As the weather improves more tracks and series are starting and here’s the latest one.
STEAD (April 2) – Desert Park Raceway echoed with the sounds of racing this weekend as the Northern Nevada Kart Club started its 2017 season. Despite the threat of possible rain the weather was great.
Just in case the club sped up the schedule so everyone was finished with their racing by early afternoon.
One of the closest races was F-80/Tag race. Due to only two TAG drivers being on hand they were part of that race.
An F-80 kart has a transmission so shifting is required but a TAG racer doesn’t. The result was a staggered start where the shifters were launched after the TAG racers exited the final turn.
Up front it appeared the race would be between Cody McKinney and Ben Fisher. However McKinney made one of his rare mistakes, went to fast into the final corner, which sent him backwards into the crash barrier.
Now Fisher had the lead but first had to hold off Steve Dow then a charging Zachary Rivera, who has switched to the TAG class this year. Round and round the course they went with hardly a kart length or inches to separate them.
Ben Fisher (17Y) in a F80 Shifter kart had his hands full holding off a determined Zachary Rivera, who was chasing him in a TAG kart.
In fact there were a few nudges in the final corner but no problem.
In the end Fisher was able to take the victory while Rivera scored the TAG class win. Dow followed in third while Mike McMullen, who races a TAG senior was fourth.
After the post-race weigh in a delighted Fisher said, “This is my first win here with Cody (McKinney) on the track. And Steve Dow was just running me down, actually he was faster than me just couldn’t get around. I was really loose in 3, 4 and 5, as the tires were going away.”
Then he added that in three weeks he’ll be in Davis for a NorCal Shifter race. After that he thanked his buddy Cody for crashing, and his wife Sandy for letting him do this.”
The Senior/Sumo main was a wild affair with a lot of passing and a long duel both for the lead. The one Sumo driver, Doug Hunter was at running at least 20 pounds heavier than his younger rivals, who run in the Senior class.
On the start there was some close racing but soon leader Jon Mayer and Hunter were pulling a break away as they distanced themselves from the pack behind him. Eventually a mistake from Mayer, (Hunter’s son.) dropped him to second.
Sumo LO206 racer Doug Hunter (4) chases early leader Jon Mayer (12) in a lighter Senior LO206 Kart. In the end Hunter won the race.
Places second through fifth changed several times. At one point it appeared Nat Sombatsiri would challenge for second until a spin dropped him to sixth at the finish.
While all this was going on behind him Hunter had clear sailing and stormed off to take the victory. Behind him Jacob Clari did take second but didn’t have enough time to reel in the leader.
Mayer slipped to third ahead of Alec Beaudon and Kelly Chinander, who drove her usual steady race to end up fifth.
“The old fat guy beat all the kids today,” a delighted Hunter said after the race. “He (Mayer) led for quite a while then he made a mistake and I got around him. I laughed then I looked behind me and saw him dump two wheels off here so I was still laughing.
“But at the start I was on pole and he got around me, pumped his fist and I started laughing. That was awesome but the bottom of my seat busted out so I was dragging my butt the whole time. I need to thank my boys honestly, Jacob and Caleb, we do this together as a family, just love being out there and helping each other”
Earlier it appeared the Stock Moto 125 shifter main would be pretty interesting. During the second heat race John Morgan held the lead until he spun on the front straight.
After that veteran Todd Thompson, who has returned to racing held the lead but Jeremy Kay was right behind him. They had a nose-to-tail duel until the end.
Unfortunately the back bumper on Thompson’s kart came lose during the warm up laps before the main. Under the rules a driver cannot compete unless it is firmly attached due to safety concerns so he had to retire.
With Thompson out Morgan jumped into the lead when the race began but after one lap Kay got past and roared away to the victory.
Morgan was able to finish second with Jeff Wamre third. Ending up in fourth after a steady run was Pandora Garcia.
“We had some problems with our clutch cable but we figured it out later,” Kay said. “Not the best start but I’ll take second. We had to get a new kart because we crashed it at Button Willow for Pro Kart. This chassis is way more fast, just getting the hang of it.”
Then he thanked his family and grandparents for their support as well as Rodney at Nevada Kart Sport and Kay Motorsports.
