Race Recap: Race #4 of the Jim Russell Norcal Rotax Challenge

The fourth round of the Jim Russell Norcal Rotax Challenge dawned with great mild weather in the Jim Russell Karting Center at Infineon Raceway. The anticipation of the first time running of the Reverse National track filled the air. Also a visit from Rotax National Distributor SSC Racing also gave the day a ‘special occasion’ atmosphere. Add another record turn out (52 entries) for the Norcal Rotax Challenge and the scene was set for a good day of racing. In addition to the great racing, a couple of Junior 1 drivers, Michael Avansino and Nitro Nick Sommers, drove the Rotax MicroMax karts during the day.

Senior Rotax

This was largest class of the day (16 karts) as well as the most competitive field this year. Half dozen drivers had their eyes set on breaking the 3 race win streak of point’s leader Gregory Liefooghe. But in the Qualify, it was business as unusual as Liefooghe (CRG) took pole with Cameron Pringle (CRG) off pole followed by Jake Mottaz (Birel), Matthew Powers (Birel) and Nikola Radosavljevich (Birel). The much anticipated battle evaporated within 2 turns after the green flag of the start of the Pre-Main. First Pringle got spun off going into the first turn and had to make a charge through the field. Going into turn 2, Liefooghe sensed something wrong with the kart and pulled off. The battle with Liefooghe is over. Jake Mottaz took control of the race and went on to a much deserved 3 second win over Powers and Nikola. Pringle eventually finished 8th. In the Main, all eyes were on Liefooghe, did be have time to work his way through the field in 18 laps. Or was this the day that the young Mottaz would take his first feature. At the start, Mottaz took the lead followed by Powers and Nikola with Pringle moving up quickly to 4th. Pringle was the driver on the move, working through the 3 Birel drivers to take the lead and then started pulling away. But on lap eight disaster for Pringle, his chain came off. Powers took over the lead, but Liefooghe had been smoothly working through the field and now was in contention. On lap 9, Liefooghe made the pass for the lead and never looked back. Powers and Nikola battled for 2nd with Mottaz falling back a bit with a slow leak in one of his front tires. Nikola then made the pass to take over 2nd only to drop a wheel on the last lap to give back the position to Powers. At the end, Liefooghe took a 4 second win to make it 4 Mains in a row. Powers was second with his best finish of the year and Nikola a close 3rd and Mottaz 4th. In 5th was David Arnstein (CRG), yes the same driver who took second in the DD2 race. David is the oldest driver in the Senior field, but he still drives faster than most of the kids. Liefooghe now has a comfortable lead in the Senior points chase with Nikola taking over 2nd from Mottaz who falls to 3rd. Raymond Bustamante Jr is in 4th and Kierstin Gee 5th in the points chase.

Junior Rotax

2007 Junior Rotax Champ Jordan Jadallah made only his second Norcal race this weekend due to a very busy schedule running Stars and Norcal IKF races. Jordan (CRG) started right where he left off in his last race by taking the pole ahead Bryce Hylbert (Birel), Brody Zink (Birel) and 2 time winner Donavon Wheeler (Birel). In the Pre-Main, Jordan led for most of the opening laps, while Wheeler continued to pick off karts. Wheeler then made the pass near the end of the race. Jordan then made a pass attempt at the turn 3 hairpin. All looked good then the karts touched while side by side and Jordan’s kart jumped over the front wheel of Wheeler. The next 2 karts of Hylbert and Jordan Miller (Birel) then got tangled with the two leaders and Brody Zink rolled under all of them to take the win. Jadallah recovered to take 2nd, Hylbert 3rd, Bobby Tifft (CRG) in 4th and Nick Camusi (Italkart) in 5th. Miller finished 6th and Wheeler DNF’d with a broken front end. In the 18 lap Main, Jadallah opened up a comfortable cushion and drove on to a 6 second win. But the real racing was for 2nd. Zink and Hylbert went at it for all 18 laps, both putting in their best efforts of the year. In the end Zink took the 2nd, Hylbert 3rd , Wheeler 4th 2 seconds back and Bobby Tifft taking 5th. In the points, Donavon Wheeler has a comfortable lead over Brody Zink, Mikee Mejia 3rd followed by Hylbert.

