12/2/2019
KC Sparks
Turkey Chase 2019
Minnesota Missile Monday: Turkey Chase 2019
December 2, 2019
KC has officially moved up to the Builder Prepared/Box Stock class as he enters the Turkey Chase 2019. Both days there were eleven participants in competition.
Friday Show #1
KC started the day by drawing a 5 to set the line-up for the heat races. This put him on the pole of the second heat. KC jumped to the early lead but the officials called the start back. As the caution came out down the backstretch, one of the back karts ran into the back of KC. On the next restart, KC again got ahead of the field but the Koby Werkmeister kart made contact in turn one allowing Willy Kirk and Gage Stevens to move past. KC quickly recovered to get back past Kirk. KC’s kart suffered a bent left rear wheel, flat tire, and bent axle in the contact, but KC was able to wheel the ill handling kart to a runner up finish behind Stevens.
The second round of heat races inverts the first heat, so KC started at the tail end of the field and raced hard. He was running fifth after the first lap but started making moves and quickly started picking off the other drivers. When he came up on Zoey Yaw, she was holding the low line and KC decided to take the top line around her in turns one and two to be side by side down the backstretch. Going into turn one he drove in deeper and pulled ahead of Yaw for the lead and charged away to take the heat win.
His heat finishes lined KC up outside row one alongside Cole Garner for the feature event. Garner and KC had a great start and jumped into the top two running positions. KC was excited and struggled to settle into his driving line, drifting high out of turn four every lap, nearly tagging the wall and tire barrier until the caution flew for a spun kart. On the restart, Garner led the field and KC settled into the seat, hitting his marks as the race continued. KC remained on the back bumper of Garner, bumping him several times throughout the next several circuits but not able to get around him. With only a couple laps remaining, a slowing kart of Carlos Vergara was preparing to pull off the track on the pit lane but saw the infield worker waving him to the infield and abruptly made a dive for the infield right in front of the leaders and Garner made a hard impact spinning to the infield. Garner kept his kart rolling and rejoined the leaders on the front stretch as the caution flew. After inspecting the kart for damage, Garner was returned to the top spot to pace KC and the field. The top duo pulled away with KC continuing to knock on Garner’s bumper but KC came up just short as Garner claimed the checkers for night one of the Turkey Chase.
Saturday Show #2
KC started his first heat race from the fourth position and quickly moved into third. He was chasing after Garner and closing the gap as he hit his marks out of turn four. Half way through the heat, KC drove in to deep and hit one of the infield discs, disrupting the kart and sending him high out of turn four and into the tire barrier on the wall. The front spindle was bent back into the wheel and the chain jumped off the rear sprocket knocking him out of the event.
KC’s second heat of the day moved him inside row two for the start of the race behind Karter Evans and Cole Garner on the front row. KC stuck tight to the Evans kart and remained within striking distance for the first few circuits. When his tires heated up, it was evident that the tire pressures were wrong for the changing track conditions and KC began to wheel hop through the turns. KC managed to keep the kart under control and although he lost ground to the leader, he held on for a second place finish behind Evans.
Due to the DNF in the first heat, KC was lined up outside row four for the feature. On the initial start, KC did great as he quickly jumped down into the racing groove and pulled out of turn two in fifth place. When the field motored into turn three, KC made a challenge to the inside of Garner who was running in fourth. Garner pinched KC down into the discs and the duo spun resulting in contact from Evans and Kaden Rice spun to avoid heavy contact. All racers were able to continue for a complete restart. The other drivers did not allow for KC to get the great start and they filled in the “windows” moving KC back to the ninth running spot on the track. The entire field was paced by Stevens while racing around the track nose to tail in a long line. KC was following the Carson Berglund kart for several laps. As the field passed the Yaw machine, drivers tried making passes but KC was unable to get passed the Berglund kart. With only a few laps to go, Berglund’s kart got up on two wheels allowing KC to move up a position. On the next circuit, WIlly Kirk and KC were racing for the same real estate on the track and they made contact with Kirk going over the front hood of Sparks but both continuing on. They were sent to the tail and with a green white checkered dash, they tried their best to move past the Carlos Vegara kart but again got tangled at the finish line just under the white flag. KC and Kirk were sent to the infield for involvement in the last two cautions and Stevens went on to win day two of the Turkey Chase. KC was credited with an eighth place finish.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Racers Swap Meet; January 10, 2020 - Sioux Falls, SD
SPONSOR APPRECIATION:
Autoland; Sioux Falls, SD
Heser Auto and Detailing; Jackson, MN
Last Deck LLC; Jackson, MN
Ferby’s Auto Repair; Sioux Falls, SD
Jared Bailey Photography; Carlisle, IA
DRE; Boyden, IA
MyRacePass.com #TeamMRP #GetTheApp
2019 YTD STATS:
Features: 39
Wins: 14
Top 5: 32
Top 10: 39
Article Credit: Stephanie Sparks