Thursday Night Thunder back in action this week as the Brighton Speedway Kart Klub fired up for event #3 on the 2025 racing season
Practice and qualifying races setup the lineups for the nights feature events.
First on the grid the Box Stock 1 division with a 6 pack of drivers making the call. A pair of Hudson’s up front – MacMullen in the AP Welding #8 and VanDyk in the Simply Eclectic #41 – Hole shot start outta corner 4 and they are off, Hudson….VanDyk to the lead as the field fell in line and tried to keep pace with the fast #41. VanDyk in the top spot nearing the halfway point of the race running a dicey midtrack line at full speed, seemed to have everything under control….until it wasn’t – victory lane doughnuts a little to early – yellow out #41 to the back, #8 Hudson MacMullen to the top spot as the green flag flew again. Laps counted down as MacMullen and a hard charging #17 Keaton Chatten saw the white flag shown out of 4 – with a lapped kart in the mix. MacMullen chooses to go high, Chatten down low, as the #17 moves to the top of the scoring tower for the last lap and the win. Roslin’s Keaton Chatten with his first W on the season, #100 Bauer Cochrane 2nd, #36 Rowan Rosborough 3rd, Hudson VanDyk, Hudson MacMullen and #88 Ryker Ostrom finishing the running order.
Rookie 1 next up with #11 Bentley Fulton and #05 Liam Baldwin leading the 2nd 6 pack of the night. Fulton hard off the bottom for 10 laps of racing as he put the PHF Equine #11 in the 1 spot with Baldwin and #92 Race Turner sliding through and giving chase. Precision was the name of the game as the trio broke from the pack a little on a slick track – mistakes can cost a race. Fulton still running smooth with Baldwin slightly gaining and Turner keeping pace, 5 to go – tires getting hot, drivers getting tired. Baldwin looking to the outside of the #11 out of corner 4 – Yellow, Yellow, Yellow – a slight misstep and #05 facing the wrong way on a one way street. Fulton picked back up where he left off, putting another 1st place plaque on the mantle, Race Turner cruised to 2nd place, #41 Peyton Lambert made the podium in 3rd, Kara Veenstra 4th in the #91, Vayda Dayton in 5th and Liam Baldwin 6th.
#77 Max VanDyk, #29 Lily Walters and #15 Charlotte DeWal lined up for the 10 lap Junior Sportsman 1 feature event. MVD with a great start put the #77 to the top with a fast #29 on his heels in the catbird seat, DeWal keeping pace and waiting for the action to start. Crossed flags in the air, 5 laps to go and Walters makes a move with a little bump and run off of 4, VanDyk ready for a fight throws it high into corner 1 and slides back to the lead out of 2 – #77 in the 1 spot again. 2 to go – Walters tries inside off corner 2 as the pair come together VanDyk spins bringing out the yellow and setting up a Green, White, Checkered finish. VanDyk in the lead, DeWal and then Walters as they charge to the green – VanDyk leads out of corner 2, Walters shuffles by DeWal for 2nd, down the backstretch and into 3 as Walters closes in, #77 slips high out of 4 #29 hard to the bottom – drag race to the line – Walters with the win, VanDyk 2nd and DeWal 3rd.
Box Stock 2 karts ready to turn some laps with #44 Nora Grant and #22 Jackson Gregory out front. A 10 lap marathon had a full range of action to entertain spectators – more lights flashing, flags waving, cars spinning and people yelling then a Saturday night at the County Fair. #01 Keely Patterson picked up the win in commanding fashion running some very fast laps without incident, #39 Lucas Wannamaker passed a record number of karts coming from the back 2 times to finish 2nd, #68 Gunner Ellis back up to 3rd after tasting the chocolate doughnuts, #7 Reese Kerr a nice smooth 4th, #10 Abel Kiltz a steady 5th, #22 Jackson Gregory 6th after fighting a loose handling kart, #44 Nora Grant came up 15 feet shy of a 2nd place finish to roll across 7th and #9 Paislee Delbianco in 8th at the flag.
Stirling’s #87 Weston Mitts and Hillier’s #14 Colton White hard on the GO pedal for the Rookie 2 feature, Mitts had the bite on the inside as 3rd place starter #101 Jase Patterson tucked in and moved past White for the 2 spot. Mitts had the setup early until a few cautions slowed the pace, Colton White started to pick off spots and showed he had the kart to beat on the night. White strategically set himself up for success, moving the #14 up the scoring tower and was able to secure the top spot by the halfway point. Consecon’s #07 Connor Vancott made his way from 4th as Vancott and Jase Patterson fought to keep in striking distance of the #14, while battling for the 2nd spot. White flag in the air for White and no mistakes on the last lap – #14 with the win, Vancott squeezed out Patterson for 2nd #10 Alyssa Nolasco and eventful 4th, Mitts crossed 5th, and #48 Knoxin Wells in 6th.
Scott’s Haulage #01 Blake Gregory and Raycam #08 Lilly Ray lined up on the front row for the Junior Sportsman 2 feature. Gregory with a good pull down the front stretch and into corner 1, #08 Ray locked up the 2 spot with #7 Tate Black on her bumper out of corner 2. Gregory using the clean air up, distanced the #01 a little as Black was able to move by the Ray #08. A midrace spin by #10 Hanna Merry closed up the pack and gave Black a chance at the back bumper of the Gregory Racing ride. Green flag out – Black dives to the bottom as they thunder down the backstretch and overtakes the #01 – JB Painting #7 to the lead. From here on out it was all #7 – 3-peat winner Tate Black hauling the winnings back down Hwy #2. Lilly Ray with a solid 2nd, Blake Gregory made it back to 3rd after his midrace action, #18 Sterling Bent in 4th, #2 Liam McPeak 5th and #10 Hanna Merry 6th.
Junior Restricted hit the track next with #11 Teegan Grosse, #19 Bentley Davidson and #01 Reagan Grimmon lightin’ the fires to burn some methanol. Grosse hammer down on the inside line and Davidson moved in to secure the 2 spot momentarily as Grimmon lost a little ground on the start. Grosse had the fast low line figured out this week, usually opting for the high line as Davidson and Grimmon battled for 2nd. Halfway point – Grosse still in command, Grimmon able to move inside of Davidson and toss out a line to hook the back bumper of the #11. Reel Reel Reel – Grosse off of corner 4 with Checkers in the air, Grimmon throws caution to the wind waaay outside and …… spins. Teegan Grosse with the win. Davidson squeezes in tight to clear the #01 and cross 2nd, Grimmon rolls to 3rd.
Last race on the night – Blue Clone with 4 karts making the call. #89 Kolby Ellis and #10 Chris Lough droppin the hammer off 4, down the front and into 1 with Finley Mahoney slammin it down low and moving to the 2nd spot. Ellis running some clean laps with a hungry Mahoney machine looking for light on the inside, lap after lap until a slip by Ellls allowed Mahoney the door in. Mahoney now atop the tower with around 8 to go, right foot heavy out of corner 4 and around it goes – restart with Ellis back to the top spot. Ellis locked down the bottom this time as Mahoney works to get back by the Lough #10. White flag out Ellis with a commanding lead, Mahoney and Lough Tango-ing in corner 2 – Mahoney undressed and forced pitside. Green White Checker – Kolby Ellis with the win, Chris Lough 2nd, Jase Fargey 3rd and Finley Mahoney scored 4th.
Thursday July 24th the Brighton Speedway Kart Klub is back in action on the little track. Come on out and see the stars of tomorrow battle it out. Check out www.brightonspeedway.com<http:
