Archives - Norcal Karters

10-31-10 Ron Sutton to be Opening Speaker For Kart Racing Dynamics Seminar January 8th

Ron Sutton, host of the popular Ron Sutton Winners Circle Driver Talent Search, will be opening speaker at the Kart Racing Dynamics Seminar on January 8^th in Roseville, Ca. hosted by Race Media Group. Ron Sutton is a 35 year racing veteran as a chassis & engine builder, driver, crew chief and driver coach, having won 13 championships and over 470 races. Today Ron operates the top NASCAR focused driver career development program. Sutton holds several years experience in Motorsports from Karts to Cars and offers much insight to young aspiring Race Car drivers searching to get to the next level in their racing careers. Sutton’s popular Talent Search program which searches for the next big talent in Motorsports, lends itself to accomplished Kart Racing drivers and is hosted in Northern Ca. Sutton will bring knowledge to the Kart Racing Dynamics Seminar and share what Teams and Scouts look for in young drivers. Sutton hosts a variety of Workshops himself training drivers on the different aspects of becoming a Professional athlete. From preparation physically and mentally for big races to conducting yourself in a professional manner off the track, Sutton strives to challenge the racers and help them understand what it means to win and capture their ultimate goals in motorsports.

"I am honored Chris asked me to speak at his training program," stated Sutton. "Kart racing is one the greatest forms of racing for young drivers and adults alike. We feel the sport of Karting offers adult racers and families awesome grassroots racing at an affordable cost. From our perspective as a talent scout, we also know karting to produce some of the best young racers in the world. Whether racing for sport, or climbing a ladder to a career, the knowledge gained from this training workshop will be worth every cent."

“Sutton is great addition to our Seminar. His knowledge in Motorsports has helped me in many ways with my development and I think it will offer the young karters of today another avenue to further their racing careers.” Said Chris Scribner, host of the Kart Racing Dynamics Seminar.

The Kart Racing Dynamics Seminar will be held January 8^th at the Orchid Suites in Roseville Ca and is limited to the first 40 registrants. Registration will open November 1^st. Seats will go fast and guests are urged to take advantage of Pre Registration before December 26^th to take advantage of discounted pricing.

More info about the Seminar visit:
www.racemediagroup.com/seminar.html

10-21-10 Kart Racing Dynamics Seminar Coming to Northern California

The Kart Racing Dynamics Seminar has launched in Northern Ca. The first Kart Racing Dynamics seminar will be held at Orchid Suites in Roseville January 8th 2011. This full day seminar will go over in detail the aspects of Kart Racing in so many ways. The Seminar, put on by Race Media Group, will outline the different areas of Karting and will provide information that will help Drivers, Tuners, and Kart moms alike.

The seminar will boast an impressive lineup of Industry professionals to speak to Kart Racers about various aspects of Kart Racing. Beginning with chassis tuning of a Kart from Front End Geometry, Axle Tuning and seat placement and why to make such changes to your kart to make it faster.

Other subjects being discussed will be Driver Health and Fitness, Kart Racing and its beginner level and how to use it to a racers advantage to get them to the next level of Racing. Marketing will be a big part of the seminar informing the racers how to utilize marketing tools to expand their name and awareness in motor sports. Driving techniques and understanding race tracks character will be discussed as well as on and off track composure of drivers and crews.

This 8 hour seminar will be packed full of information on Kart Racing and provide a purpose related workbook to directly relate to the topics covered. Lunch will be provided for the attendees as well as a question and answer session for all industry professionals present speaking on the Kart Racing Dynamics. "We wanted to provide something for everyone involved in Kart Racing. The drivers are future racing Stars, but the tuners of Karting are a major part of helping them get to the front and stay up front, most tuners are the drivers father. We also wanted to provide something for the Mothers as well so we are bringing in a Health and Fitness professional as well as a Marketing professional to speak. We have so much information available for the attendees that can really elevate their talents in the off season, January is the perfect time for this seminar right after the holidays." said Chris Scribner, organizer of the Kart Racing Dynamics Seminar.

Registration for the Seminar opens November 1st, 2010 and will be a first come first serve basis. There is a limited number of spots available for the seminar and is expected to fill up fast. Those registering before December 26th can take advantage the pre-registration discount. There is a limit of three spots per purchase. More information will be coming soon as the announcements of the guest speakers are released.

More info about the Seminar visit:
www.racemediagroup.com/seminar.html

10-27-10 Red Line Oil Karting Championship 2010 Awards Banquet Info

The Red Line Oil Karting Championship 2010 awards banquet will be held Saturday, November 6th at The Key Room in Novato. Come celebrate the 2010 RLOKC Champions with an evening of delicious food, prize presentations to the top finishers in all race classes and raffle prizes.

Local hometown racing hero Memo Gidley will be the guest speaker for the evening. Gidley worked his way through the Northern California karting ranks, winning two US SuperNationals shifter kart titles on his way to becoming a professional race car driver. Paul Page from ABC Sports is quoted, "...I think the average fan sees a lot of them in Memo. The kid has a made a career out of overcoming his humble beginnings and every adversity that has ever come his way... he's the Horatio Alger of Motorsports." Gidley spends his non-racing days working out; riding his mountain bike and helping kids learn to drive Go Karts.

Over $20,000 in prizes will be awarded including:

-MOBILE-Shop Engineering Kart valued at over $3,500., provided by MOBILE-Shop (must have raced a minimum of five 2010 RLOKC races to be eligible for the raffle and must be present to win)

-Use of a vacation condo in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, provided by Sierra Race Promotions

-PlayStation3 game consoles and cash prize valued at over $1,000, provided by Sanzaru Games

-Rotax engine upgrade from Junior to Senior, provided by Cambrian Go-Karts

-Driver Management Services contract for 2011, provided by Finlay Motorsports

-Lancer Evolution Experience and access pass to the Jim Russell International Karting Center valued at over $1,450., provided by Jim Russell Racing Drivers School

-Highway Survival Program valued at $900 and access pass to the Jim Russell International Karting Center valued at over $1,400., provided by Jim Russell Racing Drivers School

-Karting Driver Development Course and access pass to the Jim Russell International Karting Center valued at over $1,450., provided by Jim Russell Racing Drivers School

-MOLECULE suit care products, provided by MOLECULE LABS

-Helmet, provided by Wine Country Motorsports

-Custom helmet design and paint job, provided by Savage Designs

-Set of MOJO tires valued at $228. provided by SSC Racing

-Gearbox drivers suit, provided by SSC Racing

-Plus, more!

When: 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM, Saturday, November 6th

Where: The Key Room at The Next Key Center

Homeward Bound of Marin
1385 N. Hamilton Parkway
Novato, CA 94949

Who: All participants of the Red Line Oil Karting Championship, friends and family

Tickets: $35. per person, includes a three course dinner and drinks.

Please RSVP to kit@cameronkarting.com or 707.938.9986 by Monday, November 1st.

10-27-10 Jim Russell Racing Drivers School Offers Generous Year End Prizes

The 2010 Red Line Oil Karting Championship is pleased to announce sponsor Jim Russell Racing Drivers School will award three racers with exciting prizes valued at over $4500. The prize winners will be announced at the RLOKC awards banquet on Saturday, November 6th.

The prizes to be awarded are:

Senior Rotax Driver of the Year - A twenty punch access pass to the Jim Russell International Karting Center and a Lancer Evolution Experience. Prize package valued at over $1650.

The Lancer Evolution Experience brings the thrill of Mitsubishi's most exciting road car - the Lancer Evo X - to a program focusing on improving skill and confidence. The Lancer Evolution Experience caters to the performance-minded enthusiast. The technology beneath the skin of the newest Mitsubishi Motors Lancer Evolution is a direct result of lessons learned and innovations tested in the heat of the World Rally Championship. The Lancer Evolution shares a vital piece of its celebrated racing heritage with the highly evolved Jim Russell FJR-50. For a full description go to www.jimrussellusa.com.

Junior Rotax Driver of the Year - A twenty-punch access pass to the Jim Russell International Karting Center and a Karting Driver Development Course. Prize package valued at over $1450.

The Karting Driver Development Course is a completely customized program in which any karter receives world-class training from one of Jim Russell's professional instructors, some of the top karters in the country. The instructor will begin the day with an assessment of the student's skill level and identify the area's that can be most greatly improved upon. These areas will be discussed, refined and put into practice throughout the day. The outcome will ultimately be faster lap times for the student as well as a new and more thorough understanding of the focus areas, overall race craft and dynamic theory. All of which are essential tools that the student will be able to carry with him as he progresses in his career in karting and beyond.

2010 Rising Star - A twenty punch access pass to the Jim Russell International Karting Center and a Highway Survival course. Prize package valued at over $1400.

The Highway Survival programs bring the thrill of Mitsubishi's most exciting road car - the Lancer Evo X - to a program focusing on improving skill and confidence. Highway Survival tackles the challenges of the open road in a controlled environment. The Highway Survival course, utilizing Mitsubishi Lancers and Outlanders, educates drivers of all ages to use the technology available in modern cars, like anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control, to safely and confidently navigate the open road. As a bonus, the four-hour course can be applied to the 60-hour pre-license driving time requirement for minors. For a full description go to www.jimrussellusa.com.

"These are great prizes that will help drivers hone their driving skills both on and off the track.," said series promoter, Steve Cameron. "I would like to thank Jim Russell Racing Drivers School for their support of the series."

About the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School:

Jim Russell Racing Drivers School graduates hundreds of career-minded racers in addition to thousands of motoring enthusiasts each year, taking with them the experience of a lifetime. For details about the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School, please visit www.jimrussellusa.com.

About the Jim Russell International Karting Center:

The Jim Russell International Karting Center, among the country's top karting venues, offers a range of courses for beginners and experienced drivers. From ages 8 to over 50, there's a class in our race-prepared karts capable of reaching 60 mph in less than five seconds. There is also a weekly open testing for experienced karters. For details about the Jim Russell International Karting Center, please visit: www.jimrussellusa.com/programs/karting.

For more information about the Red Line Oil Karting Championship and the Northern California Rotax Challenge, go to www.cameronkarting.com or www.norcalrotax.com

The Red Line Oil Karting Championship is supported with over $20,000 of prizes and awards from the following sponsors:

10-21-10 Oktoberfest - New Race Classes, Brats, Rootbeer & Prizes!

Sunday, October 24th, will be the final race of the 2010 Red Line Oil Karting Championship (RLOKC) season. With two class championships still on the line, the final race of the year will be at the Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway on the popular Reverse National track configuration. To make this not only a good final race, but instead, a grand finale, RLOKC will celebrate its first annual Oktoberfest with free brats and rootbeer for all drivers and some great end of day raffle prizes including a free set of tires, and two packages for free race entries for the entire 2011 RLOKC race season. The first 2011 free entry package raffle will be open all drivers. The second 2011 free entry package raffle will only include race day class winners. All class winners will receive Red Line Oil and the IAME TaG class winner will also take home a GoPro Hero Camera.

