STEAD (MAY 20) – Northern Nevada Kart Club (NNKC) hosted its second point’s race of the season under almost perfect weather. The drivers responded by staging some hard fought races during the day.
One of the closest came in the Senior/Master LO206 event that combines both of these classes. It pitted a local driver against the visitor from San Jose.
In the Senior LO206 main this was about as much of a lead Grant LeClaire (35) ever had on Jacob Ciari.
“This whole day we’ve had a good race back and forth,” said eventual winner Grant LeClaire, who was talking about his race with local NNKC member Jacob Ciari. “I think we passed three or four karts along the way and almost got one of the lappers at the very last corner.”
Then he thanked Cole Nelson with Invader karts
When the 17-lap contest began LeClaire and Ciari took off with the field in hot pursuit. Behind them Kelly Chinander spun in Turn 3, got going and due to her hard driving ended up eighth overall.
Up front the two leaders began to pull away as they continued their private battle. Behind them Steve Dow and Ken Reeher were dueling for third and even further back Alec Beaudoin was heading toward the front.
The lead duo did exchange the race but LeClaire was able to take it back and hung on. The third place battle turned into a three-way fight until Beaudoin made a mistake and wound up in the front stretch wall.
In the end LeClaire scored a narrow victory over Ciari while Reeher used a last lap pass to take third from Dow. In the Heavy class Andy Fecko was first and fifth overall.
Andy Fecko won the Senior Heavy class.
While the Senior/Master class had 13 drivers the next largest was Junior 2 LO206 where 11 of these young racers took the green. Right after that the Turns 1 and 2 became calamity corners.
At least three or four karts had contact, which sent one of them off course while Chase Dulude went up on two wheels. Heading into this mess Issac Bourque took advantage of the situation to go from last to 4th.
“I just thought about it and I was like, ‘this is my opportunity,’ so I just dove in there and went to fourth. I just kept on moving up, being consistent and just try and track down the top guys and I ended up doing that,.” Bourque said later.
After that the chase was on. Eventually Bourque took over third and set his sights on the two leaders that were nose-to-tail.
Early in the Junior 2 main Cain Fredricks (918) leads Wyatt Sander (118).
Up front the lead duel had been between Cain Fredricks and Wyatt Sander. Behind them Bourque was catching up while, even further back, Dulude was on a charge that eventually got him to a distant third at the finish.
After Bourque caught the lead duo there was contact in Turn 3 when he took over second. This dropped Sander back to fifth at the end behind Tanner Schultz.
In the final third of the race Bourque and Fredricks were nose-to-tail even after the lead swapped between the two. Later Fredricks returned the favor by taking the lead back only to have Bourque take it again.
Issac Bourque (127) raced from the back to win the Junior 2 main. Here he is leading runner up Cain Fredricks.
In the end Bourque reached the checkered first with Fredricks right behind him.
After the race Bourque said, “Once I was in the lead I could feel him (Fredricks) bumping and knew I had to stick my line, stay focused, keep the kart under control and run my own race. I need to thank Cole Nelson for his help this weekend as he had to fix a broken axel, a spindle but that didn’t stop us.”
Then he gave thanks to his father, grandparents, brothers and the rest of his family for their support.
There were four KA-100 karts that took the green and Doug Hunter was leading the charge. In the back was Zack Rivera but he soon moved up and caught the leader.
This nose-to-tail racing went on for several laps but in the end Rivers took the point and motored away from everyone else. Hunter was the runner up followed by Luke Anderson and Bryce Berry.
Anderson and Berry did have a coming together but both were able to get going and resumed their race long duel as though nothing had happened.
After the post race weigh in Rivera said, “The race was good, we had some from California come down under our tent so I wasn’t really focusing on myself as I was helping our boys. So this weekend was kind of chilling and not really doing much to the kart. Looking forward to this next KPX race, this next one two weeks from now.
“I was messing with Doug, wanted to pass on the infield but he was blocking so I was bumping him. Then he made a mistake coming on the straightaway so I passed him.”
This year Rivera is focusing on the regional races like the KPX series so when he races with the NNKC it’s a bit different than before.
“When we come here its kind of to get a work out and get into kart shape,” he said.
This time there were only three F125 Shifter karts on hand. After their standing start Jeff Wamre was on point with Dean Andrews right behind him.
A lap or two into the race and Andrews slowed then briefly stopped on the front straight. After that he resumed trying to catch Wamre.
Not too long after that Andrews race was over when his kart stopped for good. Seems a terminal had come loose and his day was done.
Jeff Wamre on his way to winning the F125 main.
Up front Wamre took the gift and stormed away to victory followed by Todd McMaster.
It had been quite a day for Wamre as earlier his motor seized and put him out of a heat race. However repairs were made and allowed him to notch the victory.
Afterwards he took a breath and said, “Tough to be old. Dean was fast and just had a mechanical but for me it was keeping it between the lines.”
Then he thanked his wife, Nevada Kart Sport and Brian Fisher Racing Engines.
Only two Junior 1 drivers were on hand and at first it appeared that Brooks Anderline had the upper hand. However he made an unusual mistake and wound up in the Turn 2 wall.
Once he got going again Isaiah Nobels had almost a full lap lead and would win the race. Anderline did his best but was still about a half lap short at the finish so he settled for second.
Jeremiah Nobles was the only Kid Kart that showed up but he also got his track time and will be credited with the win.
Next race for the NNKC will be on Sunday, June 10. As it gets nearer to the August KPX date there will probably more and more California drivers showing up to get some track time at Desert Park Raceway.
For further information on the club please check their website, www.nnkcreno.com.
REPORTERS NOTE: There is a photo gallery after the results.
OTHER RACING NEWS:
- This was All Star week for NASCAR as the series returned home to Charlotte, North Carolina.
In Friday’s Xfinity race Las Vegas native Kyle Busch started fourth and finished second. In Saturday’s All Star event Kyle starte seventh and finished ninth while brother Kurt started 15th and ended up 18th at the end.
• Remember to listen to Teresa’s Garage Radio Show on Tuesday as it runs from 2 until 3 p.m. and can be streamed. My part is usually at 2:15 when I do previews for the upcoming week.
If any of you women have a car you’d like to show be sure to check the show’s website for further information. The Women with Wheelz car show is on June 23rd.
Teresa’s Garage Radio Show is on Tuesday afternoon.
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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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They are located at 964 Terminal way, by Mill Street and their website is, www.rms-renomotorsports.com.
Sponsor PJ & Co Restaurant and Saloon located at 1590 Wells Avenue in Reno is familiar to most in the riding lifestyle.
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.
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RESULTS:
Northern Nevada Kart Club – Race #2
Desert Park Raceway – May 20
+ Kid Kart: 1.Jeremiah Nobles.
+ Jr. 1 LO206: 1. Isaiah Nobles, 2. Brooks Anderline.
+ Jr. 2 LO206: 1. Issac Bourque, 2. Cain Fredricks, 3. Chase Dulude, 4. Tanner Schultz, 5. Wyatt Sander, 6. Deehame Malone, 7.Landon Kwapich, 8. Bryce Berry, 9. Korey Sander, 10. Heavyn Hill, 11. Matthew Fecko.
+ Senior/Masters LO206:
+ Overall: 1. Grant LeClaire, 2. Jacob Ciari, 3. Ken Reeher,4. Steve Dow, 5. Andy Fecko, 6. Doug Hunter, 7. Brud Beaudoin, 8. Kelly Chinander, 9. Harrell Fischer, 10. Collin Wiley, 11. Carmen Brewer, 12. Rylee Wiley, 13. Alec Beaudoin.
+ Senior Heavy: 1. Andy Fecko, 2. Doug Hunter, 3. Brud Beaudoin, 4. Harrell Fischer.
+ Senior LO206: 1. Grant LeClaire, 2. Jacob Ciari, 3. Ken Reeher, 4. Steve Dow, 5. Kelly Chinander, 6. Collin Wiley, 7. Carmen Brewer, 8. Rylee Wiley, 9. Alec Beaudoin.
+ KA100: 1. Zack Rivera, 2. Doug Hunter, 3. Luke Anderson, 4. Bryce Berry.
+F-125 Shifter: 1. Jeff Wamre, 2. Todd McMaster, 3. Dean Andrews.
PHOTO GALLERY:
