The Northern Nevada Kart Club (NNKC) was in action this weekend.
STEAD (May 21) – Desert Park Raceway echoed to the sounds of racing Go Karts this weekend. It was the third round of this year’s season for NNKC and 33 drivers showed up for the first event in summer like conditions.
When the Jr-2/LO206 main began Issac Bourque was on point followed by Boden Barnwell and Chase Dulude. Eventually the race broke into groups dueling for positions.
Up front Barnwell and Bourque, who put on one of the two races of the day, were disputing the lead while in back of them Dulude and Brinley Barnwell were dueling over third.
As the race progressed through the 14-laps Barnwell and Bourque started swapping the lead sometime twice a lap or going through a corner. Bryce Berry, who was having a good day had to drop out when he came to a stop on the approach to Turn 5.
The winning pass came when Barnwell passed Bourque on the approach to Turn 5, which is the top of the hill. It’s a rare thing to see as most don’t try a pass in that area.
This let Barnwell prevail as he reached the checkered flag ahead of Bourque. Behind them Dulude hung on to claim third while Brinley Badrnwell was fourth and even further back fifth through seventh were Tanner Schultz, Wyatt Sander and Deeahmee Malone.
After swapping the lead several times in the Jr-1 main, Boden Barnwell (19) scored the victory after passing Issac Bourque (127).
Asked about the pass that secured the victory Barnwell said. “Well he went wide in Turn 3, I got on the outside and took where he usually turns in then I got him on the way out of Turn 4. Then just got him up the hill and passed him. It’s more fun to do it like that than just be in the lead.”
Then he thanked his parents, his sister and those that put the track day together.
The other “race of the day,” came in the Sr/Sumo LO026 main.
It started out as an Uncle/Nephew battle with Brian Rivera holding off his nephew Zach Rivers with Ale Beaudon close behind. Eventually Zach used an inside pass to get past his uncle and take the point.
For a while Jacob Clari was running solo in fourth but dropped out of the race after four laps. Up front Zach Rivera took the lead while Uncle Brian was having his hands full holding off Beaudon.
From that point on young Rivera was extending his lead until Beaudon got around Brian Rivera and set his sights on the leader.
Lap after lap the gap shrunk while Rivera was working to go as fast as he could while Beaudon was going faster. On the while flag lap they were nose-to-tail in the final lap dash for the victory.
Zachary Rivera (8) holds off Alec Beaudon as they head for the checkered flag in the Sr/Sumo LO206 main.
Rivera was able to hold on and claim the victory by a narrow margin. Behind them, in the Heavy division, Doug Hunter held off Barry Barnwell to claim the victory.
All karts and drivers are weighed in after each race and unfortunately Beaudon and his kart were a few pounds under weight so he was disqualified. This meant that Brian Rivera was moved to second and Kelly Chinander to third in class.
After the race young Rivera said, “My motor’s been bad all day, I don’t know what is going on and we’ve been trying to fix it but nothing we’re throwing at it will work so I just had to out there and hope for the best. And luckily right at the beginning I got a big lead and if I had a good motor it would have turned out a little bit different.
“I kept looking and saw him (Beaudon) way back there and I thought ‘I’m fine,’ then I saw him sneaking up and knew he’s going to catch me. So in the end I took a tighter line an luckily I was able to get away with it. It was crazy.”
Then he thanked his father, Nevada Kart Sport and Arturo for his kart.
Over the past season young Brooks Anderline has pretty well owned the Jr. 1/LO206 class and this time was no different. Once the green flag waved he took off and left everyone in his dust.
Behind him the race was a three way battle for second lead by Heavyn Hill, Landon Kwapich and Isaiah Nobles. Lap after lap they tore around the course dueling for position.
Eventually Kwapich took over second will Hill chasing him and sometimes they ran nose-to-tail.
During the race Anderline made one his rare mistakes that sent him across the dirt on the inside of Turn 9.
“I hit the curb in 8 and went up on two tires and I couldn’t save it so I just ran through the dirt.,” he said.
By then he had such a huge lead it didn’t matter and Anderline scored another victory. Behind him Kwapich was second ahead of Hill.
After the race when Anderline was asked about wearing a black driving suit on a hot day he replied, “It’s not fun.”
Then he added, “The track’s holding up good. I made a couple mistakes and if I didn’t have that big lead then it wouldn’t have paid off as I would have had to come through the field again.”
Then he thanked his parents, Dad’s friend Jamie and his wife as well as Cole Nelson Racing.
