7/20/2020
KC Sparks
Minnesota Missile Monday: Summer Heat Doesn’t Slow Down the MN Missile
Minnesota Missile Monday: Summer Heat Doesn’t Slow Down the MN Missile
July 20, 2020
Friday English Creek Speedway
A hot and humid evening welcomed a good field of drivers to English Creek with 18 competitors registered in the BP class. KC’s back gate draw sent him out last for time trials but he managed to click off laps that put him fifth quick on the field. Quick time went to Cole Garner.
The three heat races were lined up based on time trial results with quick times on the pole. That put KC outside Ian Steward for the second heat race. At the drop of the green, KC and Steward raced to the first set of turns side by side but KC had the better line out of turn two and took the lead. The lead duo pulled away from the field with Steward pulling within a kart length at times but unable to make the pass and KC drove to the heat race win. Heat one was won by Kahne Groves and heat three went to Willy Kirk.
The fifteen lap feature event started all eighteen karts with Garner and Kirk on the front row. The initial start saw Garner get a good start over Kirk with KC falling into the third position but a melee occurred when several karts touched and spun coming off turn four to the green resulting in a complete restart. The second start was better for the field with Kirk pulling ahead of Garner down the front stretch and Groves following around the outside into turn one moving Garner back to third with KC in fourth. On the third lap, Groves spun by himself in turn two from his second place running position, moving Garner and KC up. After resetting the field, Garner’s kart suffered a mechanical problem when the track crew couldn’t get it restarted sending him to the infield early.
On the restart, KC remained close to Kirk out front. Third place running, Steward had a problem on the restart and was quickly passed by Lily Webster before pulling his kart off the track. Kirk led KC by just a couple kart lengths before the field was slowed again for a tangle of karts in turn two. The next restart saw more issues as the back markers tangled, tipping one over. Everyone was alright but Webster’s team had been working on the fuel system right up until the field pulled out and she ran out of fuel and had to give up her third place position.
The final restart had Kirk leading KC, Lauren Pfoltner, Hunter Howe, and Logon Benge from last into the top five. As the green came out, Nikki Ballard came from sixth around the outside before the start and moved into third. Kirk continued to pace the field with KC challenging for several laps but then opening a gap over KC of several kart lengths. Lapped traffic came into play and KC caught the slower karts in the wrong spots on the track. Kirk lapped most of the field and claimed the feature win. KC cruised home runner up with Ballard crossing in third. She was penalized two positions for the jump on the restart, moving Pfoltner into the top three. Nixon Heiderscheidt moved up 10 positions to come across in fourth and Ballard was credited fifth.
Satudray Plessis Motor Speedway
A smaller field of BP karts came to Plessis Motor Speedway with only five drivers in competition but the racing was great on the small bullring. The two heat format saw heat wins going to Hunter Hanson and Willy Kirk. KC finished second and fourth, lining him up inside row two for the feature.
Hanson earned the pole and paced the field to the green alongside Kirk. At the drop of the green, Hanson pulled to the lead with KC and Kirk battling for runner up. Kirk took the position down the backstretch of lap two but KC reclaimed the runner up position out of turn four on the next lap. Hanson built up a 8 kart length lead while the others were battling and KC found a good line and within four laps closed back in on the back of Hanson. The caution flew once for Nixon Heiderscheidt resulting in the field being bunched up.
On the restart, Hanson held off KC and had the race in hand as KC was able to catch the 9A machine but unable to get around him. The final five laps saw KC challenging Hanson trying to get to his inside. As the lead duo went under the white flag, KC pulled alongside Hanson. Hanson gave KC room but crowded him to the infield discs going into turn one. KC held on and remained wheel to wheel through the turns. As they exited for the backstretch, Hanson got a little loose allowing KC to take the lead but Kirk and Carter Heiskell closed in on Hanson. Hanson tried to cut under KC while Kirk raced into turn three a lane higher. KC crossed under the checkered flag with the win while Hanson held on for runner up ahead of Kirk, Heiskell, and Heiderscheidt.
Upcoming Schedule:
Wednesday 7/22: Thunder Hill; Menomonie, WI
Friday 7/24: English Creek Speedway; Knoxville, IA
Saturday 7/25: Mississippi Thunder; Fountain City, WI
Sunday 7/26: Cedar Lake Indoor Kart Arena; New Richmond, WI
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: 20
Wins:3
Top 3: 10
Top 10: 19
Heat Wins: 9
Article Credit: Stephanie Sparks
