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| May 24, 2012 News |
| Race Report: Route 66 Series - Concept Haulers Motor Speedway |
| Article by: Joe Brittin |
The Margay Racing Route 66 Sprint Series presented by Bridgestone, L&T Manufacturing and Russell Karting Specialties held round two at Concept Haulers Motor Speedway (CHMS) on May 19 and 20 in Norway, Illinois. The event was sponsored by EMJ Metals. Entries were up from last year’s May event with 227 entries on hand. The weather was much warmer than last year’s May event with temperatures reaching to near 90 degrees on both days and no rain in sight for a change.
Three drivers were able to capture double class wins over the weekend with Adam Crepin taking wins in TAG Senior I and II, Kenlen Morse taking wins in Yamaha Jr. Lite and Heavy, and David Malukas captured wins in Yamaha Sportsman II and Komet Sportsman.
The popular 12-turn CHMS track, built in the early 90s, always attracts a big crowd being located near the large Chicago metropolitan area. A big thank you goes out to CHMS owner Les Finke and his crew for hosting the event along with the free cookout held on Saturday after the racing. A live rock and blues band also played during the festivities on Saturday evening. CHMS provided beautiful gold cup trophies which were awarded to 1st through 5th place in each class.
The first class racing on Saturday was Komet Senior Lite sponsored by Jet Karting. Pre-final winner Nick Stagl and fast qualifier Brad Brittin paced the start with Stagl grabbing the lead into turn one. Stagl (Merlin/Source) gradually stretched his lead out to 2.8 seconds at the finish to take the win over Brittin followed by Michael Haggar in third. Stagl also set quick time of the race at 48.230.
 | Adam Crepin won the TAG I and II Senior classes
(Photo: Joe Brittin) |
The Yamaha Junior Lite class sponsored by Comet Kart Sales was up next with 20 entries. The final was paced by pre-final winner Anthony Granata and Michael Geringer. Granata led the first few laps until Kenlen Morse took command of the race. Morse was followed closely by Granata and Geringer with Geringer moving up to second near the end of the race. Morse (Arrow/Woltjer) held off Geringer for the win by just .277 seconds followed closely by Granata in third. The next trio of Dillon Morley, Christian Ledesma and Robby McQuinn finished about seven seconds back from the leaders. Geringer set quick time of the race at 49.077.
Next up was the CKT Racing Engines Yamaha Rookie Lite class with 11 entries.
Pre-final winner Sam Mayer lined up alongside of Grayson Shankleton at the start and Mayer grabbed the lead followed by Maks Kowalski and Shankleton. The front pack of three would stretch their lead out to 15 seconds at the finish with Mayer (Merlin/Source) taking the win over Kowalski and Shankleton followed by Adam Harrington and Blake Bauman rounding out the top five.
The Franklin Motorsports TAG I Senior class staged next with pre-final winner and fast qualifier Adam Crepin pacing the field of 17 karts. Crepin grabbed the early lead followed by Nicky DeFronzo and Keenan Hertzner. Crepin was able to pull away from DeFronzo and Hertzner worked his way around DeFronzo near the end of the race. Crepin (Merlin/Laukaitis) was able to win by 3.185 seconds over Hertzner and DeFronzo with Nick Nile and Michael Haggar rounding out the top five. Crepin set fast time of the race at 46.551 seconds. The Senior PRD TAG Controlled I class sponsored by PRD-USA/RLV also raced with this group and Brian Jacobson and Darin Marcus had a tight battle throughout the race with Jacobson (Corsa/PRD) winning by just .48 seconds over Marcus with Zack Bush finishing in third about four seconds back.
The Hollywood Crane Service Kid Kart I Championship class was up next. Mason Maine and Talan Drake battled for the lead for the entire race. Drake appeared to take the win by .216 seconds however he would fail post-race tech handing the win to Maine. Tate Steinmann, Camrin Cass, Joey Varco and Jena Rentmeister rounded out the top five.
 | David Malukas won the Yamaha Sportsman II and Komet Sporsman classes
(Photo: Joe Brittin) |
The Triple E Sales Yamaha Sportsman I class was up next with a large field of 25 entries paced by David Malukas and Thayne Chapin. Malukas grabbed the lead at the start followed closely by Chapin and Brandon Lemke. Malukas and Chapin began to pull away from the next group of Lemke, Tommy Burke and Alex Bertagnoli. Egan Shankleton, Dillon Schwanbeck, Brant Carter and Austin Schaff were locked in another battle for sixth place. On the final lap Chapin (Birel/Adkins) made a move to the front and held off Malukas by just .155 seconds for the win with Lemke, Bertagnoli and Burke rounding out the top five.
Next up was the Laukaitis Racing Yamaha SuperCan Heavy class final with 21 entries. Pre-final winner Jimmy Clark and Jason Foley paced the field at the start. Foley grabbed the lead on lap one followed closely by Clark. The next pack of Matthew Laukaitis, Justin Vancil, Collin Griffin, Adam Crepin and Kyle Prokup were locked in a battle for third. Clark stayed right behind Foley for the entire race but was not able to make a move as Foley (Merlin/Switch) held off Clark by .27 seconds for the win. Laukaitis, Crepin and Griffin rounded out the top five. Jimmy Clark set the fastest race lap at 50.275.
At the Sunday driver’s meeting, a set of Bridgestone YLC tires was given away to Killian Keaveny in a drawing sponsored by Margay/Bridgestone. After one round of practice, nine classes of racing took place with 8-lap pre-finals and 14-lap finals.
