6/12/2022
KC Sparks
Minnesota Missile Monday: Solid Run at Sweet Springs
Minnesota Missile Monday: Solid Run at Sweet Springs
Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex
Sweet Springs, MO
By: Stephanie Sparks
The threat of rain was in the forecast for Sweet Springs, but the 1KC Motorsports team headed south for racing action at the highly competitive race track. After a quick stop with G-Force Chassis for some spare parts, the team was off to the track where 13 restrictor micro sprints were signed in for the evening’s event.
HEAT:
KC Sparks drew the #30 pill at the window which lined him up on the inside of the third row for the first heat race. When pole setter Kooper Kelly was unable to make the call for the race, that moved the inside row up. The initial start was called back when the front row was not side by side. As the leader slowed for the yellow, cars trailing him quickly checked up and Sparks actually jumped over the left rear of a competitor but was able to continue.
The restart saw Sparks struggle to get through the first set of turns, but then settle into a rhythm as the laps clicked off. He kept his eyes up track and avoided a few spinouts, bringing home the GRP Motorsports, Autoland #1 back to the trailer in 5th place. Wyatt Miller won heat one from last. Heat two was won by Peyton White from the pole.
FEATURE:
The 20-lap Feature event was called up with light sprinkles falling from the sky but nothing heavy enough to call off the races. Hayden Alberson and Kyle Heflin lined up on the front row of the event after a 6 car invert from heat finishes. Sparks lined up inside row 5.
The start of the feature was clean and green with close side by side racing at the front of the field. Sparks quickly moved into the 8th running position and made a bold move under Logun Lunsford on the second circuit to take the track position. Sparks settled into a smooth pattern of hitting his marks and motoring down the straights. He had a strong line through the middle of the track in turns 1 & 2 but would lose ground trying the same line through 3 & 4 where the early line was around the bottom.
At the midpoint of the feature event, Kelly made a great move from the back of the field around both Sparks and Abbigale Johnson who were battling for position on the track. With 5 to go in the race, leader Jack Thomas hit lap traffic and put both Sparks and Johnson a lap down before the only caution of the event slowed the field. Per track rules, the lapped cars remained in the running order which gave Thomas a 2 car buffer over second running Miller. When the green flew for the final three lap dash, Thomas got a good jump while Miller navigated his way under Sparks in turns one and two but ran out of time before the checkers fell to challenge Thomas for the win.
Thomas picked up his first win at the track this season. Miller finished a solid runner up with Heflin, White, and Lunsford in the top five. Kelly was hard charger moving up from 13th to finish in sixth ahead of Waylon Phillips, Alberson, Johnson, and Sparks rounding out the top ten finishers.
Upcoming Schedule:
MICRO RACING:
6/18: Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex; Sweet Springs, MO
6/25: Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex; Sweet Springs, MO
2022 Partner/Sponsor Appreciation
Autoland; Sioux Falls, SD
Furby’s Auto Repair; Sioux Falls, SD
GRP Motorsports; Stillwater, MN
Last Deck LLC; Jackson, MN
Heser Auto and Detailing; Jackson, MN
Hawk Wings; Jackson, MN
G-Force Chassis; Concordia, MO
Schure Build Suspension; Slater, MO
MyRacePass; #TeamMRP #GetTheApp
TL Racing; Jackson, MN
Living Like Outlaws
YTD MICRO STATS:
Shows: 4
Wins: 0
Top 5: 1
Top 10: 4
Heat Wins: 0
YTD KART Stats:
Shows: 10
Wins: 4
Top 3: 8
Top 10: 10
Heat Wins: 3 out of 6
Quick Times:0 out of 4
Article Credit: Stephanie Sparks
