Archives February 2011

2-2-11 Los Angeles Karting Championship Series Interview   Name: Chris LaTorre LAKC President Track: CalSpeed Fontana,CA. Track affiliation: Los Angeles Karting Championship Series AKA LAKC or new name for 2011 Favorite food: all Favorite track food: burgers Favorite sandwich: anything BBQ How do you like your coffee: with flavored creamer vanilla Biggest race attended since you have been in karting: Supernats Vegas Biggest race you will attend in 2011: Supernats Vegas Most talented young racer you have witnessed in your years in karting: Colton Herta Biggest accomplishments: being a part of the building LAKC from almost broke to one of the largest kart clubs in the west. What is the most intriguing about The Los Angeles Karting Track: the fact that we change tracts every other month and that is located at the famous Auto Club Speedway What’s the mission statement of The Los Angeles Karting Track: We do not have one but our slogan is "come see what all the buzz is about" Anything else you would like to add: I would like to thank you for recognizing us. I would also like to invite some of the Northern California racers to come visit us this year. There will be two Cal State Karting Championship races and the IKF Grand Nationals all held at our home track of CalSpeed. We would be privileged to meet some of the racers from up North. Our dates and info can be found at www.lakc.org

2-22-11 Rain in California leads to crazy Gatorz Challenge of the Americas weekend in Fontana  If you want to change your perceptions of what Southern California weather is like, you may want to visit the region whenever the Gatorz Challenge of the Americas makes its customary trip to the Calspeed Karting Center at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. For the second straight year, racing action was forced to be postponed from Saturday until Sunday as torrential rain led to the formation of Lake Calspeed – which is too deep to be forded by any of the 102 Rotax karts entered for the weekend. As rain fell on Saturday afternoon, the downpour became too heavy during the Rotax Junior final to consider attempting the final two mains of the day for Rotax Masters and DD-2. Their races were ultimately postponed to Sunday morning. SATURDAY – Round 3 Micromax Despite being only three karts strong, the Micromax field had the strangest start of the day when all three karts spun in the first corner of the final. Griffin Dowler was the first one to get his kart pointed in the right direction and he drove away from Conner Wick and Cody Dempster, taking the first win of the day. Rotax Senior Felipe Fraga led the thirty-nine kart field aat the drop of the green flag, with Louie Pagano, Tyler Wheeler and Joey Wimsett giving chase. Fraga began to build an advantage while Wimsett worked his way past Wheeler and Pagano and began to cut into Fraga’s advantage. Lapped traffic came into play as Fraga zigged and Wimsett zagged to take the lead just past the halfway mark. Once in front, Wimsett began to pull away from Fraga and the two ran in that order until the finish, with Wimsett and Fraga making it a CRG one-two with Bobby Kelley making an impressive run up to third with Scott Saunders in fourth. Keeping his championship hopes alive after a miserable day until the final, Stepanova Nekeel charged through the field from his 38th starting position to finish fifth. Minimax With dark clouds on the horizon, the question was not if, but when the rain would fall for the Minimax final. Kyle Wick was the polesitter with Royal McKee off-pole, Sting Ray Robb third and Austin Versteeg fourth. Wick and Versteeg were on wets, while McKee and Robb were on slicks. As the green fell on a dry track, all the drivers on wets fell to the back of the field. McKee led Robb and Kami Moreira-Laliberte in the early stages. McKee was able to pull away from the field but as the rain began to fall with four laps left, Robb spun out of second place, but it was too late in the race for the drivers on wets to make any real progress – and their rain tires were trashed after running on a dry track for eight laps. McKee kept his kart going straight on a very wet track over the final three laps to take the win – his first of the season. Charging through the field towards the end of the race, Garret Gulenchyn and Nicky Hays would finish second and third. Junior Rotax The entire Junior Rotax field entered the track on wet tires as the rain turned into a heavy downpour. Parker McKean was on pole ahead of championship leader Parker Thompson and Southern California locals Jake Craig and Dakota Dickerson McKean’s lead was short-lived, however, as he pushed wide on the slippery surface and fell to seventh. Craig made the inside line work, however, as took the lead over with Thompson in second and Matthew Moniz making a good start to move into third. Moniz needed a few laps to work past Thompson for second, leaving him in the perfect place when Craig made a mistake and lost three spots. The new leader, Moniz, was shadowed the rest of the race by Thompson, but try as he might Thompson couldn’t make a pass happen and he chased Moniz all the way to the line. Moniz earned his first win of the season, with Thompson second and Artie Carpenter – who had one of the more exciting runs of the day – finishing a fighting third. Rotax Masters With the substantial rainfall leaving track conditions difficult to race on, the Saturday Masters race was moved to Sunday morning with the track conditions starting wet but quickly drying. John Crow was on pole with David Busby and Scott Falcone second and third – all on slicks – but fourth-starting Mike Daniel was on rains. Excitement happened right from the start as Crow spun entering turn one, jamming up most of the field but allowing Busby to get away from the field before a lap was even completed. Daniel’s gamble on wets seemed to be helping as he was up to second, but as the track continued to dry he would fall down the order. Bill Kann ran second with Falcone third in the early stages until he spun, allowing Ron Rosetti to move up to third. At the checkered, Busby had a massive gap and cruised across the line to take the victory, with Kann in second and Rosetti third.  