As a preview of what's in store for 2011, RLOKC has added the popular junior class KPV as well as 125 Stock Moto to the race day lineup. KPV (formerly HPV) was part of the Jim Russell / Rotax series in the past and is a strong candidate to be added to the 2011 RLOKC lineup. Nor Cal weights and engine specs will be enforced. The spec tire is Bridgestone YKC. The Stock Moto minimum weight is four hundred pounds and the spec tire is MOJO D3. For both classes, the spec fuel is VP 98L and the spec oil is Red Line Two-Cycle Kart Oil.

Wrapping up 2010, two championships are still on the line. Mary Beth Wilson has been leading the Rotax Masters Light class all year, but with two wins in a row, Mert Solis comes into this last race a mere seventy points behind. In the 80 Masters class, Tom Nelson holds a net one hundred ten point lead over newcomer Greg Richter. Three other classes have end of year position battles with a second place battle in Senior Rotax between Raymund Bustamante, Jr. and Amber Friedberg. In Mini Max, the third place position in class is still up for grabs between Gino Gigliotti and Colin Daley, and in Rotax Masters a battle for third place still is to be run between John Breidinger and Cameron Evans.

Entry fee for the Red Line Oil Karting Championship is $100. Transponders can be rented for $10. Practice is available on Saturday, Oct 23rd from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM for a fee of $40. On Sunday, the 24th, the race day starts at 8:30 AM with one round of practice, five lap group qualifying, two, eight lap heat races and a fifteen lap main. Pre-registration will be available on Saturday. Overnight camping is allowed.

Race day registration form and race day schedule will be available at www.norcalrotax.com on Thursday, October 21st.

For more information about the Red Line Oil Karting Championship and the Northern California Rotax Challenge, go to www.cameronkarting.com or www.norcalrotax.com

10-21-10 Kyle Capodice Awarded 2nd of 6 Free Spots in K&N Sponsored Talent Search

Riverside, California - Kyle Capodice of Sandusky, Ohio has won the K&N Filters award for young WKA racers to participate in the Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle talent search Shoot-Out.

Working in alliance Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle, K&N Filters is awarding young drivers $5,000 to $25,000 sponsorships for car racing. Up to 40 top young drivers will be selected to participate in driver try outs at the 2010 Shoot-Out. K&N Filters is also awarding six free spots in the 2010 RSWC Talent Search Shoot-Out to young racers from various forms of youth motorsports.

Many successful car racers today, honed their skills driving something smaller, such as Karts, Legends, Quarter Midgets, Mini/Micro-Sprints, Dirt Karts and other forms of youth racing.

Capodice is an accomplished 15 year-old racer who has won four WKA national championships, seven regional championships, and two WKA Grand National championships. He has also been featured on the cover of WKA's Karting Scene magazine. "I just really want to thank K&N Filters and Ron Sutton for this opportunity," Capodice said. "Their support was very important and if it wasn't for K&N I probably wouldn't be able to make it out."

The Shoot-Out process is designed to identify talented, young drivers with the potential to achieve a driving career in NASCAR. The deadline for drivers to submit resumes is October 25th, 2010. The Shoot-Out will be Capodice's first time testing in a full-sized race car, as Capodice will drive a USAC Ford Focus Midget race car during the three day test.

"I'm very excited and I hope I can drive the car well," Capodice said. "A full size race car is a lot different than a kart, but NASCAR is my main goal, so this is the next step for me."

Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle is known as the largest and most comprehensive NASCAR focused Talent Scout and Driver Career Development Program. In the last year, RSWC has coordinated a Talent Combine in North Carolina with four top RSWC drivers testing with NASCAR Cup Teams, an individual RSWC driver test with a NASCAR Cup Development Team and guided a female RSWC driver successfully into the fully funded NASCAR Drive for Diversity program. In addition, two RSWC Drivers secured career building sponsors to sign with top teams for 2011.

"We're pretty excited to see young Kyle Capodice test in the full size race cars. Obviously he has a ton of talent as proven by his many successes in the tough WKA karting series," stated head of driver development Ron Sutton. "K&N Filters support is the key to drivers like Kyle getting an opportunity to drive a top notch race car, and of course, getting their shot to show what they can do and hopefully parlay that into being developed to a racing career."

Young winning drivers ages 11 to 20, and their parents, are encouraged to get all the information and answers to common questions from the web-site, then submit their resume by the October 25th deadline, in time to be considered. The web-site is www.Winners-Circle-Racing.com

10-14-10 NNKC Championship Race #7 Finale

The season is in the books as the NNKC wrapped up 2010 with a bang. This was a make-up race that had all the makings of some good old fashioned hard racing. 52 karts came out and many drivers saved their best driving for this last race.

Kid Karts were the first karts to hit the track on this beautiful 75 degree day. 2 little champs ripped around the 1/2 mile layout. Gavin Van Cott and Bank Sombatsiri were neck and neck most of the day with Van Cott winning all the heats and coming in 1st in the main event. Both boys took home the 1st place trophies that they worked hard at receiving. The club is looking forward to seeing these two little guys next year as they both have bright futures in the sport.

The Formula 80 Masters group has been a pleasant surprise all year long. The mainstays in the class of Mark Nason, Cody McKinney, Gerry Williams, Ben Fisher and Steve Dow ran all year long including long time NNKC shifter driver Mike McMullen. But it was Williams who would take advantage of Nason's absence to put down a fast lap of 37 flat, .4 tenths quicker than his counterpart McKinney! The first heat saw McKinney pass Williams and the two would check out away from Dow. That’s how they would finish that heat. The 2nd heat saw McKinney drop after 5 laps. Williams would do all he could to hold off Dow at the end. The 2 would pull a 7 second lead on Fisher before crossing the checkered flag, while McMullen finished 4th. That set the stage for the main event. Williams would take the lead only to see McKinney snatch it back before the lap was over. McKinney and Williams would walk away from the pack and finish the race in that order, with McKinney getting his 1st win of the season. Williams would come in 2nd. Behind them, the battle for third was intense between Dow and Fisher. Dow would lead Fisher until the last lap, when Ben would make the pass for the 3rd finishing position. Dow would finish 4th, followed by McMullen and newcomer Jeff Ridgel. Your 2010 Class Champion is Mark Nason. Congrats!

In the Jr1-2 cycle class 4 kids came to do battle. With the championship already decided, the 2010 Champion Jeremy Kay and his main rival Garrett Dixon opted to sit out and cheer on and help their fellow racers on this beautiful day. The day started with Conner Van Cott coming out and taking pole, which also is his first track record. The top three were within .1 tenth of each other. In the first heat, after Dave Brant settled and slowed the young front row down, the 3 lead cars showed some good tight drafting and put on a great show. Turbo Sombatsiri showed his speed throwing down fast lap. First time racer, Holly Dixon, did a great job paying attention, holding her line and pointing the leaders by when she got the blue flag. A late race tangle earned her a 2nd place heat finish behind Van Cott. The second heat found Isaac Wyett leading the pack to the green. Van Cott showed that his coaching day with Race Karts Inc. was worth every penny as he worked his way from the back to take his second win of the day. In the main, it was a good show as Wyett threw down fast lap but as the laps added up, Wyett's #08 and Sombatsiri’s #99 started tightening up and was no match for Van Cott's #8 Top Kart. It was an impressive sweep of the day for the first time winner. All these young guns are going to have to be taken serious next year!

F-125’s roared out onto the track next. Long time master driver Mitch Kennedy would be able to hold off his good fiend Mark Nason, in which both of them are driving identical karts. Kennedy would grab pole with a 36.2, beating Nason by 4 tenths. The first heat would show a fierce battle as the two would battle bumper to bumper the entire time. John Morgan would have to retire early for mechanical problems. Rich Adams would finish in 3rd trying his best to catch the twosome. The 2nd heat invert would see Nason take the lead followed by Adams. Kennedy would quickly take the 2nd position from Adams and give chase to Nason. That’s how they would finish the heat with Morgan breaking once again. The main event was just as good as the previous heats. But this time, like the 1st heat, it was all Kennedy with Nason on his rear bumper. Nothing changed the entire way. That's how they would finish, with Kennedy taking 1st, followed by Nason in 2nd. Morgan would hold on to finish the main and take the 3rd spot, ahead of good friend, Dr. Adams. Your 2010 Class Champion is Mitch Kennedy. Congrats!

Tag Novice came out in full force. 11 karts total with 1 HPV-4 entry of Greg Hanson that ran in the back of the Novices. This group has been solid all year. Sean Doyle, who has shown the ability to race with 6 time race winner Matt Koerner, blistered a fast lap time of 38.4, followed by M. Koerner's 38.6. In the 1st heat, S. Doyle would have the lead until lap 7, when M. Koerner would make the pass for the lead. That enabled Chris Yochum (2nd) and Tom Koerner (3rd) to squeeze by as well. That's how they would finish that heat. The 2nd heat showed something different as point’s leader M. Koerner would not be a factor after having to drop out after lap 1 with mechanical failures. That left Javier Avila to grab the lead from Don Faris on the 1st lap. Faris would fall from 1st to 6th by lap two. By lap four, Avila would get passed by T. Koerner, C. Yochum and S. Doyle, where the three drivers would run away from the pack in impressive fashion. T. Koerner would win that heat. The main was something special. C. Yochum would drive his kart to the lead followed by T. Koerner. But S. Doyle would make his pass stick on T. Koerner on lap two for 2nd place. S. Doyle would then give chase to C. Yochum who was fleeing ahead. In the mid pack, a battle was going on between Avila, Cody Goodsell and Bruce Garafola. The 3 were seen having some good, close racing. In the front though, it was S. Doyle making a pass on lap 11 on C. Yochum. S. Doyle would hold on to the lead for just 2 laps until C. Yochum got his position back. S. Doyle would fall seconds behinds on a mistake and T. Koerner would take over the 2nd spot. That's how they would finish with C. Yochum getting his first win at Desert Park Raceway followed by T. Koerner in 2nd, S. Doyle in 3rd and Cody Goodsell in 4th. Your 2010 Class Champion is Matt Koerner. Congrats!

Next up was the Jr/Sr Clone class. A fight for the championship would be between Terry West and Dave Schilt at the end of the day. Grabbing overall pole was new Jr Clone driver Austin DeMent with a furious pace of 42.6, two tenths quicker than Ray Andrews 42.8. The first heat saw DeMent pull from the field and win easily, opening up a 2 second lead over 2nd place Andrews, followed by Dave Schilt in 3rd. 10x National Champion Jess Peterson would struggle in his loaner kart finishing well back in 6th. The 2nd heat brought out more great racing. Peterson would be on pole on the invert but was flabbergasted with sudden passes by DeMent, Andrews and West by lap four. They would finish in that order, DeMent 1st, Andrews 2nd, West 3rd, Becky Knapp 4th, followed by Dave Schilt in 5th. As the main event loomed, West and Schilt new what was at stake. The green flag dropped and DeMent would never look back, finishing in 1st position by 7 seconds over 2nd place Ray Andrews! Andrews did a phenomenal job in his last race before he sets off to basic training in the Navy! But the battle was for the championship. Schilt would get some distance between him and West in the first 3 laps until finally West was able to get by B. Knapp and start reeling in Schilt. The momentum was on West’s side and nothing was to stop him from diving deep into turn 2 on Schilt on lap four. West would make the pass stick, with Schilt trying desperately to keep up. West proved to be on another planet and drove away to finish 2nd over B. Knapp in 3rd and the disappointed Schilt in 4th. Your 2010 Class Champion is Terry West. Congrats!

