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12/06/09 - Jim Russell Karting Endurance Race Report
Sonoma, CA, December 6, 2009 – The 9th Jim Russell 4-hour Endurance Race had a new set of challenges that added a new level of depth to the race for teams this year. Colder weather and the threat of rain added to the preparation that teams had to deal with to come out on top of the 4-hours.
Juniors/Arrive and Drive Endurance
For the first time, the Junior Endurance race was expanded to 4 hour, which was welcomed by drivers and crews alike. In addition, the Jim Russell Arrive and Drive classes were added to the card where drivers were fully supported by Jim Russell equipment, mechanics and instructors. Teams, mostly consisting of Sprint Series regulars, made up teams to contest the different format using the SKM-Rotax powered karts.
In Qualifying, the top two karts were Jim Russell A&D machines with the third going to the top Junior HPV-2 machine of Team Leading Edge. From the Le Mans start, all five Junior HPV-2 engine’d karts got away into turn one ahead of the A&D competitors, but it did not take long before the top A&D karts went into the lead. After the initial exciting sprint of the first 15 minutes, the teams all settled into the pace of finishing a 4-hour race.
Before the first hour was completed, two Junior class karts had to make stops in the pits to make repairs. Team Kartel had an engine go down and had to make a quick engine change that cost them 10 laps. Team FAST had to come in with a slow leak in their left rear tire, which took a couple of quick stops to find and fix the problem losing 6 laps in the process. As the race continued, two of the Jim Russell A&D teams along with Team Leading Edge continued to pace the field.
Team Leading Edge had to visit the pits with a broken pipe, however a quick pit stop from the veteran enduro crew had a whole new pipe assembly in place within a minute and they were back into the race without losing the class lead.
Entering the last half hour, the leading A&D kart of Ridgard/Evans/Eagleton stopped on track and had to be brought in on the recovery trailer. By the time they re-entered the action, they were down to 4th place, 3rd in class. Team Leading Edge was cruising with a six lap class lead and on their way to their second Enduro class win in a row. Team FAST made a quick final pit spot and was now chasing down the 2nd Junior team, Team STA.
As the clock reached the 4-hour mark, A&D Team of Templin/Davidson/Hoxsey scored the overall win, weighing in as the heaviest kart in the field and qualifying last on the grid. For the second consecutive year, Team Leading Edge took second overall and the top spot in the Junior class, two laps down from the winning kart. Third was A&D Team of Juniors Linebarger/Grey/Balen followed by the A&D Team of Ridgard/Evans/Eagleton, Team STA and Team FAST.
In addition to Team Trophies, the winning drivers on Junior Team all received new ACCESS Passes for the Jim Russell International Karting Center, valued of $500 to each driver.
Team Class Laps Drivers
1. Jim Russell #18 A&D 248 Templin/Davidson/Hoxsey
2. Team Leading Edge Juniors 246 Devirro/Ereth/Kaiser
3. Jim Russell #28 A&D 243 Linebarger/Grey/Balen
4. Jim Russell #235 A&D 240 Ridgard/Evans/Eagleton
5. Team STA Juniors 240 Thomas/Braddock/Langon
Senior Endurance – TaG Senior/TaG Masters/Stock Moto
Sunday dawned with even colder weather and the real chance of showers. For the first time, 125 Stock Moto was added as a to the race card spicing up the ontrack action. In Qualifying, Stock Moto karts were at the head of the field with Team Reno on pole and Team Awesome in a close second. The first Senior Tag kart, Monkey See was in third with the top TaG Masters kart, Team TBD, in 4th. At the start, the 8th place Stock Moto, Team Monkey Do, made the best of the Le Mans start and taking over the top spot by the end of the first lap.
Again, the first 10 minutes looked like a sprint race when the 3rd place Team Reno kart rolled up the back of the Team Awesome kart with the final result being the two karts becoming hooked together. The two finally got disconnected, however the result was Team Awesome losing a lap and Team Reno spending over 10 minutes in the pits replacing its nose.
Just prior to the 2-hour mark, the leading Monkey Do Stock Moto team broke it’s shift lever and had to limp back to the pits stuck in first gear costing them 8 laps. Team Awesome gratefully assumed the lead. Problems on the other side of the team for Monkey See promoted Team Jim Russell into 2nd position overall.
Finally, the threatening storm clouds opened up with rain. Two teams of Team Jim Russell and Team Green, pitted for rain tires and appeared to be ahead of the curve as other teams were spinning off track, however the rain only lasted 10 minutes and dry conditions resumed. The tire swap cost the teams 4 laps for the adventure, one of which, the Jim Russell Team, lost their hold on second spot. Monkey See regained the 2nd position with the Stock Moto Monkey Do now in 3rd, 11 laps down.
Going into the last hour, the Stock Moto of Team Awesome continued a flawless pace while most of the other teams had brake problems, needing to replace pads. As the checkered flew, Team Awesome came home first covering 254 laps. In the 2nd spot, the top TaG Senior kart of Monkey Do with the TaG Masters kart of Team TBD coming home with a near flawless drive into 4th place.
Again, each of the winning teams received trophies and new ACCESS Passes for the Jim Russell International Karting Center, valued of $500 to each driver.
Team Class Laps Drivers
1. Team Awesome Stock Moto 254 Alfonso/Scherer/Felkins/Bartolero
2. Monkey See TaG Senior 249 Frasier/Cadoux/LeDuc/Toft
3. Monkey Do Stock Moto 249 Frasier/Cadoux/LeDuc/Toft
4. Team TBD TaG Master 235 Landerville/Jaurequi
5. Team Jim Russell TaG Senior 230 Rondet/Bain/Gerrard
The success of the event has the Jim Russell management considering additional races for 2010 championship. Stay tuned to www.jimrussellusa.com for the latest information.
Endurance Kart Racing has been a core element to the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School from the beginning. Back in 1958, Jim Russell ran the first 24-hour karting race at the Snetterton circuit in England. Today, the 16-turn, 0.75 mile Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway, is one of the premier karting venues in the country and offers a full range of karting courses for beginners to world-class drivers.
10/24/09 - Milas Mills Claims Victory in Route to Cadet Championship; Jeffrey Peterson Wins in Juniors Championship
Sonoma, CA, October 24, 2009 – Clear skies and beautiful autumn weather welcomed drivers for the seventh and final round of the 2009 championship Jim Russell Cadet and Junior Championship. With points battles tied up among the leaders, every lap would be critical for the championship competitors. Returning to the classic National layout put competitors back to their roots in the traditional configuration.
Cadet Championship
Points were tied heading into Round 7 between Max Papola and Stephen Orr. Papola and new-comer Zach Dante logged extra practice laps during the week in preparation for the final round with those laps paying off for Dante as he topped the charts through the two rounds of practice.
Qualifying stayed the same as Dante showed the way over Orr and Zach Pettinicchi. Usual front-runner Milas Mills seemed to struggle with his engine tuning, only able to grab a fourth place run. The same was said for last month’s winner, Jaden Conwright slotting into fifth position not getting good power out of the engine.
The field, 10 racers deep took the green flag under the control of pole-sitter Dante. Tight quarters into turn one had karts flying through the air, however all would come out unscathed. After the dust settled, the biggest benefactor was Carlos Torres who was able to move from his eighth place starting position up to fourth.
