On September 17, the Los Angele Karting Championship held Round Eight of the 2017 championship program at the CalSpeed Karting Center in Fontana, California. The penultimate round of the season signaled a very important day, with those in the championship chases looking to further their chances of securing a year-end title. Many of the competitors used the day as a great warm-up event for the Superkarts! USA Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix – site of the California ProKart Challenge series finale. The ‘Classico Counter-Clockwise’ course was utilized on the weekend, testing each and every division to the fullest.

The Morgan brothers dominated the day in the Acceleration Kart Racing Mini Swift division. Two-time winner Carson Morgan began as the top driver in qualifying, two tenths quicker than his brother Cole. The Round Six winner jumped ahead of his brother at the start, and held on to lead all 11 laps of the Prefinal. Cole continued leading in the main event, until lap 13 when Carson took over the point. On the final circuit, the two brothers battled to the checkered flag, with Cole reaching the line first to earn his second victory on the year and extend his championship lead. Chance Gibson won the battle for third, edging Kasey Gillis and Steven Grafton.

Joseph Daniele is looking to wrap up the championship in Ryan Perry Motorsport X30 Junior Expert class. Round Eight helped as Daniele scored his sixth victory on the season. He began chasing some tough competition, including top qualifier Joey Brienza. In the Prefinal, Brienza slipped down to fifth, moving Daniele up one spot as Jace Denmark-Gessel scored the win. A great start in the main event put Daniele up to second on the opening circuit, moving into the lead on lap two. From there, Daniele led the remainder of the 19-lap race, holding off a charging Denmark-Gessel at the line by 62 thousandths. Edward Portz completed the podium in his third start at LAKC. Brienza ended up fourth with Alex Siragusa placing fifth. Bentley Adams scored his third straight, fourth on the year in the Baldozier Racing X30 Junior Novice. Justice Calabro and Cash Baxley joined him on the podium.

The Tru Tech Racing Engines Micro Swift category welcomed a first time winner this month. AJ Zarcone helped his championship chances with his first victory. Zarcone opened as the fast driver in qualifying, only to get dropped back to fourth in the Prefinal behind race winner Logan Toke. The championship leader came under attack early in the Final by Parker DeLong. They jumped into first and second, and began battling for the lead. Zarcone was waiting in the wings, and the battle for the lead opened up on the final circuit. Zarcone went from third to first on the final lap for the victory with DeLong placing second. Toke ended up back in ninth with Enzo Deligny moving up to third over Austin Manka and Wyatt Vidovich.

Three months away, Round Three victor Jake Drew returned to the 2 Wild Karting X30 Pro class for his second victory of the season. Drew started off as the fast driver in qualifying, nearly breaking the 38-second mark. The Prefinal was all Jake, leading all 11 laps for the race win. The Final was a challenge. After leading the first nine circuits, Round Six victor Worawong Komarakul took over the point. The two went back and forth for a few more laps until Drew secured the position. He would hold on to the checkered flag for the victory. Championship leader Colby DuBato ended up third while Aidan Yoder and Jesse Gutierrez completed the top-five. Brendon Cramer took home his second victory of the year in the Motorsport Development Group X30 Intermediate division. Cramer ended up finishing fourth overall in the combined race group. Championship leader Eric Slivoff was second with Kyle Babida in third. Brendnen Delorto was fourth, tightening up the point standings heading into the series finale.

Travis Irving made his 2017 LAKC debut in the Mike Manning Karting X30 Master class, earning the event sweep. Irving led the entire day, opening up with fast lap of qualifying and leading all the laps of the Prefinal and Final. Jonathan Silva kept it close, running second with Stu Hayner – also making his LAKC debut – placing third ahead of Tim Meyer and championship contender Steve Martin.

Kalvin Chen jumped back on the top of the podium in the PKS Kart Supplies S4 Super Master Stock Honda class after placing runner-up last month to Myan Spaccarelli. The Round Seven winner held the advantage beginning in qualifying, clearing the field by two tenths of a second. Chen closed up the gap in the Prefinal however Spaccarelli still came away on top. At the drop of the green, Chen grabbed the holeshot and led the way through the entire 18-lap Final for his sixth victory of the season. Spaccarelli settled for second in his only his second LAKC start with Sean Bond rounding out the podium.

It is two in a row in the Nash Motorsportz S4 Master Stock Honda class for Rob Logan. The two-time Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix drove to victory in another tune-up for the upcoming street race. Logan set fast time in qualifying with championship leader John Crow stealing the Prefinal win. Logan bounced back in the feature by over two seconds for the victory. Crow finished second with Adrian Yong in third.

A second victory on the year also went to Carlee Taylor in the Top Kart West S2 Semi-Pro Stock Honda category. The Round Three victor nearly had a sweep on the day, qualifying in P1. A slow start to the Prefinal dropped her to third behind Josh Early and Robert Heck Jr. In the Final, she slipped down to fifth but advanced her way forward in the 18-lap event with fast laps of the race to secure the victory. Heck and Early completed the podium.

A sixth victory for Keawn Tandon in the MRC S3 Novice Stock Honda division. Prescott Campbell set fast time in qualifying and won the Prefinal, looking for his second victory of the season. Tandon had none of that, taking over the lead in the Final on lap seven, driving away to the victory. Campbell retired one lap early, promoting Jacob Pope to second and Blake Dunkleberger to third.

Jake Hood celebrated his first victory on the year in the Mack Motorsports 206 Senior category. Hood swept the day over the nine-driver field, capped off by a massive six-second advantage in the Final with fast laps of the race. Championship leader Matt Johnson ran second with Alyssa Yauney in third. Jetson Lieser and Mike Johnson rounded out the top-five. The Mad-Old-Nut Productions Briggs 206 Novice welcomed Eddie Tafoya as a first-time winner. Tafoya swept the day, pulling out to a nine-second gap over Troy Jones and Jared Patterson.

Other winners on September 17 include:

Nicky Hays – TM Racing USA 125 Open
Billy Musgrave – Italcorse America S1 Pro Stock Honda
Billy Musgrave – Empire Karts X175 Pro
Yuki Tanaka – Baldozier Racing X30 Novice
John Crow – iKart West Briggs 206 Masters
Kasey Gillis – Fleming Racing Engines Junior 1 Comer
John Antonino – Formula Works Honda Kid Kart Expert
Alexander Gonzalez- Formula Works Honda Kid Kart Novice

The 2017 Los Angeles Karting Championship is set to close on October 20 at the CalSpeed Karting Center in Fontana, California. Registration is now open at the LAKC MotorsportsReg page. More details regarding the Los Angeles Karting Championship can be found on the series website – LAKC.org. Be sure to ‘Like’ them on Facebook and follow on Instagram.

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