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PRE-ENTRY OPENS IN MID JULY |
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California ProKart Challenge
Dunford Clinches Championship with Victory at ProKart Challenge West Coast Shootout |
Wednesday, 17 August 2011 07:40 |
![]() The fight began early in the Extreme Karting and Leading Edge Motorsports-sponsored S1 category, starting with the bid for the pole position – when qualifying came down to just 0.022-seconds. NorCal driver and SpringNationals podium finisher Ryan Phinny stole 10 bonus points from Dunford as he posted a 47.589-lap to stand on top of the time charts. Ryon Beachner was third over Peter Abba with PKC South championship contender Clinton Schoombee in fifth, only recording one timed lap. Phinny and Dunford ran 1-2 through the first heat, with Abba working by Beachner for third. Schoombee drove through most of the 18-kart S2 field that was on track at the same time, finishing seventh overall. Phinny lost the point at the start of heat two with a slow start off the grid. Dunford took control, with Abba coming through as well. The two swapped the lead a number of times before Abba sealed the deal in the final lap for the win. Dunford ended up second with Schoombee up to third over Phinny and Beachner, all crossing the line separated by just nine-tenths. Though Abba led the opening lap of the main event, he was quickly shuffled back as Dunford, Schoombee and Phinny went to the front. The top three were pretty evenly matched, with Dunford holding the lead to the checkered flag for his fourth victory of the season and clinching the PKC South title. Phinny was able to work by Schoombee for second with the top-three all within a half-second after 20 laps. ![]() The challenge was accepted and completed Saturday in the S4 Master Stock Moto class, sponsored by G-Phactory and Fastech Racing. Four-time PKC South winner and four-time SKUSA Pro Tour winner Jimmy McNeil entered Buttonwillow with the target on his back and a number of prizes and money to anyone that could end his S4 winning streak. McNeil began the event on top, posting the fast lap in qualifying with a 47.577-lap. Robert Marks, the only driver to beat him in a feature on the year (Round 1 - PKC South) was the first on the challenger list as he matched his pace, sitting second at the end of the session. McNeil, however, would only make it to lap two of the opening heat race with an engine issue, pulling off the track. The same happened in heat two, putting him at the tail of the grid for the main event. Marks took the opening heat win over Arie Luyendyk Jr. (running both S2 and S4) by three-seconds with PP Mastro in third. The order remained the same through heat two, with Phil Dunford filling out row two to begin the main event grid with a fourth place run in the moto. Marks took the holeshot as the lights went out to begin the 20-lap feature, and that was the deciding factor. From there, he drove off to take his second win of the season by seven seconds. McNeil put on a show behind him as he came up through the field with the fast laps of the race, edging out Luyendyk for second and clinching the PKC South championship. The best from the PKC North program was Jim Kidd, as he finished sixth behind Mastro and Dunford. ![]() TaG Master, sponsored by Leading Edge Motorsports and Cambrian Go-Karts, saw a great battle all day long as the category continues to regain its popularity. PKC North championship leader Glenn McKinnon began the event as the driver to beat, posting a 50.204 in qualifying to earn the pole position for the opening heat, with the North sweeping the top-five in the session: JP Cadoux, Ethan Wilson, Randy Froom, and Paul Hohlbein. A great opening lap by Wilson – reigning Pro Tour champion – put him to the front and earned him the heat win over Cadoux and Hohlbein, with McKinnon back to fourth. Wilson held the lead through the first half of heat two until lap seven when he lost the drive chain. This put Hohlbein into the lead and on to score the win ahead of McKinnon and Will Jadiker. Hohlbein led the way early on in the main event with McKinnon putting the pressure on. That was until Wilson rejoined the party, knifing his way through the field, he was into the lead by lap five. From there, Wilson drove on to a six-second victory to put himself back in the chase for the PKC North title. Hohlbein was second, with McKinnon in third. PKC newcomer Larry Hayashigawa was the best finisher for the South in fifth behind Randy Froom in fourth. ![]() The always unpredictable TaG Junior category, sponsored by EUSI and Bordogna Racing Engines, provided another day of spectacular racing. Nick Sommers led the way in qualifying with a best lap of 49.735 to earn the pole position over Carter Williams and Austin Dement. Three different drivers led during the first 10-lap heat race, with Blain Rocha able to slide through on the final lap for the win over Williams and Dement. In heat two, Dement edged out Mason Daughters for the win, with Williams still holding on in the top three. Williams saved his best for the final laps of the main event. After Dement led early on, Williams took his turn at the front of the field. Dement kept it close but was unable to move into the lead. Williams earned the victory with Dement a close second at the checkered flag. Curtis Paul put two drivers from the North on the podium as he advanced up to third. ![]() Overall, the North vs. South regional battle resulted in a three-peat for PKC South – with a final point tally of PKC South 169 vs. PKC North 138. Punters who have used other sports betting apps will find that the Leonbets app’s interface looks a little different - play here . However, it’s not all that different from other sportsbook apps in terms of intuitiveness, ease of use, and functionality. With the season now completed for the PKC South program, the final results are to be plugged into the championship standings and the official announcement of this year’s final point standings will be announced in the near future – along with the details of the end-of-year awards banquet to be held on Saturday, September 17 in Riverside, CA. The PKC North series will complete its 2011 season on September 9-10 at the Tom Dash Memorial circuit in Atwater, California – with their championship results and awards banquet info to be announced shortly thereafter. |