasamento, Cole Nelson, Jon Mayer, Jess Petersen.
+ Masters*: 1. Dean Pinten, 2. Kevin Straw Jr., 3. Joe Senna, 4. Bob Snow, 5. Brandon Walsh, 6. Mat Kattanek, 7. Carlos Villagomes, 8. Brud Beaudon, 9. Steve Kemp, 10. Clint Motta.
DNF: Doug Hunter, Chris Rossi, Kevin Kroon, Brian Rivera, Bill Robotham, Jason Anderline.
+ World Formula: 1. Steven Taylor, 2. Simon Whitworth, 3. Dennis Holmes, 4. Rich Huston.
DNF: Tim Maddox, Wayne Bundy, Ryan Perry.
+ F-80 Shifters: 1. Dan Harris, 2. Jeff Wamre.
DNF: Dan Votino, Cody McKinney, Ben Fisher, Brandon Tomko, Jereme Abshire, Steve Stein, Jon Ban.
* – The Masters results are unofficial and subject to review and possible change.