2nd to last group up for the day belonged to the Formula 80 Senior class. Kevin Tanaka came out as usual and grabbed pole with a staggering time of 36.8 over Mark Nason’s 36.9. 1st heat results would show Tanaka pulling a 1 second victory over Nason in 2nd. Gerry Williams would have an excellent run as well, a couple seconds behind them in 3rd. The 2nd heat invert saw one of the best races of the year. Cody McKinney would take the holeshot followed by Williams and Nason. Tanaka would make the pass down the straight on Nason and set his sights on Williams. One lap later, Tanaka would get Williams at the same spot as he did Nason. At the end, McKinney would hold off Tanaka by a tenth of a second at the line with the top 4 finishing within .8 tenths of a second apart! That made for an exciting main event. Tanaka would take the green and lead from start to finish in commanding fashion. The fight was behind though, with McKinney, Nason and Williams dicing it out, old school ways. Williams, in 4th, would make the pass on Nason on lap 5 for the 3rd spot, then set his eyes immediately on McKinney. Williams would blow by McKinney for 2nd place leaving Nason to pass McKinney on lap 7 for 3rd spot. That’s how they would finish, Tanaka in 1st, Williams 2nd, Nason 3rd, McKinney in 4th and Steve Dow in 5th. Your 2010 Class Champion is Mike Botelho Jr. Congrats!

Last up for the day was the TaG Masters class. Like the clone race, this class had 2 drivers tied at the top of the standings in Brian Rivera and Dan Harris. Winner would take all! They would be joined by National drivers Glenn McKinnon and David Harwin, adding some spice to the class. McKinnon would make an early statement (37.31) by out qualifying Rivera (37.37) by 6 hundreds of a second. The first heat saw McKinnon take the holeshot. Harwin would get a great start from 4th and come out of turn two in 2nd place followed by Rivera. On the same lap, Harwin would power his Rotax by McKinnon going up the hill to turn 7 for the lead. McKinnon and Rivera would battle for 2nd with Harris tucked in right behind in 4th. That’s the order they would finish the heat. The Heat 2 invert saw Harwin take the holeshot from John Morgan in 2nd and pull away. Rivera (3rd) and Harris (4th) would follow. Rivera would make the pass on Morgan on lap two coming out of turn 3 heading into turn 6 and set his eyes on Harwin. McKinnon would pass Harris and Morgan on consecutive laps and fall in behind Rivera. Rivera would catch Harwin and make the pass for the lead on lap 6. Rivera would win the heat followed by Harwin, McKinnon and Morgan. Harris would break his clutch and have to retire from the heat on lap 7. That brought out the main event with Harwin on pole and Rivera off pole. The green flag dropped and Harwin would take the P1 with McKinnon sliding in to 2nd. Rivera would tuck in behind McKinnon and the 3 would start to pull away from the pack. Rivera would set up McKinnon down the straight for the pass into Turns 1-2 for 2nd place. That left Harwin in the lead. Harris would DNF on lap 2 with mechanical problems that would end his championship bid. First year driver Morgan and Curt Baker would have a heated battle for 4th throughout the main, with Morgan holding off the veteran Baker for 16 laps. At the front, Rivera would pass Harwin down the straightaway going in turn 1, eventually cruising to the 1st place finish and earning the TaG Masters Championship along the way! Harwin would finish 2nd, McKinnon 3rd, Morgan 4th and Baker in 5th.

A great year was had by the NNKC. An average of 63 karts per race over 7 races were the final numbers. The Sr Clone class was so much a success that the club will run a separate Jr 2 Clone class in 2011, and talks are in the works for a Jr 1 Clone class as well. TaG classes were absolutely incredible with close to 19 TaG Novice drivers racing with us and many are planning the big jump to TaG Senior and Masters. Our shifter pilots endured another long year as most of them ran double classes in F-80 Senior and Masters. The club is proud to have these guys here with us as they make up the best group of shifter pilots on the West Coast. Period! Jr 1-2 Cycle has many up and coming young talents who look to push for a championship in ’11 as well. Our F-125 class was steady this year with lifetime member Mitch Kennedy keeping it together. The NNKC would like to thank Dave Brant for exceptional flagging, Glenn McKinnon and Ed Diederich for awesome race Directing, Shari Dow for excellent scoring, Sandy Diederich/Chelsi Wagner for awesome registration work, Bill DeMent for track improvement work, and NorCalKarters.com and WestCoastKarters.com for heavy duty promotional services. We have a lot on tap for next year. Follow us and we’ll see everyone next year!!!

10-14-10 Skusa Super Nationals XIV Boasts Largest Purse in Races History

Record prize money and long list of special awards highlight sports biggest event

Not only will it be the single biggest karting event in North America in 2010 at an expected 450-plus drivers, but the 14th annual Superkarts! USA SuperNationals will also feature a record-setting prize package of over $70,000. The awards program for this years Las Vegas spectacular is diverse, ranging from cold hard cash to a trip to Italy for a world championship event in 2011 for a deserving TaG Cadet driver. Heading into the race, SKUSA has already presented free SuperNats entry packages and guaranteed starting spots to a number of drivers who excelled on the Pro Tour, and when its all said and done, they will dole out their new national number plates and complimentary entry fee packages to their nine Pro Tour champions. All in all, this will be the most lucrative SuperNationals in the history of the event.