With all drivers running at the end of lap one, competition started to heat up. Dante maintained the lead over Stephen Orr in close proximity. Orr looked like he would challenge for the lead until a small slip saw him drop back rambling out of Monaco.
His head down and engine tuning sorted, Milas Mills started gaining traction on the lead group. After a nifty pass on Stephen Orr, Mills zeroed in on Dante for the lead. With five laps to go, Mills pulled by Dante on the main straight to take over the top spot. Mills pulled out a ten-kart length lead over the battle for second between Pettinicchi and Dante. Mills took the checkered as Pettinicchi squeaked by Dante at the line by just 0.02 seconds.
The win vaulted Milas Mills into the Championship lead with series high 1150 points. After claiming the championship, the young driver from Elk Grove, California is set to move up the Junior ranks in 2010. Final standings:
Driver / Hometown / Points
1. Milas Mills / Elk Grove, CA / 1150
2. Jaden Conwright / Newark, CA / 1090
3. Stephen Orr / Sonoma, CA / 1000
4. Max Papola / Petaluma, CA / 980
5. Zachary Pettinichi / San Ramon, CA / 970
Junior Championship
Jeffrey Peterson held a slight lead in the championship points over the competition heading into the final round and looked strong through the practice sessions. Two-time winner and championship points contender Peter Gray stood atop of the charts through the first two rounds of practice.
Practice meant nothing, as it was all was mixed up for qualifying seeing Niki Luna claiming the pole position with a 57.222 over Gray and Tommy Linebarger in third. Luna, in only his second pole of his career, was poised to have a strong run on the day. Peterson, leading the points, was only able to garner a sixth place run.
Luna lead the field of eight drivers to a clean start through turn one as the field battled over positions. On the exit of one, Luna went side by side with Linebarger through Tic-Tac-Toe with Linebarger eventually falling in behind. Luna lead a pack of four drivers composed of Gray, Linebarger and Sean MacDonald to a small breakaway.
The top four would stay in line for the first half of the race as none of the bunch seamed to be able to gain an advantage. A change came as Peter Gray had to checkup after Linebarger slid wide heading out of Monaco. The slip up allowed MacDonald to move by Gray for third the spot.
Linebarger in the second position was poised to claim the championship as Jeffrey Peterson paced around in fifth spot. Linebarger’s Championship hopes would not last as MacDonald was able to put a clean pass to move into the second spot. MacDonald was all the help Peterson needed to retain a chance in the championship.
Luna stayed solid up front, claiming his first ever win behind the wheel, with MacDonald in second, Linebarger in third. The finish resulted in a 3-way tie for championship. The tie was broken, first by going to number of race wins (all drivers had two), next to second place finishes which resulted in Jeffrey Peterson being crowned the 2009 Junior Champion. The final standings:
Driver / Hometown / Points / Wins / 2nd / 3rd
1. Jeffrey Peterson / Sonoma, CA / 1110 / 2 / 2 / X
2. Tommy Linebarger / Santa Cruz, CA / 1110 / 2 / 1 / 2
2. Peter Gray / Sonoma, CA / 1110 / 2 / 1 / 1
4. Sean McDonald / Concord, CA / 1100
5. John Balen / Atherton, CA / 980
The season ending 4-Hour Endurance race is set for December 5-6 as drivers will compete in teams in the unique event. Seats will be limited for the event; contact a Jim Russell Racing consultant today to enter your team 1.800.466.5792 or visit www.jimrussellusa.com
Kart Racing has been a core element to the Jim Russell Race Drivers School from the beginning. Back in 1958, Jim Russell ran the first 24-hour karting race at the Snetterton circuit in England. Today, the 16-turn, 0.75 mile Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway, is one of the premier karting venues in the country and offers a full range of karting courses for beginners to world-class drivers. Jim Russell Racing Drivers School both trains drivers in a variety of karting classes while also offering opportunities to compete. The Jim Russell International Karting Center is host to the Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Max Challenge and the ProKart Challenge North series.
10/19/09 - Jim Russell Karting Championship Round #9 - Race Preview
Sonoma, CA, October 19, 2009 - The Jim Russell Karting Championship Series will hold Race #9 this weekend at Infineon Raceway returning to the original long straightaway National track configuration. The event marks the final round for the 80 Shifters and the 2009 class champion will be crowned at the end of the day. For the Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Challenge, Round #9 is the final event of the season at Infineon Raceway.
Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Challenge
With several classes still in tight points races, competition will be at its peak heading into the final two rounds. Micro-Max driver Nicky Hays is on a four-race winning streak and now holds a 85 ‘net’ points lead over Michael Michoff. Sara Setzer is also in a tight race for third place in class holding less than a 60 point advantage over Annie and Toni Breidinger.
In Mini-Max, Drew Setzer is also on a hot streak scoring wins in the last three events. Setzer now holds a 65 points lead over JR Raczko with Harrison Mills third in points.
Donald Durbin holds a 100 point lead over Jack Arluck in Rotax Masters, but Arluck is looking over his shoulder at David Harwin who is close on his heels. Andre Eriksen and Jerry Pretti are both in striking distance of the top three positions, with all drivers needing to put in their best drives of the year this weekend to solidify their positions.
The Senior Rotax class has been the most competitive group of the 2009 season with six different drivers in the first 8 races. Two-time winner and the 2008 class champion Gregory Liefooghe has a 100 points lead over first-year senior Jordan Jadallah. Jadallah had tough outings in the last two events and is looking to rebound with a strong race to get back into the hunt. A tight race for third in class as Nic LeDuc holds a slim lead over Nikola Radosavljevich and Jake Mottaz.
Championships have all but been wrapped up in three of the Rotax classes. Junior Rotax leader Brody Zink is set to claim the title in what has been a strong season. Andrea Delfanti holds a considerable lead in the Masters Light class over Mary Beth Wilson. In spite of the extremely tight racing over the last three rounds among the DD2 class, Troy Castaneda holds nearly a 200-point lead over the tight battle for second Kyle Gimple and David Arnstein.
80 Shifter Championship
Race #9 will be the final event of the 2009 season for the 80 Grand Masters class. Marc Stanley comes into this race with 3 wins, but has used up his allowed dropped race with a DNS earlier in the year. Stanley has a slim 60 point lead over 2008 Champion Tom Nelson. Nelson has yet to win a feature in 2009, but his sights are set to break through to the top step this weekend and seal the championship.
Registration starts at 7:15 Saturday morning, two sessions of Practice starts at 8:15, Qualify at 11:00 and the afternoon of racing will start at 12:45. Pre-race practice and re-registration is available on Friday from 10:00am to 6:00pm. For a detailed race day schedule or more information on the Jim Russell Karting Championship Series, visit www.jimrussellusa.com or contact race director Ric Shaw at rshaw@jimrussellusa.com For details on Northern California Rotax Max Challenge, visit website at www.norcalrotax.com.
10/10/09 - Justin Gald Claims the Championship Title; Altberg Returns to Double up on Wins
Sonoma, CA, October 10, 2009 – The final event for the 2009 Sprint Arrive and Drive Championship came down to the crucial double-header race day. In Group A, Alex Altberg took home the win in each race, but it was the battle for the points championship with Justin Gald and Scott Davidson that underscored the race competition. In Group B, George Hoxsey and Mike Forner split victories.
With points tied between championship leaders Justin Gald and Scott Davidson, both needed a break-out day to grab the season title. Although Gald and Davidson were locked in the points lead, Greg Evans and George Hoxsey had mathematical chances of taking the title.
Round 9 – Group A
Morning practice kicked off for Round 9 on the National Configuration with chilly conditions and with every driver searching for grip from their Yokohama tires. Part-time series runner, and 2008 championship runner up, Eric Kubly showed the way as he topped the charts over Leighton Ridgard and Justin Gald for the Group A runners. The field was looking quick as just 0.5 seconds covered the top six racers.
The cool weather gave way to warming temperatures for qualifying and lap times began to drop. Claiming his first pole of the year, Leighton Ridgard put his Rotax powered machine on top of the Group A grid with a fast time of 56.856 seconds. Slotting in second, Jim Russell Championship competitor Aleks Altberg was followed by Eric Kubly in third. Altberg got the jump at the green flag, taking the lead into turn 1. Ridgard did well to stay close to leader Altberg, both putting a gap on third place Justin Gald. Altberg set the fast lap in route to pick up his fourth win of the year. Gald held onto third place, thus keeping him in the championship fight.
Round 9 Group B
Group B qualifiers had the slight advantage of running under warmer conditions later in the morning. George Hoxsey led the way over the field as he looked to secure his title chances. Round 8 winner, Mike Forner went for a wild ride when an errant tire sent him sliding into the barriers at Tic-Tac-Toe. Forner was un-phased by the incident and the Jim Russell crew took swift action to get the equipment repaired. Championship contender Scott Davidson showed his speed by taking second position on the grid during practice.
Hoxsey continued to lead through qualifying, and won the pole with a 57.467 second run, representing a half second lead over Davidson. Barry Templin grabbed the third spot on the starting grid.
Leading Group B into turn 1, Hoxsey continued his march to make a three-way title fight. Hoxsey went wire-to-wire to maximize his points, while Scott Davidson finished third to stay tied in the championship with Gald.
At the mid-day break, championship points couldn’t have been tighter with Davidson and Gald tied in total points. Hoxsey’s morning race win would put him in championship contention. Only 40 points separated the top four drivers after dropping their lowest finish.
Championship points standings following Rounds 9 competitors were tied up with:
Driver/Hometown/Points
1. Justin Gald/Sonoma, CA/1470
2. Scott Davidson/San Jose, CA/1470
3. George Hoxsey/San Jose, CA/1420
4. Greg Evans/Walnut Creek, CA/1410
5. Mike Forner/Walnut Creek, CA/1316
Round 10 Group A
Using the Reverse National configuration for the afternoon session, drivers took their final shot at grabbing title points. With groupings remaining the same as the morning session, the championship contenders were balancing the risk vs. reward scenario to claim the title and earn the valuable Jim Russell School of Racing ($4,795) prize that went with it.
Anthony Duran jumped to the top of the charts in practice, leading the way for Group A. Duran has been a steady competitor all season and was poised to make his move for a race win. Altberg continued to be a top competitor sitting second on the time charts, with Greg Evans slotting into third.
In qualifying, Altberg improved on his practice by picking up his second pole position of the day in Group A, taking the top spot over Evans and Duran; Gald sat forth.
As the green flag flew for the main race, Evans jumped to lead the race by executing a great move on Altberg to take the top spot. The duo continued to exchange positions for the first five laps until Altberg was able to break away with minutes remaining. Meanwhile, Gald passed Duran for third and started making time on Evans.
Racing settled down for the top three contenders. The battle of the race was between Eric Kubly and young Kiran MacKinnon. The two fought intensely for fourth place, with the cagey veteran Kubly eventually claiming the position. Altberg scored his second win of the day followed closely by an impressive run by Evans. Still sitting atop the points, Justin Gald left the championship fight open by finishing in the third spot.
Round 10 Group B
George Hoxsey had his sights set on the Group B win, as it was his only chance to snag the season title. With Gald’s third place finish, Davidson would need to finish in the top two spots to take the championship. The pressure was on as competitors in pit lane knew the implications of every lap.
Hoxsey continued his cool hand in practice toping the time charts, however he would be out done in qualifying by Mike Forner. Forner laid down a 56.877 seconds earning him the top spot over Hoxsey and Davidson in the afternoon qualifying session for Group B.
At the green flag, the field drove through turn 1 cleanly with Forner leading from pole. Chaos was set to ensue as Hoxsey attempted a risky pass into Monaco with the field looking to pounce. Davidson, who was forced back to fifth on the start tried a super move to pass into the lead in the same sequence – however, it did not go well for the championship contender. Forner came out in the lead, followed by Barry Templin, Mike Luke and Hoxsey.
Racing began to take on a reasonable pace for a few corners as drivers entered the main straight. Hoxsey, feeling the pressure, attempted to regain his lost positions with a pass that led to a big spin offtrack, taking him out of contention and out of the championship. Davidson, who was bottled up behind a fast-running Manuel Dacoron, needed to move up to be in the championship fight. Davidson slipped by Dacoron and began to pressure Mike Luke. With four laps to go, Davidson moved by Luke to claim third spot – which tied him in championship points with Gald.
At the front, Templin and Forner were in a race of their own as the two swapped positions on the last lap. Forner sealed the win as they entered the main straight for the final pass, claiming his second win of the year.
As Justin Gald and Scott Davidson were tied in championship points, the decision would be split by number of race wins. By claiming four wins on the year, Justin Gald was crowned 2009 Jim Russell Sprint Championship. Gald’s championship prize of the three-day School of Racing that uses the FJR-50 race car will be put to the test as the driver prepares for the Jim Russell Future Driver Search with Allan McNish, which runs on December 19 through 22.
Final championship points standings following Rounds 10:
Driver/Hometown/Points/Wins
1. Justin Gald/Sonoma, CA/1640/4
2. Scott Davidson/San Jose, CA/1640/3
3. Greg Evans/Walnut Creek, CA/1590/2
4. George Hoxsey/San Jose, CA/1570/2
5. Mike Forner/Walnut Creek, CA/1516/2
Jim Russell will cap the racing season with a four-hour Endurance race that is set for December 5-6. Drivers will compete in teams and seats are limited. Contact Jim Russell Racing Drivers School to enter your team 1.800.466.5792
Kart racing has been a core element to the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School from the beginning. Back in 1958, Jim Russell ran the first 24-hour karting race at the Snetterton circuit in England. Today, the 16-turn, 0.76 mile Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway is one of the premier karting venues in the country and offers a full range of karting courses for beginners to world-class drivers. Jim Russell Racing Drivers School both trains drivers in a variety of karting classes while also offering opportunities to compete. The Jim Russell International Karting Center is host to the Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Max Challenge and the ProKart Challenge North Series.
09/26/09 - Jaden Conwright Cruises to his First Victory in the Jim Russell Cadet Arrive and Drive; Jeffrey Peterson Wins in Juniors
Sonoma, CA, September 26, 2009 - A beautiful, warm autumn day welcomed drivers to Round 6 of the Jim Russell Cadet/Junior Arrive and Drive Championship at Infineon Raceway. As the season championship battles wind down, racers took to the Reverse National layout for the second time and put in their best efforts to score late season points.
