State Kart Club in Springfield, IL. A record turnout was anticipated, but Mother Nature decided to show everyone who’s in control and the forecast 80% chance of rain kept some racers away. However, for those who came, the action was just as intense as the previous three rounds.

As it has been in the past three events, the most intense racing was in the TaG 60cc class. In the final after the start had been waved off twice the front rows were inverted giving Gregory Gerst the pole and Grant Vogel outside pole. As the green waived and the field negotiated turns one and two Grant spun collecting no less than 5 other karts. Most were able to continue, but with the stranded karts and debris in the track the red flag flew and a complete restart was ordered.

TaG 60 Pre-Final start.
Photo courtesy of Joe Brittin Photography

Because of the complete restart the front row reverted back to its original posting thus giving Christopher Barngrover pole and Mario Nigro off pole. The front row learned their lesson from the prior attempts. The green flew on the first attempt and 12 karts headed towards the site of the accident of the first start. This time though there would be no dramatic crashes and all made it safely and headed back up the hill towards the second half of the track.

Spectators watching this race quickly learned that this was going to be a special one. On lap two Mario Nigro made a daring pass in turn four to take the lead, but Barngrover would have none of it and retook the lead with a daring pass of his own in the last turn. They would do this two more times before Mario actually lead a lap at the line, but on the next lap Barngrover would take it right back and lead lap 5. On lap 6 Mario would take the lead in turn four yet again and Barngrover didn’t get a run down the hill into the last turn and Mario would lead. On the very next lap Barngrover looked down the inside for the lead in the very tight turn two and he got loose. This allowed Mario to breakaway from the six kart train that had formed behind he and Barngrover.

As the laps rolled by in the 16 lap final Mario inched ahead lap after lap while 4 drivers fought for second. One driver who had his work cut out for him was Grant Vogel who had to start last for missing the call to the grid after the repair session. After one lap he came from last to sixth and by lap 9 he was in second.

With 3 laps to go Nigro caught lap traffic. This allowed Vogel to close in. With two to go the lead was 1.5 seconds, but as the white flag flew it was just one second. Vogel gave it everything he had to catch the leader running the fastest lap of the race in the last lap, but it wasn’t enough and Mario Nigro picked up the victory. Vogel was second, Barngrover was third, Gerst fourth and Coltan Brooks rounded out the top 5.

Yamaha Rookie start.
Photo courtesy of Joe Brittin Photography
 

The Yamaha Rookie class also has been noted for its close finishes and competitive fields and it too didn’t disappoint. In fact the class didn’t wait for the final to give thrills as in the pre-final Gregory Gerst made a win or nothing maneuver in the final corner and it worked giving him the win in a photo finish edging out Kyle Domark by .048 of a second!

As the 8 karts in the class rolled around the final corner and took the green it was quickly obvious that this race too would be exciting. At the end of lap one the top three were Kyle Domark, Gregory Gerst, and Coltan Brooks. The top three would remain in line and unchanged until lap 5 when Gerst would take it, but Domark would strike back taking the lead on the next lap and at the same time Brooks would move to second.

Lap 8 saw Gerst retake second from Brooks and he reset his eyes towards the lead and on lap nine he would retake the lead. Again Domark would strike back and retake it. This truly was a seesaw battle and even though there was so much passing all of it was clean making this a truly great race.

Lap 11 was critical for the outcome of the race as Gerst retook the lead this time and try as he might, Domark just couldn’t retake the lead. At the finish it was four karts in a line with Gerst taking first, Domark second, Brooks third, and Hunter Lay getting fourth. The top four were separated by a slim .6 of a second.

By the turnout it was obvious that the dedicated racers didn’t let the rain scare them off. For those that didn’t want to play in the rain it should be noted that Saturday’s qualifying was dry and on Sunday only one race was run in the rain and that was the Briggs Sr. class, the final class of the day.

Hopefully, as round 5 roles along the forecast will be all clear. Speaking of round 5 that will be ran at Concept Haulers Motor Speedway in Norway, IL on September 16^th and 17^th. If history repeats itself, as it normally does, the racing will be fantastic and a good time will be had by all.