Lakeport, CA – Twelve year old ParkerStore outlaw sprint kart driver Kyle Larson turned in a dominating performance in the 125/250cc main event at the Lakeport Speedway outdoor track Saturday and took home the $400 payout for that division, while the wrong tire choice resulted in a fourth place finish in the open 500cc division main event that paid a healthy $800 to nine year old 250cc driver Tyler Reddick.

After qualifying was complete in the 125/250 division Larson was at the top of the chart. His fast lap put him into the inverted six kart ten lap dash. The finishing order would line up the first three rows of the main and the drivers not in the dash were relegated to a single heat where finishing order would line up the last rows of the feature behind the dash karts.

Larson would advance in the dash from sixth to finish second behind pole starter Trevor Cristiani. The duo started the main on the front row and when the green flag appeared Larson’s QRC Factory Kart used its Banke powerplant to accelerate into the lead that he would never relinquish. At one point Larson had a ¾ lap lead on Cristiani. After a late yellow Cristiani lost second to Jonny Lentz. Cristiani soon lost third to last weeks opening All Star Tour race winner Mason Moore as Larson again opened a large lead over the field and went on to the lap 30 checkered flag.

The open 500cc Division saw the same format used and Larson qualified sixth to earn the pole position of the trophy dash. Larson’s brand new Grandpa George motor powered the Elk Grove, CA driver to a large lead as he won the ten lapper over the surprising Reddick.

After experiencing severe tire wear on the ParkerStore kart during the dash Larson’s crew decided to go with the hardest compound tire on the right rear for the 30 lap feature. But that proved to be Larson’s undoing as he buzzed his tires while Reddick was able to get the lead on the start as Richard Bailey also slid by dropping the Parker pilot to third. On lap four Larson spun his ill handling kart in turn four to bring out a yellow. During the yellow Larson went to the work area where the crew released several pounds of air from the right rear tire. Larson restarted last in the 16 kart field but had a much better handling kart and was up to seventh by lap six. On lap nine Larson moved into sixth and lap 10 saw him in fifth. By lap 17 Larson moved into fourth but that was as far as he could advance as he finished there behind upset winner Reddick, Bailey and James Sweeney. Last weeks All Star Tour winner Pistol Pete Johnston came back from an early spin to claim fifth.

When the day was complete Larson was satisfied with the 125/250cc victory and being able to come back for fourth in the opens. “We thought we were going to run the 250 engine that QRC is letting us use in the 125/250 race but I could tell that our 125 was going to be the kart to run due to the track conditions. That thing just gets the power to the ground so good, especially on a track like today’s. It proved to be the right choice. But with the open we probably did make the wrong tire choice. Compared to the way it handled in the dash it was just a handful with no traction at the start of the main. I don’t know if the softer tire would have held up for the distance but we’ll never know. After my dad let the air out of the right rear and it got heat in the tire my ParkerStore kart really started working. But it was just too much to overcome trying to pass the faster guys on the dry slick track we had today.”

Race: April 2, 2005
Pictures courtesy from Jack Waterman