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| August 01, 2008 News |
| IKF 2-Cycle Sprint Grand Nationals - Day 2 Report |
| Article by: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine |
 | Joey Licata Jr. shined on the second day of the event, winning two Duffy's
(Photo: Go Racing Magazine) |
Day two of the IKF Wayne Brown Memorial 2-Cycle Sprint Grand Nationals was the longest day of the entire event with five classes (plus Kid Karts). Tech was a little more thorough tonight, but in the end it is always worth a wait to make sure everyone is playing fair. Today was a big day on and off the track. Excitement was finally in the air. I think the Grands have been missing this spark for a few years now. It isn’t like the days ten years ago with 500 entries and tension so think you could cut it with a knife. I’m sure a decade ago people were saying the same thing about my generation of karters too. Today gave me hope for the future. People cared enough today to get in near fist fights in the pits. Race officials cared enough to eject two people from the event. I don’t condone fighting, I don’t support be thrown out of races for your conduct, but I love it for the fact that a Duffy is still important to fight for. I love that in a karting world vaster, more diverse, and deluded with series then we could have ever imagined that a little bronze man still carries weight.
Today we gained two more expert karters, and proved twice over why others already hold that title. Joey Licata Jr. was the man of the hour, unbeatable in the two senior classes he ran. Already an expert, Licata put on a show in TaG and in HPV 3. Licata’s TaG victory was an easy one as he took the lead from the start and inched away from the fight for second place. Kyle Longmore had a good run up into second, but he dodged a bullet with the laps only numbering 22. If we had gone 23 I think Howie Idelson might have finished took the spot since he was coming up fast late in the race. Chris Wehrheim and Dylan Albiani rounded out the top five. HPV 3 was a class that Licata earned every bit of. It took him nearly the entire race distance to close the gap Cody Hodgson had built up from the drop of the green. With only a handful of laps remaining he made the pass in turn one for the lead. Hodgson stayed right with him and even looked back inside a few corners later. They crossed the line almost together, with Licata getting his second win of the day. Hodgson’s solid performance landed him second and Nick Johnston finished in third. Later, in tech Garrett Wright was elevated to third when Nick’s clutch disk didn’t bare the Horstman name on it.
 | One of two new IKF Experts from day two, Jr. Super Sportsman Heavy winner Taylor Miinch
(Photo: Go Racing Magazine) |
After losing a tough one to Raquel Martinez yesterday, Taylor Miinch was on a mission today in Junior Super Sportsman Heavy. The prefinal was great as Branden Underwood challenged him for the win. Both drivers came into the final hungry, but Miinch came starving. From the drop of the green this race belonged to Miinch. Underwood, Kolby Araki, Tyler Palmer, Kyle Shriver and Kiel Spaulding gave chase early but soon the gap became more then they could overcome. Miinch brought this one home with two seconds to spare over Underwood and Araki. Martinez finished in fourth after starting the final in 17th. This was Miinch’s second Duffy after he won one a few years back in Richland, Washington. Congratulations to our newest expert, Taylor Miinch.
Also becoming an official expert was Garrett Wright, who won what was probably the best race of the day, Sr. Sportsman. The lead changed in this class at least a dozen times and just as many times I thought to myself that the race was over and Joe Karter was going to pull away. That never happened as six drivers were in contention for the win with four laps remaining. Three wide, four-wide and I’d bet six-wide was how these guys rolled to the checkered flag. Wright was by no means a dominating force, but he was shall we say in the ‘Wright’ place at the ‘Wright’ time and made a bold move during the mayhem to sneak his way into the lead. It took almost a lap for the field to recover enough to give chase. By that time he was gone and untouchable. Wright scored an amazing win, besting all comers. Bobby Kelly made a late race move to secure a fabulous second place finish while Derek Zimermann, Neil McCoy and Chris Gomez finished off the podium. Ty Matta and Neil Alberico scored sixth and seventh but were also right in the thick of things for the entire race.
 | Garrett Wright became the second IKF Expert of day two with the Sr. Sportsman victory
(Photo: Go Racing Magazine) |
Jr. 1 Heavy was another one of those all out Cadet races that you needed to see to believe. It all started in qualifying as Brenden Baker put it on pole. Zane Smith followed that up with a prefinal as eight karts finished nose to tail. Like most Cadet races, the ball got rolling early with 12 karts in the hunt for the win. As laps wound down only five were on pace to race for glory, Jake Craig, Baker, Austin DeMent, Michael Davis and Jason Hannegan. Multiple drivers led this thing, but when the chips were down DeMent came forward all in and laid down laps good enough to keep the others at bay. DeMent took a quick glance back as he led the line of drivers to the checkered flag. Craig just missed the win and had to settle for second, as Baker came home in third. Davis and Hannegan completed the Junior 1 Heavy Podium.
Day three has four classes up for grabs and I’m sure we will see more action on and off the track to keep things interesting. Still undecided is the Lake Speed Excellence award, a new award that will become one of the most prestigious awards in IKF karting. With the antics today I know of a handful of drivers who can plan on not winning come Sunday.
For photos, results or to catch up on things you've missed, visit the Official Event Page. To discuss the event or watch for updates from those there in the paddock, visit the Official Discussion Thread. |
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