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WKA: Maryland Sprint Sandy Hook report

Four post double wins at 2nd Maryland Sprint Divisional, SANDYHOOK, MD-Four of 120 racers entered in round two of the Maryland Sprint Divisional at Sandy Hook Speedway in Sandy Hook, MD Saturday and Sunday May 18 and 19 came away double ...

Four post double wins at 2nd Maryland Sprint Divisional,

SANDYHOOK, MD-Four of 120 racers entered in round two of the Maryland Sprint Divisional at Sandy Hook Speedway in Sandy Hook, MD Saturday and Sunday May 18 and 19 came away double winners.

GT Machine powered Gaithersburg, MD based Coyote kart pilot Tyler Sandmeyer's #12 machine swept both European Auto Services, Inc. Briggs Junior Sportsman-1 classes, Lite and Heavy from their poles. The 11-year-old double winner dominated Saturday's three racer Lite class from start to finish.

"The Coyote kart was awesome and the GT Machine motor ran good, real good," Sandmeyer said after his first win.

Tony Marinucci finished second as he would again Sunday and Will McMillan completed the field.

Sunday's Heavy race was a heated lead swapping battle between Sandmeyer and Marinucci. Sandmeyer took the early lead from the pole and held it for several laps before surrendering it to Marinucci who opened a comfortable lead that he carried under the mid-race signal. Sandmeyer closed in and took it when Marinucci got caught in lapped traffic and held it to the end.

"Lapped traffic helped on this one," Sandmeyer said. "The kart was a little tight at the end, but it was real good in the beginning. It takes a good engine builder and a good crew chief to come here and win two races in one weekend.

This time Will McMillan, Sidney Hagen and Taylor Holden handled the remaining top five positions.

Belair, MD based Bandit kart pilot Chris Braun captured two wins taking Saturday's Briggs Junior Heavy and Sunday's Briggs Junior Restricted's checkered flags. Braun bagged Briggs Junior Heavy's pole, but let the #79 machine of Chris Meredith led the field the first two times around before getting a run on him on the high banked turn heading into the front straight where he swept by Meredith for a never surrendered lead.

"The Bandit kart ran really good and the GT Machine motor was really fast," said 14-year-old European Bus & Truck backed Braun.

Filling the remaining top five behind Meredith were John Kenny, Matthew Amos and Bruce Taylor.

Brian Sullivan earned Briggs Junior Restricted's pole and hustled into the initial lead with Braun threatening from behind as they pulled from the field for a fight for the front. Braun breezed by Sullivan near the halfway mark and pulled away for a comfortable lead, which he took across the stripe.

"The Bandit kart ran real good, it was a little tight, but it still ran fast. The GT Machine motor did it on this one it gave me the power to pass him (Sullivan) on the straightaway," Braun credited after his second win.

In the final laps John Kenny passed Sullivan for a second place finish, Sullivan crossed third and was followed in the top five by Mike Shields and Taylor.

SuperTech Racing Engines powered Zanderbuilt Kart pilot Steven Johnson topped both Briggs Amateur classes. Dana Lail earned Briggs Amateur Medium's pole, but when the feature's green waved it was Johnson's #00 in the early lead from where he showed the field home.

"The Zanderbuilt kart handled perfect and Kevin Colborn's motor was excellent, unbelievable," said Johnson of Fredrick, MD.

William Staririker, Charles Powell and Lail finished third through fifth.

Staririker roared into Briggs Amateur Heavy's early lead. Several laps later Johnson took the lead from him and never let go. Dustin Morris's #15 machine captured second, Stairiker finished third again and was followed in the top five by Charles Powell, Jr. and Rich Yannetta.

"I got a good start and got up to the front real quick and held on," Johnson said after his second Amateur win. "I want to thank Brian Sullivan and my pit crew the Zanderbuit kart and SuperTech motor were perfect all around."

Baltimore, MD based Robert Stickley scored two wins leading the way in Yamaha Senior Sportsman and Yamaha Masters. "I just drove hard, I had to to stay ahead of Josh (Fraver)," Stickley admitted. "The Mike Wilson kart and ZT Engineering motor worked great this weekend," he added.

Josh Fraver finished second both times, in Yamaha Masters he rounded out the two-racer field and in Yamaha Senior Sportsman he was followed across the stripe by Josh Owens and Mark Thompson for the field.

Two other 2-Cycle classes competed that weekend. Virgil Gross soloed formula Yamaha Senior and Timothy Palmatier beat out Daniel Hughes in a two-racer Comer Senior Heavy contest.

Glenburnie, MD based Coyote Kart factory driver and Team Robinson Speed Shop driver Steven Axtell and similarly prepared Coyote kart pilot Keith Jackson, of Obenton, MD had heated battles in GT Machine Briggs Junior Sportsman-2 Lite and Heavy with Axtell taking the first win ahead of Jackson and then Jackson responding with Sunday's win.