The total prize money being awarded at this years race will be a staggering $39,500, including both the event purse and the Pro Tour championship points fund. The purse will be awarded to the three Pro classes on the schedule KZ2, S1 and TaG Senior. The international KZ2 category is positioned in the prime 1:00 pm time slot on SuperSunday and the drivers will once again vie for a $20,000 purse that will be split among the top-five in the class; a cool $10k going to the victor. For the first time in event history, both S1 Pro Stock Moto and TaG Senior will be gunning for cash as well, as each class will enjoy a $1,750 purse with $1,000 being awarded to the winner.

The KZ2 class, or ICC as it was when it became our headliner in 2004, is always an amazing event at the SuperNationals, putting our top North American shifter drivers up against the best pilots and factory teams from Europe, commented Tom Kutscher, Superkarts! USA President. Even though weve sharpened our focus on the Stock Moto program in recent years to give our customers what theyre asking for, I feel that its important to SKUSA and the event itself to be able to offer a spotlight for the international formula of gearbox racing. Weve got the big money up for grabs in KZ2 once again and weve added prize money for the S1 and TaG Senior drivers this year! As always, were focused on making the race a little better every year and this was one of the key points in our improvement plan for 2010.

In addition to the purse for the event itself, a further $16,000 sits in the vault waiting for the inaugural champions of the Superkarts! USA Pro Tour. After beginning the season with the SpringNationals at Infineon Raceway in April and then the SummerNationals in Shawano, WI in July, this falls SuperNats will be the cap to the series and will have $5000 on the line for the champions in S1 and TaG Senior. Second and third in the standings will also be awarded for their efforts, as they will receive $2000 and $1000, respectively.

The S1 and TaG Senior mains will be even more exciting as the Pro Tour championships are on the line as well, and being able to award $16,000 in title winnings is a source of pride for us, Kutscher continued. Our goal with the Pro Tour was to launch two new national events during the season that would build excitement for SKUSA and support our racers. I know that weve done that and I cant wait until 2011. Next year, the top-three championship finishers from each class will also be able to show off their new national numbers plates, which will be cool. When I was racing, I wanted that national #1 so bad, and Im sure this kind of desire will fire up again.

As stated, Superkarts! USA will be bringing back the much sought-after National Number Plate program, awarding the prestigious plates to the top three drivers in all nine Pro Tour point championships. Wherever one of these drivers competes, they will be highlighted by their prestigious numeric graphics. SKUSA is returning to the time when having the #1 on your kart actually means something.

In addition to cash purses and points fund, SKUSA has already offered up a free SuperNationals entry program to the point leader in TaG Junior after the first two rounds of the Pro Tour. NorCals Luis Tyrrell won three of the four main events at the first two races to lead the points chase and, as a result, was awarded complimentary entry, fuel, oil and two sets of MG tires for this years SuperNats. Hes also in the drivers seat for the championship, but he will have 70+ TaG Junior challengers in his bid for the top step of the podium.

One of the most intriguing rewards program from the Pro Tour will provide 15 drivers with a valuable card to play on SuperSunday, if needed. The top five drivers in Pro Tour points in all nine classes were promised guaranteed starting positions in their respective main events at the SuperNationals, should their class be opened to over 40 competitors. Now that the grids are all but finalized, the staggering entry numbers is S4 Stock Moto Master, TaG Senior and TaG Junior will give the top 5 drivers in the current Pro Tour point standings a straight transfer into the final should they encounter any difficulty in the heat races, which is hugely important. If necessary, these drivers will start at the tail of the 40-kart field and will be given a second chance to run for the championship.

For the 14th annual SKUSA SuperNationals, Superkarts! USA is also pleased to announce a new partnership unique to the sport of karting with renowned French watchmaker Bernard Richards Manufacture (BRM). The company has a vast relationship with motorsport, with numerous partnerships in both open wheel and prototype racing. The brand is synonymous with precision and excellence, offering a line of luxurious chronographs featuring precise automatic movement. BRM has agreed to offer a handsome prize package for this years TaG Senior and S4 Stock Moto Master race winners. Each will receive a one of a kind, custom-built commemorative watch to recognize their achievement. Its a prize worthy of a SuperNationals win and has a retail value of approximately $5,000 USD.

Its bad ass, remarked Kutscher. For years, weve sought partnerships that yielded direct benefits to our racers. With an opportunity to win a one-off luxury time piece from BRM, it doesnt get any more direct than that.

SuperSunday will be a big day for many of SKUSAs top racers, as the champions of the Pro Tour will also be crowned and awarded with more than just their new national number plates. The launch of the TaG Cadet category this year was a building block for SKUSAs future, but no one could have predicted the explosion in support that will see a full field of 40 drivers on the grid at the SuperNats. In keeping with the explosive growth of this new category, the Pro Tour champion in the TaG Cadet class will be rewarded with an amazing opportunity, as he will be heading to the 2011 Rok Cup International Final in Italy, thanks to a support package offered by Vortex.

Last but certainly not least, in the deciding of the Pro Tour titles, Superkarts! USA will be able to recognize its inaugural Circle of Champions, all of whom will receive complimentary entries for the 2011 Pro Tour. These packages have a value of over $1,100 each. It is SKUSAs stated goal to keep its best drivers in the sport, and this prize package is designed to support its racers as they continue developing as karters.

This list of purses, awards and prizes is the culmination of a year of hard work and effort, and the result is important to the future of the organization and the support of SKUSAs drivers. Simply put, this 2010 Superkarts! USA SuperNationals will be the most lucrative in its 14-year history. The prize package is now valued at over $70,000 and like the growing entry list for the SuperNationals, it is the largest ever for this great event.

