Exciting high entry numbers highlight trip to Amarillo Kart Complex
The halfway point of the 2023 season is in the books as the Texas Sprint Racing Series presented by Auctionetx held its third event on the year. Nearly 200 entries filled up the paddock at the Amarillo Kart Complex in Panhandle, Texas for the ‘Summer Shootout’ event over the June 30-July 2 weekend. Wet weather hit the region on Friday to disrupt the practice day before clearing out toward end of the day and started the day on Saturday with a damp racecourse as the 11 categories dried out the surface before qualifying began. By Sunday, the 11 different winners were decided as the championship program enters the second half of the season.
It was a battle all weekend long in the KA100 Senior by Exertech class, featuring event high of 34 drivers fighting for the top spot. Most of the weekend was dominated by the two winners on the season heading into the weekend – Peyton Phillips and Alex Stanfield. It was Stanfield that opened the fight with the first strike, earning fast time in qualifying with a 1:05.204 lap to clear Phillips by 61 thousandths. It was then Phillips that navigated through the heat races with a perfect score, winning all three. Stanfield finished second in the opening moto before a penalty for contact in Heat #2 dropped him down to 15th in the final order. It was followed by fifth place in the final heat, where he would start the Final. Phillips took advantage of the pole position for the main event, leading the opening first half. By then, Joey Friend and Stanfield were there to take away the top position. Friend led for two laps before Stanfield took over. A group of five battled to the very end, however, Stanfield was able to hold on to take his second straight victory on the season. Phillips crossed the line in second but was penalized for contact, dropping him out of the top-five and into seventh. Drew Chappell came across in third but a five-second penalty for contact put him down in eighth. This promoted Brayden Robertson to second and JD Lamping into the third step on the podium. More penalties shuffled the top-five with Ruben Ascencio IV into fourth and Adrian Cruz up 17 spots in total to be classified fifth.
The KA100 Junior by Woltjer Racing Engines class welcomed a third different winner on the season with a near sweep of the weekend. The only blemish for eventual weekend winner Landon Skinner was in qualifying. Diego Guiot took top honors in the timed session with a 1:05.764 lap time to clear the field by over three tenths. California driver Truly Adams was second on the sheet with Skinner placing third. Skinner worked his way up to the top spot in the opening heat and did the same in the second and third heat races to earn the pole position for the Final. Skinner put in a torrid pace, including fast laps of the race to lead all 16 circuits to claim his first victory of the season by nearly three seconds. Adams won the battle for the runner-up spot over Guiot with Graham Trammell a close fourth. Archer Eversman gained four spots to round out the top-five.
Two wins now on the season for defending KA100 Master by Kart Racing Solutions champion Miguel Mier. He began the weekend third in qualifying as Round Two winner Morgan LeBaron began where he left off, at the top to clear Kyle Yuchinski and Mier by 72 thousandths with a fast time of 1:06.845. Mier came up to win the opening two heat races with the third heat going down to the wire. Fighting for the win on the last lap, Yuchinski came away with the top spot ahead of Mier as LeBaron fell outside of the top-10. LeBaron recovered early in the main event to join Mier at the front. They exchanged the lead several times over the 16 laps before Mier secured the spot by the white flag. Mier held on to take the victory by nearly four tenths over LeBaron. Andy Miller joined them on the podium in third with Kyle Walther and Tyson Knight completing the top-five.
The Open Shifter by Victor Racing division welcomed 12 drivers on the weekend from all over the country, including California driver Billy Musgrave. The four-time SKUSA SuperNationals winner made the trek to Amarillo and should have pulled off the sweep on the weekend. Scale issues for Musgrave took away his qualifying session and win in the opening heat race. That put Derek Proctor to the top spot in those sessions before Musgrave sorted out his issues. He went on to win the final two heat races to put himself third on the main event grid. Musgrave drove himself into the lead on lap three, and from there powered away to a 12-second advantage by the checkered flag for the victory. Arizona driver Wes Lee put himself up to the second step of the podium ahead of now championship leader Chris Jennings. Proctor, from Kansas, ended up fourth with Colorado’s David Williams in fifth.