DD-2 / DD-2 Masters As he did in the first race in Phoenix, Nicholas Latifi dominated the Saturday DD-2 race, leading flag to flag. Behind him, Jim Busby Jr. held off Bronson Eggert for second as the two battled throughout the race. SUNDAY – Round 4 Micromax Unlike the Saturday race, the Sunday Micromax main had a trouble-free start and Griffin Dowler jumped out to the lead ahead of Cody Dempster and Conner Wick. Dempster, however, quickly took the lead and eased away to take the win, with Dowler finishing second and Wick in third. Rotax Senior For the second day in a row, Felipe Fraga lined up first for the Rotax Senior main, with Pagano second and Bryce Choquer third. Saturday winner Joey Wimsett lined up fourth with local driver Andrick Zeen fifth. Fraga and Pagano jumped ahead of the field from the start, with Choquer up to third and Bobby Kelley jumping up to fourth. Fraga and Pagano began to pull away from everyone else but deeper in the field, Scott Saunders was moving his way up through the field while the top three drivers began to string out. With thirty-nine karts on the track there was plenty of action in the middle of the field, but Fraga made it look easy as maintained a gap on Pagano and didn’t make any mistakes as he picked his way through traffic. After leading all the finals of the 2011 Gatorz Challenge of the Americas but not getting a win, Fraga finally broke through as he took the win ahead of Pagano. Saunders completed a late-race pass on Kelley to take the final spot on the podium. Minimax Saturday winner Royal McKee lined up on pole ahead of Austin Versteeg, Christian Brooks and Justice Lepe. At the drop of the green, McKee and Versteeg held station but Brooks and Lepe went backwards, as Nicky Hays jumped from fifth to third at the start with Scott Huffaker right behind. The action was fast at the front of the field, as Hays was looking to get to the front and get there in a hurry. After passing Versteeg, Hays went past McKee in the track’s hairpin. A lap later, McKee took the lead back in the same place and Hays fell under attack from Versteeg. Twice, Versteeg attempted a pass on Hays in the pit turn, and twice Hays shut the door and the karts made side-to-side contact. Hays retook the lead from McKee and not long after, Versteeg pulled off the track with a thrown chain ending his race. Kami Moreira-Laliberte was up to third as a result which Christian Brooks right behind. More drama came later in the race as McKee was given a mechanical black flag when his rear bumper came adrift of his kart while he ran in second place, battling with Brooks and Laliberte. Hays took his first win of the season, with Brooks in second and Laliberte third after McKee pulled off the track on the penultimate lap. Junior Rotax For the second day in a row, Parker McKean lined up first for the Junior Rotax main ahead of Parker Thompson. Jonathan May lined up third and Dakota Dickerson fourth. At the drop of the green McKean held his lead while May passed Thompson for second. May waited a few laps before making a pass attempt for the lead in the hairpin. A few laps later, Thompson passed McKean and then May over the course of one lap to shake up the order again. The top five karts – Thompson, McKean, May, Jake Craig, and Dakota Dickerson – were running in a line. Dickerson moved up two positions as a result until May got into the back of him also entering turn one, meaning May would receive a penalty. At the checkered, Thompson took his third win of the season, with McKean second, May third, Craig fourth and Dickerson fifth. After May’s penalty was assessed, however, Craig was promoted to third and Dickerson to fourth.   Rotax Masters The front row was very different than the front row of the ‘Saturday’ Rotax Masters main as Paul Bonilla was on pole ahead of Scott Falcone, Steve Dzurilla, and John Crow. Bonilla held his lead at the start while Dzurilla jumped to second and Crow to third with Falcone falling to fourth. From the first corner, however, Bonilla and Dzurilla broke away from the field and began to run away from the rest of the field. The field settled into a rythm until the middle stages of the race when Dzurilla passed Bonilla in turn one and Falcone passed Crow for third place. Shortly after, however, Crow pulled his kart off track and rejoined but had fallen to ninth. In the final couple of laps, the battle between Bonilla and Dzurilla heated up as Bonilla took the lead back and Dzurilla took it back with two laps remaining. Bonilla couldn’t find another opportunity to take the lead back, and Dzurilla took the checkered flag as the winner with Bonilla second and Falcone a ways back in third. DD-2 / DD-2 Masters Nicholas Latifi led the field to the green with Bronson Eggert, Matt Ostiguy, and Jim Busby, Jr. giving chase. The group ran in a train until the late stages when Eggert took a stab at the lead, making the pass in the hairpin. Latifi didn’t waste any time in retaking the lead with a pass into turn one The battling allowed Ostiguy and Busby to get close. Busby was able to pass Ostiguy and then demoted Eggert to third, and with two laps to go, all four karts were running almost nose to tail. As close as they were, no one made another attempt and Latifi took his fourth victory of the year, with Busby in second and Eggert third.

2-21-11 ProKart Challenge Nor Cal -- 2011 Championship Series Season Opener/Round 1 February 25-26 -- Kinsmen Kart Club Track in Dixon, CA PRE-REGISTRATION IS OPEN NOW! Don't miss all of the bonuses that come with this first round of the 2011 Season Opener, including bonus points, a new discounted entry price, and free Friday practice for those who qualify! See all details below and at http://www.superkartsusa.com/regional/pkc-north/round-1-2011.html Round 1 of the 6-race ProKart Challenge Nor Cal championship series will be held next Saturday, February 26th at the Kinsmen Kart Club track in Dixon. A practice day will be held on Friday, February 25th, from 9am to 5pm. Event Pre-Entry: Pre-register for this race before midnight next Wednesday, February 23rd for HUGE savings! The new online race entry fees INCLUDING a set of race tires+tax is just $295. This is a $50 savings from last year's pre-entry pricing and $85 off of the walk-up pricing if you wait to register at the track! You may also be eligible for a FREE Friday practice (an additional $60 savings) -- see details below. You can save time at the track upon arrival by pre-entering the race and purchasing the other items you need thru our online store. You will receive an email confirmation of your entry/order within 24 hours of submitting it. If you prefer to pay by cash or check, we still have a registration form that you can download, fill out and fax in (or mail in with payment), but it must be received before February 23rd to qualify for 'manual' pre-entry pricing. The 9 PKC classes to be run at this event are: S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, TaG Cadet, TaG Junior, TaG Senior and TaG Master. Click here for all of the up-to-date info regarding our class structure for this season. Other Important Event Details: • Track Configuration: We are running the 1/2 mile Kinsmen Kart Club track. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page for a track layout drawing. This page also contains other track info, including the track address and directions. • Practice Day: Track gates and PKC Registration will open at 7:00am on Friday, Feb. 25th. Fuel and tire desks will open at 7:30am. Track is open from 9am-5pm for open practice (just $60). NOTE: (1) any racer who has not raced previously with PKC/SKUSA -- or at least not in the last 2 years -- will be eligible for a FREE practice day when paying to pre-register for this event; (2) No SKUSA membership is required to practice; (3) practice will still be $60 without a paid pre-entry. • Race Day: Gates and Registration will open at 6:30am on Saturday, Feb. 26th, with fuel and tire desks open by 7am. Track is hot from 7:30am to approx. 4:30pm, with podium awards and a raffle prize drawing for all racers directly following the final tech inspection of the day. Click here for the tentative event schedule. A final race day schedule will be given out at the track on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. • Championship Points: This year's PKC Nor Cal series is based on 6 races with 1 drop, including the So Cal vs. Nor Cal Shootout in August. However, as an extra incentive to come out for all events, PKC is offering a bonus of 100 EXTRA POINTS at the end of the season to decide the final championship for all racers that compete in all 6 races! Click here for the details about our points structure. • SKUSA Rules: Click here for an update on our 2011 PKC competition rules -- including new rules regarding neck braces and rear bumpers. Airboxes are required at this event for all Motos. • SKUSA Membership: ProKart Challenge requires all racers to have a current SKUSA annual membership with their first race of the season. SKUSA also has new license levels that all drivers must register for. Purchase or renew your SKUSA membership thru our online store, or download the details/faxable form. The cost is just $75 for a 12-month membership (including the next Supernats) and offers many great benefits -- including reserving your national kart number for a full 12 months. • Race Numbers: You will be assigned your unique and official kart number (with regional letter designator) when you purchase/renew your SKUSA membership and/or register for your first race of the season. This number/letter combo is required on all 4 sides of your kart for all competition sessions. o Single Digit Race Numbers: All 2010 PKC class champions -- 1st thru 9th place -- have the option of running their earned championship single-digit race number (with letter designator) if running in the same class this season! Click here for the list of those Nor Cal champs. SKUSA's National Number plate winners -- 1st thru 3rd for the 2010 Pro Tour -- may race with their national number plates (as sent by SKUSA). Call PKC/SKUSA at 951-491-0808 to check on your desired race number. • Race Number Panels: SKUSA requires specific COLORED NUMBER PANELS by class for all 2011 race events. This is a tech item. Click here for the details on these color requirements, as well as contact info for one of our preferred decal vendors. • Spec Tires: The new SPEC RACE TIRES for 2011 PKC are the MG-SK 'whites' -- for all classes except TaG Cadet, who will run the MG-HZ 'red' tires. Practice tires are open spec. Rain tires, when needed, are spec'd as well -- as Bridgestone YKP or YJP only. PKC is shipping practice and race tires now, or you can also order your tires to be picked up at the event. Click here for the details on our tire rules, and here to purchase practice or race tires for this event. NOTE: Only tires pre-ordered from PKC/SKUSA prior to Feb. 23rd will be guaranteed to be available at the track. • Spec Fuel: The spec fuel for this event is VP MS98 and the spec oil is Motul 2T Grand Prix (although Rotax drivers now have the option to bring and run MS93). You may purchase your spec fuel/oil from PKC -- or bring your own -- as long as it is spec and will pass tech. Only those racers who pre-order the spec fuel/oil from PKC prior to Feb. 23rd will be guaranteed that their products will be available at the track. See the online store for pricing and to order now, either with your race entry or separately. • Pit Spots: We will not have reserved pit spots for this event at Dixon; they will be available on a first come-first served basis only starting on Friday, Feb. 25th, at 7:00am when the gates open. However, 2011 PKC sponsors will receive preferred pit spot parking. Call 951-491-0808 or email info@superkartsusa.com for details on how to become a sponsor and secure your preferred pit spot for this event. • Overnight Camping/Trailer Parking: Camping on site and overnight parking of trailers will be available for this event starting Friday, Feb. 25th at no charge. • Hotel Accommodations: If you are in need of a hotel room for this event, click here for info on an affordable hotel that is about 15 minutes from the track. • Live & Post-Race Event Coverage: We will announcing the racing action live at the track, as well as broadcasting the MyLaps monitor and micro-blogging all on-track sessions at www.superkartsusa.com/live. After the event, a media release with this event's highlights will be posted on our website as well as distributed to the major karting publications, giving everyone the chance to become a local hero to their family and friends. • 10-Day Weather Forecast: Our weather forecast is looking pretty good for our race day next Saturday -- let's hope it stays that way! If not, don't forget about our Tough Guy Rain Bonus, which could surely make a difference in the championship points at the end of the season! Feel free to call PKC for additional information: 951-491-0808. NOTE: Our 2nd PKC So Cal race is two weeks later on March 11-12 at Willow Springs Kart Track in Rosamond, CA. Also, the online store is now open for the 2011 SKUSA Pro Tour! See www.superkartsusa.com for information on all 2011 SKUSA and PKC events.

