BCRA MIDGET ACE ROB RUSSELL LEADS CLASSY FIELD TO CHECKERED
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Setting a blistering pace during the 25 lap main event final, Bay Cities
Racing Association Midget driver ROB RUSSELL saved his hold cards for the
end winning going away in the fourth race of the 2004-2005 Mud-Racing.net
Lemans Winter Karting Series. You can go to the BCRA MIDGETS WEB SITE for
some great action shots of Rob in his #63 Open Wheel Midget and a great podium
shot in Victory Lane of Rob with his family.
Rob, who is a regular in the Sunday Night Lemans Series, put down the fastest
lap of the day during the main event when he recorded a smooooooooooooth
21.0 with a randomly drawn kart. Anyone that has driven the Series understands
just how fast a 21.0 is during an actual event. Five main event drivers made
the 21 sec club with the remaining not far behind in the 22s. Remember when
a 22.0 was the goal?
CLASS was what stood out yesterday in both the drivers and the venue. There
were many star standouts yesterday as a field of 27 serious kart drivers
came together on a rain threatening Sunday afternoon to put on a kart racing
show that was not less than superb. Myself and a full pit lane of drivers,
crews, staff and friends witnessed one of the best indoor kart races they
have ever seen.
Altamont's favorite son, GLEN COOK, showed what 160 MPH karting experience
can do indoors putting on a series of passing (and being passed) bouts with
several drivers throughout the day that was nothing less than text book driving
coming home second in the main event. In that mix of drivers who have proven
themselves to be threats on any given day were series new "young guns" Karting
Specialist ROB DONITZEN (Third for the day), MARTIN MCKEEFERY (4TH)...he's
17 LEAN AND MEAN!! and JOHN MORRIS who started on the bubble and finished
7th in the main. ALSO...kudos to UDO "THE BOSS" RITCHER who had more fun
then I have ever seen him have anywhere. Favorite quote of the day goes to
a smiling UDO who said to me after the event..."I turned a 22.6 and I beat
Chris Drysdale in one of my races." ALSO very consistent all day long were
ROY KELLER ans MST 2002 MST Rookie of the Year JEFF BRISSEY who finished
6th and 8th repectfully.
The give and take amongst all the racers that went on all day long was truly
amazing and exciting to watch in the pits and especially on the track. Even
though I would have preferred to be out there in the mix, being able to watch
an event like this was a treat.
Hats off to the rookie drivers SHAUN WHITHERELL, KERRY UMBER, and STEVE LEWIS
who all earned alot of respect from the veteran driver's as they raced hard
yet always knew when the fast karts were coming, moved off the groove, and
gave ample room. There were no incidents that I saw involving rookies yesterday.
Honorable mention goes to walk-ins JAMES VANSICKLE and his son GARRETT VANSICKLE.
James, who just purchased a PRO TRUCK, took to the Lemans road couse like
a fish to water demonstrating that a real racer can drive anything. Running
up front on several occasions, James was very smooth on a course he had only
driven once before. Garrett got faster and faster all day long and was one
of those rookies who really watched for faster karts and gave room.
STEPHANIE "THE PRINCESS" ROBECK. What can you say about the only racergirl
in the field except what a class performance by a TALENTED young lady truly
passionate about the sport. Track-time is all she needs to be a contender.
VETERAN SERIES DRIVERS. Reigning Champ CHRIS DRYSDALE, CHRIS "THE PROFESSOR"
MESSMER, TOM MOSS and DOMINIC "PRIME-TIME" LOPEZ all had glowing moments
but struggled with consistency. T4 DAVID MISCO and PRIME-TIME LOPEZ had a
couple pretty good shunts stuggling to find that brake on several occasions.
But it was their great attitudes and always smiling faces that won the day
adding to the great fun everyone seemed to be having. Special thanks goes
to DOMINIC LOPEZ for the video cam work that's going to give us the first
filming of an event.
But the he biggest trophy of the day has to go to LEMANS INDOOR KART RACING
.... JP, Dean, Gerald, Jesse "THE LEMANS MECHANICS" and the rest of the staff
for furnishing us with a perfectly professional racing event. A HOME RUN
in every category from my view of the day. A HUGE THANKS GOES TO LEMANS FOR
RISING TO THE OCCASION and making The MUD-RACING.NET LEMANS WINTER KARTING
SERIES one of the premier karting events in northern California.
In the Spirt of Speed
RON PESTANA
FINISHING ORDER FOR MAIN EVENT
1 ROB RUSSELL
2 GLEN COOK
3 ROB DONITZEN
4 MARTIN MCKEEFERY
5 CHIS MESSMER
6 ROY KELLER
7 JOHN MORRIS
8 JEFF BRISSEY
9 JAMES VANSICKLE
10 TODD LEWIS