Round Five Complete for Los Angeles Karting Championship
Southern California program reaches halfway point of 2019
The fifth round of the Los Angeles Karting Championship was contested on the June 30 at the CalSpeed Karting circuit. The facility in Fontana, California hosted the mid-way point of the 2019 season for the monthly racing series, competing on the ‘Grande CCW’ layout. A number of competitors added to their win totals on the season while other categories welcomed its fifth different winner on the year as the championship chases become more defined heading into the second half of the title run.
Jake Drew earned his third victory on the season in the HRT KA100 Senior class. It was a near repeat sweep of the category, similar to Round Four as Drew led the entire distance on the day. Drew began by edging out Alan Tang in qualifying for fast lap, only 44 thousandths separating their best laps. It was all Drew after that, leading 10 laps in the Prefinal and all 18 laps of the Final for his third win of 2019. Luis Perez broke up the perfect score of Drew, earning fast lap of the main event and the 10 bonus points in his runner-up performance. Tang completed the podium with Dakota Tate fourth and Jared Caylor in fifth.
It was a perfect score in the P1 Engines Mini Swift class with Jesus Vasquez Jr. grabbing another maximum points round. Vasquez swept the action against the 12-driver field in Round Five for his fourth victory of the season and second perfect score. Vasquez led all 28 laps on the day, setting fast time in qualifying and the main event. Enzo Deligny and Dane Idelson stood alongside on the podium with Ryan Persing and Izaac Gutierrez completing the top-five.
Edward Portz became the fifth different winner in five rounds for the 2 Wild Karting X30 Pro class. Round Three winner Billy Musgrave set the fast time in qualifying over Round Two winner Joey Brienza by only 76 thousandths of a second. Portz was third in the session but found his way to the point by the end of the Prefinal. From there, Portz led all 18 laps of the Final to claim his first victory of the season, also posting fast lap of the race. Brienz beat out Musgrave for the runner-up spot with Alan Tang fourth and Nick Persing in fifth.
After making his Tru-Tech Racing Engines X30 Master class debut last round, Brett Harrelson duplicated his performance with another perfect score in Round Five. Harrelson was challenged by Alex Gutierrez in the Prefinal, but led all 18 laps in the Final for his second straight victory. Gutierrez ended up second for his best result of 2019, with Branden Bell earning a fourth straight podium finish. Harrelson made it two wins on the day, scoring victory in PKS S4 Super Master Stock Moto over Dennis Foster. John Crow continued his double win round performance, scoring victories in the Nash Motorsportz G1 division and the Fleming Racing Engines KA100 Super Master. Both were event sweeps with Howard Combee and Terry Giffen joining him on the podium in KA while Carl Lewis trailed him in G1.
Jacob Yesnick and Cole Morgan set the pace all day in the Sanner Racing KA100 Junior division. Yesnick, making his third start of 2019, set fast time in qualifying and came away with the win in the Prefinal ahead of Morgan. After a wild opening few laps in the Final including a number of drivers, Yesnick and Morgan solidified the top two spots once again. The two exchanged the top spot in the closing laps, with Morgan able to secure the lead and his fourth straight victory. Yesnick settled for second, however, recorded the fast lap of the race. Logan Toke completed the podium ahead of Steven Grafton and Kasey Gillis.
Empire Karts Micro Swift welcomed its fourth different winner on the season. Rocky Moran began the event searching for his first victory of the year, setting fast time in qualifying. Sitting second was Caden Chrisman. It was Chrisman who came out of the Prefinal with the top spot, and after a challenge from Truly Adams, Caden led 17 of the 18 laps in the Final for the victory. Chrisman held off a late charge by Alex Mercado with Moran in third. Adams ended up fourth with Ryan Giannetta in fifth.
Billy Musgrave recorded his fourth straight victory in Baldozier Racing Pro Shifter 1 class, beating out former SKUSA Pro Tour champion Jake French and Keawn Tandon with a perfect score on the round. Micah Hendricks made his LAKC debut in the Mad Old Nut Racing Pro Shifter 2 division with a victory. Round Four winner Emon Fazlollahi set fast time in qualifying before Hendricks took over to win the Prefinal and Final, becoming the fifth different winner on the season. Fazlollahi ended up second with Royal McKee third.
A total of four wins on the year for Slava Prikhodko in the Phil Giebler Racing Open Shifter class. Prikhodko swept the action and earned maximum points on the day over Vivek Tandon and Round Four victor Javier Colombo. Vincente Salas was en route to a fifth straight victory in the MRC S3 Novice Stock Moto category. After setting fast time in qualifying and winning the Prefinal, Salas led the opening laps of the Final. His pace fell off with Toby Longenecker and Luca Bortone working past. Longenecker led the final 10 laps of the Final to secure the victory in his LAKC debut. Bortone finished second with Salas holding on to third.
Five different drivers have stood on top of the podium in the five different rounds for the Mack Motorsports X30 Junior class. Round Three winner Cole Morgan attempted to become the first repeat winner on the year, setting fast time in qualifying and winning the Prefinal. He led the first three laps of the Final until Round Four winner Blake Nash took over. Jonathon Portz, making only his second start of the season, grabbed the lead on lap nine, and held the position for the remainder of the race for his first victory of the season. Nash drove on to second with Morgan completing the podium. Frankie Mossman and Colin Queen rounded out the top-five.
Zate Legend continued his winning ways in Formula Works Kid Kart Expert class, scoring a fourth victory on the year over Round Two winner Keegan Ellsworth and Nixon Ellsworth. Oscar Padilla won his second straight in the HPD Kid Kart Novice division. Padilla edged out Ruby Murphy for the victory in a sweep of Round Five with Gavin Lewis in third.
Other winners on the weekend include Ian Bland (MDG Karting X30 Intermediate), Mike Smith (Ruthless Karting KA100 Master), Steve Weiner (X30 Super Master), Mathias Coito (Kimball Williams Racing S5 Junior Stock Moto), Michael Korody (DMG Motorsports S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto).
The Los Angeles Karting Championship returns to action this week, with Round Six of the 2019 championship program set for July 21 at their home of the CalSpeed Karting facility. For more about the Los Angeles Karting Championship program, please visit LAKC.org and ‘Like’ them on Facebook and follow on Instagram.
