Route 66 Racing Coverage
2009 Racing Coverage
Season Finals Held at Mid-State Raceway in the Rain
Springfield, IL
September 19-20, 2009
Story By: Joe Brittin
Photos By: Joe Brittin
The MyChron4 Route 66 Series presented by Margay/Bridgestone and KartLift finished off a successful 2009 racing season at the historic Mid-Sate Raceway. The event sponsor was Tyre Tech Racing, who provide a tire recycling service at series events. Over 130 entries were on hand to race for the final point positions. The predicted rain on Sunday came earlier than expected about midway through the pre-finals with all of the finals having to race under wet conditions. Saturday's weather was dry and five rounds of practice were held before qualifying was completed. About 40 teams also showed up for additional practice time on Friday made available by the Mid-State Kart Club.
Mid-State Raceway is one of the few club owned kart tracks left in the country and the hosting club, Mid-State Kart Club, had the facility neatly groomed and ready. Recent enhancements to the facility included a new hand washing station located near the concession stand and the track repairs that were done earlier this season. The mostly volunteer staff has many years of experience at hosting kart races and the profits from this event will help to make future improvements to the facility which is entering its 50th year of continuous operation. The club provided everyone a free barbeque dinner on Saturday after qualifying. A big thank you goes out to all of the Mid-State Kart Club volunteers who make these events possible and continue to provide the kart racers a great facility to race at.
Kalb Allison was the only double race winner in the finals taking the TAG 60 and Yamaha Junior Sportsman class wins. The wet conditions resulted in some different race winners who had not yet captured a final this season. Jeff Stamper picked up his first final win of the season in the TAG Masters class. Luke Baldwin won his first final in HPV Senior. Adam Crepin grabbed his first win in TAG Senior and Justin Vancil claimed his first win this season in TAG Senior Leopard. In the Yamaha Rookie class, Thayne Chapin claimed his first win and Nicholas Cory captured his first win in Kid Kart Unrestricted. The Laukaitis brothers both claimed their first class wins, Jordan in Yamaha Junior Lite and Matthew in Yamaha Senior Heavy. And finally, Justin Jennings claimed his first win in Yamaha Senior Lite. For the complete race results, visit www.mylaps.com.
The popular driver's meeting prize drawings continued at this event. A set of Bridgestone YKC tires donated by Margay was won by Chase Armstrong. Also Triple E Sales gave away three gift certificates.
About two inches of rain fell during the day Sunday. Due to the heavy rain conditions, the finals were started with single file lineups and were reduced to 10 laps. The first of fourteen classes to hold their finals on Sunday was the Jet Karting TAG Masters class. This final was held under very wet conditions and Rod Holliday was the first kart off the track when he lost a wheel just after taking the green flag. Jeff Stamper pulled out to an eight second win driving a RBI chassis over Rick Apichairuk as the rain showers increased throughout the race.
Next up was the Kevin Williams Karting Yamaha Jr. Supercan Heavy class. Eight karts elected to compete in the increasing rain as the track began to accumulate quite a bit of standing water in places. A single file start was utilized and pole sitter Jake Cole was setting the quickest pace on his Merlin chassis as he pulled out to a 15 second win. Behind Cole there were many position changes with several spins occurring in the increasing downpour. Drake Ostrom managed to work his way up to second after starting sixth followed by Tucker Cory in third.
The next final for the Dagget Racing Photography TAG 60 class was dominated by pole sitter Kaleb Allison on a Margay chassis who pulled out to large lead over Jacob Blair in soaking rain conditions. Brady Garmon finished third after battling closely with Blair.
Next up was the LSR Motorsports HPV Senior class which was still racing in very wet conditions. Luke Baldwin pulled out to the early lead however Jake Baldwin would finish just .154 seconds back in the closest finish of the day followed by Joe Matker in third. In the Streeter Super Stands HPV Junior class, only Josh Hotz elected to start in the wet on his Arrow chassis out of the five entries and was awarded the win.
The Laukaitis Racing TAG Senior class final had six out of the eight entries start in the wet conditions. Adam Crepin and Dustin Kessinger staged a good battle for the lead until Crepin was able to pull out to a two second advantage aboard his Arrow chassis. Kyle Erdmann made a late charge toward Kessinger finishing another two seconds back in third place.
Next up was the MarCo Sign and Graphix Yamaha Rookie class where 11 of the 14 entries elected to start in the wet conditions. Thayne Chapin took the early lead and held on for the win aboard his Birel as Egan Shankleton battled his way up from the fifth starting position to finish just .967 seconds back. Kamryn Sloan finished in third coming all the way from the 10th starting position.
In the Triple E Sales Yamaha Jr. Sportsman class, 14 karts started the finals under wet conditions although the rain had stopped. Pole sitter Robby McQuinn pulled out to a several second lead over Kaleb Allison and Nick Dibenardo. However Allison, Dibenardo and Grant Sandberg were able to get past McQuinn late in the race as the track was drying out. Allison took the win by two seconds over Dibenardo on his Margay chassis. Sandberg had to work his way up from 12th starting position after a DQ in qualifying. McQuinn and Christian Ledesma rounded out the top five.
Next up was the Adkins Speed Center Yamaha Sr. Supercan Lite class with nine of the fourteen entered karts electing to start in the wet conditions. Justin Jennings, racing on a Margay chassis, quickly worked his way into the lead after starting in third place followed by Brandon Cather and Eric Ginder. Fast qualifier Matthew Laukaitis had to work his way through the pack after a spin in the pre-final. Laukaitis was able to close to within .481 seconds of Jennings at the finish for second place with Cather in third place another two seconds back. TJ Keesy and Ginder rounded out the top five.
Eight kid karts lined up next for their final in the Joey Karter Kid Kart Unrestricted class. Mid-State regular Daltyn England paced the start and led for several laps until Nicholas Cory overtook him on the back straightaway. England would close the gap to .767 seconds at the finish with Cory taking the win and fast qualifier Evan Moore taking third place.
Next up was the Express Karts & Parts Yamaha Jr. Supercan Lite class where 13 of the 16 entries elected to start in the damp conditions. Jordan Laukaitis paced the start followed by Josh Hotz and Jake Cole. Jimmy Clark got caught up in a tangle and spun in the concrete corner on the start. Cole was able to pass Hotz for second but could not catch Laukaitis who used his home track knowledge to pull out to 2.547 second win aboard his Merlin chassis. Justin Stiffler, Hotz and Clark rounded out the top five.
The Viper Racing Tag Sr. Leopard class gridded next for their final on rain tires, although the track was now beginning to dry out. Dustin Kessinger paced the start but Justin Vancil took the lead down the back straightaway on the first lap. Vancil was able to pull out to a four second win aboard his Margay and Kyle Erdmann worked his way into second place on the final lap with Kessinger holding on for third place.
In the Franklin Kart Supply HPV Junior Sportsman final, Kaleb Allison started on pole followed by Brady Garmon and Jared Needham. Needham was able to take the lead and pull out to an eight second win over Allison with Garmon finishing in third.
The final event of the day was the Comet Kart Sales Yamaha Supercan Heavy class in which 10 of the 14 entries elected to start the race, still under damp conditions. Brian Zirves paced the single file start and led the first few laps. Fourth place starter Matthew Laukaitis was quickly moving through the field and took over the lead from Zirves and pulled away to a four second win aboard his Birel chassis. TJ Keesy finished another two seconds back in third place with Tim Brinkman and Eric Ginder rounding out the top five. The series awards banquet will be held on Saturday evening, November 14 at the Northfield Inn Suites and Conference Center in Springfield, IL.