2-21-11 Snell 2005 or 2010 Rated Helmet Required for RLOKC RLOKC would like to remind all racers the helmet rating required this year is Snell 2005 or Snell 2010. Northern California Rotax Challenge racers, please note this rule will be strictly enforced at March 6th race at the Kinsmen Kart Club in Dixon. No exceptions will be made. You must have Snell 2005 or Snell 2010 rated helmet to race. Two returning RLOKC sponsors, Savage Designs and Wine Country Motorsports are offering special discounts to all RLOKC drivers: Savage Designs is offering all RLOKC drivers 10% off custom helmet design and painting. To receive the special discount, be sure to mention you are an RLOKC driver.. For information about Savage Designs visit: http://www.savagedesigns.com/ Wine Country Motorsports is offering RLOKC drivers 35% of any Snell 2005 rated helmet (in stock helmets only) or 10% off any Snell 2010 rated helmet. To receive the discount, be sure to mention you are an RLOKC driver when making your purchase. Visit their website at: http://winecountrymotorsports.com/ Please show your support to the business who support your racing! For more information about the Snell Memorial Foundation, visit: http://smf.org/

2-21-11 Kinsmen Kart Club in Dixon to Welcome Prokart Challenge North Opener Six different facilities to decide six-round Superkarts! USA regional championship program  Branching out for its fourth season under the Superkarts! USA banner, the ProKart Challenge North program will journey to six different facilities in 2011 for the six-round championship. After calling the Infineon Raceway facility home for the first three seasons, PKC North competitors will have a chance to sample six Northern California/Nevada tracks – starting with the Kinsmen Kart Club Track in Dixon, CA on February 25-26. The ProKart Challenge North series will be expanding the philosophy of ‘fierce competition and enjoyable race weekends’ to the new track locations, while bringing together the best karters in area under one banner. With the ProKart Challenge North program expanding in 2011, SKUSA wants everyone to have the opportunity to come out and sample their program. Throughout the season, SKUSA will offer a free Friday practice day to anyone who has not run a PKC or SKUSA race in the past two years (a savings of $60) when registering for their first event of 2011. And those looking at the championship chase, PKC North will follow suite with the southern program, as SKUSA will reward those racers who participate in all six series events with 100 bonus points toward the series championship. “Our first trip to the Dixon track is shaping up to be a great turnout,” remarked Tom Kutscher, SKUSA President and ProKart Challenge director. “We have been getting good feedback from the shops about the schedule, and we are getting a lot of new drivers applying for their SKUSA licenses. Moving away from one location to six different tracks has gotten people excited in the region, and I’m sure it will create better racing and tighter championship fights.” The 2011 season for Superkarts! USA began just two weeks ago as the ProKart Challenge South series kicked off its year, visiting the historic Adams Motorsports Park in Riverside for the first time in series history. It was the first opportunity for those who attended to sample the specially-branded MG ‘SKUSA’ tire – the new official tire for all Superkarts! USA events. The new MG-SK tire is similar to the popular MG-FZ compound, with only a small change put into effect to extend the durability of the tire. The tire will be utilized for all SKUSA-sanctioned events across the country, and the Dixon event will be the first chance for Northern California karter to compete with the new compound. The 2011 class structure for the ProKart Challenge North season will reflect the same nine core classes that make up the SKUSA national class structure -- based on the popular Stock Moto and TaG categories. S1 (Pro), S2 (Semi-Pro), S3 (Novice), S4 (Master), and S5 (Junior) make up the Stock Moto divisions, with TaG Senior, TaG Master, TaG Junior and the new TaG Cadet division accommodating those competing with the Touch and Go engines. “The feedback from the new MG-SK ‘white’ tires has been good thus far,” continued Kutscher. “I’m sure the NorCal drivers and teams are excited at the chance to get on-track and see how they perform. There also seems to be a lot of interest in our new PKC North class – TaG Cadet. We will enjoy seeing a lot of new faces when we open the gates at Dixon on February 25.” To continue their ongoing effort to support their racers, SKUSA will also offer the newly-discounted price structure to the ProKart Challenge North competitors. SKUSA has decreased the cost of a ProKart Challenge weekend entry by $50, lowering the package price for an entry and race tires down to just $295 if the racer registers online. Pre-registration must be completed before the midnight deadline on Wednesday, February 23. Information regarding round one of the ProKart Challenge North at the Kinsmen Kart Club Track in Dixon can be found at the following link (http://www.superkartsusa.com/regional/pkc-north/round-1-2011.html). Class sponsorship packages are also still available for those interested and are asked to contact SKUSA. For more information on anything related to the ProKart Challenge or Superkarts! USA, visit their website – www.superkartsusa.com – or call the SKUSA head office at 951-491-0808.

2-17-11 Cambrian Go Karts to Perform Double Duty This Weekend Racing season has begun and Cambrian Go Karts already has their hands full for this coming weekend. Cambrian will be on hand supporting the Norcal Outlaw race at Dixon as well as the Challenge of the Americas race at Fontana. Cambrian will have their professional setup of the Parts Trailer and a large supply of Rain Tires on hand at both locations. More info about Cambrian Go Karts can be found at their website www.Cambriangokarts.com or you can call Cambrian at (408) 377-5278

2-17-11 Prokart Challenge North Seeks Six More Class Sponsorships for 2011 Prokart Challenge North is coming soon and they are still looking for anyone who is interested in sponsoring one of the six available classes for the 2011 Season. The following classes are:  S2 Semi Pro-Stock Honda, S3 Novice Stock Honda, S5 Junior Stock Honda, TaG Junior, TaG Senior and TaG Master. Any companies interested in class sponsorship opportunities are asked to contact the SKUSA head office at 951-491-0808 or email Patti Kutscher at pkutscher@superkartsusa.com

2-17-11 2011 Sprint Spec Tire Announcement The Bridgestone YKC will remain the spec tire for the 2011 IKF Sprint Program until after the 2011 Sprint Grand Nationals are completed. Bridgestone has confirmed that there is ample supply of YKC's available. Once the 2011 IKF Sprint Grand Nationals are completed, the IKF will have a statement regarding the possible introduction of the new Bridgestone YLC tires for the remainder of the 2011 season.

2-17-11 The Outlaw Series Race Info Cowpokes, we hear there's a showdown taking place..... Move 'em on, head 'em up, Head 'em up, move 'em out, Move 'em on, head 'em out Rawhide! Set 'em out, ride 'em in Ride 'em in, let 'em out, Cut 'em out, ride 'em in Rawhide! Date: Sunday, February 20, 2011 Place: The "OK Corral" at Kinsmen Kart Club, Dixon,Ca. "Horse & Wagon" Parking will start Friday at 12 noon. Practice will start on Friday - 10am - 5 pm. You can also register for Sunday's race on Friday Sat- Feb.19th; Gates will open at 7am Registration will open at 8am...close at 5pm REMEMBER: Every racer must register before entering the track. ( Members also) This is a rain or shine Series........Weather report says "Sunshine" So keep "yer" fingers crossed and do the "Indian" rain dance!! Practice fee- $30. per person. (This is for everyone) Practice will be from 9am-5 pm. We will be serving free "grub" ....Pizza & Salad lunch for everyone. We are "shooting" for 1- 2pm for lunch on Sat. Sunday Feb 20th ; Gates open at 6am Registration opens at 7am- 8:30 Drivers meeting at 8:30 2 practices Qualify - green, white, checkered Pre - Final Final Trophies!!! "YeeHaw"!! Race fee`s- $75.00 1st class, 2nd class $65.00 - Goodie bags are 1 per racer. *Kid Karts - We will supply the gas w/ 927 oil on race day. Pit passes $10.00 per adult, Kids 12 & under $6.00 per child. As per insurance, EVERYONE entering the "ranch" facility must purchase a pit pass/wristband. *Gas will be Sunoco 110 w/ 927 oil. 8 oz per gallon. 2 Gallon minimum $28. for 2 gallons. ALL GAS WILL BE SOLD BY 2 GALLONS . "Cleetus's" BBQ. TRUCK WILL BE THERE ON SUNDAY ONLY. ****YKC are the tires used for this series only. 125 Stock Moto YKB or MGY. ***Bumper rule has a grace period for this race only. ***NO ALCOHOL or "whiskey" during practice or race day ****REMEMBER: This is a family event. Keep your attitude in check...or we'll "tan yer hide"! Hotels: Red Roof Inn - (707) 693-0606 Mention you are a racer, and you will receive 15% discount. Super 8 - (707) 678-3399 Best Western - (707) 678-1400 For more questions please call "Sheriff" Rick Luther 925.798.4360 9-6pm Mon-Fri. or "Deputy" Les Hand at Kartel 916.383.5226 8-4pm Mon-Fri.

