StoryTime – By Zeke McKeown Media
Brighton Speedway Kart Klub was back in action this past Thursday night, as we near the end of July, the points battles are heating up. 40 karts signed in the back gate as drivers and crews prepped their machines to get ready for battle.
Box Stock 1 division was first to roll on the speedway for their feature event with #77 Max VanDyk and #15 Charlotte DeWal starting up front of the 4 kart field. Hard on the go pedal #29 Lily Walters wasted no time to get to the front from her 4th place starting position, followed through by the #07 Conner Vancott – Walters testing the outside line for bite lap after lap gradually pulling away until a slight misstep gave Vancott the chance he was waiting for – the lead with 3 to go! Vancott on the low line – outta turn 4 checkers waving – give the win to the JFK Remodelling #07 Conner Vancott, 2nd to VanDyk, 3rd place to Walters and finishing the running order #15 Charlotte Dewal..
#08L Lily Ray and #2 Liam McPeak led the Rookie 1 class to the starters green flag, with Ray using the inside line and pulling to the lead early, McPeak and #23 Alby Hodkinson tried to keep pace and within striking distance of the fast #08L. Lap after lap, a flawless performance by Trenton’s Lily Ray taking the top spot, McPeak and Hodkinson in 2nd and 3rd on the podium.
A group of 6 Junior Sportsman 1 competitors fired up and hit the little oval – #19 Bentley Davidson and #99 Bryce Massey controlled the pace as they rolled out of corner 4 and punched the loud pedal. Davidson held the inside and pulled a couple kart lengths as he figured out the fast line and tried to distance himself from the action behind. One thing in racing is that it is easier to follow then lead, Trenton native #7 Tate Black used this to his advantage in the main event – as he reeled in the Davidson machine with only a handful of laps remaining and threw a surprise slider coming out of turn 4 to steal the show. As the checkers fell it was Black at the top of the podium Davidson 2nd, #99 Bryce Massey 3rd, #80 Brock Beattie 4th and #01 Blake Gregory and Rhys Massey finishing off the running order in 6th.
Box Stock 2 lit the fire in their methanol burning engines as they pulled off of the grid with #48jr Knoxin Wells and #42 Liam Pakenham at the top of the lineup. Pakenham with a great start had the advantage as they blasted down the frontstretch and into corner 1 followed through closely by Wells and #87 Weston Mitts. Some very fast racing with the #42 and #48jr socially distancing themselves from the rest of the pack. In the end Pakenham held on for the W, give 2nd to Wells, 3rd to Mitts, 4th was #09g Grayson McColman.
As the racetrack lights brightened up the fading sunlight, the Rookie 2 division ran down the backstraight and through corner 3 and 4. #91 Jack Veenstra and #0 Kolton French were on point – Veenstra made it 1st into corner 1 as the field of 6 karts fought behind him. A very fast 10 lap main event some very clean circuits as drivers battled the slick track and the karts around them. Smooth and fast the Vanderlaan Building Products #91 made it look easy as Veenstra picked up career win #1, #0 French battled back for 2nd, #31 Brody Davidson on the podium in 3rd, #16s Sophie Deline and #629 Thomas McGale rounded off the top 5.
A gaggle of Junior Sportsman 2 karts rumbled out next, #89 Kolby Ellis and #20 AJ Peeters up front, Ellis with a hard run off the bottom put the Bellevue Fabricating #89 in the lead. Picking their way from starting spots 5 and 7 a couple hard chargers were on the way through the 9 kart field – #1 Coleson Gregory and #18 Elliot Stacey sliced and diced past Ellis for the 1 and 2 spots and slightly put some distance on the pack. Checkers in the air and give the win to Gregory, Stacey a very close 2nd, throw a blanket over the rest of the field – they were that close! 3rd for #19 Audrey Toms, 4th Ellis, #9 Charley Smith-Wilson rounding the top 5.
4 Junior Restricted karts paced by #07 Mason Richter and #35d Dylan Moore – the #35d of Moore made the run off the top stick as he moved into the lead. Before the halfway mark – points leader #71 Trevyn McCrillis made his way past 2nd place #9s Cooper McKeown as he set his eyes on the #35d. The Moore Motorsports #35d was setup nicely as Dylan handily counted laps in the top spot till the checkers – Moore with the win, McKeown 2nd bounced back up to 2nd, McCrillis 3rd, and Richter 4th on the night.
Stock Lite under the lights for their 20 laps of action – Excel Tower sponsored #14 Holden Paul and Greig Truck and Trailer #48 Ryan Greig on the front row of 4. Greig looked fast early with a fast #14 hot on the bumper staying in the draft and looking for more – the pair started to open a little space as mechanical issues sent hard charging Jonelle Burke pitside. Ryan Greig held on for the remainder of the race with Holden Paul the only one to challenge for the spot before the checkers waved. Greig’s #48 with the win, Paul 2nd, Grace Hodkinson 3rd and Burke posting a DNF.
Next Thursday night August 4th will be an OFF week for the Kart Klub. Racing will be back Thursday August 11th. Please keep up to date on points and info at www.brightonspeedway.com or the Go Kart Racing Facebook page.
