Race Recap: GoPro Motorplex Karting Challenge Round 2, March 17
With a record-shattering 166 entries, GoPro Motorplex's Karting Challenge club series roared back into action for Round 2 of the 12-Round series in Mooresville, NC. Record entries created impressive racing across all 11 divisions, highlighted by a 36-kart field of Briggs LO206 Senior drivers.
Congrats to all Round 2 winners: Sam Corry (Briggs LO206 Cadet), Sawyer Conrad (Briggs LO206 Junior), Gavin Sanders (Briggs LO206 Senior), Dolton Hanes (IAME KA100 Junior), Blake Hunt (IAME KA100 Senior), Spencer Conrad (IAME Mini Swift), Sam Corry (IAME Swift), Josh Green (IAME Junior), Brandon Jarsocrak (IAME Senior), Logan Cozzie (IAME Heavy), Chase Groh (Kid Kart).
IAME Mini Swift Division Sponsored by K&N:
In the IAME Mini Swift final, Ayden Patty controlled the top spot with Hoyt Mohr and Spencer Conrad trailing closely. With six laps to go, Mohr stormed past Patty entering Turn One. When frontrunners ran down lap traffic, Conrad never lifted, navigating his way around the lap-kart with an impressive move on the outside down the straight away leading into Turn Eight. With two laps to go, Patty made his move for the lead over Conrad entering Turn One. However, Conrad answered back in Turn Four to take the lead and held on to score the win, followed by Patty and Lucas Szabo in third.
IAME Swift Division Sponsored by IAME USA East:
In the IAME Swift Division, Sam Corry led the 13-kart field to green. Annie Rhule was covering Corry's rear bumper, waiting for her chance to make a move. Just prior to halfway, Rhule made her move on Corry in Turn Four. Rhule continued to lead over Corry as the two broke away, creating a two-kart battle for the win. In an exciting finish, Corry backed up the corner entering Turn 11 while Rhule attempted a block, allowing Corry to carry more momentum to pass Rhule to the inside and score the win. Rhule finished second and Hunter Yeany in third.
IAME Junior Division Sponsored by Max Papis Inc.:
In the IAME Junior Division final, the field of 12 drivers was led by Gray Leadbetter as they crossed the line for the opening lap. Locked to her bumper in second was Josh Green as the two broke away from the rest of the field briefly. This was short-lived as Caleb Bacon was clocking the fastest laps of the race in third. Bacon wasted no time charging into the lead in Turn Four, overtaking both Leadbetter and Green. By halfway, Green had moved into the lead with Bacon and Leadbetter now chasing. The battle for the lead wasn't over with two laps to go as the group of three frontrunners swapped for the lead three times in a single lap. Leadbetter controlled the lead as the white flag was shown to the leaders. Going into Turn 8, Bacon overtook Leadbetter in Turn Eight, creating a three-wide battle on exit. Green came out on top to score the win, followed by Leadbetter in second and Bacon in third.
IAME Senior Division Sponsored by CNC Performance Engineering:
In the IAME Senior final, 22 drivers took the green flag with early-leader, Brandon Jarsocrak out front. However, by lap two, Jarsocrak was overtaken with a strong run in the draft by brothers, Chase and Dalton Dow. Jarsocrak answered back the very next lap with a move entering Turn One to take back the lead and even improve to a comfortable lead over second place of Dalton Dow. Just past halfway, it looked as if Dalton Dow would be the only driver who could potentially contest Jarsocrak's lead. The following lap, Dalton Dow did just that with a pass on Jarsocrak entering Turn Four. With two laps to go, Jarsocrak decided it was his chance to answer back with a pass on Dalton Dow entering Turn One. The very next and white flag lap, Dalton Dow executed the same exact pass back on Jarsocrak to take the lead. Jarsocrak had one final move up his sleeve to overtake Dalton Dow entering Turn Eight. Jarsocrak held on for the win, followed by Dalton Dow and Chase Dow.
IAME Heavy Division Sponsored by Stitch 98:
In the IAME Heavy Division final, Todd Shambo hit the ground charging, overtaking Logan Cozzie for the lead after just one lap. However, it wasn't long before Cozzie answered back to regain the top spot. With a late-race run, Shambo took the lead once again. This time, Matthew Turner came with him, sending Cozzie back to third. With two laps to go, Turner made his move for the lead entering turn one and made it stick to overtake Shambo. A three-wide battle entering Turn Four dropped Shambo to third and Cozzie moved into second. On the final lap, Cozzie made a move that would earn him the victory. Turner earned second and Shambo finished in third.
