7/8/2019
KC Sparks
Minnesota Missile Monday: New Month, New Track, New Class
Minnesota Missile Monday: New Month, New Track, New Class
July 8, 2019
The 1KC Motorsports team celebrated the Nation’s birthday by racing at a new track in a new class. Thunder Hill Speedway in Monomine, WI was hosting their 3rd annual kart nationals and the Minnesota Missile was a part of it all. The classes are set up requiring KC to run his Builder Prepared(BP) motor which is new to him with the increased horsepower and speed it is capable of running. The team went into the holiday event with expectations of having fun and finishing all on-track events.
THUNDER HILL NATIONALS NIGHT 1
Nine karts signed in for competition in the Junior Wing/Box Stock division of the 3rd annual Thunder Hill Nationals. KC drew outside row two for his first heat race. He quickly raced into second position behind regular competitor, Tyson Kohler who started outside row one. KC ran competitive laps and maintained great speed throughout the heat but struggled with the entry to turn one, causing him to wash out but his speed down the backstretch allowed him to maintain his runner up position until the white flag lap when Izac Mallicoat was able to move ahead of KC out of turn two and claim the second position. KC would settle for third in his first heat race on the new track.
After rolling off the scales from the heat race KC exclaimed, “We need to come here more often!”
In the second heat race, KC started in the fifth position. After a lap one mishap that KC was able to avoid, he had an amazing restart and came out in the third position on the opening lap. A couple laps in, Izac Mallicoat moved ahead of KC. The top four racers were nose to tail until another caution came out. On the restart, KC made a dive to the inside of Brody Hanson and Mallicoat in a bid for second position but was unable to hold the bottom and spun the kart. Everyone cleared and KC pulled back onto the racing surface but it was too late and KC finished in 7th after the strong run.
The heat finishes rolled KC off from the five spot in the feature event. The first two attempts at a start were called for single kart incidents and the third start was clean and green. Mallicoat jumped to the lead from his pole position start while KC settled into fourth. The field strung out around the 1/8th mile track under a long green flag run. With only a handful of laps remaining, KC tried to block the closing 31 kart of Kohler in turn two and the back end came around on him. KC quickly picked up the throttle and lost only two positions and cruised home to a sixth place finish.
THUNDER HILL NATIONALS NIGHT 2
The second night of the nationals was threatened by stormy skies, but after several threats of rain, only a few drops fell at the track and racing was on. Nine karts were again signed in to compete in the Junior Wing/Box Stock class for the second night. KC drew the middle pill and started both heat races from the inside of row three. On the opening lap of the first heat, a couple karts spun in turn two and another spun to the infield in turn four when the caution came out. KC restarted on the front row and set the pace to the green. He quickly pulled out to a comfortable lead of 5 kart lengths and cruised in the open track, hitting his marks and claiming his first ever BP heat win.
The second heat race saw KC settle into fourth on the opening lap. He quickly moved past Brody Hanson to take the third position. With the front duo of Ryley Finnegan and Tylar Alton pulling ahead, KC had his hands full with Mason Link, Izac Mallicoat, and Tyson Kohler all within striking distance. KC did his best and held his line barely ahead of the pack racing for his position. Coming to the checkered flag, KC’s kart kicked out exiting turn four and Mallicoat was able to take the third position, KC came home fourth.
The strong heat finishes earned KC the pole position for the feature event. After track work and a couple B features in other classes, the track was much drier than KC is comfortable with, especially with the increased horsepower and his inexperience showed. On the opening lap, KC swapped the lead with fellow front row starter, Tylar Alton and Brody Hanson who started in row two down the backstretch and into the corner crossing over. Hanson led the opening lap with KC in second. The caution came out for Mallicoat who had a chain issue forcing him to retire from the event. Hanson pulled way as KC ran in second with Alton for several laps. On lap 6, KC spun in the loose dirt at the exit of turn two and went to the tail of the field still under green. The field continued to click off the laps under green and KC continued to struggle with the power and rolling out of the throttle to keep the kart down and spun twice more. After bringing out the caution, KC managed to pass one other kart and finish the feature in 7th position.
KC was disappointed in is performance, spinning out the kart and finishing towards the back but learned way more than the finishes show. “I’ll do better next time,” KC declared as the team has plans to return to Thunder Hill for their Wisconsin Dirt Track State Championships in September.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Friday 7/12: English Creek Speedway
Saturday 7/13: MAXXIS Midwest MAXX Daddy; Wakeeney KS
OR Plessis Motor Speedway Double Show
SPONSOR APPRECIATION:
Autoland; Sioux Falls, SD
Furby’s Auto Repair; Sioux Falls, SD
Heser Auto and Detailing; Jackson, MN
Last Deck LLC: Jackson, MN
Jared Bailey Photography; Carlisle, IA
DRE; Boyden, IA
YTD STATS:
Features: 18 Wins: 5 Top 5: 13 Top 10: 18