2-14-11 Thirty-Two IKF Members Complete SFI Tech Inspector Certification Requirements The International Kart Federation announced this week that 32 IKF members have attended a Technical Inspection Seminar, and successfully passed a written test developed by SFI. The process will provide IKF members and promoters a pool of Inspectors who have demonstrated they are familiar with both Post Race Technical Inspection practices, as well as other rules and procedures include in the IKF Tech Manual. Technical Inspectors may be certified in 2-Cycle and / or 4-Cycle Technical Inspection procedures. Participants are able to designate the engine type they wish to be certified in, or may choose to complete the process for both types of engines. To date 24 inspectors have been certified in 2-Cycle Tech, and 22 in 4-Cycle Tech. National 2-Cycle Tech Committee Chairman Jack Hoegerl has spearheaded the effort, with two seminars/testing sessions now complete. The content of the written test, as well as scoring of the tests, is provided by SFI. A Tech Seminar, followed by testing, was held in Des Moines, IA in March of 2010. A second Seminar and testing was held this past January in Ontario, CA. Seminars and testing are being planned in other Regions at this time. The certification process is the start of what IKF plans to expand to a program with three certification levels in coming years. The tiered certification would designate the certification level of an inspector based on both experience and knowledge of practices and procedures. With the program still in the early stages, a Certified Inspector may not be available at every IKF event at this time. It is the intent of IKF to provide certified Inspectors at each Grand National event. To locate a certified Technical Inspector, contact the IKF office at 909/923-4999.

2-10-11 West Coast Karters updates "Wide Open" Forum In early December Scribner Racing Promotions decided enough was enough. The Wide Open Forum had lost its luster and had become filled with insults and ridicule that was bad for Karting and the sport so many love. At that time WestCoastKarters.com pulled the Wide Open forum and the popular Message Board was put to rest. Since then Kristin Scribner and Scribner Racing Promotions was hard at work creating a NEW Wide Open Forum that would provide the unknown Identity that so many of the racers enjoy while keeping the integrity of the sport intact. As weeks went by Kristin Scribner went from Forum to Forum and created over 10 different varieties of Forums before finding one that would work with her and provide the qualities needed to bring back the Wide Open Forum. The NEW "Wide Open" forum is back in a whole new design and layout. "Holding Your Throttle... Wide Open" is the new catch phrase and while surfing the Forum it allows you to do just that. In the new Wide Open forum users must register an account to view the content and post. Upon Registering the Users will choose an Avatar (a two dimensional Icon Picture used as a Forum Identity) and can begin enjoying the Wide Open Forum in a cleaned up manner. With the new registration and account information users will be posting under the same identity each time they post. This will insure the integrity of the content posted and keep them from posting under a different identity each time. Another new policy with the Forum will be a three-strike rule. Users that cross the boundaries of the Posting rules and repeatedly post content detrimental to Karting, Tracks, Organizations, Kart Shops, or other racers will be allowed three strikes, once they reach their three strikes they will be suspended from the forum indefinitely and wont be allowed to post or view content for a given period of time (time suspended will vary and be taken by a case by case basis dependent upon the severity of content posted). WestCoastKarters.com is open to suggestions of the Forum as users begin to use it in order to make it as user friendly as possible. Those volunteering ideas can email Kristin at Kristin@westcoastkarters.com .