The first final racing on Sunday was the Yamaha Junior Heavy class sponsored by Woltjer Racing Engines. Pre-final winner Kenlen Morse and Michael Geringer paced the start of the 20 kart field. A pile-up in turn two would knock out four karts on the opening lap. Morse grabbed the lead at the start followed by Jeremy Klein, Geringer and Christian Ledesma. The next pack of Anthony Granata, Elliot Finlayson, Dillon Morley and Brandon Collins were battling for fifth. After a few laps, Klein and Geringer moved to the point. On the final lap, Geringer and Klein got together in turn eight allowing Morse (Arrow/Woltjer) to slip by for the win. Geringer was penalized a position for rough driving moving Klein up to second with Ledesma and Morley rounding out the top five. Geringer set the fastest race lap at 49.505.
 | Kenlen Morse won the Yamaha Jr. Lite and Heavy classes
(Photo: Joe Brittin) |
The next final of the weekend was for the Adkins Speed Center Yamaha SuperCan Lite class with 20 entries. Pre-final winner Jimmy Clark and Jason Foley paced the start. Foley took the lead on lap one followed closely by Clark. Collin Griffin and Matthew Laukaitis who were battling closely for third. The next pack of Brad Brittin, Darin Marcus and Mike Prokup were battling for fifth. Laukaitis worked his way up to second place by mid-race as a pack of four had formed at the front to battle for the win. Clark, Foley and Laukaitis swapped the lead position several times. On the final lap, the front four banged wheels through turn 10 and Laukaitis (Margay/Laukaitis) emerged with a slight lead coming down the hill in turn 11 and was able to take the win by .341 seconds over Foley, Griffin, Clark and Adam Crepin rounding out the top five. Clark set the fastest race lap at 49.273.
Next up was the Switch Racing Engines Yamaha Sportsman II class. Pre-final winner David Malukas and Brandon Lemke paced the 24 kart field at the start. The race was red-flagged for a pileup in turn one on the first lap and was restarted. Malukas took command at the re-start followed by Thayne Chapin, Lemke, Alex Bertagnoli, Austin Schaff and Ryan Weyer in a tight pack. Malukas, Chapin and Lemke were able to break away and battle for the win. Malukas (Birel/Fleming) held off Chapin by just .048 seconds in a side-by-side finish followed closely by Lemke. Schaff and Bertagnoli rounded out the top five a few seconds back.
The Streeter Super Stands Yamaha SuperCan Masters classes gridded next for their final. Dave Timmerman and Clair Ruenger battled up front for most of the race with Timmerman (Merlin/Triple-E) taking the win by .849 seconds over Ruenger. Jim Rowe, Bob Kaminski and Steve Everitt rounded out the top five.
The Hollywood Crane Service Kid Kart II Championship class was racing next. Tate Steinmann and Mason Maine battled for the lead early in the race with Talan Drake joining the battle up front late in the race. Steinmann was able to hold off Maine by .222 seconds for the win with Drake close behind in third. Mason Santiago and Jena Rentmeister rounded out the top five.
 | Start of the Yamaha Sr. Heavy final
(Photo: Joe Brittin) |
Next up was the Express Karts & Parts Komet Sportsman class with another strong field of 14 entries. Pre-final winner David Malukas and Austin Schaff paced the field at the start. The front pack of Malukas, Alex Bertagnoli, Dillon Schwanbeck, Lemke and Thayne Chapin settled in to do battle. Malukas and Bertagnoli were able to break away from the pack to battle for the win. Malukas (Birel/Komet) was able to pull away to a slight .804 second win at the finish followed by Bertagnoli, Lemke, Chapin and Egan Shankleton rounding out the top five.
Next up was the TAG II Senior class sponsored by Kart Lift with 15 entries. Adam Crepin paced the field along side of Nicky DeFronzo at the start. Crepin took the lead into turn one and Matt Stagl was up to second by lap two. Crepin (Merlin/Laukaitis) gradually pulled out to a six second win over Matt Stagl followed by Troy Hottman who worked past DeFronzo late in the race followed closely by Nick Nile in fifth. Darin Marcus was DQ’d from his second place finish for having the wrong size carb. Crepin set the fast race lap at 46.343.
The Yamaha Rookie Heavy class sponsored by Two Cycle Technology gridded next for their final led by pre-final winner Maks Kowalski and Grayson Shankleton. Kowalski took the lead at the start followed by Shankleton and Carter Cass. Sam Mayer spun off the track coming out of turn eight dropping him back in the field. Kowalski (Birel/CKT) was able to pull away to a 6.4 second win over Mayer who charged back up through the field. Cohle Santiago, Max Lambert and Carter Cass rounded out the top five.
The last final of the weekend was for the Ballistics Designs Komet Senior Heavy class paced by Michael Haggar and Mike Dionne. Haggar led for the first few laps until Dionne took command. Dionne (Merlin/Adkins) was able to pull away to a 1.867 second win over Haggar followed by Randall Phillips and Andrea Crivello.
 | Yamaha Sportsman I class races through turns two and three
(Photo: Joe Brittin) |
Merlin chassis captured the most wins over the weekend with seven followed by Birel (4), Arrow (2), Margay (1) and Corsa (1).
The next round of the series will be held at Michiana Raceway Park (MRP) in South bend, IN on June 23 and 24. Friday practice will be available. All entrants will have a chance to win a set of Bridgestone YLC tires in a drawing held at the Sunday morning driver’s meeting. For more information about MRP, visit michianaracewaypark.com. For more information about the Route 66 Sprint Series, visit route66kartracing.com |
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