Los Angeles Karting Championship closes out 2019 season
Championships decided for southern California program at CalSpeed Karting Center.
The 2019 season of the Los Angeles Karting Championship had the curtain close following the Round 9 action at the CalSpeed Karting circuit on October 13. The ‘Technico' layout of the Fontana, California karting center, located outside the Auto Club Speedway, played host to the series finale and provided the best drivers from southern California and beyond the opportunity to close out the championship chases in their respective categories. It also welcomed a number of first-time winners for 2019, ending the year on top of the podium.
The first group on the track for the final featured the Formula Works Kid Kart Expert and the HPD Kid Kart Novice classes. Keegan Rabicoff was able to break the streak of third-place results with his lone victory of 2019. Keegan Ellsworth and Nixon Ellsworth took fast time in qualifying and won the Prefinal. Zate Legend led the majority of the Final until Rabicoff assumed the lead on thte final lap to earn the victory. Legend finished second, and doing so locked up the series championship, with Keegan completing the podium. It was a fourth victory in 2019 for Oscar Padilla in Novice. The advantage was 15 seconds ahead of top qualifier Gavin Lewis and Jaxon Porter. Lewis would claim the championship over Padilla.
Making his debut in the Mad Old Nut Racing Pro Shifter 2, Vicente Salas was able to score the victory. Salas outran eventual series champion Connor Robles and Matt Treglia. John Crow earned his eighth straight victory in Nash Motorsportz G1 division and the class title, besting Jason Campbell and Brett Harrelson. Another first win to close out the year came in the Phil Giebler Racing Open Shifter class. Former series champion Slava Prikhodko set fast time in qualifying with Antonio de Lis earning the win in the Prefinal during his first start in the category this year. While he started on the pole position for the main event, de Lis would not take the victory as he retired early. That put Myan Spaccarelli into the lead and gave him the win to close out the year. Prikhodko was second, helping him to claim the series championship, with Javier Colombo in third. Billy Musgrave secured the sixth victory of the year in Baldozier Racing Pro Shifter 1 unchallenged, earning the series title.
It was nearly a new winner in the P1 Engines Mini Swift class to close out the season. AJ Matheson set the fast time in qualifying and came away with the win in the Prefinal. He was passed by John Antonino, who was gunning for his first win of the season. Matheson took back the top spot on lap eight and led until Izaac Gutierrez gained control with three laps remaining. Gutierrez held on to earn his fourth victory of the season ahead of Matheson with Dane Idelson up to third in the closing laps. Jesus Vasquez did not compete in Round 9, but secured the championship ahead of Gutierrez.
The largest category of the event was the HRT KA100 Senior division with 18 drivers doing battle. Leading the way throughout the day was three-time winner Jake Drew. Fast time in qualifying and a Prefinal win put Drew at the front of the Final. He led the first 16 circuits until an issue took Drew out of the race, handing the lead over to Oliver Calvo. Leading the last two laps. Calvo secured his second victory of the year in only his second start of 2019. Billy Musgrave was second with Luis Perez joining them on the podium in third. Jonathan Silva and Alex Siragusa completed the top-five. Drew was still able to leave as the champion. In the same race group, Edison Noboa beat out Callie Hayner for the Ruthless Karting KA100 Master class victory. Mike Smith was named champion. Mark Klenin earned the victory in the Fleming Racing Engines KA100 Super Master class. Larry Hayashigawa and Terry Giffen joined him on the podium. John Crow did not race after winning the first eight rounds, and thus earned the championship for 2019.
After four attempts, Logan Toke was able to earn his first victory in the Sanner Racing KA100 Junior division. The Morgan brothers looked to be the drivers to beat with Carson earning fast time in qualifying and Cole winning the Prefinal. The opening laps saw a lot of shuffling, with Toke able to jump out to the lead after lap two. From there, he led the remaining 16 circuits to record his first victory. Cole Morgan beat out his brother Carson Morgan for the runner-up spot, helping Cole to earn the series title. Tyler Ruth and Kasey Gillis completed the top-five in the main event.
Billy Musgrave was triple duty on the day, with his third class being the 2 Wild Karting X30 Pro division. Musgrave earned his first perfect score of the season en route to a fourth victory on the year and clinched the championship. Musgrave swept the category, leading wire-to-wire in the main event ahead of Joey Brienza and Jenson Altzman. Wolfgang Kladde won the MDG Karting X30 Intermediate class in the same race group ahead of 2019 champion Ian Bland.
Another first winner on the year came in the Tru-Tech Racing Engines X30 Master division. Making his first start on the season, Josh Sarchet was able to come away with the victory. Veteran driver John Crow set the pace in qualifying and the Prefinal. Crow led the first seven laps until an issue took him out of the race. Sarchet took over and led the remainder of the race, grabbing the checkered flag first ahead of Round Seven victor Alex Gutierrez and Round Four winner Steve Martin. In the title chase, it was Martin earning the title by 42 points ahead of Gutierrez.
Ryan Giannetta added his name to the list of drivers to earn their first victory of the year at the series finale, winning the Empire Karts Micro Swift category. Three-time race winner Caden Chrisman was P1 in qualifying before Giannetta took over in the Prefinal. After winning that race, he went wire-to-wire in the Final to claim his first victory. Alex Mercado and Truly Adams joined him on the podium as Chrisman ended up fourth ahead of Rocky Moran. That fourth place finish gave Chrisman the championship ahead of Alexander Gonzalez.
Vincente Salas won his second on the day in the MRC S3 Novice Stock Moto class. The sweep was Salas' eighth victory of the season to earn him the championship. Vincent Trommer and Eric Coleman were second and third in the main event. Emon Fazlollahi made his DMG Motorsports S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto debut, also recording a sweep over series champion Michael Korody and Carl Lewis. Mathias Coito made it three for three in the race group as he swept the Kimball Williams Racing S5 Junior Stock Moto class over Ansel Baldovin. The win was the exclamation point on a championship season.
The event concluded with the Mack Motorsports X30 Junior class, providing a great way to close out the 2019 season. Frankie Mossman was able to edge out the field for the fast time in qualifying before Cole Morgan took over the top spot in the Prefinal. Carson Morgan joined the fight at the front, yet Cole was too strong. The older Morgan retook the lead on lap four and showed the way for the final 14 laps to his second victory of the season. Mossman jumped up to finish second, bringing Blake Nash with him. Carson Morgan fell to fourth ahead of Ayden Aquino. Cole's victory gave him the class championship by 150 points over Nash.
The Los Angeles Karting Championship will crown the 2019 champions and honor the title podium finishers at the Awards Banquet. The ceremony is scheduled for December 15 at the Pole Position Raceway in Corona, California. Head to this LINK to register for tickets to the event. For more about the Los Angeles Karting Championship program, please visit LAKC.org and ‘Like' them on Facebook and follow on Instagram.