NEWSFLASH #1: The S2 class is now SOLD OUT at 40 entries (as of 10/11), and SKUSA headquarters is taking wait listers. Call 951-491-0808 or email info@superkartsusa.com to get on this wait list. Only cancelled entries will allow wait listers in this class will not go over 40 entries.

NEWSFLASH #2: The RIO is almost sold out! Less than 20 rooms remain available at this moment at the special SKUSA room block pricing and this pricing expires THIS WEDNESDAY, 10/13. Click on http://www.superkartsusa.com/national/skusa-supernationals/hotel-and-accomidations.html for more info and to take advantage of SKUSAs special negotiated rates before they are gone!

10-9-10 Bondurant Championship: Albiani Wins Driver Search Grand Prize

Dylan Albiani emerged from the first Bondurant Driver Search with a fully funded ride in the 2011 Bondurant Championship Race Series

After two days of intense competition in the Bondurant Driver Search, Dylan Albiani distinguished himself from the field of contestants to earn a full season ride in the 2011 Bondurant Championship Race Series a prize package worth over $20,000.

A total of 13 competitors converged on the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving on October 4th to be evaluated in a variety of driving exercises in Chevrolet Corvettes and open-wheel Formula Mazdas. Albiani, of Modesto, Calif., showed steady improvement throughout the two-day competition, and excelled where it counted most: in the purpose-built Formula cars. He also impressed in interviews with a panel of judges that included Jeremy Shaw of the Team USA Scholarship, Lyn St. James, Darren Law, ASA Racings Larry Pond, and Neil Alberico, champion of the inaugural Bondurant Championship.

This is definitely the biggest accomplishment of my young racing career, said Albiani, who is 17 years-old. Without this prize I wouldnt have been able to race nearly as much next season, and I hope to use this experience in the Bondurant Championship to move up the racing ladder. Id like to thank Bob Bondurant for this opportunity, Alan Rudolph and the rest of the judges, and my sponsors Bell & Gaines, Burketts Pool Plastering, Dennis Body Shop, and Modesto Differential for all of their support.

Prizes were also awarded to the second place finisher, Ryan Winchester of Mason City, Iowa, who won a free race weekend in the Bondurant Championship. Austin Newmark, of Sierra Vista, Ariz., who finished third and received a $1,500 credit towards a race weekend. All competitors received discount coupons courtesy of iRacing.com.

We had a heck of a time deciding on the winners, but Im extremely happy with how our first Driver Search turned out, said Alan Rudolph, Series Director, Bondurant Championship Race Series. All of the drivers showed tremendous heart and ability, but Dylan really distinguished himself on all fronts.

The racing world needs to keep an eye on Dylan [Albiani] and Ryan [Winchester], who were within a hair of each other on the track and in the judges evaluations, said Bob Bondurant, CEO and Founder of the Bondurant School. Im very proud to award this full season ride to Dylan, who Im sure will do well to represent our school as his career progresses.

The Bondurant Championship Race Series began in 2009 and features equally-prepared standard Formula Mazdas powered by 13B rotary engines, racing on proper Goodyear slicks. Alberico won the inaugural season, clinching the championship with a win in the final race of the season in May, 2010. For 2011, the series will run once per month from January through June, but will retain its 18-race format and continue to offer unmatched value by including 3 races per weekend.

10-7-10 Red Line Oil Karting Championship Race #9 Recap

The heat backed off slightly on Sunday for Race #9 of the Red Line Oil Karting Championship at the Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway. The racing was tight and exciting with some first time winners for 2010. Podium finishers in all classes took home Red Line Oil, Molecule suit cleaning product or Uncle Joe's BBQ sauce along with their trophies. The top three IAME TaG drivers took home a $50, $25 and $15 IAME gift certificate from Italian Motors USA. The GoPro featured class was Rotax Masters, the winner taking home the GoPro Hero camera.

Rotax Masters

Rotax Masters was the GoPro featured class of the day. Nine drivers lined up for the Masters race with Andre Eriksen taking the pole ahead of Barry Lee and Jerry Pretti. In the first heat, Erisken took the lead at the start and was closely followed by Lee. Lee spun early on going into a hairpin and had to rejoin the field in last place. Eriksen went on to the win, Pretti second and Cameron Evans third with Lee recovering to take fifth. In the second heat, Eriksen took the early lead with Lee close behind, but this race Lee did not make any mistakes and finished in a comfortable second followed by Pretti.

In the Main, Eriksen pitted on the warm-up lap with a problem, and had to start the race in last place, but his kart was still not right and he pitted to take a DNF. Lee took the lead at the start followed by Pretti, Evans and John Breidinger and that is how they ran the whole race. This was Barry Lee's first feature win and only the second time this year that Eriksen did not take the top honors. Inspite of his ninth place finish, Eriksen clinched the class championship. For the win, Barry Lee won the GoPro Hero Camera.

Rotax DD2

The two speed Rotax class saw January Grove take the pole over fast new comer Andre Eriksen with Dave Moody third. In both heats, Grove took the lead at the starts with Eriksen right behind and Moody staying close for the first few laps, but in the end, Grove took the heat wins by about 1 second. At the start of the Main, Eriksen took the lead at the drop of the green with Grove falling back a bit. By lap two, January had caught up and made a clean pass on one of the interior hairpins of the Reverse Sprint track layout to take the lead. In the next turn, Eriksen tried to get inside Grove to retake the lead when the two karts came together and Grove went spinning. Grove recovered and was third when she rejoined the race. She proceeded to catch Dave Moody to take second, but did not have enough time to chase down Eriksen. After the race, Eriksen was assessed a one position penalty for his pass attempt that caused Grove to spin off thus the final results was Grove with the win, Eriksen second, Moody third and Bob Olson fourth.

