STEAD, NV (Oct.4) – The Northern Nevada Kart Club (NNKC) ended its 2020 season here in hazy but warm weather. A large group of drivers, at least 20% more than two weeks ago, were ready for a full day of racing.
After a crazy season the club was ending its points year. And as usual the mains begain with the Kid Kart Class. Here the youngest drivers are earning their racing spurs
On the green Drake Kephart took off and left everyone. Behind him there was a three-way battle for second although two of them tangled in Tic-Tack-Toe, the three turn complex that leads to the front straight.
Both youngsters were able to get going again later had an other due. But up front the rae was Kephart’s as he scored the victory.
Behind him Noah Nobles and Caydan Duncan crossed the finish line with just over two tenths of a second between them. Cash Prater used a steady drive to end up fourth.
Next up was the TAG class. Years ago this was one of the largest but over time it disappeared and now is being reborn as people are bringing them out and racing these karts.
On he green Chris Bender grabbed the point while Jeff Culver and Michael McMullen were disputing second place. Eventually Culver would take the lead but had Bender right on his back bumper.
Two karts fell out and up front Bender took the lead again. Culver did receive the meatball flag but did not head for the pits so that earned him a penalty at the end.
Bender would win the main and McMullen was moved to second ahead of William Owen while Culver was dropped to fourth.
After the race, when asked if it was treachery and old age Bender smiled and replied, “It was God damned speed, just kept it going. I was tighter to him (Culver) than he was to me. Just kepting making a log of mistakes, finally found one, got up to and by him.”
Then he thanked himself as this almost 74 year old beat his younger rivals.
When the green flag waved to start the Junior 1 LO026 main Cooper Perez took off and left everyone his his wake. Isaiah Nobles tried but would have to settle for the runner up spot ahead of third place Jeremy Heath.
After taking the checkered Perez was joined by two others that held up a banner honoring his kart racing brother, who was lost in a camping accident this past summer.
“It was a good race but it’s good to have someone to race as it’s good practice and experience,” he said. “The banner was to honor my brother Austin Perez.”
Then he thanked Invader Racing, C&R, Invader Racing Engines and Isaiah Nobles.
This season, with one exception the Shifter race main has been the “Mitch and Jeff,” show. Once again Mitch Kennedy had a slightly better start and was chased by Jeff Wamre the entire 14-laps.
Behind them there was a race long battle for third between Adam Auerbach and Zeke Corson. In the end they ended up in that order with Kennedy scoring the victory and Wamre taking a solid second.
After the race there was congratulations and hugs between Kennedy and Wamre.
Then Kennedy said, “A really good year, good racing with Jeff all year long. Came down to who was going to get a good start and had a really good chassis setup for today race in the afternoon. We were just a little bit better in chassis and tune up today.”
The Master Super Stock race was a nose-to-tail duel between four drivers. On point was Edward Atkins with Kory Williams right off his back bumper and following them at first were Luke Anderson and Bud Beaudoin.
Lap after lap the train tore around the track up Atkins was able to hang on to the lead and pulled a small gave that gave him over two seconds of breathing room.
In the end it was Atkins, Williams, Anderson and Beaudoin in that order.
“It was a great way to cap off his rookie year with the club. After the weigh in Atkins said, “It was a good one, Kory was right there got a run on my a couple of times, but I just managed to keep a little bit ahead, just keeping it consistent, hitting my marks and that’s how you do it in these things. I need to thank Cole Nelson, his family as I wouldn’t be here without them, my wife Kelly working here again. It’s a family thing, a good day, a good season.”
Earlier this year Steve Dow had a knee operation and put Jeff Wamre into his Master LO206 kart. Since then it’s been all Wamre that it is until this final race of the season.
Right after the main began Wamre had close company as Josh Prater was right behind him. Both of them turned the race into their own private duel while behind them Jacob Burchette, Rachael Williams and Gil Atkinson were disputing third place.
Prater did briefly take the lead a couple of times but each time Wamre would take it back. With four to go Prater tried once again going through Turn 2 but something happened to his kart and he dropped out.
Now with a huge lead Wamre roared off to take the victory while Burchette ended up second ahead of Williams and Atkinson.