2-11-11 SKUSA Pro Tour Releases Information For 2011 Program Increased purse and support announced, online registration now open for SpringNationals  Now that the new season of Superkarts! USA racing is officially underway – thanks to the successful completion of the opening round of the ProKart Challenge South series last weekend – it is with much excitement that the organization releases its plans for the 2011 SKUSA Pro Tour. The official schedule for the second edition of the program was announced in mid-November of last year, but specific components of the series have now been confirmed, such as an increased prize fund, the expansion of the SKUSA ‘Circle of Champions’ support package, and the opening of the online registration for the SpringNationals at www.superkartsusa.com . Additional event details, including a tentative event schedule, additional host hotel info and pit spot reservation instructions, will continue to be updated on the company website as those details are finalized. To confirm the schedule, the SKUSA Pro Tour will kick off with the second annual SKUSA SpringNationals on the April 29-May 1 weekend at the incredible Musselman Honda Circuit (formerly P1 Kart Circuit) in Tucson, Arizona. The second stop on the schedule will be the SummerNationals on July 15-17 at Grand Junction Motor Speedway in Grand Junction, Colorado. The finale will once again be part of the consistently growing and ever-improving SuperNationals at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on November 16-20. Last year, almost 500 drivers participated in the race, and this number is expected to grow even larger in 2011 as a result of the increased support of SKUSA’s core classes. “I am thrilled with the schedule that we’ve put together this year, as I think it pairs incredible tracks with balanced travel distances for a majority of our racers,” offered Tom Kutscher, Superkarts! USA President. “The obvious goal of the series is to bring together all of the best drivers from our regional series on more than just one occasion a year, and I see these venues as being the best way possible for 2011. The level of competition is going to be offside for the SpringNationals, and I know we’re all pumped. We’re going to make this a mini-SuperNationals!” SKUSA has confirmed that the class structure for the Pro Tour will remain the same as it did last year, albeit with one caveat. Kutscher put the future of the G1 Master ICC class in the hands of the drivers in mid-December by requiring pre-entry commitments for the Pro Tour by January 31. Although SKUSA did not receive the desired number of G1 commitments, they will give the class one more shot at the Pro Tour by requiring a minimum pre-entry of 12 drivers by April 1. In addition to G1, the Pro Tour program will once again present four levels of SKUSA Stock Moto competition, while the ultra-successful addition of the TaG Cadet class (MiniRok) last year will again mean a quartet of Touch-and-Go classes. This internal ladder program of development will prove to be exciting to follow this year, as several drivers are moving up the ranks both due to age and skill level development. The following is the tentative class structure for the 2011 SKUSA Pro Tour: S1 - Expert Stock Moto – 15 years of age and older – 385 lbs S2 - Amateur Stock Moto – 15 years of age and older – 395 lbs S4 - Masters Stock Moto – 30 years of age and older – 405 lbs S5 - Junior Stock Moto – 12-15 years of age – 340 lbs G1 - Master ICC/Built Moto – 30 years of age and older – 405 lbs TaG Cadet - 9-12 years of age – 242 lbs TaG Junior - 12-15 years of age – 320 lbs TaG Senior - 15 years of age and older TaG Masters - 30 years of age and older Note: For TaG Senior and Master, see website for allowed engines and corresponding weights Online entry for the SpringNationals in Tucson is now open, and racers are urged to enter as quickly as possible to avoid the chance of missing out on the action. This year’s SKUSA Pro Tour is shaping up to be an incredible program, as more and more participation is being confirmed every week. SKUSA is planning to cap – and should come close to maxing out – the entries at 40 drivers in most classes, especially S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto, S4 Master Stock Moto, TaG Senior and TaG Cadet. All in all, over 200 drivers are expected to be in attendance to ring in the new season of Pro Tour action. SKUSA will once again be leading the way in the industry with the most substantial prize money for a traveling sprint karting series in North America. Targeted at the program’s two Pro classes – S1 and TaG Senior – SKUSA will dole out a total of almost $30,000 in event prize money and points fund distribution in 2011, and they will also be presenting over $20,000 in racer support for the 2012 Pro Tour through the expansion of the ‘Circle of Champions’ program. In an effort to honor its best drivers and provide them with incentive to remain in the sport, SKUSA has further strengthened the ‘Circle of Champions’ package that it debuted last year. This season, they will be awarding the 2011 Pro Tour point champions in all classes with special sponsorship for the 2012 racing season. This year’s title winners will be provided with complimentary entries, race tires, fuel and oil for the 2012 Pro Tour, including the SuperNationals. This package is worth approximately $2800 to each champion, while the entire package adds over $20,000 to the overall prize fund, bringing the total to more than $50,000. These sponsored SKUSA ‘Circle of Champions’ drivers will be required to wear the national #1 plate and a custom helmet visor strip in 2012 to commemorate their accomplishments. The individual event purse for S1 and TaG Senior at the SpringNationals and SummerNationals will be $1750 per weekend for each class, with the overall winner taking home the first place check for $1000. At the SuperNationals, SKUSA has turned up the heat, as both S1 and TaG Senior will be running for a vastly increased purse of $5000 – with each winner stepping to the top rung of the podium with a check for $2000. More importantly, the payback will extend to the top-five in each class. Last, but most certainly not least, SKUSA will also present a points fund of $6000 per class, with the champion receiving a $3000 check on SuperSunday. All in all, it is expected that the Pro Tour champions in the S1 and TaG Senior classes will each haven taken home well over $6000 in cash and 2012 race sponsorship for their accomplishments. The beauty of this new program is that for the first time, all nine of SKUSA’s national classes will be running for a championship prize of significant cash value. As was the case in 2010, the value of success at the SpringNationals and SummerNationals is not limited to the event prize money, the point fund and SKUSA’s ground-breaking ‘Circle of Champions’ support program. SKUSA will be continuing its offer of a lucrative benefit to the top drivers in Pro Tour points heading into the SuperNationals. In any of the classes that will be open to 80 entries for this year’s SuperNats (such as the expected large fields in S2, S4, TaG Senior, TaG Junior and TaG Cadet), the top three drivers in Pro Tour points after the SummerNationals will be rewarded with guaranteed starting positions in the main event on SuperSunday. Should they not make the main following the heat races or the Last Chance Qualifier, they will start at the tail of the grid from 41st to 43rd in the order of where they sit in the Pro Tour points. When you consider the sheer amount of work and dedication that goes into battling for a spot on the SuperNationals main event grids, it is hard to put a price on this tremendous opportunity. SKUSA always wishes to thank its drivers for their support of the program, and this is a very exciting and beneficial way to show it. Just as was the case in 2010 with SKUSA’s inaugural TaG Cadet Pro Tour champion Colton Herta, for 2011, the TaG Cadet class champion will be awarded a partially supported trip to the 2012 ROK Cup International Final. This support package includes the event entry fee, a complete and new (OTK) chassis with engine to use for the race, tires for the race, one set of practice tires, race fuel and a hotel stay for the driver (four nights). Airfare is not included. This driver will be representing SKUSA on the world stage and will be provided with a SKUSA race suit to wear at the event. To cap off what will certainly be an incredible event, SKUSA has put together a fantastic program with the beautiful JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa to be the host hotel of the SpringNationals. The resort is a gorgeous and scenic destination nestled in the Tucson mountains. SKUSA has negotiated an amazing rate of $99/night for this event (normally $250+). To make sure that you add this component to your SpringNationals experience, call 800-266-9432 and use group code SKUSA PRO TOUR or go to https://resweb.passkey.com/go/superkarts to reserve now. There are only a limited number of rooms available at this rate, so they WILL sell out! Additional details will be posted shortly at www.superkartsusa.com. Be sure to keep an eye on the SKUSA website for continuous updates on each Pro Tour and regional event as they develop: www.superkartsusa.com

