CONCORD, NC - While the numbers at the latest edition of the Margay Sprint Championships for the Bridgestone Manufacturers Cup Series during Daytona KartWeek at Daytona International Speedway were well up from the previous season, there are many other things to break down when you look a little deeper into the numbers. While the addition of the Briggs LO206 Junior and Senior classes aided the overall number quite a bit, breaking out the 2 cycle numbers alone showed a tremendous increase from last years event to now, indicating things are heading in a solid direction, as a result of solid officiating, not to mention a tremendous upgrade to the customer service program that had been severely lacking within the organization the last couple years.
2 Cycle numbers exceeded the 200-entry mark, up from the 162 entries 1 season ago, a modest increase, with the addition of the LO206 classes the icing on the cake in many ways, numbers and excitement.
Going deeper into the numbers was also another key element to Race #1, that being parity. Of the 20 races run over the 2-day period, the series enjoyed seeing 11 different chassis’s find their way to victory lane, a truly phenomenal statistic.
Leading the way after Race #1 is Tony Kart, boasting 4 wins during KartWeek, including a sweep by Jeremy Fletcher in the CRPRACING.COM Mini Swift Class? Also enjoying wins on the Tony Kart were Lance Fenderson in the Woltjer Racing Engines Pro IAME Junior class, as well as Elliott Finlayson in the KARTSPORT North America Pro IAME Senior category.
Merlin Chassis pretty much has picked up where they left off last year, taking 3 wins at KartWeek, led by Alex Bertagnoli’s 2 wins in the Franklinkart.com Yamaha Junior class, as well as Day 2 of the Pro IAME Junior class. Robert Noaker III was also able to check in with a Merlin win, taking the Allison Racing Engines Yamaha Sportsman win on Day 2.
Hoping to defend their Manufacturers Championship title from a season ago, Top Kart checked in for 2 wins, with Dakota Pesek in the Fullerton Karts USA Yamaha Senior class, and Connor Ferris taking down the IAME USA East Pro Swift Sportsman Division.
Margay made history in both 2 AND 4 Cycle, with Spike Kohlbecker notching the win in the Yamaha Junior class, while Hunter Fox gave Margay the distinction of winning in the 4 Cycle category as well, taking Day 2 of the Briggs and Stratton LO206 Junior class.
Comet notched a pair of wins as well, with Corey Towles showing the way both days in the Briggs and Stratton LO206 Senior classes, topping a 40-kart field both days. Here’s a look at the rest of the KartWeek winners, and their respective chassis.
Day 1:
Water for a Cause-Kid Karts: Indy Ragan: Praga
Allison Racing Engines- Yamaha Sportsman: Luca Mars: Comp Kart
Briggs and Stratton LO206 Junior: David Kalb Jr: Arrow
Day 2:
Water for a Cause- Kid Kart: Austin Olds: Emmick
Fullerton Karts USA- Yamaha Senior: Nick Landi: F/A
IAME USA East- Pro Swift Sportsman: Ugo Ugochukwa: Energy
KARTSPORT North America- Pro IAME Senior: Brandon Jarsocrak: Praga
With those results for Race #1, here are the updated standings heading to the April event at Go Pro Motorplex.
Tony Kart: 4
Merlin: 3
Top Kart: 2
Praga: 2
FA:1
Comp Kart:1
Emmick: 1
Margay: 1
Energy: 1
While Comet, Margay, and Arrow all scored wins on chassis’s at Daytona as well, it should be noted that those were LO206 Classes, part of the 2016 Winter Cup Series, that will not be a part of the remaining Mfg Cup events, as the series will break out into its own 2 remaining events Feb 5-7 at 103rd Street Sports Complex in Jacksonville, Florida, as well as the finale March 4-6 at Go Pro Motorplex in Mooresville, North Carolina.
The next Mfg Cup event is also at Go Pro Motorplex. WKA is proud to announce that Praga Chassis has come on board as the title sponsor for the event, which will be run April 1-3. Entry information is currently being processed, with the Entry Blank due out next week.
On behalf of the staff at WKA, Thank You to everyone for making the latest edition of Daytona KartWeek, not to mention the beginning of the Bridgestone Manufacturers Cup Series, a huge success!!!