Carson Barry claimed his first win on the season in the Mini Swift by Alan Rudolph Racing Academy class. Barry nearly swept the action on the weekend after claiming fast time in qualifying and winning the opening two heat races. Two-time race winner Sawyer Chambers was able to get the win in Heat #3 with Barry placing second. Barry jumped out to the lead at the start of the Final, joined by Chambers and Colorado driver Matteo Quinto. It was Quinto that took the lead with two laps remaining before the fight for the victory went down through the final lap. Barry was able to secure the top spot and cross the line first ahead by 73 thousandths over Quinto. Chambers was a close third with Mason Barry in fourth and Cadroe Milbrandt rounding out the top-five.
The action in the Micro Swift by Royal Electric category went down to the wire and beyond in Amarillo. Aston Wyatt set fast time in qualifying before Colton Schniegenberg drove to the win in the opening two heat races. Wyatt returned to the top spot in the final heat, putting them on the front row for the Final. Schniegenberg led the opening circuit from the pole position before Kade Kaspar took a turn. Wyatt claimed the top spot the following circuit and led until Kaspar returned to battle for the win in the closing stages of the race. Wyatt was able to cross the line first, only to be penalized five seconds for contact. This promoted Kaspar to the top step of the podium for his second win of the season. Wyatt was classified second with Schniegenberg in third. Tanner Barsch was fourth with Pasha Ali in fifth.
advertisement
The 206 Senior by Slipstream Racing division was controlled throughout the weekend by Drew Chappell and Braxden Tregre. Round One winner Chappell set fast time in qualifying and drove to the win in the opening two heats before Tregre took the race win in Heat #3. The lead group, however, grew to four in the Final with Geoff Shaw and Round Two victor Kelvin Xing joining the fight. Chappell and Shaw led most of the race until the final lap when Xing came through to cross the line first. The results were changed following tech as Xing was removed from the weekend. That promoted Chappell to the top step of the podium for the victory. Shaw was classified second with Tyler Stephens third. David Williams improved 11 spots to finish fourth, just ahead of defending champion Tregre.
Ross Smith was one of two drivers on the weekend to complete a sweep in Amarillo, with Smith securing the triumph in 206 Heavy by Maxwell Paper Products category. Smith led every session, including the main event to claim his second straight victory on the season. Round One winner Jorge Ruiz drove to second ahead of Max Martinis. Noah Murphy improved seven spots to fourth with Nick Miller gaining nine spots over the 14 laps to place fifth.
Derek Wargo became the third different winner on the season in the 206 Junior by Saville Electric class. Provisional winner Josey Chambers – winner of Round One – was removed from the weekend results following tech. That promoted Wargo to the top step of the podium ahead of Round Two winner Ragan Saville. Robert Arana joined them on the podium with Shelby Ramirez and Eva Blehm completing the top-five.
The 206 Cadet by Kept Clothing category also welcomed a third different winner on the season with Brayden Westfall securing his first victory. Kade Kaspar set fast time in qualifying, but it was Westfall that would lead the way in all three heat races to secure the pole position for the Final. He and Tanner Barsch swapped the lead during the 15-lap main event until Westfall secured the top spot by lap 11. At the end, Westfall held off a late charge by Matteo Quinto for the victory. Barsch ended up third with Round Two winner Emmett Eddolls in fourth and Round One victor Aston Wyatt in fifth.
Brennan Barsch became the first two-time winner in the Honda Kid Kart by Rimrock Raceway class on the season. Barsch was able to lead all 12 laps toward his second victory of the season. Raif Ali was classified second with Benjamin Osborn in third. Brody Brown, who won two of the heat races on the weekend, crossed the line in second but was penalized six seconds for blocking. That put him fourth, just ahead of Beckley Anderson.
During the weekend, the Texas Sprint Racing Series presented by Auctionetx announced their dates for the 2024 season. Next year begins with a return to the NOLA Motorsports Park on February 23-25. The following event goes back to the Lone Star State for the Speedsportz Racing Park on March 22-24. June 28-30 and August 23-25 will be the dates for Round Three and Four with locations to be announced at a later time. The 2024 season concludes with the Amarillo Kart Complex on September 20-22.
The fourth event of the 2023 season for the Texas Sprint Racing Series presented by Auctionetx takes teams and competitors to the Rimrock Raceway during the August 4-6 weekend for the program’s first visit to the Odessa, Texas facility.
advertisement