2-10-11 125 Stock Moto & Senior TaGs to Race at Infineon The Red Line Oil Karting Championship will continue to run the fast 125 Stock Moto classes and the multi-engine TaG Senior and TaG Masters classes in 2011. The Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway is not only the premier kart track in Northern California, but the best track for the fast 125 shifters and TaG karts. "Being the only series to run at Infineon in 2011, we want to make sure the popular and fast 125 shifter and TaG classes can continue to run at the track that is perfect for them" says race director Ric Shaw. The series rules for these classes will be very similar to what the drivers have run in the past years at Infineon, final rules will be released shortly. The 125 Stock Moto will be divided into Light and Heavy classes, the TaG Senior and TaG Masters classes will use the same multi-engine rules as in the past years. These two TaG classes will run in the same race group with the Parilla only IAME TaG class that started at the RLOKC last year. For all except the Rotax classes, the RLOKC is an eight race series, all at the Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway. The series will run two races on each of the four different configurations of the track. The championship is based on the best seven finishes of the eight races. The 125 Stock Moto and TaG Senior and TaG Masters classes are four of seven classes being added to the RLOKC in 2011. KPV1, KPV2 and TaG Junior will also be added to the line up to broaden the class offering to karters. "Being the only series racing at Infineon in 2011, we wanted to make sure the largest number of racers could compete at Infineon this coming year" says series organizer Steve Cameron. "We have added these classes without sacrificing race quality or quantity by grouping like speed classes in order to have larger race fields, but continue the same amount of race day laps as last year. Multi-class race groups will run together but will be scored as separate classes. These classes will add some very strong senior drivers to the competition for one of the top prizes in the RLOKC, the Molecule Pro Mazda test session. At the end of the 2011 season, the most talented senior class champion in the RLOKC will be awarded a full day test session in the Molecule sponsored Pro Mazda car. Molecule race suit cleaning products have been a sponsor of the RLOKC since 2010 and they have upped their support in 2011 with this driver developent award. The top senior class champion will be determined by RLOKC and Molecule officials and announced at the 2011 awards banquet. The RLOKC race weekend starts with a Saturday practice day. The Sunday race day consists of one practice session, a five lap qualifying session, two eight lap heat races and a fifteen lap main event. For more information, go to www.cameronkarting.com or email race director Ric Shaw at racedirector-ric@hotmail.com

