STEAD, NV (April 15) – The Northern Nevada Kart Club (NNKC) opened its 2018 season at Desert Park Raceway, the club’s home track. With 40 karts on hand everyone was ready to start the year even if it was a cool and very windy day.
One class even introduced a new motor to the club.
The “Race of the Day” was put on by some of the youngest drivers and featured an almost “Green to Checkered,” duel for the victory.
Junior 1 winner Jack Schrady leads Austin Perez and Brooks Anderline.
“I had a good start, locked up in the first corner and they just ran away with it,” 12-year-old Jack Schrady said after winning the Junior 1 race. “So I had to drive really hard. Just got to look for opportunities and it was fun.”
Then he thanked Rodney Rivera for setting up the kart, Nevada Kart Sport and his father for bringing him to the races.
Soon after the Junior 1 race started Austin Perez was on point with Brooks Anderline inches behind him. Further back was Schrady reovering from a Turn 1 mistake.
Up front the lead duo ran nose-to-tail and for a short spell side-by-side. Eventually Anderline took the lead only to give it back then regain it.
In the last third of the race Schrady caught the leaders then he and Perez began to swap the lead. Close behind was Anderline looking for an opportunity to get around them.
With five to go Schrady used an inside move in Turn 1 to take the lead then he and Perez swapped places at least two more times.
In the final laps the lead trio had some space between them selves. When the checkered waved Schrady won followed by Perez and Anderline.
In the classes NNKC runs the Briggs 206 motor powers four of them. While they are cost effective and reliable moving up to the TAG class has been on the expensive side, but now there is a new motor to bridge this gap.
Developed in Australia the KA100 is a two-cycle, air cooled motor that is pretty cost effective. This weekend was the first time for this new class to race with the NNKC.
Five drivers took the green and Zach Rivera was on point with Grant LeClaire giving chase. Chase them were Doug Hunter, Bryce Berry and Luke Anderson.
The first ever KA-100 class in the NNKC heads for the green.
Up front Rivera was never headed and wound up with at least a four second lead at the checkered.
“I really like it and I hope this motor pops with the club and the Northern California Region,” he said. “I’ll be racing it in this year’s KPX series as well.”
Then he thanked his father, who owns Nevada Kart Sport as well as Tom Kutcher, who runs the SKUSA series and donated the KA-100 motor as well as Doug Hunter, who donated the kart chassis Rivera was driving.
While it looked relatively easy there were some challenges. There is quite a difference in not only power but throttle response between the 4-cycle LO206 motor and the more powerful KA-100.
“The KA hesitates and it takes a good .5 seconds for the motor to fully accelerate, it will bog a little bit then go,” Rivera said. “With the 4-cycle once you’re on it, you’re on it. It’s all about roll speed and throttle response in the KA. It’s a whole other aspect of go-karting that I have to learn, get better at and the better I get at it the better I’ll do overall.”
When the Junior 2 LO206 main began Boden Barnwell was on point with Chase Dulude right behind him. Adding to the mix was Issac Bourque but motor problems put him out of the race after four laps.
Up front Barnwell and Dulude continued to duel for the lead while behind them Deehame Malone was having his best drive to date. Behind them Tanner Schultz and Landon Kwapich were also dueling.
At the checkered it was Barnwell and Dulude while behind them came the trio of Malone, Schultz and Kwapich.
“The wind was a little bit of a problem with the aerodynamics as it slows you down,” Barnwell said.
Then he thanked his parents as well as Hagen Motorsports.
(Reporter’s Note: Due to the wind the last name he thanked was scrambled so I was unable to get that.)
Both the Junior 2 and the combined Senior/Master LO206 classes had the most entries, 10 for each main.
The Senior/Master main featured a race long chase by three drivers Grant LeClaire, Alec Beaudoin and Jocob Clari for the top spot. For a good part of the race Steve Dow was also in the mix but dropped out when his chain came loose.
At the end of the race winner LeClaire said, “Catching up to lap traffic at the worst time can get a little dicey. The track is a little slower than earlier but it’s a good drive though.”
Then he thanked Cole Nelson Racing for keeping the kart tuned properly.
Another positive sign for the new season was there were seven F-125 Shifters, which is the most in a race for quite a while. This class uses a standing start and after the green lights came on Dennis Hill took off with the rest chasing after him.
Royal McKee holds off Jeff Wamre in the F-125 Shifter main.
Royal McKee, who came up from Las Vegas, was third with Jeff Wamre second. Early in the race McKee drafted his way into the lead and took off.
Behind him Hill and Wamre were disputing second place while behind them Mike Faker and Dean Andrews were dueling for fourth place.
In the end McKee won by a good margin followed by Wamre and Hill.
“I had a rough start but that’s okay I haven’t been started in like six months, I’m a little rusty,” he said. “It was a fun race. You know the wind makes it a little uncomfortable but it didn’t really change anything, it was blowing me around a little bit.”
Then he thanked his father, who drove him up from Las Vegas so he could race.
There was only one Kid Kart but he also got his laps. This class is for the youngest drivers and a place where they earn their racing spurs.
Jeremiah Noble was the only Kid Kart driver present but he got out on track and did all eight laps of his main.
Jeremiah Noble not only did all eight laps but he didn’t even spin out and was pretty smooth on track.
Now everyone gets some time off to either race in other places or have some practice time if they want. The next race for NNKC is on May 20 at Desert Park Raceway.
REPORTER’S NOTE: There is a photo gallery after the results.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
- Rain delayed the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Most of the event was actually run on Monday and at the end Kyle Busch won with older brother Kurt having some misfortune and ending up 22nd.
• Remember to listen to Teresa’s Garage Radio Show on Tuesday afternoon. The show runs from 2 until 3 p.m. and I’ll have a racing preview around 2:15, hope you’ll give the show a listen.
Teresa’s Garage Radio Show graphic.
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Our newest is Big Valley Honda and is the first dealer we have as a sponsor. They sell everything from motorcycles, UTV’s, ATV’s and about anything else things one could want.
They are located at 2225 Market Street in Reno and their website is www.bigvalleyhonda.com and they have a Face Book page, www.facebook.com/bigvalleyhondareno.
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Sponsor PJ & Co Restaurant and Saloon located at 1590 Wells Avenue in Reno is familiar to most in the riding lifestyle.
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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.
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RESULTS:
Northern Nevada Kart Club – Round 1
Desert Park Raceway – April 15
+ Kid Kart: 1. Jeremiah Noble.
+ Junior 1 LO206: 1. Jack Schrady, 2. Austin Perez, 3. Brooks Anderline, 4. Cooper Perez, 5. Isaiah Nobles.
+ Junior 2 LO206: 1. Boden Barnwell, 2. Chase Dulude, 3.Deehame Malone, 4. Tanner Schultz, 5. Landon Kwapich, 6. Wyatt Sander, 7. Brinley Barnewll, 8. Heavyn Hill, 9. Korey Sander, 10. Issac Bourque.
KA100: 1. Zack Rivera, 2. Grant Leclaire, 3. Doug Hunter, 4. Bryce Berry, 5. Luke Anderson.
Senior/Master LO206: 1. Grant LeClaire (Sr.), 2. Jacob Clari, (Sr.), 3. Alec Beaudoin (Sr.).
(Only had a list without laps showing so am only going to post the finishes I know, which are the top three.)
+ F-125 Shifter: 1. Royal McKee, 2. Jeff Wamre, 3. Dennis Hill, 4. Mike Faker, 5. Dean Andrews, 6. Todd McMaster, 7. Ken Brown.
PHOTO GALLERY:
