The 3-win edge for Tony Kart in the Bridgestone Manufacturers Cup Series Chassis Standings has not only evaporated, several more players have joined the game as a result of the wins that were very evenly spread around this past weekend at the McLaughlin Motorsports Nationals at New Castle Motorsports Park.
6 different chassis manufacturers scored wins in the 16 races over the weekend, with Top Kart, FA, Kosmic, and Benik taking 3 wins apiece. Birel and Comp Kart also laid claim to 2 wins each over the weekend in one of the most competitive weekends in Mfg Cup history, as Tony Kart, Merlin, and Praga, well represented by tough customers, fell short of the top shelf of the podium, thus tightening the chassis race up that much more.
The end result finds Tony Kart and Top Kart tied for the overall lead with 8 wins apiece. Merlin maintains second with 5 wins, while Praga now falls into a tie with FA and Benik with 4 wins. Here’s a look at the updated standings.
Tony Kart: 8
Top Kart: 8
Merlin: 5
Praga: 4
FA: 4
Benik: 4
Comp Kart: 3
Birel: 3
Kosmic: 3
Margay: 2
Fullerton: 1
Parolin: 1
Emmick: 1
Energy: 1
Prior to the weekend, Benik, Comp Kart, and Kosmic weren’t even on the radar, while FA had just 1 win in the first two events of the season. Led by Gahanna, Ohio’s Braden Eves, who took 4 national events over the weekend, FA has placed themselves right in the thick of the battle, as 2 of Eves 4 wins came on the FA Chassis, both coming in the Fullerton Karts Yamaha Senior class.
The other FA win was equally impressive as Greenfield, Indiana’s Garrett Adams took down the field in the Allison Racing Engines Yamaha Sportsman class.
Eves talent enabled not only FA to get in the hunt, but Kosmic as well, as the young talent swept the KartSport North America Pro IAME Senior Class, also netting $1,000 for being the weekends overall champion, both days wins coming on the Kosmic chassis. And much like FA, there was a Junior win that complimented Kosmics success over the weekend, as St. Cloud, Florida driver Jeremy Fletcher took down the CRPRACING.COM Mini Swift field.
Top Karts league tying effort came primarily on the shoulders of Westlake, Ohio’s John Paul Southern Jr, sweeping the wins in the Franklinkart.com Yamaha Junior class, while Brownsburg, Indiana stalwart Kaden Wharff notched yet another win in the Allison Racing Engines Yamaha Sportsman class.
Benik entered the chassis battles as well with Miami Beach, Florida’s Reece Gold sweeping the IAME USA East Pro Swift Sportsman class, thus garnering a $500 payday for being the weekends overall champion. Benik practically owned the Swift portion of the weekend, as Indianapolis driver Elliott Cox nailed down the Sunday win in the CRPRACING.COM Class.
Comp Karts 2 wins came as a result of the impressive run of Nicholas D’Orlando in the Woltjer Racing Engines Pro Iame Junior class, thus earning D’Orlando $500 as the weekends top overall champion.
And while most wins on a chassis came with a repeat driver, the Water for a Cause Kid Kart class found parity with the Birel Chassis, as both Jefferson, Ohio’s Dusty Larson and Groveport, Ohio’s Preveil Perkins claimed the wins, giving Birel 3 wins for the season.
With the chassis battle heating up with the summer time weather, all eyes fall on the Grand Products Nationals August 19-21 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex in Wampum, Pennsylvania August 19-21.
The online entry blank is now available for those wishing to take advantage of the registration process in advance. Parking for the event will be handled by WKA. For parking reservations, contact Buddy Long at the WKA Office at (704) 455-1606, ext 112, or buddy@worldkarting.com
Special thanks to Bill McLaughlin for sponsorship of the event, Mark Dismore of Comet Kart Sales for sponsorship of the Fast Time Awards both days, and to Chubbo Budjoso of Checkered Motorsports for sponsorship of the weekends overall Championship Trophy.
Finally, congrats to Nick Landi of Old Bridge, New Jersey, a regular in the Yamaha Senior class, and winner of the Tillotson Generator over the weekend. Special thanks to Charles DiMirjian of Tillotson for supplying the generators, and your continued sponsorship.