CSC: Series news 2010-09-02

CENTRAL STATES CHALLENGE SET FOR BACK-TO-BACK WEEKENDS TO CLOSE OUT 2010
Series to support Rock Island Grand Prix prior to season finale in Pevely, Missouri on September 11-12 at I-55 Speedway

ST. LOUIS, MO (September 2, 2010) - The final leg of the 2010 season is just around the corner for the Superkarts! USA Central States Challenge. The final two weeks will complete its third season as a SKUSA regional program with the seventh and final round to take place September 11-12 at the I-55 Speedway karting track in Pevely, Missouri. With many of the regular series competitors calling the 0.55-mile course their home track, the competition level is sure to be at its best as the championships for the eight series categories will be decided.

Prior to traveling to the facility located south of downtown St. Louis, the series will be in attendance at this weekend's Rock Island Grand Prix in the Quad Cities area. Considered to be the world's largest street race, a number of SCSC competitors will be in attendance to bring home the coveted 'Rock' trophy. SKUSA Central States Challenge will be supporting the eKartingNews.com Trackside Live (www.ekartingnews.com/live) broadcast throughout the two-day event over Labor Day weekend.

"At our first visit to the Rock Island Grand Prix, we fell in love with the event," stated Pam Freund of the SKUSA Central States Challenge. "The event is a well-structured event with some of the top talent in sport competing. Supporting the EKN broadcast will help spread the Central States Challenge name to a number of karters across the country as we prepare to close out the 2010 season and look forward to 2011. We wish our competitors the best competing this weekend."

Following the holiday race weekend, the series staff and competitors will turn its attention to the final round of the season. The results from the Pevely circuit will crown eight class champions with the best five results of the seven round championship determining the title winners. The S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto category is down to two drivers with rookie Lukas Johnson holding the edge over former champion Derek Crockett. Following drops, the two are separated by 55 points. At the last round in Kansas City, Crockett made up 50 markers following an event sweep, thus will need some help in Pevely in addition to scoring maximum points. In S4 Master Stock Moto, Rick Freund has all but locked up the championship, needing to just compete at the final round to score the title over Kyle Donahue - winner at the Kansas City round. With his first season victory last month, Brad Winkelmann moved up to the top of the TaG Senior championship standings and now leads Crockett by 180 points heading into the series finale.

Indiana's Karl Weber has scored the feature victory in all six events for TaG Junior. Weber heads into the finale with a 215 point advantage over Mick Gabriel with Nathan White, Collin Wilis and Colton Brooks just behind him. No doubt the final order of the standings will not be decided until the final checkered flag has waved. Only 70 markers separate Joe Reed and Colton Brooks when considering the two drops. Reed has four feature wins to Brooks two at the start of the year. Whoever comes out on top in the final stages at Pevely will go home with the title.

The TaG Cadet has been exciting to watch all season and the top-five in the standings will enter the finale separated by just 181 points. Despite missing the Kansas City round following a horrific crash in their family RV, Austin Mayton leads the standings with his two victories on the season. Mayton walked away with only a few scrapes however his mother Rebecca is currently recovering from two collapsed lungs and two broken legs. Kyle Kennedy sits second, 30 points back of Mayton with Ryan Joehl and Kyle Potts locked in third with Kamryn Sloan still in the hunt. Kamryn Sloan has wrapped up the local option Yamaha Junior Sportsman title after the Kansas City round as did Luke Howard in the Kid Kart division.

The entire SKUSA Central States Challenge family would like to send the get well wishes to Rebecca Mayton as she begins her long journey to recovery. Mayton's spirits have been positive, with a goal of walking again in eight months.

"The Mayton family has told us that Rebecca told Mayton and his father John to be at the final event as there is a championship on the line," commented Freund. "Many of our racers in the Cadet class stated they wouldn't race unless Austin was there. That shows just the type of family we have growing here at the Central States Challenge. Despite battling on the track like true competitors, they all are family off the track and look out for one another. We wish the best for Rebecca as she tries to reach her championship dream of walking once again."

The event in Pevely will also welcome a special guest - the Missouri National Guard. A supporter of the series at the opening event in 2009, representatives from the Missouri National Guard will be on-hand to spread the word of the reserve military force.

"It will be a pleasure to welcome the Missouri National Guard to our final event for 2010," said Freund. "With the event falling on September 11 weekend, we want to celebrate those in the National Guard and the rest of the armed forces that help provide the freedom we have in this country and have the right to be at the race track.

The seventh and final round of the Central States Challenge is scheduled as one event, contested over two days of action. Beginning on September 11, a full day of practice will take place with qualifying held at the end of the day. Sunday will consist of morning warm-up followed by both rounds of heat races, leading into the main event. You may book a room at the host hotel - Comfort Inn (Festus, MO - 636-937-2888) for $64.99 that includes a breakfast buffet.

-source: skusa