Rotax Masters Light

The Lights class is a Norcal region only Rotax class. But it has become popular for the lighter driver over 32 years old. In Qualify, Mike Lawler (CRG) took the pole by a half second over Mary Beth Wilson (CRG) and Marc Pingol (Swiss Hutless). In the Pre-Main, Mike took the early lead and pulled away for a convincing 7 second win over Wilson with Pingol another 8 seconds back. 4th went to Mert Solis (Austerick). In the Main, Lawler again took a quick lead and stretched it out to take another 7 second lead. Being in the lead was new for Lawler, in all his other races this year he has had to start in the back due to mechanical problems and work his way up for two 2nd place finishes. But there were no such problems today. Pingol got by Wilson at the start but could not hold off the fast improving Wilson. Mary Beth made the pass and then held onto to take a much deserved 2nd just a second in front of Pingol. Mert Solis was 4th and new comer Leo Montero (Intrepid) was 5th. In the points chase, Pingol still holds onto 1st, followed by Wilson, Lawler and Solis.

Rotax Masters

The heavier brother to the Masters Light class is the official National Masters class at 405 pounds. Craig Corwin came over from the ProKart G1 Masters shifter class to run a Rotax kart for fun and fun he had. Craig (MBA) took the poll ahead of veteran David Carlisle (CRG) and Jerry Pretti (CRG). In the 12 lap Pre-Main, Corwin took an early lead and looked like he would stretch it out. Then his engine got a miss in it and Carlisle started reeling Craig in. On the last lap, David made his move and went on to the win, Corwin 2nd and a much improved Chris DeBruine (CRG) took 3rd with Pretti 4th.
In the Main, Carlisle took the early lead with Corwin doing all he could do to stay close. Eventually Craig felt something was amiss and did not want to sacrifice the engine and pulled off after 14 laps. Carlisle then cruised to the win 13 seconds in front of DeBruine with Pretti 3rd with Race #1 winner Jay Brosius (CRG) 4th and Michael Guevara (Tonykart) in 5th. In the points chase, Pretti holds a 5 point lead over Carlisle followed by Brosius and DeBruine.

Rotax DD2

SSC Racing brought up 3 DD2 karts to rent to drivers and they were snatched up quickly. This made the DD2 field 10 karts. Norcal continues to have the largest turnouts of DD2 class karts in the country. And with the exception in this race of 16 year Kyle Gimple, the class is all Masters age drivers and boy do these drivers love these karts. In Qualify, David Arnstein (CRG) took pole more than 8 tenths faster than January Grove (CRG) and Glen Poy-Wing (Swiss Hutless). In the Pre-Main, Arnstein took the lead but was under pressure from Poy-Wing the whole way and took the win less than a second ahead of Glen. In 3rd, some 3 seconds back was Grove and Kimple (CRG) took the 4th after a poor start put him at the tail of the field. At the start of the Main, Arnstein and Poy-Wing got tangled up in turn one (maybe with some help from some friends) and both spun off course. Arnstein turned around and started his charge from the tail of the field but Poy-Wing was out with a broken kart. Grove took the lead with David Palic (CRG) in 2nd but Arnstein was moving quickly through the field. Grove’s lead was shrinking fast, but time ran out on Arnstein who came up short by less than one second and had to settle for the second. Palic was 3rd, Gimple 4th and Chris DeBruine (CRG) 5th. In the points chase, Arnstein remains out front with Grove in 2nd and Poy-Wing 3rd.

Next race, Race #5, will be again at Infineon on July 19 on the tough Reverse Sprint track layout, then off to Dixon for Race #6 on July 27.

For more information about the Jim Russell Norcal Rotax Challenge, contact race director Ric Shaw.