StoryTime – by Zeke McKeown
The Brighton Speedway Kart Klub back for the final event of the 2022 racing season this past Thursday, presented by Anson Construction Family and fans filed through the back gate one more time to be part of the action, as 7 divisions of racers prepped to the chase checkers.
Box Stock 1 class first on tap – season high of 6 karts on the starting grid – SV Plumbing and Heating #15 Charlotte DeWal and Lots & Lines #92 Race Turner on the front row cranking them up out of 4. DeWal on a mission, took the top spot as they finished the first few tours with a couple of hard chargers – #29 Lily Walters and #07 Connor Vancott making their way through the pack. Walters found the fast line and was able to squeeze under the DeWal machine as Vancott and #77 Max VanDyk shuffled through as well. From there on out it was smooth sailing, Walters taking home the hardware, Vancott and VanDyk on the podium, DeWal 4th and 09g Grayson McColman 5th.
5 Rookie 1 competitors rolled out next with #101 Jase Patterson and #08L Lilly Ray keeping the pace – the inside line proved to be fast as Patterson and 3rd place starter #2 Liam McPeak were able to slide under the Ray kart in the first lap. The bottom proving to be the fast place to be again on the night as McPeak snuck under Patterson and set his sights on checkers as the laps clicked off. 10 down and the leaderboard read – McPeak securing a championship at the top, Lilly Ray 2nd, Patterson 3rd, Weston Mitts 4th and #23 Alby Hodkinson 5th on the night.
An exciting division of Junior Sportsman 1 racers on the track #9 Rhys Massey and #01 Blake Gregory lit the fires. Massey had the advantage as the pack of 5 stayed in tight formation, #7 Tate Black picked his way to the 2nd spot and eventually moved by Massey for 1st. A great race with lots of changes on the scoring tower had fans on their feet – 2 to go flags shown and heartbreak for the #7 JB Painting kart as a spin out of corner 2 sent Tate behind the wall for the remainder of the night with mechanical issues. Ready and waiting #19 Bentley Davidson jumped at the opportunity – ran some clean smooth laps to pick up the checkered flag and the win, Blake Gregory back for 2nd, Rhys Massey 3rd, and #99 Bryce Massey 4th in the running order.
Let’s go Rookie 2 racing next with #31 Brody Davidson and #629 Thomas McGale keeping pace – Davidson a nice clean run off the inside put him to the front as the field fell in line out of corner 2. Just before the crossed flags showed 5 to go – 5th place starter Jumpin Jack Veenstra caught the bumper of the Davidson machine – as he let the horses eat, a drag race out of corner 2 put the Veenstra #91 in the top spot. Checkers out – Veenstra with the final win, Davidson in 2nd, McGale, #16s Sophie Deline and #27 Reilly Day rounded out the top 5.
Thundering out on the little clay oval – 9 Junior Sportsman 2 racers ready for a barn burner – Trenton’s AJ Peeters and Warkworth’s Finley Mahoney out of corner 4 to starter Cole McKeown’s green flag. Peeters with the kart to beat off the hop as he charged to 1st and tried to temporarily clear from the chaos behind him, stacking them up 2 karts wide throughout the field, points leaders #18 Elliot Stacey and #1 Coleson Gregory tried to find the fast lane as they worked forward. A mid race yellow gave #70 Mahoney the lead and clean air in front of him with 5 green flag laps left on the clock. The remainder of the race had more spins then the Tilt-A-Whirl at the county fair – but Mahoney stayed strong on the restarts and heard every word in his ear as he was first to cross the line for the win. 2nd through 5th were #76 Oliver Collins, #18 Elliot Stacey, #9 Charley Smith-Wilson and #20 AJ Peeters.
Junior Restricted had the fast 3 on the night – #07 Mason Richter, #71 Trevyn McCrillis and #9s Cooper McKeown cranked it up down the front stretch. Richter had the run off the low line and put the #07 atop the scoring tower with McKeown and McCrillis keeping his back bumper clear of any dust. 4 laps down still with #07 up front, a hard charge by McCrillis waaaay up top on the cushion as Richter moved up to protect, the McDonald Homes #9s of McKeown snuck down to make it a 3 wide battle down the straight. McKeown won the battle for a lap or 2 but McCrillis came back to win the war, a nice move and some smooth driving gave #71 the win and the championship. McKeown 2nd and Richter 3rd.
Last night, Stock Lite, Under the Lights with #28 Ashton Sanderson and #99b Jonelle Burke leading them to green – Sanderson got the lead as the field of 7 stacked up 4 wide behind him. 4th place starter #14 Holden Paul picked up spots as he got to the inside of the Sanderson ride, he found some grip down low moving the Excel Tower sponsored kart to the lead and opened up the gap as last weeks winner #01 Tyson Gregory followed through to 2nd. Holden Paul set the Go Pedal on lock and cruised the rest of the way to victory lane and his first championship. Gregory 2nd, #48 Ryan Greig 3rd, Sanderson and Burke rounded the top 5.
That’s a wrap on the 2022 Brighton Speedway Kart Klub season – we would like to thank everyone who helps to give these kids a place to race and learn. Track crew, pit crews and spectators all appreciated. We will see you back in 2023.