Cadet Championship
A field of nine racers saddled up in their Jim Russell cadet chassis for the event with championship leader Max Papola holding a narrow 10-point margin over Stephen Orr. Milas Mills showed the way through practice as the tightly matched field prepared for the race.
Qualifying was a different story for the cadets as lap times dropped below the one-minute mark. Young Jaden Conwright garnered the pole position with a time of 59.325 seconds, barely outpacing the hard-charging Stephen Orr by just 0.054 seconds. Max Papola, Zachary Pettinicchi and Milas Mills rounded out the top five competitors.
At the green flag, Conwright lead the pack of drivers into Turn 1 event and never looked back. However, the action didn’t stop behind him as Milas Mills moved from his fifth-place starting position to second place. As Mills made his move, the gap to the leader was closing. Conwright’s lead proved to be too much as the laps ran out for Mills who was forced to settle for a well-deserved runner-up spot.
Heading into the final event, championship points are very close with Papola and Orr tied for the top spot. Current standings:
Driver Hometown Points
1. Max Papola Petaluma, CA 970
1. Stephen Orr Sonoma, CA 970
3. Milas Mills Elk Grove, CA 950
4. Jaden Conwright Newark, CA 930
5. Zachary Pettinicchi San Ramon, CA 880
Junior Championship
Tight championship battles were again the name of the game as the Junior drivers entered Round 6 with points tied between Tommy Linebarger and Jeffrey Peterson. Eight drivers lined up in their identically prepared Rotax powered machines, which have shown to be quite competitive in the first year under the Junior’s control.
In the qualifying session, veteran Arrive and Drive pilot Peter Gray took the pole ahead of last month’s winner Tommy Linebarger with Sean McDonald slotting into third, followed by Jeffrey Peterson and Niki Luna. Returning to the championship for only his second race of the season, Luna proved to be a tough competitor.
At the drop of the green flag, Linebarger got the jump on Gray and led the field of drivers through Turn 1. In a repeat of Round 5, Linebarger distanced the field and Gray could not match the same pace. Points leader Jeffrey Peterson made progress as he meticulously passed McDonald and later passed Gray to acquire second spot. With the leader in sight, Peterson put all his focus on driving some very smooth laps to narrowly close the gap with Linebarger.
Peterson picked a spot where he was superior to Linebarger and made another strong, but clean pass for the lead. The fight continued back and forth until the last lap where Linebarger pressed a bit too hard, putting a wheel off and sacrificing valuable championship points. The small mistake allowed Gray, McDonald and Luna to get by. Peter Gray was able to make a threat for the lead, yet Jeffrey Peterson maintained his hold to earn his second win of the season. McDonald came home third, Luna fourth and Linebarger finished fifth.
Peterson picked up valuable points, opening his lead to just over 40 heading into the final round. Current standings:
Driver Hometown Points
1. Jeffrey Peterson Sonoma, CA 1110
2. Tommy Linebarger Santa Cruz, CA 1070
2. Peter Gray Sonoma, CA 1070
4. Sean McDonald Concord, CA 1060
5. John Balen Atherton, CA 830
Practice and preparation will be key as the championship heads into the final round set for October 24. For more information on the Jim Russell Arrive and Drive Series, go to www.jimrussellusa.com or contact a race consultant at 1.800.733.0345
08/29/09 - Jim Russell Karting Championship Series Round 5 - Race Recap
Round 5 of the Jim Russell Karting Championship Series completed the summer months with a solid turnout and tight racing on what was certainly a warm afternoon at the Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway. Running the Reverse Sprint track layout for the only time in 2009 not only posed a new challenge to the racers, but also tested their endurance as there is little room to rest on the 0.68 mile track. Eight race groups made for an action packed day.
Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Challenge Series
Junior Rotax and Mini-Max
A combined grouping of Junior and Mini-Max drivers made for Le-Mans style racing for the day’s young runners. In Qualifying, Dylan Lupton claimed the top spot among the Junior drivers followed closely by Brody Zink and Josh Fieber. Lupton continued his pace to sweep the day claiming convincing wins in both the Pre-Main and Main.
Mini-Max kart piloted by Drew Setzer scored the pole position over JR Raczko and Harrison Mills in qualifying. Setzer lead flag to flag in the Pre-Main and got off to a similar start as the green dropped for the Main. In one of the day’s best drives, JR Raczko made a clean pass on Mills to move into second spot before setting his sites on the leader in the closing laps. With only 3 laps remaining, Raczko saw the opening he was looking for and made another clean pass to take the lead away from Setzer. Setzer tried to fight back, but Raczko kart’s setup was dialed in allowing him to pull away with over a one second lead to take the win.
Rotax Masters and Rotax Masters Light
Fourteen karts filled the combined grid of Masters and Master’s light. Light’s championship point’s leader Andrea Delfanti grabbed the pole position with Donald Durbin (Masters) and David Harwin (Masters) falling in behind. Visiting from home country of Italy, Andrea’s brother Luca Delfanti showed well in his first Rotax outing slotting in just behind the experienced front-runners.
In the Pre-Main, Andrea held a slim lead over the two top Masters drivers for the entire 12-lap race with Harwin taking 2nd and Durbin 3rd. Mert Solis (Lights) improved two positions to take 4th followed by Jack Arluck (Masters) and Luca.
Again Andrea took the early lead in the Main, but this time Harwin put more pressure on as they both pulled out over Durbin. Harwin found his shot and passed Andrea for the top spot holding on to cross the first. Harwin’s victory was short lived as he ran afoul in the post-race tech process and was DQ’d due to a carburetor problem. Andrea was promoted to the overall winner while Durbin was handed the Masters Class win. Luca Delfanti 3rd overall 2nd in Lights, Arluck 4th overall and 2nd in Masters, Solis 5th overall and 3rd in Lights and Andre Eriksen taking first podium of the year with 6th overall and 3rd in Masters.
Rotax DD2
Eight DD2 entries on the day with 3-time winner Troy Castaneda taking his 4th pole of the year ahead of David Arnstein, Kyle Gimple and Tim Salvason. Castaneda, preparing for his run at the Rotax Nationals, took the early lead in the Pre-Main and never looked back. The same couldn’t be said deeper in the field as Arnstein and Gimple were swapping positions eventually with Gimple coming out ahead with January Grove taking 4th ahead of David Palic.
Castaneda again showed the way in the Main taking the early lead and controlling the race. Gimple held 2nd place for the first 15 laps, but Arnstein got by late to nab the second spot. Grove came home 4th and first time DD2 driver Charles Duncan scored the 5th spot.
Micro-Max
Entries for the first year Micro-Max class have been steady all season and this race was no exception with most of the regulars taking the green flag. Missing from action was Wilson Skerven due to a broken arm that he sustained a couple weeks ago while riding a skateboard - and who says that kart racing is dangerous.
The reverse sprint track was much to Nicky Hays’ liking as he took the pole by almost a second over Toni Breidinger, Nate Fleischli and points leader Michael Mitchoff. On the pace lap of the Pre-Main, Sarah Setzer ran into early trouble having to pit with brake problems. As the remaining drivers took the green flag, Hays lead the field through turn one, however the remaining runners all had to check up as Toni slid sideways, starting to spin. Toni, Nate and Annie Breidinger got going again, but Mitchoff threw a chain and had to sit out. Hays won handily followed by Toni and Nate.
