CONCORD, NC - On the heels of an awesome turnaround season in 2015, the RLV Tuned Exhaust Products Gold Cup Series is prepared for yet another successful campaign, with a strong entry count waiting for the gates to open for the series season opener April 15-17 at 103rd Street Sports Complex in Jacksonville, Florida. The Boon and Sons Kid Kart class may have Brently Miller licking his chops early, as the young driver swept both days of action in 2015 in Jacksonville. And with a couple drivers moving up age wise, this could be a good season in one regard, and a tough season for others in another, given Millers early season success last year.
One of the many items of interest from year to year is the transition of drivers to the next competitive age category. As mentioned with the Kid Kart Group, the graduating class to the Sportsman ranks includes both Blake Boon and Caleb Gafrarar. Boon will dive right into the MattMillerRacing.com Sportsman Pro Gas Animal Lite and LA South Tire Sportsman LO206 categories, as well the Friday evening shootout race paying $200 to win. For Gafrarar, his adjustment to the next level has already occurred, as the multi series competitor has already scored wins in the Mini Swift class nationally on the Bridgestone Manufacturers Cup Series, and is prepared for an assault on the Sportsman LO206 class this season.
Another driver who enjoyed the most success in 2015 in Gold Cup, and has also done some 2 cycle racing early this year is 3-time and defending Sportsman Champion Aiden Baker Crouse, the top dog in the Sportsman Pro Gas Animal Lite and LO206 classes, not to mention the Brads Heating and Cooling Sportsman Pro Gas Animal Heavy class. Crouse will be back to begin defense of those titles, as well as participate in the Friday Night Shootout Race. Also set to improve a notch in the order is Riley Kelley, a runner-up in 2 of the 3 classes that Crouse scored titles in last season. Kelley came on strong late last year, notching several national event wins. Adding Cale Hall to the mix will make the front end of this field very tough to break into for the many newcomers to the program this season, of which there are many. Other drivers looking for early season success include Brady Atwood, Elmer Edmonson Jr, Kevin Lanyi, Landon Lewis, and many more.
The Junior ranks will again be loaded, led by 2015 Junior Pro Gas and Junior LO206 Champion Matt Miller returning to defend his title. With the likes of Cody Hall, Brian Van Cleve, Alex Vrabel, Jimmy Cole Jackson, Talia Moffett, and Austin Williamson returning as well, the battle for the top shelf of the podium will again be a tough one. Cade Frazier will be another driver in the hunt for a Junior title, as well as Cody Hall. Briggs & Stratton will sponsor the Junior Pro Gas Animal Heavy class this season, while Water Medic comes on board this season as sponsor of the Junior LO206 Class.
The Senior ranks, namely the Coyote Motorsports Senior Pro Gas Medium class, as well as the Senior Pro Gas Heavy classes, sponsored respectively by Bordeaux Dyno Cams and Trackside Kart Supply, will add even more talent to the field, with the addition of 2015 Animal Medium and Heavy Mix Champion Paul Headley, as well as Cayla Chapman, one of the top female racers in the 4 Cycle ranks, moving over to compete for the title. Returning this season are Jacob and Jimmy Heavlow, not to mention Patrick O’Neal and Mike Greiner to name a few. Joining these ranks again will be Jacob Connors, a very accomplished racer last year in his first full season of Senior action. Also joining the class will be Matt Darden, Matthew Lewis, Jim Lipari, Matt Mayes, Chris Osgood, James VanDerZee, as well as Josh Stiefel, another former competitor in the Animal Medium and Heavy Mix ranks, and many more.
Some of these drivers will also be venturing into the Senior LO206 ranks, sponsored this year by Briggs & Stratton Racing and Inferno Racing Clutches. Led by 2015 Senior Pro Gas Champion Sean Meier, the field also will include Jason Yarbrough, Justin VanDerZee, Brad Farmer, Matt Tortorell, Tim Stiefel, Patrick O’Neal, Michael Clark, Brandon Myrzinski, Dustin Demattia, Caylyn Brown, to mention a few.
The all new Masters Senior LO206 class, sponsored by Briggs & Stratton, will now afford many some of the veteran drivers a chance to run in their own class for drivers 35 and over, in addition to the Senior Pro Gas and LO206 classes they run. Tim Stiefel, Matt Skaggs, and Jerry Yarbrough are some of the familiar names that will christen the new class, as drivers will run both days for a shot at the points lead coming out of Jacksonville.
The quest for the 2016 championships begin with honoring the 2015 champions Friday evening at the track in the series annual awards presentation, following the Shootout races for the Sportsman, Junior, and Senior Pro Gas classes. With the bulk of last years champions and top honorees returning this season, the Shootout races are prepped to be a great kickoff to the 2016 season, with 6 of the 11 classes paying $500 to the weekends overall winner, with 2nd receiving $250 and the 3rd place overall finisher for the weekend netting $150.
Shootout races, Year End Awards Presentation, 11 national classes locked and loaded for a new season at 103rd Street Sports Complex, home of the North Florida Kart Club, and 6 classes running for a chance to recoup some, or all of their entry money for the weekend. It all equals a great start to the season for the top 4 Cycle Sprint Series in America. The latest edition of the RLV Tuned Exhaust Products Gold Cup Series starts this weekend!!!!
To view the weekends activities, click here.