5-3-13 RLOKC First Simraceway Race Draws Large Turnout

On Sunday April 14 the Red Line Oil Karting Championships returned to the Simraceway Karting Center for Race 1 of the Molecule Karting Championship and Race 2 of the Sanzaru NorCal Rotax Challenge. Saturday's activities included open practice and the first series race of the EVO electric kart class as well as a return of the Simraceway Arrive and Drive classes after an absence of 2 years. 108 total racers took to the track over the two-day race weekend! The race weekend was run on the fast National track configuration. Due to a lengthy red flag stoppage in the Pro Stock Honda Pre-Main, the race day was shortened to a one Pre-Main plus Main event format.

RGE EVO Electric karts

The first spec electric karts took to the track and showed what a winters worth of work could produce. RGE is the class sponsor and the developer of the spec motor/controller/battery components. RLOKC promoter Steve Cameron working with RGE's Richard Hilleman have come from concept to reality to create the first series of its kind anywhere in the world! The product is a fine package of technology and speed that truly demonstrates what can be done with electric racing vehicles. Marcos Ramierz was the top driver of the 4 karts that took the track, but unlike last November when the electric karts put on a demonstration race, Marcos had some competition this time around. In all the heats and Main, Marcos was never more than a second ahead of Zac Rubenson. Gabe DeVault was the third place finisher in both Pre-Mains but Richard Hilleman overcame some technical issues and took 3rd overall spot in the Main. Marcos took home a GoPro Silver edition camera for his victory.

JMJ Motorsports Junior Rotax - GoPro feature race

With new class sponsor JMJ Motorsports, Junior Rotax again produced the largest field, 14 karts, as well as some of the best action of the weekend. Enzo Prevost, Jaden Conwright and Annie Breidinger took the top 3 spots in Qualifying. In the Pre-Main, Enzo repeated his top performance by taking a slim victory over Jaden with Michael Avansino in 3rd ahead of Annie. In the Main, Enzo and Conwright did most of the battling up front with some early pressure from Avansino. By mid-race, Avansino faded a bit, Toni Breidinger moved up from 5th to take over 3rd and sat in a position to go into the lead if Enzo and Jaden were to tangle. Jaden went into the lead with a couple of laps to go, but Enzo made a repass exiting tic-tac-toe on the last lap to go back into the lead for good. The finishing order was Prevost, Conwright 2nd, Toni B in 3rd, Avansino 4th and Annie B in 5th. For the win, Enzo took home the GoPro Hero Black edition camera.

IAME TaG
The spec gear IAME TaG race had seven drivers take to the track. Maxx Marian in his first senior class race took the pole ahead of Bryson Guzman and newcomer Robert Maggiora. In the Pre-Main, Marian dominated the race and came home eleven seconds ahead of Stephan Gaudreau with Nick Bagley 3rd. In the Main, Maxx choose to start from the rear of the field to gain valuable racing experience, but unlike the Pre-Main, the other competitors greatly improved their speed during the Main. Early on in the race, Guzman asserted himself and took the early lead and then stretched his lead with each lap. So the race quickly came down to a battle for second with Marian working his way through with Maggiora and Bagley fighting for 3rd once Marian got by. In the end, Guzman came home a convincing seven seconds in front of Marian, Maggiora 3rd and Bagley 4th. Guzman took home $50 cash for his efforts.

Rotax Micro Max

Eight karts took the track with Aiden O'Neil taking the pole ahead of Dustin Salaverria and Gino Sandoval. In the Pre-Main, O'Neil dominated with a ten second win over Sandoval and Salaverria 3rd. The Main was a repeat of the Pre-Main, O'Neil a ten second win ahead of Sandoval, Salaverria 3rd and Ethan Tavares coming home in 4th. Due to a non-performance technical violation the results were pending. After an appeal was reviewed the race results will stand but Aiden was docked 45 championship points and his team is placed on probation. The Micro Max prize money will be applied to the entries for the next race with each driver receiving a discount!

80 Masters and DD2 Masters

With eight 80 Masters karts and one DD2 Masters, the veteran drivers put on a great show. Charles Hastings took the pole ahead of Roger Cornwall and Tom Nelson. In the Pre-Main, Tom Nelson got to the front at the start and was hounded by Hastings the entire way but Hastings could not find the opportunity to make the pass. Geoff Provo took 3rd. In the Main, Hastings worked his way by Nelson at the start and pulled away for a three second win, Nelson 2nd, with Cornwall getting by Provo to take the 3rd spot, Provo 4th.

