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Thursday, 04 June 2009 08:23 |
Following the inaugural ProKart Challenge West Coast Shootout, the PKC North program readies for the fourth round of the seven event championship on June 13, returning to the home circuit of the series – the Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. The event will mark the first time this year that the series will utilize the popular ‘reverse national’ layout on the 7/8-mile circuit, which is expected to bring extra, intrigued drivers to the race.
 “We introduced the reverse layout last year, which was a big hit with our regulars – and brought in a number of new competitors to the PKC North program,” said Superkarts! USA owner and PKC promoter Tom Kutscher. “Though we call the Sonoma track home in that region, the facility allows us to switch it up for the competitors each month to keep it fresh and exciting for those behind the wheel – and those along the fence.”
The championship battles are beginning to take shape as the program reaches the midpoint of the season. Two drivers currently hold the top spot in the standings in two divisions each – Jacob Neal and Kiel Spaulding. Neal has finished no worse than second in both the S1 and S3 categories, where he currently has a comfortable advantage over Cody Hodgson and Tommy Thompson respectively. The 18-year-old also has a five-race win streak dating back to February in the S3 division, including three in the South and the big victory at the PKC West Coast Shootout. Spaulding has a similar look in the Junior classes, as the HPV2 Junior defending champion leads over Dylan Lupton and Luis Tyrrell – while on top in the TaG Junior standings over Louie Pagano and Adrian Starrantino.
The TaG Senior, TaG Master, G1, and S4 categories have all had three different feature winners in the opening three rounds. The G1 division, however, has the closest points battle to date, as Shootout winner Fernando Diaz is just five points ahead of round two winner Jim Kidd – with Ethan Wilson within reach. Ten points separate Steve Elo and Shootout winner Paul Hohlbein in the TaG Master championship, with Jim Zootis just 35 points out of first. Larry Fraser has a 20-point advantage over Brett Felkins in TaG Senior, with round one winner Will Martindale lurking not far off. Jamie Wilson, Jared Woolf and Peter Workum hold the top three spots in the S4 rankings, with Workum looking to join Wilson and Woolf as feature winners next weekend.
Pre-registration will be open until midnight on June 10, with competitors able to save $35 by entering early. After that, at-track registration will be open early both days (Friday and Saturday). Practice day will be Friday, June 12. Gates open at 7am with open practice 9am to 5pm, followed by a complimentary BBQ – sponsored by G-Force Motorsports – for all who have paid for practice or a pit pass for the day (bring your own drinks). Again, longtime PKC friend and supporter Scott Jeffery will be serving up the feast to those who attend. Trailer parking and overnight camping on site will be available Friday night only. Those wishing to park early or stay extra must contact the facility. Pit spots are on a first come, first serve basis – with the exception of the front row spots that may be reserved. The host hotel for the event will be the Econo Lodge in Novato (call 415-883-2406 and mention ProKart Challenge for a special 10% off rate). For more information on the event or the Superkarts! USA’s ProKart Challenge itself, head to http://www.prokartchallenge.com or call 951-491-0808.
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