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| June 24, 2007 News |
| EKN Trackside: IKF Sprint/Shifter Grand Nationals - Day 4 |
| Article by: Sean Buur - Go Racing Magazine |
 | Team Top Kart - PKS had a great week, including sweeping all the Duffy's on day 4
(Photo: Go Racing Magazine) |
The final day of racing at the 2007 IKF Sprint/Shifter Grand Nationals presented by King Taco and Pacific F2000 can be summed up by two words, Neil McCoy. This kid was hot all week, but really loaded up on the goods today. In fact, PKS drivers swept all the classes today with five wins and McCoy leading the way.
McCoy came into the day with three Eagles and one Duffy, but left with five Eagles and four Duffy’s. McCoy ran in three of today’s five classes and circulated the long Buttonwillow track over 100 times. It must be nice to be young, he didn’t even look tired. McCoy scored poles in Formula 80cc Limited and in 80cc Senior but Joey Barros was able to snag the pole in ICC. McCoy might have missed one pole, but he made up for it by not losing a race all day long. Robert Towne managed to lead the first few laps of 80 Limited, but his time up front was short lived. The same thing happened to Travis Duhn in 80 Senior. He led the first few circuits, but was passed by McCoy very easily. ICC was a different story. McCoy had his best start of the day in ICC and he sped off uncontested for his third win of the day. Joey Barros and Cody Hodgson had a good fight for a few laps with Barros eventually holding the position.
Misty Balser was the Eagle winner in 80cc Cadet. A good qualifying lap for her started her up front for the Prefinal. Raquel Martinez was caught napping when Anton dropped the green, but she recovered to win the Prefinal. Austin Barnes took the lead early on in the 80cc Cadet final with Balser running in 2nd. Martinez pulled it together and diligently picked off drivers one by one, eventually getting by Barnes for good. Martinez earned her first Duffy of the week after suffering some setbacks on the previous race days. Barnes held on for 2nd and Balser finished 3rd. Kyle Park completed his race in 4th and Haley Jenni finished 5th. Three out of the five drivers in this glass were young ladies. First, third, and fifth are not bad for girl power.
 | Neil McCoy left with five Eagles and four Duffy’s
(Photo: Go Racing Magazine) |
Kolby Araki was the 80cc Junior pole sitter besting Taylor Miinch, Cody Kay and Andrew Peeler. That running order remained the same throughout the ten-lap Prefinal. Miinch grabbed the holeshot to start the final, but his lead only lasted a lap. Araki put the move on Miinch in turn one and never looked back. Kay was quick to pass Peeler too, but after the first two laps the field spread out and nothing else happened.
So concluded the final day of racing. Twenty-eight entries are nothing to be proud of by any means, but I for one am glad not to have wasted three days at a separate event for 40 entries. Seriously, adding the shifters to the 2-cycle event was a great idea, too bad it didn’t pay off.
Overall the event went off pretty well with only a few minor issues here and there. It was the best week of racing I have ever seen at the Buttonwillow kart track and that is a direct result of the talented group of drivers. Sure it was not the largest IKF Grand National I have ever attended, but karting has changed a lot over the past ten or so years and gone are the days when you see 500 entries. With so many choices of where to race it is no wonder that many of the established series have seen a fall off of participation.
To this day I will never forget the first IKF Grand National I attended for the magazine in Marshalltown, Iowa. It was the hottest week of my life and I still think we might be better off selling Iowa to Canada based solely on one bad week of my life. The great grasshopper incident of 1998 is still a story I tell to new karters all the time. I hope for those in attendance this weekend they will have the same kind of lasting memories to tell newbies ten years from now about how back in the day we raced in Buttonwillow.
Day 4 Final Results |
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