The 2018 Los Angeles Karting Championship went one event further into the title chase when hosting Round Six at the CalSpeed Karting Center in Fontana, California. Racers from many different states along the Pacific Ocean gathered on July 15 to contest the ‘Sportivo’ course for a chance to gain victory or help build momentum toward a championship run. A number of new drivers picked up victories on the day, with winning streaks extending for a handful of others.

The largest class each and every LAKC weekend is the P1 Engines Mini Swift division, which has now featured six different winners in the six rounds of racing. Round Five winner Kasey Gillis began the day searching to become the first two-time winner of 2018. Gillis set fast time in qualifying, with the top three separated by 70 thousandths of a second including Round One winner Logan Toke and Round Two victor Jesus Vasquez. Gillis was able to lead all 10 laps of the Prefinal with Parker DeLong winning the fight for second. The top two ran 1-2 for the first 17 laps of the Final. On the last circuit, the two raced for the victory with DeLong able to reach the checkered flag first as Gillis dropped to fourth in the order. Officials however handed DeLong a four-position penalty, thus handing the victory over to Dane Idelson, his first career win in the category. Troy Hageman was classified second with Vasquez joining them in third.

The second largest group of the day was the Empire Karts Micro Swift category with 14 drivers. Thirteen of them were chasing John Antonino all day as he secured his fifth victory of the season. Antonino swept the action, leading wire-to-wire for a perfect score on the day. Round 3 winner Truly Adams won the fight for second ahead of Tristan Young. Alexander Gonzalez and Gavyn Decuir completed the top-five.

Edward Portz made his second start in 2018 at the Los Angeles Karting Championship in the Nash Motorsportz X30 Senior Pro class. Portz made a statement with a sweep of Round Six to become the sixth different winner on the season. Portz edged out Colby Dubato and Brendan Delorto by 94 thousandths in qualifying for the top position before leading all 10 laps of the Prefinal. Round Four winner Billy Musgrave became the top challenger in the Final, swapping the lead with Portz. The two were able to get away with Portz securing the lead and the victory. Musgrave settled for second with Alex Siragusa completing the podium. Dubato and Delorto rounded out the top-five.

It was the fourth time this year Yuki Tanaka scored victory in the 2 Wild Karting X30 Senior Intermediate class. Payne Brawley was trying to become the fourth different winner on the season, setting fast time in qualifying and winning the Prefinal. Brawley led the first seven laps before Round Four winner Gregory DiMaggio took over the point. He led for some time until Tanaka jumped from third to first in two laps, locking up the lead and the victory. Round Two victor Cody Diggs advanced to second in the late laps, dropping Brawley to third. DiMaggio ended up fourth while Michel Manning was fifth.

Vatche Tatikian became the fifth different winner on the season in the Mike Manning Karting X30 Master class. A perfect score for Tatikian was broken up early with Jonathan Silva edging out Vatche by 72 thousandths of a second. Tatikian grabbed the lead in the Prefinal, showing the way all 10 laps before a wire-to-wire victory in the Final. Silva ended up second with Round Five victor Tim Meyer in third. Two-time winner Branden Bell was second with Tony Rossetti making it four former winners inside the top-five, showing just how strong of a field was at Round Six in the category.

The first double winner of the season came at Round Six for the Ryan Perry Motorsport X30 Junior Expert division. Ayden Aquino scored his best qualifying effort of the season with fast time in the session. The top three were separated by just 89 thousandths, including Frankie Mossman and Round Two winner Alan Tang. Aquino led the opening laps of the Prefinal before Mossman and Tang fought for the lead. Tang came away with the win and the pole position for the Final. That was all he needed as Tang led all 18 laps for his second victory of the season. Jacob Yesnick advanced up to the second spot, bringing Jonathan Portz with him. Mossman ended up fourth with Round Five winner Bryce Stevens in fifth.

A fourth victory was earned by Slava Prikhodko in the Phil Giebler Racing Open Shifter division. Billy Musgrave broke up the perfect day for Prikhodko, winning the Prefinal after Slava scored fast time in qualifying. Musgrave removed himself from the results after the Final, providing Prikhodko the fourth win of the season to add to his point lead. Willy Axton was classified second with Jesse Romer in third. In the same race group, John Crow continued his winning ways in the PKS S4 Super Master Stock Honda division, sweeping the on-track action. Crow outran Brett Harrelson and Myan Spaccarelli for the victory. Crow added a second victory on the day in the iKart West Briggs 206 Master class over Mikey Griffin and Zachary Wigal.

Staying perfect on the year in the Mad Old Nut S2 Semi-Pro Stock Honda class is Keawn Tandon. Six for six in 2018, Tandon swept Round Six with a perfect day over Prescott Campbell and Antonio de Lis. Emun Fazlolluhi made only his second start of 2018 in the MRC S3 Novice Stock Honda division, becoming the fourth different winner on the season. It was a perfect score for Fazlolluhi on the day, ending with a seven-second advantage in the Final over Jacob Pope and Erik Coleman.

Luis Perez picked up a fifth straight victory in the IAME USA West KA100 Senior class. It was tough work for Perez, with Zachary Jo grabbing fast time in qualifying and Michael Korody winning the Prefinal. Perez started the Final in third behind the two drivers, jumping to the lead on the opening circuit and showing the way for all 18 laps. Jo ran second with Jared Caylor slipping up to third. Arman Cornell drove to his second victory of the year in the Superkarts! USA KA100 Master division. It was a battle in this category all day, with Dana Estes securing fast time in qualifying and the win in the Prefinal going to four-time main event winner Robert Perez. Cornell was able to secure the victory in the Final, outrunning Patrick Beau and Perez. Fred Kamphues took top honors in the Mack Motorsports Briggs 206 Senior division. Kamphues swept the day, ending with a 53 thousandths of a second victory ahead of Maximilian Bui with Troy Jones in third.

Other winners on the day include:

Baldozier Racing S1 Pro Stock Honda: Billy Musgrave
Kimball Williams Racing S4 Master Stock Honda: Javier Colombo
Mike Manning Karting X30 Super Master: Jon Persing
Italcorse S5 Junior Stock Honda: Cash Baxley
MDG X30 Junior Novice: Hunter Hicks
Formula Works Honda Kid Kart Expert: Johnie Stamps
Formula Works Honda Kid Kart Novice: Sebastian Cortes

The 2018 Los Angeles Karting Championship season resumes with Round Seven, scheduled for July 26 at the CalSpeed Karting Center facility. Registration is already open at MotorsportReg.com. For more about the Los Angeles Karting Championship program, please visit LAKC.org and ‘Like’ them on Facebook and follow on Instagram.

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