Hey Guys.
Ok, So we did race yesterday!
I apologize for not getting the site updated yesterday after my original post, we ended up having a bit of an issue in timing/scoring so updating was…. lets say, less of a priority then earlier.
I can give you a quick run down of the day.
After new Regional Director Stan Byniarski and Race Director Terry Bybee rapped up the drivers meeting detailing some of the awesome opportunities that SKUSA RMPKC drivers get this season we qualified.
In Mini Max, Tevon Robins from Utah got in late and took the pole away from CRG-USA driver Cody Dempster. But the lap after he took the top spot, his Rotax motor let go. The heats saw Tevon start in the back as he was breaking in a new motor, which left Cody Dempster an easy path to two heat race wins. In the main, Tevon began to make up positions but couldn’t get back to the front. Cody Dempster and Sodi Karts Max Fedler were left to battle it out for the win. In the main event, it was all day mid pack runner, Duncan Biles locking up the win. Dempster came in second, with Fedler in third.
In S3/S4/S5 The Utah drivers kept it rolling as Alex Yates in S3 secured P1 in front of S4 CRG-USA driver, and local legend Jet Davis. And in S5 Mianna Wick was the quickest. The first heat was a great one as Jet Davis got off to a great start and held off a hard charging Alex Yates on the last lap. Heat two was all Yates. The main was Yates out in front again for the whole time. The race ran pretty uneventful the whole time as Yates brought home the win on the Tony Kart in front of Jet Davis and Chris Neria. David Conyers finished fourth while Mianna Wick and Ryan Rudolph were the S5 podium.
The big boys of S1/S2 were up next. Mike Beeny of Msquared, and Christian Bird shared a mixed S1/S2 front row. In the first heat race things went smooth as Beeny held off Supernationals winner and Msquared kingpin Bonnier Moulton for the win. In the second heat things got ‘dusty’. Strong winds this spring, mixed with a very dry winter here in the Grand Valley created a dust storm that hasn’t been seen at the speedway in years. At times losing visibility of the karts was a challenge. On the first lap of heat #2 current S2 Pro Tour points leader, Sabre Cook and fellow GJ racer Christian Bird were taken out in a crash in the second hairpin.
The main event was another tough one to watch just due to the amount of dust blowing from the west. Up front it was all Utah as Beeny, Moulton, and Keenan Schmitke threw down for the top spot for all twenty laps. Behind them Christian Bird was able to hold on to third, but not with out incident. While charging during the mid-point of the race, Bird and Cook found each other again, in the same turn #9 hairpin. This time Bird got away, as Cook was left sitting backwards while the field flew by. She was able to keep the kart running, and rejoined the race only to finish 8th. At the end, Moulton finished up second behind Mike Beeny, with Schmitke rounding out the S1 podium. Reigning S2 Pro Tour champ, and new CRG-USA driver, Kyle Hatcox finished 4th. After a protested finish by the CRG-USA camp, the incident between Cook and Bird was deemed a racing incident and Bird was awarded the S2 win.
Then in TaG Cadet Cody Depster was able to lock up the poll, in a great and very equal Mini-Rok field. The SKUSA rental Rok program really shined on Saturday due to some great racing by some young drivers. The second heat really personified what SKUSA is looking for, and what can happen when interest is shown in the program. All 10 laps of the second heat race saw the two CRG-USA drivers Cody Dempster, Riley Cook, and Energy Kart driver Derek Deslauriers driver run nose to tail the entire race. Some race craft by Cook locked up his second heat win of the day. In the main, front runner Cody Dempster couldn’t get started and the race spread out as Derek Deslauriers brought home the win in round number one.
At the end of the day was TaG Jr/Sr/Master. A light field saw pretty calm racing. On the final lap of the main event, heading up the back straight away TaG Jr entry CRG-USA driver, Austin Versteeg and TaG Sr entry Brandon Southwick got together momentarily after 19 1/2 laps of clean racing. The contact allowed a very patient Jason Dempster to put his Sodi Kart in front and lead half of the last lap and win the first round of the SKUSA RMPKC. Southwick won Sr, and Bob Roddrick won Masters.
Once again, I am so sorry for not updating yesterday and will try to today.
We’re on the track for morning warm up now. And it looks to be a cooler day in the valley with an expected high of 75 degrees.