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| October 16, 2012 News |
| Race Report: IKF Region 7 Sprint Championship Series - Buttonwillow Raceway Park |
| Article by: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine |
 | Royal McKee
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
The IKF Region 7 Sprint Championship Series concluded its 2012 season at Buttonwillow Raceway Park the first weekend of October. The temperatures that can normally be sweltering were quite pleasant during the day and cool and refreshing at night. The action on track was still hot, but the craziness of Grangé had subsided with a few weeks off. Championships were on the line and many of them were not decided until the final lap on Sunday. The turnout remained consistent as it has throughout most of the season and racing was solid in most of the classes. The track configuration was a little different than usual with the infamous chicane before start/finish not being used. Instead the drivers were treated to an easier layout using the entire long front straight. The finishes were no where near as exciting, but on the plus side we didn't have as many unsafe last corner dive bomb moves for the win either.
Junior 2 PRD was the first of six classes running on Saturday. Noah Grey was the pole sitter with a time of 47.858. Grey went half second faster than P2 qualifier Royal McKee, but McKee took the first heat race win and Grey suffered a DNF. Heat two again went to McKee, but the field was getting closer as Chance Skaufel,Hannah Grisham, and Willy Axton gave chase. The final belonged to McKee, as he led every lap from green to checkered. Grey bounced back after having a rough couple of heat races and drove his way up through the pack to finish an impressive second. Axton won the battle for third place after turning the fastest lap in the race. Grisham and Skaufel finished things off in fourth and fifth.
TaG Senior saw Alejo Fernandez grab the pole with a time of 46.815. Off-pole qualifier Enzo Mestre stepped up his efforts in the heat races to beat Fernandez to the finish line in both. A tightly pack group took the green flag for their 20 lap final with Mestre leading into turn one. We hoped to see Fernandez challenge for the lead but instead we saw Mestre pull away for the win and a great battle for second place. Andrew Wiener and Fernandez traded the second position lap after lap as Trevor Sumner's day ended early and Mestre drove away. It was an exciting finish as Wiener crossed the line just ahead of Fernandez. Mestre easily had 10 seconds on the field at the checkered flag.
 | Colton Herta
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
Jake Drew was the Junior 1 PRD Controlled pole sitter with a time of 49.592 and easily bested Ryan Schartau and Hunter Corbitt in heat 1. Schartau and Corbitt gained a lot of ground in heat two but still fell short of Drew at the finish. The main event saw Drew jump out to an early lead followed by Corbitt, Schartau and Myles Farhan. Corbitt was quick to strike, moving to the point on lap two. Drew gave chase but was unable to get back by Corbitt. The lead duo put a slight gap on the field as Schartau, Farhan, Anthony Sawyer and the iceman Justin Hodge all looked for an advantage. Corbitt brought it home for the win with Drew glued to his bumper. Hodge led the field to the finish in third place, some 15 seconds back of the winners.
KPV 2 qualifying was close as Blake Murdock secured the pole over Josh Kurtz, quick Nick Ramirez and the closer Hannah Grisham. Ramirez scored the wins in both heat races as Kurtz, Grisham and Colton Herta all showed well. The final began as a Ramirez drove it deep into turn one. Herta and Murdock both had good starts and fell in line behind the #83 kart. Ramirez's stint up front didn't last long as Herta and Murdock both got around him. Noah Grey was on the charge, running down the lead group and passing them all. Murdock must have burned off his tires because Herta was the only one able to keep pace with Grey in the closing laps. Herta made his move on the last lap, taking the lead and the win from Grey. Murdock held off Ramirez for third place.
Tanner Hudspeth was the Kid Kart pole sitter. He traded heat race wins with Jacob Yesnick and the two started the final from the front row. After a DQ in qualifying, Rylee Martinez had to work her way back up to the front in the heats. She didn't quite make it to the leaders, but got close enough to start the final in the first few rows. Yesnick led the opening circuits with Hudspeth glued to his rear bumper. Martinez was on the march and ran down the leaders by halfway. She made quick work of Hudspeth and set her sites on Yesnick. He also fell quickly and had to settle for a third place finish behind the Martinez and the attacking Hudspeth.
 | Jake Drew
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
The most anticipated class of the day was KPV1. They never disappoint, and always are full of surprises. Jonathan Shone was the pole sitter, besting Jake Drew and Anthony Sawyer by less than a tenth with his time of 52.149. Sawyer made his way to the front for heat race #1 and led Ryan Schartau, Drew and Shone to the finish. Heat two included the same four dominant drivers but the order shifted around and Drew scored the win. Drew led the field to the green flag but unfortunately it was without our pole sitter. Attrition was high in the final with 4 DNF's and eventually three disqualifications. Drew got away early in the contest and it was a good thing. Ryan Schartau and Anthony Sawyer were the fastest karts on track and if they had another half dozen laps would have made things super interesting for Drew. As it was, Drew brought it home for the win, two seconds ahead of his rivals. Sawyer got around Schartau on the final lap, but tech had something to say in the finishing order. With Drew as the winner, Schartau was elevated up to second place. The on track fight for fourth place took place well back of the leaders but it turned out to be for the last step on the podium. After a fierce battle between Myles ‘The Machine’ Farhan, Trey Brown, Anthony Willis, and Johnny Dressler, it was Dressler emerging as the third place finisher after race officials handed down additional penalties.
Day two got rolling with PRD Senior. Once again the #141 driven by Lloyd Mack sat on the pole. His time of 48.251 was only a tenth quicker than P2 qualifier Brandon Reed. Heat one saw Mack score the win with Alejo Fernandez moving up to the second spot, but Reed was back to top in heat #2 over Mack. Reed got a great start to begin the 20 lap final. Mike Herda slotted into second place with Bradley Espinoza and Mack in tow. Reed charged ahead, but just like at Grangé, Herda was the best on the long runs and before halfway was in the lead. Mack came on strong as the laps were put in the books, and he too got around Reed for second place. Reed fell back into the clutches of Espinoza, but was able to hold on for a third place finish. Herda finished things off with a victory as Mack ran on his bumper.
 | Noah Grey
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
Saturday's winner Rylee Martinez put it on pole for Sunday's Kid Kart Heavy event. Tanner Hudspeth was P2 with Aden Dodge improving from Saturday to start the heat from third. Martinez won both heat races with Hudspeth the only one able to keep pace. He did more than keep pace in the final, he set the pace. With a good start Hudspeth went flag to flag for the win. Martinez and Jacob Yesnick battled it out for second place with Martinez earning the position after the completion of their ten laps. Carson Mallett and Dodge rounded out the top five.
With cheers of “go shorty” echoing from the pit lane, Anthony Sawyer put his #6 on the pole for KPV1 Heavy with a time of 51.946. Both heats finished with a four kart train consisting of Sawyer, Hunter Corbitt, Jake Drew and Ryan Schartau. Sawyer won heat race #1 with Corbitt scoring the win in heat #2. Drew led the opening lap of the 20 lap final with Schartau and Sawyer jockeying for second place. Corbitt ran in fourth, but as Drew set the pace Corbitt was on the move, picking off Schartau and Sawyer to fins himself in second. Drew surrendered the lead to Corbitt a few laps past halfway and fell under attack by Sawyer. Corbitt charged to the win with Drew getting back by Sawyer on the last lap for second place. Sawyer finished in third place with Jonathan Shone and Trevor Sparks well back in fourth and fifth.
HPV 4 Heavy saw an increase in participation and a few new different names appearing on the time sheets. Dylan Albiani dominated the class from practice all the way through to the final. With the pole and two heat wins under his belt Albiani was a shoe-in to win the final and he didn't disappoint putting 4+ seconds on his nearest rival Tyler Coffman. Dale Cheeseman finished in third place and on the lead lap.
Less than a tenth separated the top five in KPV2 Heavy qualifying with quick Nick Ramirez posting the quickest time in the session of 48.916. Ramirez took the heat one victory over Josh Kurtz and Noah Grey, then backed it up in heat two besting Colton Herta and Kurtz. The racing gods turned on Ramirez in the final after only a few laps. Herta was the first to make his way around Ramirez, but others soon followed. Herta showed the way for the first half of the race before Kurtz took control. Grey was again mounting a charge that would see him to the front. By the closing laps it was down to only three karts with Grey on point. Herta made one last attempt at victory but Grey was able to grain the top position and score a fantastic win. Herta dropped to third with Kurtz finishing behind Grey in second.
 | Ryan Schartau
(Photo: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine) |
The final class, final race of the IKF Region 7 season was Rookie Comer. This class has been a great addition to the program and uber-competitive all year long. Flyin Ryan Schartau captured the last pole for the 2012 season by nearly a half second over Myles Farhan and Trey Brown. Schartau dominated the heat races with little to no challenge coming from his competitors. Farhan, and Brown were in the mix for second place along with Anthony Willis and Joseph Daniele. Schartau was flawless in the final, never missing a beat and driving it home to a flag to flag win. Farhan came under attack early but battled back nicely to secure second place at the end of the 20 lap race. Dezel West picked up the pace in the final, landing on the podium in third place, his best effort of the weekend.
With the 2012 season coming to an end soon, and 2013 right around the corner, be sure to frequent http://www.ikfkarting-r7.com and like them on Facebook for all the up to date details. |
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