80 Masters & 125 Stock Moto Masters

Nine karts took the green with the front row being filled with the 125 Moto karts of Steve Cameron and Nick Galante. The top 80 qualifier was Mark Nason ahead of Marc Stanley and Greg Richter. In the first heat, Cameron took the lead and won flag to flag. In the 80 battle, Nason took the lead at the flag and cruised to the class win. Richter got the jump on Stanley and Tom Nelson to take second which he held for the eight lap race. In the second heat, Cameron again took the overall win over Galante, but the 80 class got interesting as Nason dropped out mid-race handing over the class lead to Richter with Stanley and Nelson behind.

At the drop of the green for the fifteen lap Main, Galante took the early lead with Cameron close behind and Richter had a rocket start to take a strong initial lead in the 80 class with Stanley secon and Nason third. Cameron made the pass to take the lead on lap three and cruised home for a 7 second win. In the 80 class, Nason had to first dispatch of Stanley then he had to chase down the improving Richter which he did late in the race to take the class win. Richter took a strong second with Nelson over taking Stanley on the final lap to take third.

Senior Rotax & Cambrian Go-Karts Junior Rotax

The Senior Rotax class provided the most exciting racing of the day. In Qualifying, Raymund Bustamante, Jr. took the pole over Carlos Calderon, Sean McDonald and Niki Luna. The lone Junior, Brody Zink was fifth on the grid. This was Luna's first Senior race having raced in Junior TaG prior to this race. In the first heat, the two first row drivers drag raced to turn one neck and neck with Calderon sweeping through turn one first to take the lead. Bustamante stayed right on the bumper of the class points leader, but could not get close enough to make a pass. McDonald finished third a half second back with Matt Powers coming home fourth after starting ninth. Zink took sixth. The second heat is where the drama got interesting. Again, Calderon took the lead from the outside position with Bustamante right behind. Bustamante made a pass attempt early on, but instead of a pass for the lead, he and Calderon spun off. Calderon rejoined the race in eighth, Bustamante had to pit with kart damage. Luna took over the lead with Powers coming through the field looking like he could take the pole for the Main start. Then disaster struck Powers as his axle broke. Luna came home first followed by McDonald and Amber Friedberg with Calderon recovering to take fifth just behind the fast junior Zink.

In the Main, Calderon was on pole with McDonald on the outside of the front row. Calderon controlled the start and took the lead early on with Luna sneaking into second place at the green from his third starting spot. McDonald struggled in the early laps and was under intense pressure from Bustamante, Powers and Zink. Powers was the first to get by McDonald, then Bustamante. McDonald tangled a bit in tic-tac-toe allowing Zink by. Up front, Calderon continued to lead and actually started to pull away some on his way to a 1.7 second win, his first feature of the year. Luna took second just ahead of the charging Powers with the junior Zink coming home fourth followed by Bustamante and Friedberg. With the win, Calderon clinched the class championship, but a battle for second in class still is to be decided at the next race between Bustamante and Friedberg.

Rotax Mini Max

With seven drivers, Michael Avansino took the pole ahead of Annie Breidinger, Toni Breidinger and Colin Daley. In the first heat, Avansino took the lead at the drop of the green, but was closely followed by Annie Breidinger, the Micro Max class champion who moved up to Mini Max five races ago. Toni Breidinger had a bit of trouble and Daley took advantage to take over third with Wilson Skjerven close behind. Avansino took the heat win less than a second in front of Annie Breidinger. In the second heat, again Avansino took the win with Annie Breidinger three seconds back. Daiey took third, Toni Breidinger fourth and Skjerven fifth.

In the Main, Avansino took the early lead at the green and pulled away to take a comfortable seven second win. Annie Breidinger put on a third strong drive of the day to take second place with Colin Daley coming home third, his best finish of the year, followed by Skjerven, Toni Breidinger and Horatio Fitz-Simon.

Rotax Masters Light & IAME TaG

Five Rotax Masters Lights were joined by four IAME TaG karts in this combined race group. In qualifying, Mert Solis (Light) took the pole ahead of Mary Beth Wilson (Light), Jerry Pretti (Light) and Helmar Beregszaszy (TaG). In the first Heat, Solis took the lead at the green with Wilson right behind followed by Pretti and Beregszaszy. All stayed stable until the last lap when Pretti pitted, moving Beregszaszy up to third and Steve Weiss (Light) to fourth. In the second Heat, the race order stayed pretty much the same with Solis taking the win followed by Wilson, Beregszaszy, Pretti and Weiss.

In the Main, Solis again took the lead at the green and drove a smooth race to take the win 1.5 seconds in front of points leader Wilson. Weiss worked his way up to third with Beregszaszy in fourth and taking the TaG win. Pretti came home fifth followed by John Iacoviello (TaG) and Michael Torrano (TaG). Solis does bite into the points lead that Wilson holds and the class championship will come down to the last race in October.

The results of this race can be found at www.norcalrotax.com on the results page. The last race of the year for the RLOKC will be held Sunday, October 24th at the Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway, when the popular Reverse National track layout will be used. For more information about the Red Line Oil Karting Championship, go to www.cameronkarting.com or www.norcalrotax.com.

The Red Line Oil Karting Championship is supported by the sponsors below with over $20,000 in prizes available to the racers. Please click on the sponsor block for information about each sponsor.