CONCORD, NC - Scorching temperatures in the triple digits all weekend long did not deter a packed paddock area at Virginia International Raceway from putting on some of the best racing of the season to date, as the Dunlop/Xeramic National Road Race Series presented by Russell Karting hosted the Summer Nationals, stop #4 of the 5 race national program.
Clearly leading the way in the competition category was the Hoosier Racing Tire Animal Heavy Class. Scheduled for a 30 minute session on track Saturday, the top 6 karts in the class ran nose to tail, swapping positions constantly for the entire 30 minute period, with the end result a 3 wide finish, with Darlington, South Carolina's Rob Garland nipping Jonathan Tedder by 0.001 seconds at the stripe, and midwest invader Regan Vehring 0.050 seconds back in third!!! While 6 karts were part of the battle for the better part of the race, the top 3 edged away in the final laps, with Tony Wimmer, David Clevenger, and Robert Garland completing the top 6. Day 2 action for the Animal Heavy Class found Vehring snaring the win over Ben Thomason, Robert Garland, Clevenger, and Rob Garland.
Packed classes were the order of the weekend, with Pascual Torres taking down the Fisher Racing Engines Stock Honda Class Saturday, besting Sky Finley, Stevn Rougeou, Aamir Hyder, and Benjamin Eberhart. Day 2 found Finley improving 1 spot in the order for the win, with Eberhart, Torres, Hyder, and Collin Johnson making up the top 5.
Jason Lorang was up to his usual grueling weekend schedule, as the midwest ace topped the West Texas Outlaws TaG Heavy field on Saturday, turning back Gary Sircy, Ashley Michel, Brad Adams, and Charles Speacht. Brad Adams took the Day 2 TaG Heavy action, topping John Bryant, Gary Sircy, Ashley Michel, and Lorang. Lorang also dipped in to the ultra competitve CKI Yamaha Sportsman Medium field, chasing eventual winner Nate Grindell, Chad Dokken, and Tim Linthicum across the stripe in Saturday action. Brandon Schenkel made up the top 5. Sundays Yamaha Sportsman Medium action found former champ Matt Michel back on top, taking the top honors over Bill Holder, Schenkel, Lamar Hilliard, and Simon Whitnell.
The WT Racing IAME Sprint field was also jammed this past weekend, with AJ Ellis drawing first blood on Saturday, taking down Greg Heberle, Clark Gaynor Jr, Travis Waddell, and Sebastian Bushey. Gaynor rebounded on Sunday for the win, besting Ellis, Heberle, Tiffany Fisher, and Waddell.
The Yamaha Sportman Heavy field was also loaded with immense talent, with Illinois ace Randy Fulks sweeping the weekends action, first besting Sean O'Shea, Scott Clark, Bill Holder, and Brandon Schenkel on Day 1, while O'Shea, Chad Dokken, Nate Grindell, and Scott Stauffer made up Sundays top 5.
Derek Somers also pulled out the broom over the weekend, taking the WKA Sprint finals both days, besting John Leins, James Leins, Louie Magiera, and George Lincoln on Day 1, while James Leins, Magiera, and John Leins chased Somers on Sunday.
Travis Miller also pulled the broom out of the closet as well. Following engine issues at Summit Point, Miller stormed back to sweep the Millers Dynotime Racing/KALL Racing Formula 100 class, besting Lance Yunck, Ian Morgan, Dennis Griffith, and Jason Lorang on Day 1, while Morgan, John Scavuzzo, Yunck, and Kristina Griffith completed the top 5 on Sunday.
Here's a look at the rest of the many weekend winners:
Animal Medium: Jonathan Tedder, Tony Wimmer
Clone LO206 Heavy: Andrew Boyer
Clone LO206 Lite: Peter Mazzarella
Yamaha Sportsman Sprint: Daniel Febroriello both days
Yamaha Sprint: Mark Justice
Junior LO206: Logan Nedelka both days
125 Sprint Shifter: Sky Finley, Thomas Dupont
Unlimited: Kenneth Anderson, Dustin Dean
100cc Controlled: Lance Yunck, AJ Reuter
Junior Enduro: Logan Nedelka both days
Junior Animal: Jordan Johnson both days
Animal Lite: Ben Thomason
X30 Laydown: JC Sanders, Gary Schenkel
B Stock: Thomas O'Reilly
Yamaha Senior: Bill Anderson both days
100cc Piston Port: George Lincoln both days
CIK/LO206 Sprint: Clark Gaynor Sr both days
WKC Open Sprint: Brad Schmider both days
WKC Vintage Open: Tony Ellison
WKC Vintage USA: Bill Anderson
WKC Vintage Piston Port: Arthur McKenney
WKC Vintage Euro: Duane Eberhart
All eyes are now focused on the season ending Grand National event at Atlanta Motorsports Park in Dawsonville, Georgia Sept 15-17, to determine the 2017 national champions. The challenging road course with awesome elevation changes will provide the perfect backdrop for the culmination of the 2017 national racing season.
Entry information for the Grand National event will be out by weeks end. All classes offered at the last two events, including Local Option, will all be made available at the Atlanta event.
On behalf of the World Karting Association, our sincerest thanks to Rodney Smith and the entire Woodbridge Kart Club staff for an excellent weekend, enduring some most brutal temperatures.