Jackson earned Briggs Junior Sportsman-2's pole, but Axtell was in charge before the first lap was booked. Jackson hung to Axtell's tailpipe and even got a nose on him at mid-race, but Axtell prevailed to post his second win in that class.

"He (Keith Jackson) was a little faster then me, but I pulled it out," said the DSS Motorsports/CMS Bodyworks/Coyote Racing Products/Robinson Speed Shop Speed Shop/Jerry's Roofing & Siding/Eastern Homes backed 10-year-old winner. "The kart was a little tight, but Chris Mason's motor pulled good down the straight-aways and I want to thank him for that."

Russell Marinucci, Toby Parese and Zachary Linsell completed the top five.

Jackson also earned Briggs Junior Sportsman-2's pole, but this time he quickly put some distance between himself and Axtell. Axtell closed the gap and was a constant threat most of the race, but Jackson held on to take the win.

"It was tough," admitted the 11-year-old winner. "The Robinson Speed Shop motor was great and the Coyote kart handled wonderfully."

Marinucci and Parese finished third and fourth again and this time Oleen finished fifth.

MacLean, VA SuperTech Racing Engines powered Coyote kart pilot Justin Burr bagged Nicholson Speedway Briggs Junior Lite's win with perfection. From the pole Burr built a very comfortable lead that he carried across the finish line with John Kenny trailing him.

"The Coyote kart handled really good and Kevin Colborn's motor was great," said the 14-year-old winner.

Sullivan, Mike Shields and Taylor took the remaining top five positions.

Rat Powered Coyote kart factory pilot Justin Cassity, of Germantown, MD, won Briggs Medium with Steven Taylor taking a close second. Stevensville, MD Motor Head powered Todd Wieslander grabbed the early lead over a very talented field. Cassity worked his way to second and was all over Wieslander's tailpipe before taking the lead and showing the field home.

"This feels good, I haven't won in awhile," Cassity said. "He (Taylor) was close. I knew he was there and I saw his nose once, but the Rat Power motor and Coyote kart both worked good. I want to thank Jace for the motor and my family for their support even though they couldn't be here. I also want to thank Rat Power, G-Man Kart Works and Douglas Wheel for their support."

Wieslander, Rowan Pennink and Steven Ward took the remaining top five positions.

Wieslander soloed Briggs Lite, Taylor topped Garland Racing Engines Briggs Heavy and Pennink posted Briggs Limited Heavy's win.

Pennink earned Briggs Heavy's premier starting position and Taylor shared the front row with him. Pennink quickly jumped into the early lead as Taylor battled to take it away from him. Several laps into it Taylor swept by Pennink who dropped back into the field as Grotto Pizza backed Milford, DE based Matt Jester reeled him in. Jester hounded Taylor all the way to the end. Baltimore, MD based GT Machine backed Dan Koehler took third and was followed in the top five by Pennink and Justin Gumley.

"It was a good race, I got out early passed Rowan (Pennink) on the second lap and held it from there," said the Brownsmills, NJ based Rat Powered Bandit kart pilot. "I want to thank Tommy Triplett for coming up here and helping us this weekend and to my dad for all of his hard work and support and to Jace Reynolds for a great motor."

Pennink led Briggs Limited Heavy's field from flag-to-flag with Jester threatening the whole ride. "The Invader kart worked great and Eric Garland's motor was great I want to thank him for that and Thor Oils and my dad for their support."

Alfred Macmillan completed the three-racer field.

Silver Springs, MD racer Tom Flash was first across Rat Power Briggs Super Heavy's finish line with Jester close behind. Flash put his SuperTech powered Chip Disheroon Racing Chassis up from early and fought off Jester's challenges at every corner.

"This was a good win. My man Chip Disheroon put this deal together along with a new SuperTech motor and it was unbelievable, Flash said. "The kart handled perfect, it was very aerodynamic and Kevin Colborn's motor was a rocket ship."

Trailing Jester in the top five were Mike Petrella, Jeff Heuerman and Bobby Canter.

Washington, NJ based Genesis Kart pilot Eric Garland soloed the new Briggs Animal class. "This gave us a chance to get some testing in and we learned a little bit about this new motor," Garland said, "It's a good motor and seems to want to run, it's peppy and I think it will be a good class once people get a chance to try it."

ZT Racing Briggs Senior Stock is currently under protest due to post race tech.

Nicholson Speedway in Chestertown, MD hosts the next Maryland Sprint Divisional June 15-16. Racers return to Sandy Hook Speedway July 27-28 and then back to Nicholson Speedway September 7-8. Sandy Hook Speedway will host the season finale on September 28-29.

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