In the Main, Hays took the early lead and never looked back. Toni again showed her improved driving by holding down a strong second over Fleischli and Mitchoff, until late in the race, when she put a wheel off and spun allowing both in tow to get by. The three karts then chased around looking for ways to get by each other. Michael finally got by Nate to take 2nd by less than a second with Toni less than a half second back in 4th. This was the best performance of the year by Hays, Fleischli and Toni Breidinger.
Senior Rotax
Four different winners in four races doesn’t say enough for the strength of the Senior Rotax class where on any given weekend 10 drivers could be working the lead. That field got even stronger for round 5 as Southern California regular Mason Marrotta joined the fray.
Marrotta made his presence known landing a top the driver standings after the first half of qualifying, but it was short lived as he was pushed down to 7th quickly after the second half of qualifying kicked off. Taking the pole was Matthew Powers followed by the Rotax Shootout winner Greg Liefooghe, Nic LeDuc, Jake Mottaz and Wes Phillips.
Powers and Liefooghe battled early on in the Pre-Main with Liefooghe taking the lead and pulling away for a narrow win. Jake Mottaz overtook Powers for the second spot with Marrotta working his way up to fourth followed by Travis Duhn. David Harwin was making moves toward the front, but contact with Philips moved both drivers to the back of the field.
Liefooghe held the lead through turn one of the Main as Mottaz tried the outside line, only to put a wheel off losing several positions. Deep in the field, Mottaz had an additional scrum with Michael Garcia, moving Mottaz from the front row to last by the end of the first circuit. Up front, Liefooghe controlled the top position with Powers, Marrotta and Duhn in close tow. Starting from the rear, Wes Philips was charging through the field as Mottaz and Jordan Jadallah, last month’s winner, followed.
Duhn was the first to retire as his chain failed, with Michael Garcia just behind. Nic LeDuc’s dreadful day ended with retirement on lap 6. Marrotta’s hopes of beating the Norcal gang went out the window when he dropped out on lap 12 from running near the front. In the end, no one could challenge Liefooghe as he came home 2.5 seconds in front to make it 5 races and 5 different winners. Powers came home a second in his best showing of 2009. Phillips worked his way up to 3rd, Jadallah finished 4th and Jake Mottaz made the best come back recovering to take 5th.
80 Shifters
Eleven 80 Shifters took the track, the strongest showing of the year for this popular class at Jim Russell International Karting Center. Reno, Nevada native Mark Nason took the pole ahead of Tom Nelson, Marc Stanley, Ahmiel Freed and Roger Cornwall.
The Pre-Main saw Nason control the race from the drop of the green flag. Stanley hounded second spot of Tom Nelson the whole way until he saw the opportunity and slipped by, holding on to the end of the race. Nelson came home 3rd ahead of Cornwall and Cody McKinney, also from Reno. Points leader Freed broke his gearbox and had to settle for the 11th spot for the day, and with it lost the points lead by race end.
In the Main, there was some great excitement as drivers’ launched from the standing start. Nason again lead the field out of turn one, but McKinney made a great move to shoot out to second spot from his fifth place starting position. McKinney, who had not been to Infineon for the last 5 years, was driving the wheels off his kart and getting stronger each lap until a mechanical problem started impacting his consistency. First Stanley, then Cornwall then Nelson passed McKinney until finally had to give up the battle on lap 9. The last half of the race was Nason in front with a sizable lead followed by a four kart battle for second. Nelson was able to work by both Cornwall and Stanley to claim another 2nd spot on the year. Reno driver, Gerry Williams rounded out the top five in what was a close battle for fifth.
The next round of the Jim Russell Karting Championship will be September 26 when the course configuration returns to Reverse National. The Jim Russell Norcal Rotax Challenge will travel to Dixon September 5&6 where they will join up with the Kinsmen Kart Club program and run under the lights.
Detailed results and championship points can be found at www.mylaps.com search Jim Russell. For more information about the Jim Russell Karting Championship Series, contact race director Ric Shaw at racedirector-ric@hotmail.com or visit www.norcalrotax.com
11/04/09 - Jim Russell Racing Drivers School Partners with SKUSA SuperNationals XIII
Sonoma, CA, November 4, 2009 - The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School has formally announced a partnership with Superkarts! USA to award two scholarships for the ‘Future Driver 2010 Selection’ to two lucky SuperNationals XIII drivers. A panel of three scouts will select a driver from each the S3 and TaG Senior fields to receive a direct bid to the Future Driver Selection, held at Infineon Raceway December 19-22, a value of $7995 each.
The Jim Russell Future Driver Selection is an international initiative created this year to find the best young talent from the worlds of karting and ‘junior’ formula car racing. It is designed to be a merit-based competition that rewards the two best young drivers with a fully-funded season of racing in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series (JRCS). From there the competitors will find themselves battling it out for the JRCS Prize Package, a fully-funded season in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship.
"As the premier karting event in the USA, SuperNats is the ideal venue to observe and select drivers for our Future Driver program and compliments our ladder system which is comprehensive from karting through Formula 1” explained Chip Pankow, President, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.
The criteria for the Selection Scholarship are as follows: (1) Drivers must compete in either the S3 or TaG Senior categories at SuperNationals XIII (2) Submit a Future Driver Scholarship Application by November 20, 2009. Drivers will be evaluated on the presence and performance by a team of scouts throughout the event week in Las Vegas.
“We are excited about this program, and can’t wait to help two top drivers reach their driving goals with the help of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers search,” stated Tom Kutscher, owner and CEO of Superkarts! USA.
The 16-race Jim Russell Championship Series will be contested on a variety of configurations at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA (USA). The program includes driver coaching complimented by full data acquisition, media training and seminars on a variety of topics essential for today’s racing driver. Winner of next year’s Championship will be awarded a seat in the FIA Formula Two Championship, a launching pad to a career in motorsports.
SKUSA SuperNationals competitors looking to be eligible for the Future Driver Scholarship can obtain an application by contacting futuredriver@jimrussellusa.com. The Future Driver Selection has a limited number of seats available. Interested drivers are encouraged to confirm their seat by submitting an application available at http://www.jimrussellusa.com
10/24/09 - Jim Russell Karting Championship Round #9 - Race Report
Sonoma, CA, October 24, 2009 - Round #9 of the Jim Russell Karting Championship Series struck it rich with an unseasonably, warm weather day to wrap up the regular season schedule at Infineon Raceway. The event marked the final round for the 80 Shifter classes, while the Northern California Rotax Max Challenge still has the final event has one more race to determine the class champions. Positions were either strengthened or made the chase for the championship that much tighter as the series heads Dixon, November 8.
80 Grand Masters – The Championship Determined
Heading into Round #9, Marc Stanley led two-time class champion Tom Nelson by 60 points. Stanley, with two races wins to his credit this season, was trailing the consistent Nelson who had yet to reach victory circle. Nelson made his mark in qualifying, taking the pole over tough competitors Mark Nason and Ahmiel Freed with Stanley in fourth.
In the 12 lap Pre-Main, Nason took the lead at the drop of the green flag with Nelson close behind. Stanley stalled at the start, putting him to the rear of the field. The duo of Nason and Nelson pulled away from the rest of the pack and were locked in a race long battle for the win. With two laps left, Nelson made the pass at the end of the front straight to take the lead, holding on to take a slim 2 tenths of a second win over Nason.
The win notched 50 points for Nelson, to fall to within just 10 points to Stanley who was only able to muster a 6th place finish.
Nason again grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag at the start of the Main. In a repeat of the Pre-Main, Nason and Nelson pulled away from the rest of the pack locked in a race long battle for the lead.
Contact and resulting spins in turn one promoted championship contender Stanley to fourth by exit of turn one. Stanley was able to put pressure on Freed to take over the valuable third spot just before the mid-race point. Stanley was no match for the lead duo as they continue to pace in front. Nason crossed the line first with the crafty veteran Nelson finishing second, who played the year-long battle perfectly to claim his third class championship in the past six years. Stanley put up a strong fight finishing third, followed by Ahmiel Freed and Roger Cornwall.
Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Challenge
Senior Rotax
Thirteen drivers of arguably the strongest talent pool in the country took the green flag of the hotly contested Senior class. With the first eight races seeing six different winners, the championship battle is coming down to just two drivers for the class’ top honors. 2008 champion Gregory Liefooghe held a modest lead over multi-time Junior Champion Jordan Jadallah at the race onset.
In Qualifying, Jadallah set the pace taking the pole over David Harwin, Matthew Powers and Liefooghe.
At the start of the pre-main, Jadallah took the initial lead, but was challenged every step of the way by Powers as the drivers swapped the lead several times. On the final lap, drivers ran side-by-side until Jadallah slipped by with two turns to go, taking a very close win over Powers; Harwin finished third with Larry Fraser and Liefooghe closely behind.
Powers took the early lead in the Main heading into turn two, leading the field for the first through the first seventeen laps. Jadallah was able to stay in contact with the strong running Powers as the two pulled away from the rest of the pack.
Behind the leading duo, Larry Fraser moved into the third spot as Harwin dropped back to fourth. Liefooghe fell back to 6th as Nikola Radosavljevech moved passed for fifth. Harwin was able to re-pass Fraser, but a mechanical ended his run shortly thereafter. Radosavljevech challenged Fraser for third, but he too pulled off due to mechanical issues. Liefooghe continued his bid for the championship as he passed Fraser for third.
As the race entered the final two laps, all eyes in the crowd were riveted on the lead as Powers and Jadallah battled in every corner. With the white flag waiving, Powers held a defensive line through turn one as Jadallah prepared for a run. Jadallah pulled alongside at the exit of turn one, where the two touched seeing Powers spin off track. Jadallah recovered, leading the final lap to the checkered, claiming valuable championship points. Liefooghe inherited second spot from Powers with Fraser following through for third. A season’s best run to fourth for Matthews Wiese with Ray Andrews, returning from a 3-year layoff, rounding out the top five. The win moved Jadallah within 20 points of Liefooghe for the championship title.
Rotax Micro-Max
Nicky Hays claimed another pole in Micro-Max followed by Michael Michoff and Toni Breidinger in the field of five drivers. At the drop of the green flag for the Pre-Main, Hays took the lead ahead of Michoff and Sarah Setzer, who moved from 5th to 3rd after turn one. With some great driving, Michoff was able to get by Hays, holding the point to the final circuit. Hays showed his skill as re-passed for the lead in the final corner.
Hays took the lead at the start of the Main, but Michoff made a nifty pass to move into the lead early on. In a great battle, Hays was only able to find a way by Michoff at the end of front straight on the last lap. Michoff tried to fight back, but Hays held on to pick up his fifth win of the year. Toni Breidinger grabbed the third spot for her strongest drive of the year followed by her sister Annie who was able to just get by Sarah Setzer.
Rotax Mini-Max
Points leader Drew Setzer took the pole ahead of Harrison Mills and JR Raczko in the 10-12 year old Mini-Max class. Mills grabbed a short-lived lead in the Pre-Main, however Setzer was able to retake the top spot as entered lap two, holding on to take the win.
In the Main, Setzer took the early lead and was never headed. Mills challenged in the early laps, but in the end settled for second. Young JR Raczko’s mechanical problems continued as the driver had to pit again without making a lap. Going into the last race, Setzer has all but locked up the championship.
Junior Rotax
Brody Zink took the pole over an improved Josh Feiber who was less than one tenth of a second back, with Niki Luna in third. Pre-Main action saw Zink taking the initial lead and never looking back. Feiber stayed close to come home less than 2 seconds back with Luna coming in 3rd. The Main saw much of the same as Zink again took the lead, however Luna was able to edge out Feiber at the start to grab second spot. The two battled for second for several laps until Feiber finally made a good pass move to take over the spot. Zink cruised home to a comfortable win, with Feiber second, Luna third. With the win, Zink clinched the class championship in Junior Rotax.
Rotax Masters and Masters Light
A combined field of twelve drivers took to the track in Race #9. In Qualifying, David Harwin took the pole ahead of Jack Arluck making it an all Masters front row. Row two had Lights drivers of Mary Beth Wilson in third ahead of David Carlisle, the ’08 Masters champion returning for his first outing this year. Masters points leader Donald Durbin qualified in 5th just ahead of Lights competitor Dolores Mosqueda.
In the Pre-Main, Harwin took the lead from the green, driving to a 5 second win.
Harwin took the lead at the start of the Main, again pulling out to a commanding lead in the early going. Arluck moved into second at the start followed by Carlisle and Mike Lawler (Lights) who made a strong move at the green flag to move up from his 6th place starting spot. On lap 7, Lawler challenged Carlisle as they went to the infamous tic-tac-toe turn when the two karts touched and hooked front ends. The contact pushed Carlisle off and Lawler back a few spots, allowing Durbin and Wilson to improve their positions.
By mid-race, the top three were Harwin, Arluck and Durbin, all Masters class karts. In close tow, karts of Lights competitors of Wilson, Lawler and Stephen Gaudreau battled for the class win. Masters driver Andre Eriksen, who started the Main in 9th, did well to move up to the forth place running spot. In the end, Harwin took the race and Masters class win followed by Arluck (Masters), Durbin (Masters). Wilson claimed her first class win in 2009 followed by Gaudreau (Lights), Eriksen (Masters) and Lawler (Lights). The win put Harwin up by substantial margin in the Master’s championship points.
Rotax DD2
The 2-speed, direct-drive class continues to be the fastest group among the Rotax classes. Point’s leader Troy Castaneda took the pole ahead of 2008 class champion David Arnstein followed by Kyle Gimple and Bronson Eggert. In the Pre-Main, Castaneda took the lead at the green flag, never looking back in route to a six second win ahead of Arnstein.
In the Main, the Rotax World Final bound Castaneda again controlled the pace of the race and came home over 15 seconds in front of the race of the pack. The real excitement was between Arnstein and Gimple as they battled for second spot for the entire race. The two drivers exchanged positions several times until Gimple made the last pass late in the race, to claim second spot in front of Arnstein. Eggert was in fourth over January Grove and David Palic in 6th.
All the results and gross points can be seen at www.mylaps.com. The last Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Challenge Series race of the year will be run November 8 when the series travels to the Dixon Kart Track. For more information on the Jim Russell Norcal Rotax Challenge, go to www.norcalrotax.com . For information on the 80 Shifter classes, contact race director Ric Shaw at rshaw@jimrussellusa.com.
10/14/09 - Jim Russell Endurance Race - Rules Primer
2009 Jim Russell 4-Hour Enduro
December 5-6, 2009
Rules Primer –
1. Competitors Responsibility – it is the competitor and team’s responsibility to make sure all team members and drivers follow the Rules Primer and any designated rules during the event.
2. Tires are YOKOHAMA Y801(dry). See Junior and Senior sections for specific rules. All tires used for Qualifying and the Race must be a marked set purchased from the Jim Russell Pro Shop. One (1) set of Yokohama Y801 tires will be provided to each team as part of their entry fee. Rain Tire will be open spec and not supplied with race entry.
3. Fuel to be VP MS98.
4. Oil is Burris Hi-Rev Castor/Motul 800 2T Off-Road/Motul Grand Prix 2T. Fuel tech will be based on samples made from Jim Russell stock of MS98 and oils. Fuel tech will be available prior to Qualifying so competitors can check their fuel.
5. Qualifying will be a 15-minute open session with any combination of team driver recording the best timed lap. Kart/driver weight will be done each time a kart makes a pit stop during the Qualifying session and must meet the minimum weight for the class. Qualifying session will be limited to 15 karts on track. Teams will be assigned to either run group by pea pick set by race officials.
6. The start will be a Le-Mans type start for all drivers.
- Grid will be set by fastest lap time regardless of class.
- TaG karts must start using their onboard starters only.
- TaG drivers that are unable to start must push their kart to their pit stall and start their kart using an external starter.
- Shifter drivers will be required to start their own machines. Shifter drivers will not get any assist to start their kart. If a shifter kart does not start within 30 seconds must be pushed off the track and to their pit stall where an assisted start can be performed.
- Drivers may elect to start from their pit stall if they choose not to use their onboard starter or push start themselves.
7. No ontrack chain oilers allowed. No belt drive systems allowed.
8. All teams must put down a 6’x8’ carpet to protect the pit lane from fuel spillage. Any fuel spillage that gets on the pit lane surface will result in a 30 second stop and go penalty.
9. Refueling during a pit stop must be done with the engine off and driver out of the kart. If the engine is running and/or the driver enters or exits the kart during refueling the team will be accessed a 30 second hold penalty on that stop or the next stop. If it occurs on the team’s final stop, team will be penalized 1 lap from their overall lap count after the event has been completed.
10. Race Director can and will assess stop and go penalties for rough driving or other driver infractions.
11. Any kart that is deemed unsafe to race during the event by the race director will be given a mechanical black flag and must report to their pit area. Repairs to the kart as instructed by the race director must be complete before returning to race.
12. No spare karts allowed during the event. One spare engine is allowed per team.
13. All weights must be securely fastened to the kart. No removable weight allowed on the kart or driver during the event.
14. Team average driver weight plus the weight of the kart must meet minimum posted in each class. Drivers of the top 5 finishing teams in each class will be weighed at the conclusion of the event.
Senior Enduro
1. Race Length is 4 hours. Team completing the most laps in the time period will be declared the winner.
2. Three separate classes scored:
TaG -
- Senior Class for drivers 16 and up.
- Masters class for drivers of minimum age 32 and over. Masters class karts to have a letter “M” that is at least 2 inches tall in the lower right or left of all four number plates.
- Engines/Weights – Senior/Master
- Parilla Leopard – 355/395
- Rotax/Motori 7 -365/405
- Rok TT – 375/415
- ***TaG karts with front brakes will be required to carry an additional 15 lb.***
Stock Moto –
- Single Class for drivers 16 and up.
- Per SuperKarts USA 2009 Rules
- Minimum weight – 385 lb
3. Teams can be comprised of 2 or more drivers.
4. TaG Drivers must be at least age 15 prior to Dec 1, 2009 and only permitted to compete if they plan to compete in senior classes in 2010.
5. Drivers can only compete for only one team. Only one registered mechanic is allowed in the pit area for each team. Mechanics can only work for one team, no jumping from team to team.
6. The only people who can work on a kart are the team drivers and the one registered mechanic.
7. Engines allowed as follows:
- TaG rules per SKUSA specifications
- Rotax per Rotax USA rules.
- Stock Moto per SKUSA specifications
- Top three engines in each class at race end will be go through extensive tech which may require the seals of Rotax engines to be broken.
8. Tires are 4.5 front and 7.1 rears Yokohama Y801 dry tires. 4.5 front and 6.0 rear for rain tires, open specification.
9. Each team can use up to 2 fronts and 2 rears (dry tires) for the duration of the event. If tire damage should occur, tire must be replaced by a used tire. In the event of rain, 4 fronts and 4 rears (rain tires) for the event. If the event is run in both dry and wet conditions, tire usage rules will be restated prior to Qualifying.
10. There are no mandatory pit stops. Drivers can run per their own agenda.
11. Fuel tanks must be original size tank that came with the kart. Maximum tank size to be 15 liters.
Junior Enduro
1. Race length is 4 hours.
2. Teams will be 2 or more drivers.
3. Drivers must be at least minimum age of 11 prior to Dec 1, 2009 any will only be permitted to compete if planned competition in Junior category in 2010.
4. Drivers can drive for only one team.
5. Only two registered mechanics are allowed in the pit area for each team. Mechanics can only work for one team, no jumping from team to team.
6. The only people who can work on a kart are the team drivers and the two registered mechanics.
7. Tires to be 4.5 fronts and 6.0 rears Yokohama Y801 dry tires. 4.5 front and 6.0 rear for rain tires, open specification.
8. Engine to HPV-2 per IKF specs.
9. Each team can use up to 2 fronts and 2 rears (dry tires) for the duration of the event. If tire damage should occur, tire must be replaced by a used tire. In the event of rain, 4 fronts and 4 rears (rain tires) for the event. If the event is run in both dry and wet conditions, tire usage rules will be restated prior to Qualifying.
10. There will be mandatory pit stops every half hour. There will be designated 5 minute pit window in which all teams must stop each half hour to make a drive change. A stop/go penalty will be assed in addition to the mandatory pit stop if not completed within the specified window.
11. Fuel tanks must be original size tank that came with the kart.
12. Drivers can not exceed the following driving time of the Race:
- For 3 driver teams, no driver can drive for more than 3 half hour stints.
- For 4 driver teams, no driver can drive for more than 2 half hour stints.
- Drivers cannot drive back-to-back stints in the kart.
13. Front brakes are not allowed.
14. Kart Minimum Weights:
- 310 pounds combined driver/kart weight. In the Race, the driver weight will be the averaged weight of the drivers added to the kart weight at the end of the race. For Qualify, the weight will be 310 pounds minimum as the kart comes off the track.
Jim Russell Sprint Arrive and Drive Endurance Competitors
1. Race length is 4 hours.
2. Race entry will include kart use, consumables (tires, fuel, oils) and mechanical support.
3. Drivers must be 16 prior to December 1, 2009.
4. Teams will be 2 or more drivers.
5. There will be no mandatory pit window.
6. Jim Russell Instructors will be present to support strategies. It is the responsibility of each team to develop their strategy.
