|
 |
|
 |
| August 06, 2010 News |
| EKN Trackside: WKA Manufacturer’s Cup Series Show Hauler Truck Nationals - Preview |
| |
The fourth round of the George Kugler/Bridgestone Manufacturer’s Cup Series driven by Mazda takes the series to the New Castle Motorsports Park in Indiana for the Show Hauler Truck Nationals. Nineteen categories will continue their battles to decide the 2010 champions, which began back in December at Daytona KartWeek. The fourth stop comes just a month after the Zoom Zoom Grand Nationals held at the famed Road America facility, which witnessed some great racing. More fierce action is forecasted this weekend at New Castle, when the series will make its fourth straight visit to the popular 1-mile course - located 45-minutes east of Indianapolis.
While the TaG categories may be down on numbers, the competition level has not been spoiled as a strong roster of talented drivers are still vying for five different titles. Jacob Sekey holds the lead in both TaG and TaG Heavy. Making the move to Checkered Flag Motorsports/PCR at Road America, Sekey struggled in the TaG category on Saturday but remains 43 points ahead of his new teammate and South Bend winner Robert Bujdoso. Sekey extended his advantage in Heavy, scoring the win on Sunday, jumping in front of Bujdoso by 25 markers. Tommy Andersen (Franklin Motorsports/Merlin) is coming off two solid wins in Road America, now leading the Parilla Leopard standings over Michael Politis (Franklin Motorsports/Merlin) and Mark Vielgut (National Kart Supply/Corsa). Both challengers will look to earn their first wins of the season to contest Andersen for the top spot. Defending TaG Masters champion John Dixon (Indiana Racing Services/Tony Kart) has been perfect thus far, three for three, but has been challenge by Brian McEvoy (Franklin Motorsports/Merlin) and John Ferris III (Ferris Racing/Margay). Both will look to continue their charge at New Castle. Rotax has not seen the numbers that were expected at the beginning of the season. The new class is led currently by Luca Forgeois (BTK Motorsports/Arrow) with Jackson Mears (MKP/Birel) in second.
Patrick Olsen (Birel) has been the driver to beat in the Komet categories, winning three of the combined six features for Lite and Heavy, including both Grand National Eagles at Road America. Olsen leads Shinya Michimi (Franklin Motorsports/Merlin) by nearly 90 points in Lite but with two rounds to go, nothing is set in stone. His advantage is only 20 points in Heavy over Ryan Stewart (MKP/Birel), another driver who has been solid in 2010. Stewart has a combined total of three victories on the season in Yamaha SuperCan action, leading both standings in Lite and Heavy. Like Olsen, Stewart won both Eagles at the Grand Nationals in the two divisions. Michimi trails Stewart by only 15 points in the Lite class with the top eight drivers all within 100 points, including Colton Ramsey (Mark Coats Racing/Merlin), TJ Koyen (Franklin Motorsports/Merlin), Tony Jump (Margay), Dakota Pesek (BTK Motorsports/Arrow), Ryan Phillips (Bandit Racing/Adkins Speed Bandit), and Corey Reeves (Arrow). Ramsey however suffered a broken collar bone in Wisconsin and will have Jamie Sieracki in the seat as a relief driver on the weekend. Jump sits second in Heavy, back 60 markers from Stewart, but also leads the standings in Yamaha Pipe only 30 points ahead of Yamaha Masters championship leader Kevin Nelson (Arrow).
 | | New Castle Motorsports Park |
In Junior action, all eyes will be on Nick Neri (Ocala Gran Prix/Tony Kart) as the 14-year old is coming back from a broken arm suffered on July 14 at New Castle during the US Rotax Max Challenge Grand Nationals. The Florida driver had a plate and seven screws inserted into his broken arm just two days after the single-kart incident, with IndyCar Series doctors operating on his left arm. With medical clearance to race and a special brace outfitted to his arm, Neri will look to continue his charge for the WKA Triple Crown Club status. Neri leads both Komet Jr. Lite and Heavy along with Yamaha Jr. Heavy standings. Sam Beasley (BTK Motorsports/Arrow) trails Neri in Komet Lite, Shawn Sharkey (Merlin) holds the challenger spot in Komet Heavy with Austin Self (MKP/Birel) second in the Yamaha class. Beasley, last year’s Triple Crown honoree, is on top in Yamaha Jr. Lite with Sharkey on his tail, still fighting for his first WKA victory of the season.
One thing that is for certain, each of the five Sportsman main events on the weekend will most likely be decided in the final corner. Many of the finals from this year have finished that way, with the New Castle track welcoming the final lap, final corner craziness we have grown accustomed to. Cadet Sportsman has two finals to run on each weekend and has the tightest battle at the top of the standings. Ashley Rogero (Ocala Gran Prix/Tony Kart) leads over three-time race winner Austin Osborne (MKP/Birel) by just 20 points. Canadian Grand Quinlan (Birel America/Birel) and Californian Zane Smith (Team PKS/Top Kart) are right there, within 75 points of Rogero. In Komet Sportsman, Rogero has two wins to her credit, leading Gresham Wagner (Birel America/Birel) by 30 points heading into New Castle. Wagner is on top in the Yamaha Sportsman Heavy class standings with Brandon Jarsocrak (Mike Doty Racing/Haase) trailing by 35 markers. Yamaha Sportsman Lite has been a class of consistency with the top four spots held by non-winners, all looking to earn their first win in New Castle. Emerson Reed (Merlin USA/Merlin) is 40 points ahead of Rogero with Jarsocrak and Canadian Tristan VanWieringen (Birel) capping off the top-four.
In the Manufacturer Championship Trophy standings, Birel holds the lead with a total of 20 wins on the year after three events. Arrow - the leader in the EKN Constructors’ Championship - sits second with 13 victories while Tony Kart is third with 10. Merlin is fourth with five wins - scoring the highest total in the EKN CC standings for rounds two and three of the Man. Cup Series - with Margay capping off the top-five with four wins.
eKartingNews.com will be trackside all weekend long, providing full coverage of the event. Readers can watch updates throughout the weekend in the Official Discussion Thread, which will include the popular Top-10 from each on-track session Saturday and Sunday. Daily reports along with photos and results will be posted each night following the racing action as well. |
|
|
Go Top
|
|
|
|
|