Both shifter classes were combined into one race with the Stock Moto 125’s up front followed by the F80 karts. On the green Jeremy Kay and Jeff Wamre took off and led the charge.
There would have been a third 125 but Dan Andrews has a mechanical malfunction in his kart and was unable to start in the main event.
Behind the 125’s Jeremy Holm Led the F80 followed by Steve Dow and Ben Fisher. Up front Kay had grabbed the lead and was in cruise control as he streaked away to the win with Wamre taking second.
Jeremy Holm won the F80 class followed by Fisher, Dow and Kurt Holm.
After the race Kay said, “Oh man that was really good, it sucks that Dean couldn’t be out there. He was pretty quick all day I think something broke and we just didn’t have the part he needed.”
Then he thanked “The Man Above,” his father, his brother Cody, Grand Parents, Kay Motorsports and Rodney Rivera at Nevada Kart Sport.
Then F80 winner Jeremy Holm said, “The race was awesome, had Ben (Fisher) breathing down my neck the entire race and pushed the entire way. The kart was stuck at the beginning and our set up came around for the end and it was on rails. I need to get in shape cause that was a tough race.”
Then he thanked his father, Mary and his mother for their support.
At the lower end of the power and age scale is the Kid Kart Class. Using low power clutch karts they use a standing start and race a 6-lap main event.
This time there were five youngsters in the competing. And they are earning their racing spurs so for some just finishing is a victory.
The most experienced is Tarron Graves, who took off while the others were working on their racing skills. Graves even lapped several which gave the slower drivers the experience of getting passed.
Tarron Graves on his way to winning the Kid Kart main.
Give these young drivers a few years and all four of the less experienced ones will be able to show their speed that they are now developing.
Next race for NNKC is on June 11 when drivers will be tuning up for the KPX event at the end of June. So there should be a bunch of drivers from California taking advantage of this event to tune their karts for the altitude and track conditions here.
Those wishing further information about the club need to check their website, www.nnkcreno.com.
REPORTER’S NOTE: There is a photo gallery after the results
If you enjoyed this article please “like,” and share it as widely as possible. Comments are welcome.
Subscribers have articles posted to their inbox as soon as they are on the site.
We now have four very appreciated sponsors that are helping support this site.
The newest is familiar to anyone in the riding lifestyle. It’s PJ & Co Restaurant and Saloon located at 1590 Wells Avenue in Reno.
Good food, great place and they have Bike Night every Wednesday. For further information please check their website at, www.pjandco.net.
Concours Body Shop, owned by racer and race supporter Gil Grieve, is a business doing quality repair work on cars and trucks.
The business is located at 240 Telegraph Street in Reno and their website is, www.concoursbodyshop.net.
If you are into karting or want the most cost effective way to start racing then check out Nevada Kart Sport, our only full service kart shop in this region.
They are located at 1220 E. Greg Street in Sparks and their website is, www.nevadakartsport.com.
Into riding or racing a motorcycle? If so Reno Motorsports is for you as they have a full service shop as well as about anything a rider could want.
They are located at 964 Terminal way, by Mill Street and their website is, www.rms-renomotorsports.com.
Have a business targeted toward the motorcycle, motorsport or off road demographic? Well we are looking for more sponsors.
You can contact us either through the comment section of the site or our Face Book page.
RESULTS:
Desert Park Raceway – May 21
Northern Nevada Kart Club – Round 3
+ Kid Kart: 1. Tarron Graves, 2. Trevor Graves, 3. Jeremiah Nobles, 4. Hunter Graves, 5. Chance Montes.
+ Jr 1, LO206: 1. Brooks Anderline, 2. Landon Kwapich, 3. Heavyn Hill, 4. Isaiah Nobels, 5. Korey Sander.
DNF: Jack Schrady.
+ Jr. 2, LO206: 1. Boden Barnewll, 2. Issac Bourque, 3. Chase Dulude, 4. Brinley Barnwell, 5. Tanner Schulta, 6. Wyatt Sander, 7. Deeahmee Malone.
DNF: Bryce Berry.
+ Sr/Sumo,LO206:
+ Heavy: 1. Doug Hunter, 2. Barry Bardnwell.
+ Sr: 1. Zachary Rivera, 2. Brian Rivera, 3. Kelly Chinander.
DNF: Jacob Clari.
DQ: Alec Beaudon.
+ F-80: 1. Jeremy Holm, 2. Ben Fisher, 3. Steve Dow, 4. Kurt Holm.
+ Stock Moto 125: 1. Jeremy Kay, 2. Jeff Wamre.
DNS: Dean Andrews.
PHOTO GALLERY:
