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| Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix to Host California ProKart Challenge |
| Friday, 22 September 2017 14:10 |
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The Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix is set for September 30-October 1, welcoming racers from all over North America and the world (Photo: DromoPhotos.com) The 2017 season is reaching the final stretch as the calendar readies for a turn over to October. That signals the return to the city streets for the California ProKart Challenge as the annual Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix hosts the final round of the 2017 championship. Since 2012, the city of Lancaster has welcomed the Superkarts! USA flagship program and its many racers from around the world to take part in what has now become the largest street race in western North America.The southern California city of Lancaster hosts a three-day festival – September 29-October 1 – centered around the street race, providing charity and local celebrities a chance to get behind the wheel of concession karts on the very same circuit hundreds of karters will compete on. The California PKC competitors contest Round Six of the championship program over a special Saturday/Sunday format for the majority of the categories. New last year, the S1/S2 and X30 Senior main events were moved to Saturday night under the lights, contested between the charity and celebrity main events, in front of large crowds surrounding the BLVD district.
A number of special prizes and awards will be on the line in Lancaster. Superkarts! USA and the City of Lancaster is offering paid entry (including race tires) into the 2018 SKUSA SuperNationals event to the winners of the S1, S2, and X30 Senior divisions. The headline prize is the 2017 Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix Scholarship. At the conclusion of the weekend at the awards ceremony, SKUSA and the City of Lancaster will announce the winner of the package, which offers a FREE racing program for all of 2018 that includes the California ProKart Challenge, SKUSA Pro Tour and the SKUSA SuperNationals. Included is a new custom-designed racing suit, helmet and sticker kit for their kart. This package is valued over $15,000. Aside from the prestige of winning at the Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix, the many regular competitors of the California ProKart Challenge will be vying for the final spots in the championship chases in their respective categories. Some have been decided prior to the weekend, while others may come down to the final lap on Sunday in Lancaster. Billy Musgrave and Hunter Pickett have been the top drivers in the Vemme Kart S1 Pro Stock Honda division this season. Musgrave has four wins, with Pickett winning in Monterey and placing runner-up twice. The two will continue their championship chase, with Musgrave holding a 105 point advantage heading into Lancaster. Both will have to battle the many guests that venture to the street race, including two-time defending winner Matt Hamilton from New Zealand. Defending Formula Works/CompKart X30 Senior champion Nicky Hays has this year’s title in his hands, compared to last year when it was decided on the last lap, last corner of the SOLGP. Hays leads Michael Avansino by 202 points heading into the weekend. The focus for Hays will be on victory, as the soon to be 16-year-old won in the S5 Junior category in 2014 and X30 Junior division in 2015. Like the S1 division, a number of drivers will be on hand in an effort to claim a Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix victory. Jason Pettit came one spot short of winning the Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix last year in the Mad Old Nut/Mad Croc USA S2 Semi-Pro Stock Honda division. Entering as the championship leader, Pettit is vying to end the season on top in the standings and Saturday evening as a SOLGP winner. Pettit has a comfortable 208-point advantage in the championship chase over Aaron Aguirre, who has yet to compete at the SOLGP. The Nash Motorsportz S3 Novice Stock Honda division is made up of a number of first-time Lancaster competitors, including those in the championship chase. Point leader Keawn Tandon leads by a slim 20 points over three-time winner Zach Pettinicchi, who has competed in Lancaster in the TaG division. Anthony Fontana is close behind in third, with Evan Jonker vying to battle for a spot in the top-three. Travis Irving has the advantage in the Phil Giebler Racing X30 Master standings heading to Lancaster. Irving’s four podium finishes have him at the front of the championship chase over Luke Vasquez. The third leg of the championship trio is Jess Peterson. The class rookie has two wins on the year, and counting his missed race in Monterey, Peterson has the ability to steal the title when the drop is factored in. Rob Logan has felt the excitement of winning at the Streets of Lancaster – twice in the Mike Manning Karting S4 Master Stock Honda division. The 2014 and 2016 winner is back for a third triumph, as well as clinching his first California PKC championship. Neither will be an easy task with the tough competition and the surprising circuit in Lancaster. The title is already decided in the Musgrave Racing Company S4 Super Master Stock Honda category, as John Crow ripped off five straight victories in 2017 to claim his first series championship. Now is the chance for a perfect season, and a first victory at the SOLGP. Defending winners Jonathon Allen and Patrick O’Neill will be tough to beat. Three wins on the year have put Trey Brown on the path toward the championship in Ryan Perry Motorsport X30 Junior. Brown will just need to stay out of trouble, focused on becoming a first-time winner at the Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix. Defending race winner Oliver Calvo will be in the field, along with the rest of the top championship contenders from 2017. The top three in the Outsource Utility Contractor Corporation Mini Swift standings are only separated by 42 points. Daniel Inzunza leads despite not reaching the top of the podium this season. Carson Morgan has won three times on the season, and holds the advantage going into Lancaster as the defending race winner – with an edge in the standings when factoring in the drop. Round One winner Kai Sorenson sits third, having won the Micro division last year, so he is no stranger to the tight confines of the SOLGP. The PKS Kart Supplies Micro Swift division will see a first time Streets of Lancaster winner, along with a first-time California PKC champion. Logan Toke holds the lead in the standings by 149 points over Enzo Deligny. The deadline for race entry to the Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix and the finale for the California ProKart Challenge is set for Midnight (PDT) on Monday, September 25 at the online registration page. All classes have a special price of $405 for entry and stamped race tires to this two-day event. Move-in for SOLGP begins on Friday, September 29, at 10am – along with registration check-in. No on-track practice is held for California ProKart Challenge competitors on Friday. On-track begins Saturday morning at 8am, following the mandatory drivers and mechanics meeting at 7:30am. Pit spot reservations are highly encouraged, and overnight camping is available. Details for both are posted on the Venue Info page, and are offered for pre-purchase thru the SKUSA store. Complete race and venue information, along with a tentative weekend schedule and local hotels, can be found at the California PKC Event Pages. For more information on anything related to Superkarts! USA, please check this website and be sure to follow the Superkarts! USA Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram accounts – or call the SKUSA head office at 951-491-0808. |