When the Junior 1 LO206 main began Brooks Anderline jumped into the lead but not far behind was Jack Schrady. Behind them a four-way duel for third began and lasted for the rest of the race.
Junior-1 winner Brooks Anerline (76) was chased the entire race by Jack Schrady (2).
While the leaders pulled away from the pack the group of four switched places until Heavyn Hill took the front and was able to hold off the others to claim third at the end. One member of the four, Korey Sander was forced out of the race by some kind of mechanical issue.
Up front Anderline did know how close runner up Schrady was but kept focused and they finished in that order.
After the race Anderline said, “My parents have been teaching me, ‘don’t worry about the person behind you and you’ve just got to worry about the people that are in front of you or the track in front of you.” You’ve got to work on hitting your lines and all the stuff you need to win.”
Then he thanked Cole Nelson Racing and his parents for their support.
Even before the Junior 2 LO206 main began Austin Hawkins was forced to retire due to his rear bumper coming loose.
On the green Isaac Bourque took off with Bryce Berry in hot pursuit. Behind them Chase Delude led a group of four karts.
In the end Bourque extended his winning margin while Berry finished in the runner up spot and Dulude was third.
Later Bourque was asked if it was as easy as it looked. Answering he said, “Yea, I studied for it for four weeks and practiced last night as I just study the track at home.”
Then he thanked his father, who worked on the kart all night, Matt Dixon for the set up and pointers plus his family.
This time there were four kid kart racers and these youngest drivers for the most part were getting their racing skills.
Up front was Tarron Graves, who scored a run away victory. Behind him was Trevor Graves, who finished second after a close, race long duel with Jeremiah Nobles.
Tarron Graves on his way to winning another Kid Kart main event.
Hunter Graves, driving in his very first race wound up fourth. While he might be lacking in speed right now they young racer drove a steady race.
Now many of the drivers are preparing for a big KPX race next week in California and NNKC’s next point race will be on April 30.
REPORTERS 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.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
- Injured motorcycle racer, 2016 VCGP champion Tucker Larrieu was transferred last week from Renown to the Craig Hospital in Denver.
Cards and letters would be very appreciated by him as he’s supposed to be there for at least 40 days. His address is:
Craig Hospital
3425 S. Clarkson St.
Englewood, C) 80113
Attention:
Tucker Larrieu
C/O: Guest Services.
• Dennis Belingheri and his teammates won the Over 30 Pro class at the San Felipe 250 this weekend. He expressed his thanks to the team, C&J Equipment Racing as well as to a teammate that despite losing the GPS was able to finish well.
• Remember this reporter will be on Teresa’s Garage Radio Show Tuesday around 2:15 p.m. Should be an interesting show this week so one might want to tune in at 2 p.m. when it starts right after a short news recap.
You can hear the show locally at 1180 AM, KCKQ or stream it at, amm.streamon.fm.
RESULTS:
Northern Nevada Kart Club – Round 1
Desert Park Raceway – April 2, 2017
+ Kid Kart: 1. Tarron Graves, 2. Trevor Graves, 3. Jeremiah Nobles, 4. Hunter Graves.
+ Junior 1, LO206: 1. Brooks Anderline, 2. Jack Schrady, 3. Heavyn Hill, 4. Landon Kwapich, 5. Isaiah Nobles.
DNF: Korey Sander.
+ Junior 2, LO206: 1. Isaac Bourque, 2. Bryce Berry, 3. Chase Dulude, 4. Caleb Mayer, 5. Wyatt Sander, 6. Tanner Schultz.
DNF: Austin Hawkins.
+ Sr/Sumo LO206: 1. Doug Hunter (1st OA Heavy), 2. Jacob Clari (1st OA Senior), 3. Jon Mayer, 4. Alec Beaudon, 5. Kelly Chinander, 6. Nat Sombatsiri.
DNF: Brud Beaudon, Rick McLeod.
+ F-80/Tag Sr/Master: 1. Ben Fisher (F80), 2. Zachary Rivera (Tag Senior), 3. Steve Dow, (F80), 4. Mike McMullen (Tag Masters).
DNF: Cody McKinney, Gerry Williams.
+ Stock Moto 125: 1. Jerewmy Kay, 2. John Morgan, 3 Jeff Wamre, 4. Pandora Garcia.
DNF: Todd Thompson.
PHOTO GALLERY:
