RENO, NV (Nov. 12) — Lovelock Speedway held its banquet and awards ceremony this Saturday. Over in Fernley on Saturday and Sunday the motocross track known as the Sandbox held its first official practice sessions.
• LOVELOCK AWARDS:
There was hardware to handout to the top three in six classes that raced at the track. The track had its first full season after being dark for the past couple of years.
In addition to the trophies there were jackets for the class champions. Bret Wilkins was the MC and before dinner started read a short speech welcoming everyone.
Then it was time to eat.
Before starting the awards Wilkins gave special thanks to Rusty McMillan for the trophies as well as Mark Hain and Tyan Parkhurst for the raffle prizes. He also added thanks to Jack Cooney for everything and to Stan Dunham.
First up was the Gen-X Class. Due to Duel in the Dirt going on down in Las Vegas neither the champion Kent Knisley and third place Cooper Lee were present. The only representative of the class was Fallon High School student Colton Blankenship, who ended up third for the year.
Next was the Bootlegger Class. This is kind of a beginner/budget class in oval track racing and a car can be bought after a race. While it apparently hasn’t happened a fan could come out of the stands and buy them selves a race car.
The champion was Ryan Parkhurst and when asked about the season he said, “It’s my second year in Bootlegger, first championship. There were a lot of challenges.
“Car count was a little low here in Lovelock, that’s the main reason I also ran with Hobby Stocks. Want to definitely thank my wife Sheri for letting me race her car all season long until I got my Camaro.”
Then he thanked Shelton Racing Fabrication, Murphy’s Concrete, Denny’s Carson City, Nevada, Kryptonite Marine, and all the Fallon, Lovelock and Susanville track staff.
Next up was a class with the youngest champion of all. At the end of the season 10-year-old Grayson Olschowka got the trophy and jacket. However it wasn’t easy for him.
He later said, “The season was really fun and I had a bunch of fun blowing up motors. My biggest challenge was to get up front, start up front and win. That happened one night and I got the win.”
Then he thanked his parents, grandparents, Ray Talavera Jr. as well as Richard and Candis Longacre
Now it was time for the IMCA Northern Sports Mod. Mark Hain was the champion but the runner-up was Joe Wabsis, who tows all the way from Pahrump in Southern Nevada.
“The year was pretty special,” Hain said. “One challenge was just making it out to the track. We had some really good competition come out here and they played hard.”
Then he thanked sponsors Need2Speed, Gracie’s College Fund and First Choice Automotive.
Only one driver from the IMCA Stock Car division was present. Rusty McMillan, the champion, was down in Las Vegas at the Duel in the Desert and third place Brayden Stepper wasn’t present.
Runner up Marie Curtis was at the awards banquet. She has also raced out of state and is looking for sponsors to help with next year’s campaign.
“I got second in Fallon, second in Lovelock, and second in state thanks to Rusty McMillan,” she said. “The season was good, we had some ups and downs and we traveled a lot so it cost some points. But it’s all right I got my experience outside the state.”
Then she thanked Curtis Machinery, Bianchi Napa Auto Parts and Patriot Storage.
Finally it was time for the IMCA Modified division, which usually has its champion the track’s overall champion as well. This year Lovelock resident Alec Childs was the champion with Reno’s Katelynn Robertson in the runner-up spot.
“We had some ups and downs, good and bad but we had a decent year for the most part,” Childs said. “Had a lot of fun.”
Then he thanked his parents, girl friend Brianna Baley, M&M Metal out of Lovelock, Area 41 Motorsports, BSB Manufacturing and Racer Chassis.
Bringing back the track took the efforts of many people and some local agencies. After the awards Wilkins handed out a bunch of certificates of appreciation for all their help.
Now everyone will enjoy the holidays and then start planning for the 2024 season.
REPORTER’S NOTE: The top 10 in points are listed at the end of this article and they include the track’s regular classes.
• SANDBOX:
A few years ago the motocross track located west of the Veteran’s Cemetery was lost. However this year Zeb Armstrong, who heads REP Racing in Northern California has leased the area and fenced it off.
He and his father Dale have spent the past couple of months rebuilding the track. This weekend was the first time it was open for area motocross riders to come out, practice and give Armstrong feed back.
Classes from minis to 450’s were tearing around the course and, for those that could, flying over the jumps.
It’s been quite and effort for Armstrong, who lives and operates motocross tracks in Northern California.
Asked about how things have gone he said, “A lot of challenges, so this track was vacant for a long time and it did not look like this when I got here, everything was pulled apart and dug through so you couldn’t come out here in a jeep and do jumps and stuff.”
That’s when he and his father Dale rolled up their sleeves and got to work.
“There were no jumps built or nothing so basically I was starting from just about scratch. It was just me and my dad, like the good old days stacking dirt.
“He was in an excavator pulling off a pile then we’d water it, mix it in then we’d spend the whole day in a front loader then built one jump. The next day, do another one. Just kept working away until we got something put together.”
What has impressed him is the response and support he’s received.
“Honestly, it’s been so awesome,” he said. “The local crowd here has been amazing, the amount of support to get this place open. To me it’s been a breath of fresh air. I’m not used to it. I’m from Gardnerville but I don’t get the same feeling here in Nevada that I do in California.
“I think people are very appreciative over here to get something else going. I think just having something open for the community everybody really appreciates itand people are just thankful. The response has been very positive, everybody is really happy.”
He’s also aware there is more work to do to bring it up to his vision and standards.
“I not going to say the track is perfect right now. I mean we’re open but it’s not how I perfectly want it. I’m own biggest critic, so each week we’re going to make improvements.
“I wanted to get open and each week be a little bit better, a little bit better. We’ll add a little bit over there, a little bit over here. The goal was to get open, have something to ride and now we can make improvements steadily.”
Right now the first race is scheduled for the December second and third weekend. Of course this will depend on the weather.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
• In the wee hours of Thursday morning motorcycles will launch to start the 56th annual SCORE Baja 1000. This time the race is over 1,300 miles long, for further information and timing please go to, www.score-international.com.
• Closer to home at 7 a.m. Thursday the Iron Mafia will again meet at Kim’s Donuts. Location is 1328 U.S. 395 North in Gardnerville.
• Daveys American Racing is found on Face Book. His focus is on western oval tracks as well as national series.
SPONSOR LIST:
• 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 up on the site.
We now have six very appreciated sponsors supporting this site. Please patronize them as they support your sport and help nvracingnews continue. And let them know you heard about them through this site.
• Our newest sponsor is State Farm agent Kelby Schoorl, who was a racer in his younger days. He has some supplemental insurance that racers might be interested in checking out.
There is medical that covers visits to the ER, ambulance rides and if a person has to stay in a hospital. In addition trailers as well as tools and tools in shops can be covered with additional policies.
If Kelby isn’t available the other guys at his office will be very happy to explain what they can offer both to racers and those enjoying motorized recreation.
Office hours are from 9 until 5: 30 Monday through Friday, appointments are needed on Saturday. The phone number is 775-827-2255 or at his website, www.kelby@insuringreno.com.
• One of our sponsors is General Transmission and Power Train Specialists owned by former motorcycle racer Pete Attashian. The shop is located at 2515 Sutro Street in Reno, a few blocks below Hug High School.
The shop services older and new transmissions and now has a section for high performance units and those used in towing. Phone number is 775-786-5888 and the shop’s website is www.generaltransmissionreno.com.
Two of our sponsors are first class motorcycle shops located in Reno.
• Our first sponsor is Reno Motorsports (RMS). Not only do they have about anything a rider might want or need and the store also has a full service shop.
Their location is at 964 Terminal Way, by the intersection with Mill Street. Store’s phone number is 775-322-1499 and the site is, www.rms-renomotorsports.com.
• The next shop is Moto-Source located at 3180 Mill Street. Once again they are a full service shop plus the showroom has about any thing a rider might need or want.
The phone number is 775-856-3855 and the website is, www.moto-source.com.
• Concours Body Shop, located at 250 Telegraph Street in Reno, is another sponsor. The shop does quality collision repair for cars and trucks.
Owner Brian Saul is a car enthusiast himself and is committed to continuing the shop’s reputation of quality work. Phone number is 775-329-4557 and the website is, www.concoursbodyshop.net.
• Hungry, want a great place to eat, then try PJ&CO for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and it’s a great place to watch your favorite sports. Wednesday evenings, starting around 5 p.m. is Bike Night, good time to meet fellow riders and have a great dinner.
The location is 1590 South Wells Avenue, just north of the round about. Phone number is 775-323-6366 and their website is www.pjandco.net.
Have a business targeted toward motorsports or car enthusiasts? This site is a great way to expose your services to those communities. Sponsorships are very reasonable and one can contact us either through the comment section of this site or on our Face Book page.
2023 Points – Lovelock Speedway:
• Gen-X:
- 1. Kent Knisley, 2. Cooper Lee, 3. Colton Blankenship, 4. Joseph Cook, 5. Ray Blankenship, 6. Cody Thunder, 7. Jorden Riley, 8. Doug Hast, 9.Wade Kinsley, 10. John Minor.
• Bootlegger:
- 1. Ryan Parkhurst, 2. Austin Miller, 3. John Flowers, 4. Danner Barrick, 5. Ray Blankenship, 6. John Minor, 7. Austin Daniels, 8. Jerome Kleve.
• Hobby Stocks:
- 1. Grayson Olschowka, 2. Hailey Conroy, 3. Ryan Parkhurst, 4. Shayna Nieman, 5. Mikki Beuchat, 6. Don Deiter, 7. John Minor, 8. Jeff Elerick Jr., 9. Royce Goetz, 10. Brayden Stepper.
• Northern Sport Mod:
- 1. Mark Hain, 2. Joe Wabsis, 3. Raymond Talavera, 4. Ainsleigh Evenson, 5. Tyler Rodgers, 6. Shaun Merritt, 7. Colton Chew, 8. Joe Conroy, 9. Tom Duncan, 10. Jason Joanelly.
• IMCA Stock Cars:
- 1. Rusty McMillan, 2.Marie Curtis, 3. Brayden Stepper, 4. Zach Cail, 5. Ryan Belli, 6. Taggart Garland, 7. Craig Nieman, 8. Bad Schmidt, 9. Alyssa Jones, 10. Alex Kniestedt.
• IMCA Modifieds:
- 1. Alec Childs, 2. Katelynn Robertson, 3. Steven Anderson, 4. Cole Jones, 5. Tyler Jones, 6. Vincent Evenson, 7. Zach Cail, 8. Cory Sample, 9. Dave Duste Jr., 10. Ryan McDaniel.
