Biggest Field of the Year Shows Up for So Cal Oval Karters Road Race at Perris
When the So Cal Oval Karters club journeyed to the famous Perris Auto Speedway for its first road race since 2016, racers and officials were greeted by unexpected gorgeous weather with clouds in the sky and temperatures in the 70’s. Perhaps more pleasing was the fact that the race attracted the largest field for the SCOK thus far in 2017.
Since the club normally races on ovals only, the annual road race is notorious for having a low kart count. This year, no less than 38 racers signed in for the day of racing under the sun. The racers were greeted by the best road course yet created by longtime promoter Don Kazarian. At a little more than a ¼ of a mile long, the twisty course had plenty of room to pass and elevation changes on each end.
The largest class of the day was the Senior 4 Cycles with 11 karts signed in. Wilmington, North Carolina native and now San Diego resident Jeffrey “JB” Butler got the best of the class winning one of the heat races and then the main event from the pole. Butler led the main event the entire 16-laps, but it was not as easy as it sounds. He faced several challenges, but each time would pull away from his pursuers. In the end, he took the checkered flag by three-kart lengths over SCOK regular Matt Martis of Bonita who also won a heat race. Camarillo’s Cindy Nigh chased the lead duo to the checkers to finish third. Banning’s Scott Gaynor and sprint car racer Jon Aden of Apple Valley rounded out the top five. Gaynor, who started seventh, was the main event “Hard Charger.”
Newcomer Michael Korody, also from San Diego, went home the winner in the Open Class. Cathedral City karter Dillon Hoffman set the pace for the first four laps before Korody passed him for the lead. Korody led the remainder of the way and had a two-length advantage over Hoffman when they took the Carly Nigh checkered flag. Sprint Car star Brody Roa of Garden Grove, who the week prior finished fifth in a USAC National Sprint Car race in Nebraska, came from the back to finish third. Coming from 10th, Roa was the main event “Hard Charger.” Carl Lewis and David Cardey, a retired USAC/CRA Sprint Car star, finished fourth and fifth respectively.
The “Red Baron,” Chris Gibb of Lakewood, made his 2017 debut a successful one when he swept the show by winning both six-lap heats and the 16-lap main event in the KT100’s. Starting on the pole for the main, the 47-year-old led every inch of the way. He also lapped all the way up to the fourth-place kart and had a half track advantage at the checkered flag. Santa Barbara’s Donnie Crawford finished in the runner up spot. Thomas Southern of Hesperia, Mike Collins of Lake Forest and Gary Southern, third place finisher Thomas Southern’s grandfather, made up the remainder of the top five. Collins, coming from 10th to fourth was the “Hard Charger.”
With only two F200’s on hand, they ran with the KT100 and San Marcos’ racer Norm Reynolds was first across the line ahead of Justin Garcia of Riverside.
Brandon Head won his first SCOK main event in the Juniors. Head led all the way and won by a half track over Apple Valley’s Kayla Pollard. Shane Holt II, who was in his first ever race, took third. Caden Kane of San Pedro and Will Brown finished fourth and fifth. Pollard was the “Hard Charger.” The “Dynamite Kid,” Drake Cardey of Riverside, won both Junior heat races, but blew his engine in the main event.
Up next for the SCOK is Wheel2Wheel Raceway on the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville on July 15th.
The So Cal Oval Karters would like to thank the following sponsors for helping make the championship series possible. Burris Racing, Cory Kruseman Sprint Car Driving School, Hubcapmike.com, Perris Auto Speedway, R&J Motorsports, THC Home Medical Services, T-MAC Racing and Yamaha of America Racing Engines. If you or your business would like to become a partner of the So Cal Oval Karters, please call or E-mail Mike Nigh at (805) 857-2595 or mailto:scokart@gmail.com.
Perris Results
Senior 4 Cycle
1. Jeffrey Butler – San Diego – 1st
2. Matt Martis – Bonita – 2nd
3. Cindy Nigh – Camarillo – 3rd
4. Scott Gaynor – Banning – 7th
5. John Aden – Apple Valley – 8th
6. Tailor Roa – Garden Grove – 6th
7. Bill Martin – 4th
8. James Heling – San Bernardino – 9th
DNS – John Leonhart – Norwalk
DNS – Rick Beeson
DNS – Clifton Kane – San Pedro
Open Class
1. Michael Korody – San Diego – 1st
2. Dillon Hoffman – Cathedral City – 2nd
3. Brody Roa – Garden Grove – 10th
4. Carl Lewis – 5th
5. David Cardey – Riverside – 3rd
6. J.R. Ybarra – Bugtussle, TN – 4th
7. Jason Bishop – 8th
8. Scott Bohle – Fountain Valley – 9th
9. Mike Collins – Lake Forest – 7th
10. Chris Southern – Hesperia – 6th
KT100 (ran with F200)
1. Chris Gibb – Lakewood – 1st
2. Donnie Crawford – Santa Barbara – 3rd
3. Thomas Southern – Hesperia -5th
4. Mike Collins – Lake Forest – 10th
5. Gary Southern – 7th
6. Rick Beeson – 8th
7. Matt Drotz – Long Beach – 2nd
8. Dillon Hoffman – Cathedral City – 6th
F200 (ran with KT100)
1. Norm Reynolds – San Marcos – 4th
2. Justin Garcia – Riverside – 9th
Junior
1. Brandon Head – 2nd
2. Kayla Pollard – Apple Valley – 4th
3. Shane Holt II – 5th
4. Caden Kane – San Pedro – 6th
5. Will Brown – 3rd
6. Drake Cardey – Riverside – 1st
DNS Kailana Franklin
2017 So Cal Oval Karters Winners
KT100
March 18 – Wheel2Wheel Raceway – Chris Southern
April 15 – Perris Auto Speedway – Thomas Southern
May 6 – Wheel2Wheel Raceway – Thomas Southern
June 10 – Perris Auto Speedway (road race) – Chris Gibb
Open
March 18 – Wheel2Wheel Raceway – Chris Southern
April 15 – Perris Auto Speedway – Dillon Hoffman
May 6 – Wheel2Wheel Raceway – Chris Southern
June 10 – Perris Auto Speedway (road race) – Michael Korody
Senior 4 Cycle
March 18 – Wheel2Wheel – Ronnie Benton
April 15 – Perris Auto Speedway – Ronnie Benton
May 6 – Wheel2Wheel Raceway – Ronnie Benton
June 10 – Perris Auto Speedway (road race) – Jeffrey Butler
F200
March 18 – Wheel2Wheel Raceway – Steve Juillerat
April 15 – Perris Auto Speedway – Steve Juillerat
May 6 – Wheel2Wheel Raceway – Norm Reynolds
June 10 – Perris Auto Speedway (road race) – Norm Reynolds
Junior 1
April 15 – Perris Auto Speedway – Drake Cardey
June 10 – Perris Auto Speedway (road race) – Brandon Head
Junior/Junior
March 18 – Wheel2Wheel Raceway – Kailana Franklin
2017 So Cal Oval Karters 2017 Schedule
July 15 – Wheel2Wheel
August 5 – The Grand Arena at Industry Hills
August 12 – Perris Auto Speedway
September 9 – Wheel2Wheel
September 30 – Perris Auto Speedway
October 14 – Wheel2Wheel
November 4 – Perris Auto Speedway
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