After the race Wamre said, “He actually got past me in a couple of spots, I didn’t think he was going to do it. Raced him up into 5, outside always loses but he was right in turn 2 but didn’t have quite enough time. They’re making me work for it today.
“Rachel ran good in the first heat,she as a little too close in 1 locked them up and I heard some squealing lost all her momentum. These guys did a good job this year, I’m proud of all of them. All got faster, all got quicker, got to give a shout out to Steve Dow the kart owner Donovan and Brian for making the karts all better.”
When the Junior 2 LO206 main began Giovanni L.Medina was on point with Brooks Anderline right behind. For Anderline it marked a return after a chassis broke a few weeks ago.
There was plenty of attrition during this race and four of the 10 starters never completed all 14 laps. Up front how ever the dueling leaders kept at it until Anderline finally took the pont and began to put a bit of distance between himself and Medina.
A very happy Anderline scored the victory followed by Medina, Heavyn Hill and Jonathan Endrizzi Jr.
After the post race weigh in Anderline was greeted by other members of his team, asked about the winning pass he said, “Not really drafting, just drove it in hard.”
Then he looked at his kart and said, “This is actually the 2010 chassis, it’s an old one. For a while there the kart of really loose then later on in the run it got better. Then it fell off and got pushy towards the end. Holy cow it was nuts.”
Then he thanked his parents, Cole Nelson Racing and everybody that supports him.
It was only fitting the race of the day ended the season and that was the Senior LO206 main. The race was barn-burner right to the end and started just before the sun set behind the ridge to the west.
On the green Jacob Ciari led Tanner Schultz and Deeahmee Malone. Behind them Chase Dulude, who was in a tight points race with Schultz was in the pack.
Up front the lead trio would trade the lead several times while they separated themselves from the pack. In fact at one time there was a four kart-train disputing fourth place.
That soon turned into the three-way battle for fourth. Up front the lead swapped a few times while Schultz and Malone swapped second a few times. In fact at one time Ciari was actually third.
In the end it was the duo of Ciari and Schultz going for the lead with Malone following a short distance back. At the flag Ciari was less than a half second ahead of Schultz while Malone had slipped back to over a second behind them.
Brandon Walsh ended up fourth ahead of Dulude and Beaudoin and those three were less than a second apart.
After the season’s final weigh in Ciari said, “They just caught up to me, I tell they were coming with the sun but they were working together by the looks of it. I just capitalized on their mistakes, I was just biding my time because I knew when that white flag came out they’d make their last final moves so just capitalized when they just messed up.”
Then he thanked his friend Alec and girl friend Sierra for their support.
While most felt that Schultz second place secured the class championship when this article was posted that was still unofficial. If Shultz won it would be his second championship in as many years as last season he was the Junior 2 title winner.
For much of the season the club hadn’t had a podium celebration but on this day they did. This allowed all the top finishers to celebrate and be honored by their fellow raers.
If possible the club is considering a non-points run race in a couple of weeks. For further information on the club please check the website at www.nnkcreno.com.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
• Teresa’s Garage Radio show is on from 2 until 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. In the Reno/Sparks are it can heard at 1180 AM.
The show can also be heard on a Podcast at amm.streamon.fm. It’s also live on Face Book.
RESULTS:
Northern Nevada Kart Club – Round 6
Desert Park Raceway – Oct. 4
Kid Kart:
+ Heat Winners: #1 Noah Nobles, #2 Drake Kephart.
+ Main (6-Laps): 1. Drake Kephart, 2. Noah Nobles, 3. Cayden Duncan, 4. Cash Prater.
Junior 1 LO206:
+ Heat Winners: #1 Cooper Perez, #2 Cooper Perez.
+ Main (14-Laps): 1. Cooper Perez, 2. Isaiah Nobles, 3. Jeremy Heath, 4. Kayden Williams, 5. Claire Thompson, 6. Jeremiah Nobles, 7. Jeremiah Holbrook.
Junior 2 LO206:
+ Heat Winners: #1 Brooks Anderline, #2 Giovanni L. Medina.
+ Main (14-Laps): 1. Brooke Anderline, 2. Giovanni L. Medina, 3. Heavyn Hill, 4. Jonathan Endrizzi Jr., 5. Brody Allyn, 6. Austin Hawkins, 7. Nathan Heath, 8. Andrew Cushman, 9. Asa Gourley,10. Jack Foy.
Master TAG:
+ Heat Winners: #1 Williamm Owen, #2 William Owen.
+ Main (14-Laps): 1. Chis Bender, 2.Michael McMullen, 3. William Owen, 4.Jeff Culver, 5. Robert Judd.
Master Super Stock:
+ Heat Winners: #1 Edward Atkins, #2 Edward Atkins.
+ Main (14-Laps): 1, Edward Atkins, 2. Kory Williams, 3. Luke Anderson, 4. Brud Beaudoin, 5. Paul Picotte, 6. Justin Heath, 7. Wayne Simon, 8. Giovanni B. Medina.
Senior LO206 :
+ Heat Winner: #1 Jacob Ciari, #2 Jacob Ciari.
+ Main (14-Laps): 1. Jacob Ciari, 2. Tanner Schultz, 3. Deeahmee Malone, 4. Brandon Walsh, 5. Chase Dulude, 6. Alec Beaudoin, 7. Stevie-Ray Rosario, 8. Eric Kuzemchak, 9. Nicholas Villaman, 10. Tommy Rosario, 11. Jerry Clark, 12. Jonathan “Zach” Sievert, 12. Skylar Carson.
Master LO20 6:
+ Heat Winners: #1 Jeff Wamre, #2 Jeff Wame.
+ Main(14-Laps): 1. Jeff Wamre, 2. Jacob Burchette, 3. Rachael Williams, 4. Gil Atkinson, 5. Jessica Mansfield, 6. Russell Rosario, 7. Josh Prater, 8. Brandon Walsh.
125 Shifter:
+ Heat Winners: #1 Mitch Kennedy, #2 Mitch Kennedy.
+ Main (14-Laps): 1. Mitch Kennedy, 2. Jeff Wamre, 3.Adam Auerbach, 4. Zeke Corson, 5. Tom Gardner.
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 seven very appreciated sponsors supporting this site. Please patronize them as they not only support your sport but they help nvracingnews continue. Please let them know you heard about them through this site.
Our newest sponsor is G.I.S.L Land Services that, while having a global client base it has a Western U.S.A. Focus. Owner Greg Ekins is a long time off road motorcycle racer competing in the MRANN Series as well as the AMA National Hare and Hound series.
Among the services offers are Surface and Mineral Title Reviews and Cartographic Services. The website is www.gislandservices.com.
Another great sponsor is General Transmission and Power Train Specialists. The shop is located at 2515 Sutro Street in Reno, a few blocks below Hug High School.
Former motorcycle racer Pete Attashian is the owner and they not only service older and newer transmission but now have a section dealing with high performance units including those used for towing.
The phone number is 775-786-5888 and the shop’s website is www.generaltransmissionreno.com.
Another sponsor is fantastic race photographer Melissa Coker. If you have raced at Summit in Elko, Battle Mountain, Lovelock, Rattlesnake Raceway or Diamond Mountain Speedway she probably has a photograph of your car on the track.
She’s also been at the IMCA Duel in the Desert was well as the Wild West Tour and IMCA Super Nationals in Boone, Iowa. Melissa not only has photos of the cars, and many times drivers, but she can produce hero cards and even a book covering from your season.
To see her collections or to place an order please check her website at www.melissasoutonalimb.smugmug.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 about any thing a rider might need or want.
The phone number is 775-856-3855 and the website is, www.moto-source.com.
The next sponsor is an excellent place if you need collision repair on your car or truck. It’s Concours Body Shop, located at 250 Telegraph Street in Reno and has a long history of first class repairs.
Brian Saul is the owner, a car enthusiast himself and he’s 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. If you’re a rider, well Wednesday evening is Bike Night, always a great time to see some great looking bikes and meet like-minded people.
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 an off road demographic? We are always looking for more sponsors and will expose your business to the racing and off road community in this area.
You can contact us either through the comment section of this site or on our Face Book page.
