WKA: Pilla produces his first four national wins at Jasper

JASPER, FL - Young gun kart racer Michael Pilla, of Juniper, FL posted his first four national Briggs & Stratton WKA Speedway Dirt Series wins during the Dyno Cams Nationals held April 15-17 at Cross Roads Motorplex in Jasper, FL. One thousand sixty-five racers entered round two of the five race series. Making a clean sweep of the junior classes was an early birthday present for the Capps Racing Engines powered racer who turned 13-years-old the following Wednesday (April 21).

From their poles with fast times of 16.397 and 15.117 seconds, Pilla performed perfectly in Team Simpson Racing Junior Sportsman Champ and Vickery's Speed Shop Briggs Junior Sportsman 2 Lite that Saturday. In the first he beat outside pole winner Drew Charlson by a close 0.946 seconds in the Champ class and then fourth fastest qualifier Shay Chavous by 1.351 seconds in junior sportsman 2 lite.

"We've been fast in champ all year. I got the pole in Daytona, but I didn't think I had the pole today, it wasn't that good and I came out of the kart and people said I got the pole," beamed Pilla, who began racing karts when he was 4-years-old. "We had some problems and I didn't' think I'd get the win, so we must have solved the problems. I just ran it and came home with the win. All the wrecks behind us helped a lot because once we got started we just kept on going the rest of the race."

Sunday it was more of the same with Pilla pumping out pole winning laps of 14.894 and 16.072 seconds in Smith Signs Designs Junior Sportsman 2 Heavy and Tyler Racing Engines Briggs Junior Sportsman Champ Heavy. Fourth fastest qualifier Tyler Griffin trailed him in junior sportsman by 1.441 seconds. Barry Ownby, Jr charged through the field from a 13th place start to trail Pilla by 4.978 seconds in the champ class.

"You've got to have the right stuff, the right equipment," said Pilla who pilots an Olimpic Champ kart chassis and Phantom flat karts, of his four wins. "We were just really good this week and all the team worked good and we've got about five trophies already. We just really run good this weekend. "

Tennessee 2-cycle terror Barrett Terry topped two classes that Saturday. From a third place start in each the Buller Racing Engines powered Buller Kart pilot captured American Power Sports Yamaha 2-Cycle with a 2.901 seconds advantage over outside pole winner Chris McGoff and beat Bulley Clutches Unlimited pole winner Chris Harrell to that stripe by 1.522 seconds.

"I didn't feel real good going into the race," he said after his first win. "We had a good start at Daytona and just had a good week down there all together. We usually struggle when we come to the hard tracks and stuff. We're still not right; we're a little bit better than we were earlier today. We've just got a lot of people to thank that helped us; G-Man Kart Works, Busted Kart Shop, Buller Built for the kart and motor and clutches. Everything's just worked good for us, it's not how we usually like to win, but like I say we take them how we get them."

WKA dirt national drivers meet again June 11-13 for Grand Nationals where they compete for bonus points towards their national rankings at Amelia Motor Raceway in Amelia, VA.

By: Bruce C. Walls