8/6/2020
KC Sparks
Minnesota Missile:Thunder Hill Nationals Recap Jr. Wing
Minnesota Missile:Thunder Hill Nationals Recap Jr. Wing
August 6, 2020
The opening track for the Wing Kart Nationals saw some great racing to open the week of racing.
Tuesday 8/4:
A total of sixteen karts registered for racing in the Jr Wing division of the opening night of competition at Thunder Hill Speedway. The track used a two heat format that put Laela Eisenschenk on the pole alongside local racer Blake Adams. When the green flew, the top two rows quickly put some space between them and the rest of the field as Eisenschenk led them single file through the first two turns. Back in the field, drivers were two and three wide with Ellie Hensley quickly moving up from her ninth starting position to sixth with KC Sparks following her past fifth starter Karter Beattie.
At the end of two laps, Eisenschenk had a slight lead over Adams who was fighting off challenges from Amelia EIsenschenk for second with Tyler Alton in a close fourth running position. Hensley and Sparks made a move under Michael Hucovski out of turn four, past the flag stand to move him back from fifth to seventh. The first caution flew and on the restart, Sparks was put back behind Hucovski.
The restart bunched the field up with Adams tight to L. Eisenschenk’s back bumper. Before a lap was completed, contact in the back of the field had karts scattering, sending Autumn Frandsen around and with no place to go, Kaleb Knopps came around and hit her kart, knocking both drivers out of the event.
With four laps down, another restart meant another shot at the lead for Adams. He was not able to make it happen on lap five but Alton was challenging A. Eisenschenk for third out of turn two. Hensley stuck her nose in the third place action and going into turn three was able to move to the inside of Alton and take the fourth position. Hucovski and Sparks were side by side for sixth with Sparks taking the position again coming out of two to see the caution flying and having to go back for the next restart.
The restart was single file through the first set of turns but going into turn three, Alton made contact with the back of Hensley, sending her spinning. To avoid contact with the spinning kart, Sparks, Ryley Finnegan, and Beattie spun along with Charlie Olsen who saved his spin but ran over an infield cone coming to a stop. The field was realigned with Hensley getting her fourth place position back ahead of Alton and the others going to the tail.
L. Eisenschenk continued to pace the field but Adams was challenging for the top position. On the sixth lap, Adams made a dive under L. Eisenschenk as they raced out of turn four. The two drag raced into turn one with Adams coming out with the lead. A. Eisenschenk was running comfortably in third with Hensley, Alton, and Hucovski nose to tail for fourth. Sparks closed in on Hucovski and made the pass going into turn one, setting his eyes on the back of the Alton kart.
During the longer green flag run to the finish, the field spread out and Sparks spun overdriving into turn four but kept it going without a caution, losing a couple positions. Adams built his lead over the field while Alton continued to challenge Hensley.
The checkers flew for Adams who celebrated by doing donuts on the front stretch. Second went to L. Eisenschenk followed by A. Eisenschenk, Alton and Hensley in the top five. Hucovski, Olsen, Ayden Erickson, Sparks, and Finnegan made up the top ten.
Heat race winners were L. Eisenschenk, Adams in round one and L. Eisenschenk and Alton in round two. The B Feature was won by Charlie Olsen.
Wednesday Championship Night:
Sixteen drivers again registered for the racing action on Wednesday to compete for the $500 top prize in the Jr. Wing division. The fifteen lap feature was paced to the green by Ameila Eisenschenk on the pole and Night One winner Blake Adams to her outside. On the opening lap, A. Eisenschenk jumped to the lead ahead of Adams with Laela Eisenschenk right behind in third. L. Eisenschenk moved to the inside of Adams going into turn one on the second lap to move into the runner up position and chase down her sister.
KC Sparks was deep in a battle with Ellie Hensely and Owen Graf for the sixth position just behind Ryley Finnegan. Hensley moved under Sparks going into turn three but hit a disc pushing her and Sparks up the track out of turn four and allowing Graf to race under them to turn one. Hensley pulled back in line behind Graf through the set of turns pushing Sparks back. Down the backstretch, Hensley pulled to the inside of Graf with Sparks just behind. Through the turns, Hensley again hit the disc and moved her and Graf up the track this time allowing Sparks to dive underneath out of turn four to take the positions. Charlie Olsen followed Sparks past Graf into turn one. Hensley crossed back under Sparks going into turn one just as Sparks charged back to her outside to reclaim the coveted position on the track.
The first caution flew for a spun kart and closed up the field as the Eisenschenk girls had opened up a lead over Adams and Tyler Alton who was trying everything he could to get around his friend and into a podium position. On the restart, Alton appeared to hit a disc as he accelerated out of four that bounced his kart out of line and up to the top of the track dropping him back to ninth.
Sparks used the chaos with Alton to move past Finnegan into the top four with Hensley following him through the traffic. Only one more lap in the books before contact between Kaleb Knopps, Ayden Erickson, and Brody Kohnke found Erickson on his side and another caution in the race. Erickson had raced from the B feature up to 8th before going over but was able to restart and continue his charge.
The restart had A. Eisenschenk continuing to lead over L. Eisenschenk, Adams, Sparks, and Hensley. Coming to green, Adams pushed L. Eisenschenk out of the turn forcing them to get out of the gas just enough for Sparks and Hensley to move to the inside. Sparks slid across the front of L. Eisenschenk to take second briefly while Adams jumped over the rear tire of the 15 machine. As Adams came down in front of the field, Autumn Frandsen ran out of room and tagged Adams, spinning him around and bringing out the caution.
With only four laps logged, the field looked for a long run with Sparks restarting in third behind the Eisenschenk sisters. Going into turn one, L. Eisenschenk tried to move to the outside of A. Eisenschenk and Sparks worked to pull up into the spot. The leaders were too strong as Sparks tried to keep pace with them he missed the line going into turn one and Hensley was there to challenge for the third position. Sparks did not give up easily as the two karts raced side by side for an entire lap before Hensley finally moved ahead.
Olsen was leading a pack of karts challenging for the fifth position that included Graf, Alton, and Adams. Alton was on the charge, using the lowest line on the track to move up through the pack. The top four had spaced out and were clicking off the laps with Alton chasing down Sparks. On the twelfth circuit, Alton caught the back of Sparks, moving to his inside out of turn two. Sparks continued to challenge as the duo raced into turn three side by side and Alton taking the fourth position out of turn four.
On the final lap, A. Eisenschenk cruised to the $500 win ahead of L. Eisenschenk. Alton drove under Hensley out of turn four to take third at the line and Sparks held off a closing Adams for fifth. Seventh went to Graff with Olsen, Finnegan, and Erickson in the top ten.
Heat race winners were A. Eisenschenk and Adams in round one with round two winners A. Eisenschenk and L. Eisenschenk. The B Feature was won by Olsen.
Upcoming Schedule:
Wing Kart Nationals:
Tuesday/Wednesday 8/4-5: Thunder Hill; Menomonie WI
Friday/Saturday 8/7-8: Mississippi Thunder; Fountain City, WI
Sunday 8/9: Cedar Lake Sizzlin Summer Series; New RIchmond WI
Monday/Tuesday 8/10-11: English Creek Speedway; Knoxville, IA
Wednesday 8/12: Newton Kart Klub; Newton, IA
2020 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
DRE Horsepower; Boyden, IA
Jared Bailey Photography; Carlisle, IA
MyRacePass; #TeamMRP #GetTheApp
TL Racing; Jackson, MN
YTD Stats:
Features: 27
Wins:3
Top 3: 12
Top 10: 25
Heat Wins: 11
Article Credit: Stephanie Sparks