Pit Board 2010-08-24

WKA's Pit Board - 08.24.2010

P. Robertson, McGough have big weekends at New Castle Pavement national

08.24.2010 - The WKA Vega Speedway Pavement Series' Rage / X-Caliber Nationals graced the quarter-mile oval at New Castle (Ind.) Motorsports Park Saturday and Sunday for the series' fourth stop on the 2010 tour.

Northeast drivers Patrick Robertson and Brandon McGough came away the big winners. P. Robertson, of Katonah, N.Y., swept the four races he entered at New Castle. He won the Briggs Jr Champ Lite and Heavy mains, which feature champ karts powered by Briggs Animal engines, and both Briggs Jr Champ Raptor finals, which run the traditional Briggs flathead-style engine.

P. Robertson's wins came over Zack Switzer in Jr Champ Lite and Jr Champ Raptor Final 1, Nick Wiery in Jr Champ Heavy and Nick Giachetti in Jr Champ Raptor Final 2.

McGough, an 11-year-old racer out of Sassamanville, Pa., triumphed in three main events. McGough bested Matt Pappa in Briggs Sportsman 2 Lite and Heavy, and added the Briggs Sportsman 2 Champ Heavy main to his win total. The only race McGough entered that he didn't win was Briggs Sportsman 2 Champ Lite, which saw Pappa drive to his only win of the weekend. McGough finished second.

Young Tyler Frantz won Briggs Sportsman 1 Lite and Heavy. The only other double winner was David Hardman, who swept the pair of over-35 Briggs Masters Champ finals.

Stephen Ford and Brayden Houpt split the Briggs Sportsman 2 Champ mains. Ford bested Wyatt Alexander in Sportsman 1 Champ Lite, while Houpt finished ahead of second-place Cameron Lovejoy in Sportsman 1 Champ Heavy.

After winning multiple races at Speedway Pavement nationals earlier this season, New York's David Schilling only won one main at New Castle. Schilling beat out Chris Hammett in Briggs Jr Lite. Hammett was also second in Briggs Jr Heavy, this time finishing runner-up to C.J. Leary.

Travis Webber and Tyler Robertson were the victors in the senior champ mains. Weber finished ahead of Gavin Soraghan and Cullen Mumaw in Briggs Champ Lite; T. Robertson was the winner of Briggs Champ Heavy over Mumaw and Ryan Breithoff.

Breithoff picked up his first national win in the senior ranks with his victory in the weekend's largest division, Briggs Medium. Breithoff won over defending national champion Tyler Gauthier; Hank Branham was third.

Breithoff almost won a pair of features on the weekend but couldn't get past Craig Wetzel in Briggs Heavy. Wetzel won the class for the second national in a row; the western Pennsylvania driver was a dual winner last month at Chapel Hill.

The Briggs Lite feature is under protest.

Owen Houpt, Andrew Morin and Bradley Wilson were Kid Kart participants at the New Castle oval. Each driver gained valuable experience while circling the Indiana track throughout the weekend.

Next up for the Vega Pavement Series is the season finale. The Bonsignore Kart Shoppe Grand Nationals go off Sept. 24-26 at western Pennsylvania's BeaveRun Motorsports Complex. Point championships and Grand National Eagle trophies will be on the line.

For the Bonsignore Grand Nationals entry blank, go to www.worldkarting.com/downloads/eb-2010/0924_beaverun_pave.pdf . Pre-registration is open till Sept. 15.

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Farmer, Robinson go unbeaten at New Castle Gold Cup national

08.24.2010 - Brett Farmer and Skylar Robinson won every race they entered over the weekend at the Russell Karting Gold Cup Series' Coyote Motorsports Nationals at the popular New Castle Motorsports Park in Indiana.

Both drivers had stellar weekends at the one-mile sprint course. Farmer triumphed in each of the six classes he entered, comprising Briggs Lite, Medium, Heavy, Briggs Animal Mod Medium and Heavy and the Friday night Animal Heavy Money Race.

The weekend marked the first time that Farmer, of Grand Rapids, Mich., had swept the Animal senior ranks in his three seasons running the classes.

Usually Gary Lawson notches at least one feature victory at a Gold Cup national, but Lawson went winless at New Castle. He did pick up a second place to Farmer in Heavy, but started deep in the 28-kart Medium field and finished seventh. Scott Kleman finished second to Farmer in Lite while Dylan Zobkiw was the runner up in Medium. Zachary Deshaies was third.

Robinson has had a terrific 2010 campaign in Gold Cup, and the Augusta, Ga., put together his best weekend of the season at New Castle. Robinson swept the four Briggs Jr divisions, the second time that feat had been accomplished this season; Jacob Donald did it at BeaveRun in July.

Robinson won the Briggs Restricted Junior main over Michael Fauci. Jacob Heavlow finished second to Robinson in Briggs Jr Lite, Medium and Heavy. In a true clean sweep, the 14-year-old racer also qualified fastest in all four classes and won all four heat races.

Not counting Kaytlyn Fauci's wins as the only entrant in the Briggs World Formula divisions, no driver drove to a double- or triple-win weekend.

Trent Barnes and Jake Lutz split the Sportsman 1 features. Barnes bested Lutz in Briggs Sportsman 1 Lite. The order was reversed in Briggs Sportsman 1 Heavy, which saw Lutz take the victory over Barnes. Johnny Smith finished third in both mains.

Skyler Locklear was the winner in Briggs Sportsman 2 Lite. Locklear earned the win over Mark Percivalle Jr. and Joshua Baker. Locklear couldn't find victory lane twice as Douglas Barnes Jr. beat him to the line in Briggs Sportsman 2 Heavy. Locklear was second and Joseph Spall IV ran third.

Steve Roberts was another winner from Georgia as the McDonough resident won Briggs Masters Medium over Jason Jons. Chris Harding, who swept the Masters classes at the Kershaw opener, finished third.

Tim Stiefel bested Jons in Briggs Masters Heavy; Jerry Vaughn was third. Connor Lund won the three-kart Briggs Super Heavy main over Ian Walther.

World Formula winner Kaytlyn Fauci's brother, Nick Fauci, was the only Kid Kart participant at the New Castle road course.

One race remains on the 2010 Russell Karting Gold Cup schedule. The series will head to one of its staple tracks in G&J Kartway in Camden, Ohio, for what is the final WKA national of the season. The GT Machine Grand Nationals goes off Oct. 1-3, when national championships and Grand National Eagle trophies will be on the line.

To view the GT Machine GN entry blank. Pre-registration is open till Sept. 22, go to www.worldkarting.com/downloads/eb-2010/1001_camden_gc.pdf .

-source: wka