7. General rules of operation will need to meet the standards set by Jim Russell Kart Arrive and Drive Competition Rules.
10/07/09 - Jim Russell Announces 9th Annual Karting Endurance Race; Stock Moto Class Added to the Competition
Sonoma, CA October 7, 2009 – The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School announced its ninth annual Karting Endurance race set for the weekend of December 5 and 6, 2009. As a staple of the Northern California karting calendar, Jim Russell endurance races have seen the karting industry’s most prominent names competing in the season-ending event, including Gary Carlton, Tom Dyer and Memo Gidley.
With race length of 4 hours, Saturday’s competition will host Junior class drivers who will race in the HPV-2 category alongside Jim Russell Arrive and Drive contenders in the school’s Rotax powered karts.
In sports-car style, Sunday’s event will be split between three classes, TaG Senior, TaG Masters and the addition of the Stock Moto category, all running at the same time.
“We wanted to put Stock Moto driver’s endurance skills to the test and there’s no better way to do it than in the multi-class structure of great endurance races like Sebring and Le Mans,” said Frank Bain, manager of the Jim Russell International Karting Center.
“We’re really looking forward to this year’s event” said race director Ric Shaw. “It’s a great way to wrap up the season in a challenging format. Here in Northern California, we have one of the strongest karting contingents in the country and these endurance races will definitely challenge each competitor.
In a four-hour format run on two days of competition, teams will have to balance speed and consistency on the Reverse National layout. Both Senior and Junior Enduro events will be limited to 30 teams of two or more drivers and each entry comes with (1) set of Yokohama Y801 tires.
Each kart will use the Yokohama Y801 karting tire. The Y801 tire has been the exclusive choice of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School karting programs for its durability. The harder SL compound of the Y801 will challenge driver’s skill and also keep the cost of competition low as one set of tires is expected to last the entire race distance.
Following the direction of regional and national TaG events, the Senior Enduro will allow Rotax, Rok TT, Parilla Leopard and the Motori 7. Stock Moto races will be run per Superkarts USA rules at the S3 category weight.
Competitors can obtain a full set of rules and entry form from either the Jim Russell Pro Shop or by contacting race director Ric Shaw at racedirector-ric@hotmail.com.
Endurance Kart Racing has been a core element to the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School from the beginning. Back in 1958, Jim Russell ran the first 24-hour karting race at the Snetterton circuit in England. Today, the 16-turn, 0.75 mile Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway, is one of the premier karting venues in the country and offers a full range of karting courses for beginners to world-class drivers.
Click here for a Race Entry Form09/16/09 - Greg Evans Grabs Another Victory in Round 8; Mike Forner Earns His First Win of the Year in the Jim Russell Sprint Arrive & Drive Series
Sonoma, CA, September 12, 2009 – Round 8 signaled the final stages of the 10-race Jim Russell Sprint Arrive & Drive Championship Series. In Group A, Greg Evans, of Walnut Creek, Ca., grabbed another victory; Leighton Ridgard, of San Jose, Ca., had a solid performance earning him second spot, the best result of his season; and Justin Gald, of Sonoma, Ca., finished third.
In Group B, Mike Forner, of Walnut Creek, Ca., earned his first win of the year with more than an 8 second lead over Scott Davidson, of San Jose, Ca., who finished second. Barry Templin, of San Jose, Ca., rounded out podium with a third-place finish.
Just 6 points separated the top two competitors. Davidson and Gald headed into the weekend with Gald determined to reach the top spot. A damp morning added to the challenge for drivers as they made the necessary changes to handle the .76-mile Reverse National configuration in wet conditions.
Group A racers took the track for practice in rain-soaked track conditions using Yokohama wet weather tires. Equipped with all the details on rain lines from the experienced Jim Russell instructors, drivers danced their way through the drops to prepare themselves for a wet race. As conditions started to dry out, the wet weather tires on the Rotax powered karts were replaced with Yokohama slick tires and lap times started to fall.
Leighton Ridgard put in his best qualifying effort to date earning the top qualifying time of 55.589 seconds in Group A until the final lap of the session when Greg Evans grabbed the pole with a 55.411 second lap. Karting veteran, but series newcomer, Jim Barnes, of San Francisco, slid into the fifth spot of the competitive grid with just 0.8 seconds covering the entire field of drivers.
When the green flagged waved, A-Group drivers ran bumper to bumper down the front straight. That contact continued through turn 1 as front row Ridgard was nudged aside by Gald. Coming back on track in front of the field, Ridgard held his second spot, however a big shuffle ensued behind. Veteran Barnes took advantage of the shuffle by moving up into third as the racers got to the Monaco corner. John Palmer, of Bay Point, Ca., had a short run with the leaders, but a quick spin ended his battle toward the front. That spin almost put an end to championship points contender Gald as contact with Palmer caused his driver fairing to pushed askew.
Gald continued to fight against pressure from Kiran MacKinnon and Jim Barnes to hold onto third. The field stayed locked in position through the remaining laps to see Evans picking up another win on the season. Ridgard had a solid performance to finish season best second with Gald picking up valuable points for third.
In Group B qualifying, Barry Templin scored the fastest lap time with a 56.244 seconds for the first time this season. Championship points leader Scott Davidson was only able to notch a lap of 56.925 seconds, which slotted him into the fourth place starting position. Only 0.7 seconds coved the first five qualifiers in a tight grid of equally prepared Rotax karts.
At the green flag, B-Group drivers saw pole sitter Barry Templin lead the field nose to tail with a clean start through turn one. The action was non-stop as the field entered Monaco for the first time and the passing ensued. What looked like NASCAR-style racing, the top five shuffled positions at every lap. Mike Forner was finally able to breakaway by capitalizing on George Hoxsey and Templin pushing too wide at the entrance to the front straight. As Forner put the field behind him, the dicing continued among Hoxsey; Templin; points leader, Scott Davidson; and Manuel Dacoron, of South San Francisco. It looked like Davidson might be pushed from the championship lead to settle for fourth place until the last lap, last corner. He passed both Hoxsey and Templin to nab second at the finish line. Rookie Mike Forner notched his first win by over 8 seconds in what was the most exciting Championship Series race to date.
Full details of the day’s scoring are available at www.mylaps.com. Points are tight as competitors head into the final event of the season with Scott Davidson just 16 points ahead of Justin Gald.
Driver Hometown Points
1. Scott Davidson San Jose, CA 1450
2. Justin Gald Sonoma, CA 1434
3. Greg Evans Walnut Creek, CA 1392
4. George Hoxsey San Jose, CA 1380
5. Mike Forner Walnut Creek, CA 1290
Mark your calendar for the final Double Header event scheduled for October 10. For information on confirming a seat in the final round, contact Jim Russell Racing Drivers School at 1-800-466-5792.
Kart Racing has been a core element to the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School from the beginning. Back in 1958, Jim Russell ran the first 24-hour karting race at the Snetterton circuit in England. Today, the 16-turn, 0.76 mile Jim Russell International Karting Center at Infineon Raceway, is one of the premier karting venues in the country and offers a full range of karting courses for beginners to world-class drivers. Jim Russell Racing Drivers School both trains drivers in a variety of karting classes while also offering opportunities to compete. The Jim Russell International Karting Center is host to the Jim Russell Northern California Rotax Max Challenge and the ProKart Challenge North Series.