2-10-11 Dunford and Marks Score Big at Prokart Challenge South Opener Superkarts! USA racers put on impressive show at Adams Motorsports Park Superkarts! USA got its new season off to a great start on Saturday when their ProKart Challenge South series made its first visit to Adams Motorsports Park in Riverside, CA. The historic facility rolled out the red carpet for the leading southern California racing series – and the result was a day of incredible racing, new winners and a lot of happy drivers. The weather was excellent for the February event, as sunshine and warm weather set the perfect stage. On track, S1 pilot Brad Dunford got the ‘gorilla’ off his back in winning his first main event, continuing his rise to the upper echelon of the sport, while Master pilot Robert Marks topped a stacked S4 field to begin the championship chase. Other winners included Race Liberante (S2), Sebastian Scaglia (S3), Micah Hendricks (S5), Howie Idelson (G1), Travis Lowe (TaG Senior), Paul Bonilla (TaG Master) Austin Dement (TaG Junior) and Jake Drew (TaG Cadet). There is no doubt in anyone’s minds that Adams is a ‘driver’s track’ – and the challenge that was put before the SKUSA competitors was approached with excitement and respect. While there was talk from a small group of racers about the facility’s viability for a PKC event, the end result was an impressive display of racecraft that left those in attendance with a newfound respect for the track and their fellow competitors. It was truly a promoter’s dream, with incredible wheel-to-wheel racing and not a red flag all day. “I will be honest that I was a little miffed with the comments and subsequent ‘boycott’ by some of our racers, as I was personally disappointed that any of my customers would think that I would take them to a track that I didn’t think was safe for them to race,” stated Tom Kutscher, SKUSA President. “But the class and quality of the racers who attended made me so proud to call them SKUSA competitors. They treated the track and each other with respect – and the racing was amazing! Troy Adams and his crew went above and beyond in working with us, and the result was one of our most enjoyable season openers in years! We will be back to Adams!” In the headline Extreme Karting-sponsored S1 Pro Stock Moto class, Kartel Motorsports’ Ryan Phinny put his Wildkart on the pole in qualifying over Phil Giebler, but he could not hold back the veteran in the first heat race after leading early. Giebler came back in the second 10-lap moto to pace the field once again, but Aluminos driver Brad Dunford emerged as the driver to beat, taking control of the second heat race, which provided him with the advantageous pole position for the 20-lap main. At the green light, Dunford pulled the holeshot while Giebler shot to the inside of Phinny, who defended aggressively by moving to the right. The two made light contact, but they were out of the race immediately with a bent axle (Phinny) and a damaged right front tie-rod (Giebler). This allowed Dunford to power away unchallenged to his first career S1 victory. Peter Abba would finish second ahead of 2010 PKC South S2 champ Ryon Beachner, who finished on the podium in the third spot in his S1 debut. The 2 Wild Karting S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto category featured a thrilling battle as well, as it was a two-driver fight for the win – which saw eventual victor Race Liberante and runner-up Nicky Freytag put right in the middle of a fight with a pair of S1 drivers. Liberante was able to keep the S1 pilot behind him during the 20-lap dice, effectively using the competition to keep Innovative Karting’s Freytag at bay. Vivek Tandon finished third in his Kimball Williams-tuned CRG. The Select Shifter / DR Racing Kart USA S3 Novice Stock Moto fight was great to watch, as these drivers were able to log some valuable experience on a very challenging racetrack. Second-year SKUSA competitor Jessica Sollberger was impressive as she took the pole by 0.387 seconds over freshman Sebastian Scaglia and then held her competition back to win the opening heat race. Scaglia would step up in the second heat to slip through to take the lead and his first PKC win, and he would follow that up with a great run in the main event. Select Shifter’s Sollberger dug deep to hang with the leader but faded in the late going, although she kept her focus long enough to fend off the determined advances of PKC newcomer Kellen Guthrie. The best performances of the day could be arguably tagged to the G Phactory S4 Master Stock Moto class, as a pair of runs from the opposite ends of the grid kept the fences lined. While reigning S4 SuperNationals winner Jimmy McNeil put his CRG on the pole in qualifying, it was his father-in-law Robert Marks who was able to get the holeshot and the win in the opening heat race. McNeil was expected to scrap with Marks at the start of the second moto, but he pulled into the scale line on the warm-up lap with a mechanical, changing the complexion of the entire day and handing the win to Marks, who wrote his name on the inside of the front row for the main event line-up. What this did was set up the best drive of the day, as putting ‘JM’ at the tail of an S4 field guaranteed 20 laps of calculated excitement. While Marks dropped the hammer at the green to run away and hide from his competition, McNeil was busy knifing through the field with razor-like precision. McNeil would advance all the way to second, making moves throughout the race that proved his reputation as the leading S4 driver in the country. Randy McKee turned in a stellar run to third, as he was in the lead trio all day. Wayne Mello and Chris Fosso capped the top-five, as Mello recovered from a Heat #1 DNF while Fosso turned in his best career PKC effort to advance during every session. The S4 Magnum drivers were challenged by Adams’ grueling layout, but both Robert Morales and Marc Lewis toughed it out through to the final checkered flag, turning great lap times in the process. Morales would take the win over Lewis in the 20-lap main event, setting up what is expected to be a season-long battle. To cap the shifter classes, where S5 and S3 ran together, S5 contender Micah Hendricks was able stay in front of S3 winner Scaglia to keep in-class competitor Augie Lerch at bay. Hendricks would take the overall E.U.S.I S5 Junior Stock Moto win over Lerch and Tyrrell. In addition, Howie Idelson topped the G1 class over John Cram. As always, the Tony Kart West TaG Senior class was a highlight, with defending PKC South champion Phil Giebler leading the way in qualifying over Devin Lindsey and Travis Lowe. Giebler held off Lowe in the opening heat and looked set to win the second moto before dropping from the field with just three to go with a mechanical issue. This afforded Lowe the opportunity to take the win over Lindsey, setting up a great fight in the final that featured four drivers dicing for the entire 20-lap duration. The lead duo was joined by Senior rookie Kiel Spaudling and Adrian Starrantino in the scrap, which eventually saw Lowe power to the lead with confidence and poise. After taking the lead, Lowe settled into his pace and slowly slipped away from his challengers to win by 2.030 seconds. Lindsey and Spaulding completed the podium, while Matt Johnson and Billy Cleavelin wrapped the top-five. In Leading Edge Motorsports TaG Master, Paul Bonilla was untouchable, winning over Ian Thomas and Ralph Bush. Austin Dement handled the TaG Junior class all day, while Jacob Drew followed suit in the Phil Giebler Racing TaG Cadet category. Tony Kart West’s Carter Williams was on the pole in TaG Junior, but a misunderstood meatball flag sent him to the pits from second in the first heat, as the flag was meant for Jesse Huaman, who had lost his chain guard. Dement walked away once the two leaders were sent off the track, and he would not be challenged again en route to a 6.922-second win over Kartel’s Luis Tyrrell in the final. Williams came back to complete the podium at the end of the day. Drew’s performance in the TaG Cadet class impressed the entire paddock as the class made its PKC debut. SKUSA is thrilled to have such an amazing group of young competitors in the program and they were all incredible in putting on an exciting show. Drew was able to stretch away to win all four on-track sessions, but both Noah Grey and Colton Herta picked up speed throughout the day to close in on Drew’s pace with Grey taking the runner-up position. This class is going to be one of the major highlights of the 2011 Superkarts! USA season. The ProKart Challenge South series continues on March 11-12 at Willow Kart Track in Rosamond, CA. The SKUSA crew will be back in action before that, however, as the 2011 PKC North schedule kicks off in just under three weeks in Dixon, CA on February 25-26. On the national stage, the SKUSA Pro Tour is promising to take the organization to the next level, as 200+ drivers are expected for the SpringNationals at Musselman Honda Circuit (formerly P1 Kart Circuit) in Tucson, AZ on April 29 - May 1. The race to the 15th annual SuperNationals is on – and these drivers who are hitting the track in SKUSA races are all getting valuable experience on the new MG-SK tire, which is getting rave reviews.

2-4-11 Kartel Focuses on 2011 Season Kartel Motorsports has had a very busy off season preparing for their 2011 race program. After moving into their new 13,000 square foot shop in late 2009 and becoming the Wild Kart Chassis importer a month later, last season came up fast for the team. Kartel used the Gators Challenge of Americas Series as their winter testing program, and the Wild Kart Team came home with Two Championships. Winning Micro Max as well as Mini Max, the team was very confident in the Wild Kart/Magnum Racing Engines package and looked forward to bringing the information to the local scene. Locally, the chassis and engine combination kept up the momentum by taking numerous wins in regional racing all year long. In 2010 Kartel contested the entire WSK/CKI Series as its National program, and it showed that the Kartel package is paying off. Wining the Tag Sr. Championship as well as the Mini Max Championship capped off another stellar season for Kartel, and proved the Wild Kart and Magnum Engine program are competitive from coast to coast in Kadet up to Senior ranks. With the 2011 season already here, the team is off to a winning start. Kartel owner Joey Hand has coached every driver that has come through the kartel program in one way or another and winning the 2011 24 Hours at Daytona showed that he practices what he preaches. Joey looks forward to instilling this hope and confidence to each current kartel driver, and those of the future. The SKUSA Pro Moto Tour will be the teams travel series this year, with the local focus being the newly formed WKA Outlaw Series as well as Pro Kart North. A Pro Kart South race this weekend will kick off the Kartel Motorsports Karting program in Riverside Ca. For more information on becoming a Wid Kart dealer or information on the Arrive and Drive program, please check out the Kartel website- www.kartelmotorsports.com or call 916-383-5278.