Briggs LO206 Cadet Division Sponsored by Kart Carolina:
In the Briggs LO206 Cadet Division, 16 drivers took the green flag for their 11-lap final. James Overbeck controlled the lead for the opening laps, only to be overtaken by Sam Corry after just four laps. Once Corry took the lead in Turn One, Overbeck locked onto his bumper to chase from second. By halfway, Overbeck made a power-move on Corry down the frontstretch to take back the top spot. The shuffling of leaders allowed the rest of the field close to their bumpers as the action heated up for the final laps. Corry stormed back into the lead with Hunter Yeany in tow. In an exciting, last-lap battle, the top-three of Corry, Yeany and Overbeck went three-wide in a drag race to the line. Corry inched-out the win with a 0.004-second margin of victory. Yeany finished in second and Overbeck in third.
Briggs LO206 Junior Division Sponsored by MG Tires:
In the Briggs LO206 Junior division, Ian Habiuk and Sawyer Conrad had a close battle going for most of the race. The two pushed each other through the last corner, but Habiuk held on to cross the line in first. However, Habiuk suffered a penalty for avoidable contact, giving the win to Conrad and dropping Habiuk to second and Colin Brown earned third.
Briggs LO206 Senior Division Sponsored by Franklin Signs & Graphics:
In the Briggs LO206 Senior division, the field of 36 entries took the green for their 13-lap final. A four-kart group of drivers, including Alex Keadle, Gavin Sanders, Matthew Mockabee and Sarah Luoma broke away from the field. With two laps to go, Sanders took the lead away from Keadle entering Turn One. The top-three were still nose-to-tail for the final lap. A great battle between Mockabee and Keadle for second and third allowed Sanders to stroll away for the win during the final corners. Mockabee earned second and Keadle finished in third.
IAME KA100 Junior Division Sponsored by KartSport North America:
In the KA100 Junior Division final, Dalton Hanes and Tyler Wettengel swapped for the lead of the 16-kart field during the opening laps. As drivers settled into position after a wild opening laps, Wettengel controlled the lead, followed by Hanes and Lofton. However, by halfway, the action heated up again with a wild shuffling of the leaders down the backstretch, allowing Jacob Graham to move into the lead. Wettengel quickly moved back to the lead, followed by a bumper-to-bumper train of eight karts. Wettengel was able to put some distance between himself and the field for the first time during the race while an intense battled unfolded behind him. Wettengel scored the win, but suffered penalties that lowered him to third. Dalton Hanes was given the win, followed by Donald Whorton II in second.
IAME KA100 Senior Division Sponsored by Sunoco Race Fuels:
In the KA100 Senior Division, Blake Hunt was out front of the 14-kart field. However, by lap two, Taylor Stanford bested Hunt to take control of the lead with Emory Lyda trailing close behind in third. At halfway, Hunt maneuvered his way back into the lead, but was quickly overtaken yet again by Stanford in Turn Four. Stanford continued to control the lead, but the hard chargers of Nick Losito and Ashlyn Breuer were closing from fourth and fifth with Breuer even clocking the fastest laps of the race. Breuer overtook Losito and quickly set her sights on the top-three of Stanford, Hunt and Lyda. With one lap to go, Hunt had waited patiently long enough as he stormed into the lead with a pass into Turn One. Hunt held on to score the win, followed by Stanford and Lyda.
Kid Kart Division:
In the Kid Kart Division, a great group of eight young drivers took the green for their eight-lap final. Chase Groh scored the win, followed by Colton McQuade and Jacob Schaible.
Round 2 Results & Photos:
Round 2 Results, Standings>> (http://www.gopromotorplex.com/race-events/past-race-results/2018-karting-challenge-results/)
GoPro Photo Gallery>> (http://www.gopromotorplex.com/gallery/2018-karting-challenge/)
Race Coverage: To watch the recording of today's Karting Challenge Round 2 YouTube Live Stream.
UP NEXT: Up next is Round 3 of the GoPro Motorplex Karting Challenge on Saturday, April 14.
For more information on the Karting Challenge club series, CLICK HERE>> (http://www.gopromotorplex.com/race-events/kart-owner-events/gopro-motorplex-karting-challenge)
