Storytime – by Zeke McKeown
This past Thursday night the Brighton Speedway Kart Klub was able to throw the green flag on the 2024 racing season. A sunny Thursday night in May, there is no place better to be than at the racetrack watching the stars of tomorrow turn some laps at speed on the little oval. Nearly 50 drivers from the age of 5 to 15 are split up into 8 racing divisions based on age and skill level and weekly run hot laps, heat races and feature events to see who will take home some hardware at the end of the night.
Up first on the track is the youngest division of 1st year racers the Box Stock 1 class. On the point the #17 Keaton Chatten and #22 Jackson Gregory, hard on the throttle out of corner 4 to take the green flag it was a drag race down the frontstretch – the Gregory Racing #22 jumped to the early lead but working the outside line Roslin’s Keaton Chatten charged back to the top spot and pulled to a commanding lead. Halfway point and Chatten began to catch some lapped traffic – inside – outside – inside… then way inside catching a bad break and bringing out a yellow flag. Opportunity struck and Jackson Gregory was ready this time, a great restart and a great line for the remaining laps put the Like Nu Driveway Sealing #22 in victory lane for the 1st feature win on the season. Running order at the finish line 2nd to 6th #10 Abel Kiltz, #44 Nora Grant, #17 Keaton Chatten, #41 Hudson VanDyk, #7 Reese Kerr.
Rookie 1 division up to the grid next – #07 Connor Vancott and #88 Jase Fargey ready for a 10 lap battle, with the sun starting to drop down behind the main grandstand. The Greg’s Truck and Trailer #07 of Vancott had the kart to beat using up the fast inside line as Fargey, #11 Bentley Fulton, #37 Ella Wannamaker and #13 Vayda Dayton put on a show and tried to keep pace. Checkers in the air and Vancott with the W – Fargey 2nd, Wannamaker with a hard charge to 3rd, followed by Fulton and Dayton.
5 Junior Sportsman 1 drivers lined up tight to take the green flag from starter Cole McKeown – #18 Stirling Bent and #29 Lily Walters paced the field down the backstretch before winding them up. Bent hard on the loud pedal and to the lead as he set the pace Walters chased after for a few laps before mechanical troubles forced the 2nd year racer behind pit wall. Free sailing and using up the clean air – Consecon’s Stirling Bent put it on lock and drove green to checkers up front for the win, Hard Charger on the night Liam McPeak went 5th to 2nd, but ran out of time to track down the #18, #15 Charlotte DeWal, #77 Max VanDyk and #29 Lily Walters to round out the finish order.
Box Stock 2 – Hot Shoes #92 Race Turner and #68 Gunner Ellis on the hammer off of corner 4. Turner to the point with a gaggle of karts trying to keep up – a very fast race and 10 smooth Round-D-Rounds with the #92 machine at the top of the scoring tower and a freight train behind him, no mistakes and no yellows green to checkers Turner with the win, Ellis 2nd, #05 Liam Baldwin 3rd, #797, Luke Cuthbertson, #29 Deegan Sudsbury, #39 Lucas Wannamaker and #41 Peyton Lambert as they crossed the line.
Rookie 2 rolled out next with #08 Lilly Ray and #48 Knoxin Wells leading a 6 pack of karts – the RayCam #08 used the bite on the inside line to pull down the frontstraight and into sole possession of the top spot as the field doubled up behind her trying to find some grip on a slightly dusty track. Ray held the inside as #87 Weston Mitts and #14 Chase White took turns trying to roll the high line around the #08, All attempts were held off although kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. A great race and win #1 on the season for Lilly Ray, Mitts settled for 2nd, #10 Hanna Merry with a strong 3rd, #14 White, #48 Wells and #47 Colton White finished in the 6th spot.
7 Junior Sportsman 2 drivers cranked them up as #01 Blake Gregory and #19 Bentley Davidson fired first – the pair traded some paint and positions until finally Gregory moved himself on to the top of the leaderboard. Back in the field it looked like rush hour on the DVP as karts battled for any track they could get to get ahead and have their chance to catch the fast #01, but it was all just hopes and dreams as Gregory did not look back and pinned the gas pedal to the floor all the way to victory lane. Davidson 2nd, #99 Bryce Massey, #9 Rhys Massey 3rd and 4th, #31 Brody Davidson, #7 Tate Black and #54 Rae-Lynn Branscombe rounding the running order.
Vanderlaan Building Products #91 Jack Veenstra on the inside and Sunnyside Acres Ltd #18 Elliot Stacey on the top, dropped the hammer with green flags in the air – Veenstra using the smooth inside line as all 7 karts fell into draft formation behind him. An extremely smooth fast race showed the speed of the Jr. Restricted group, only 1 yellow flag in the event with a handful of laps left on the table. Veenstra on the point and one last chance for the Stacey Racing crew – Green in the air as Veenstra and Stacey pulled a few lengths on 3rd place #70 Finley Mahoney. No mistakes for Jack Veenstra and all Stacey could do was watch from the back seat, #91 with the W, #18 2nd, #70 Mahoney 3rd, #20 AJ Peeters, #629 Thomas McGale, #01 Reagan Grimmon and #10 Ryder Waterworth as they crossed the line.
Next week – Thursday June 6th is an OFF week for the Brighton Speedway Kart Klub. We will be back in action Thursday June 13th with racing starting at 6:30 pm. Keep up to date at www.brightonspeedway.ca