Pro Stock Honda

With fourteen karts, this was one of the largest Pro Stock Honda fields in awhile. Daniel Langon took the pole ahead of 2012 RLOKC Champ Jason Toft with Nic LeDuc 3rd. The Pre-Main started with a clean start, all karts getting through the first turn with Toft leading the field. But as the karts came up the front straight the first time, Kassy Loving's kart broke a rear axle, which pitched her kart into the outside wall. The race was stopped while the ambulance crew tended to Kassy. Her first words to her crew while she was being treated was to get her kart ready for the Main, but the Paramedics had a different idea and transported her to Marin General for full evaluation. Kassy was treated and released, returning to the track later in the day.
On the restart, Toft lead the field down to the flying single file start and the remaining thirteen karts finished the eight-lap race without further incident. Toft took the win from LeDuc 2nd , Michael Raimes 3rd and Langon 4th. In the Main, Toft took control of the start and then controlled the race, Nic taking home $150 for the win. LeDuc stayed close to come home a strong 2nd, Langon moved up to 3rd with Hunter Picket taking the 4th spot, Raimes coming home 5th .

After a ninety minute delay the rest of the day's program was revised to finish the first round of Pre-Mains, then start the Mains.

Senior Rotax

Jarrett Lile took the front spot in the qualifying ahead of seven other drivers. Dylan Albiani took 2nd, with Alex Kwan 3rd. In the Pre-Main, Lile took the lead out of turn one and was chased the entire way by Albiani with new comer Daniel de la Calle 3rd and Josh Feiber 4th. In the Main, Albiani and Lile fought for the lead coming into tic-tac-toe. Daniel then went inside and rubbed side pods with Albiani, who came out of the turn with a mechanical problem and pulled off course. Lile took advantage of the contact between Albiani and de la Calle and drove into the lead, a lead he would never give up. Lile took a four second win over de la Calle with Josh Feiber 3rd and Alex Kwan 4th. Jarrett also walked away with $100 for his win

Rotax Mini-Max

What a difference a year makes, last year only one Mini Max was a series regular, nine karts took to the track for this Simraceway opener. It is a significant improvement in class growth, much of which can be credited to George Tavares. Horatio Fitz-Simon took the pole ahead of Tomas Mejia and Matteo Sandoval. In the Pre-Main, Fitz-Simon controlled the start and the race to take a six second win ahead of Sandoval and Mejia with Colin Mullan 4th. In the Main, Fitz-Simon and Sandoval came out of the first turn 1-2 and the chase was on. Matteo was close on the heals of Horatio through the first six laps, but a kart problem ended Sandoval's run on lap 7. Horatio came home seven seconds in front of Mejia with Bryson Lew 3rd and Valdemar Eriksen 4th. The $50 winner bonus was awarded to Horatio.

Stock Honda Masters

Ten drivers took to the track in qualifying with Patrick O'Neil taking the pole ahead of Jim Inglebright and Jim Kidd. In the Pre-Main, O'Neil lead the field into turn one with Jim Kidd along side. As O'Neil and Kidd raced down to tic-tac-toe side by side, they touched, Kidd getting some air and O'Neil's kart receiving damage that would result in retirement. Inglebright took over the lead with Kidd recovering to take 2nd ahead of Michael Guasch. In the Main, Inglebright on pole and O'Neil starting 10th. For the first half of the race, Inglebright was being chased by Kidd with Gausch close behind and O'Neil working his way up through the field into 4th. O'Neil first got by Gausch, then Kidd with two laps to go and set his sites on Inglebright. Kidd had a different idea and repassed O'Neil with three turns to go with Gausch also getting under O'Neil as he went wide on the exit. At the checkered, Inglebright took the win and the $125 cash. Kidd finished in second, ahead Gausch, O'Neil with David Arnstein 5th.

Rotax Masters

Eight drivers took to the track with Geoff Wise taking the pole ahead of James Dix and John Breidinger. In the Pre-Main, Wise lead the field through turn one and drove on to a solid five second win ahead of Breidinger and Dix with Jeff Smith moving up from 8th to 4th. In the Main, Wise again lead the field through the first turn and was never headed. But the action right behind was great with four drivers in the mix. At the finish, Wise took a strong win over Jeff Smith, followed by David Carlisle, James Dix and John Breidinger. The 2nd through 5th drivers finishing with just two seconds separating them.

The results for this event can be seen at www.mylaps.com. The next RLOKC event will be Saturday May 11, a first time Saturday race so that the drivers can be at home for Mother's Day. Practice will be available from 10:00 to 5:00 on Friday, May 10. The track configuration will be a new one, the Daytona configuration. This will be a shorter track length, thus expect 20+ laps for the Mains.

For more information go to the RLOKC web-site at RLOKC , you can also contact us by e-mail at organizer