One Event Remains in
2005 Points Chase

Chico, CA – ParkerStore Outlaw Sprint Kart Driver Kyle Larson sped to victory number 30 in 2005, as he turned qualifying misfortune into an A-Main win in the 500cc Open Intermediate division Saturday September 24 at Cycleland Speedway. Larson also finished third in the Intermediate 125/250 division in what is being regarded as one of the most exciting races ever seen at Cycleland Speedway. The finishes saw him increase his point lead in each division with one point race left at the high speed racetrack.

Larson qualified third of 27 entries in the 125/250 division and lined up fourth in the dash. He drove his ParkerStore/Predator Motors/QRC Factory Kart around front row starter Dillon Silverman and Mason Moore on the first lap and won the eight lapper by a straightaway. Larson lined up fifth in the feature race and jumped into third on the first lap. Polesitter Tyler Reddick led the first four laps until Colby Copeland took over. Larson shadowed the lead duo until Reddick got sideways exiting turn four of lap 10, when Larson slid into second with Moore following into third. As Copeland began to deal with heavy lapped traffic Larson and Moore started to close in. By lap 14 the trio was dicing together through the maze of traffic. On lap 15 Moore raced past Larson into second only to have the favor returned the next lap. On lap 18 Larson finally caught Copeland in the ever changing dense traffic. As the white flag was displayed Larson led into turn one but a lapper moved into his lane and stymied his momentum down the back straight. Copeland assumed the lead again and Moore got into turn three under Larson and beat the ParkerStore driver to the line in a near dead heat. Although Larson finished behind Moore he was able to garner one more point than Moore on the night and now leads by 62 points.

In the 500cc Open Intermediate division Larson was only able to qualify 10th of the 30 karts as his motor mount broke during the run. This relegated him to the outside of row one in the second heat. He took the lead from polesitter Jake Park in turn two of the first lap and won by a wide margin to earn the outside front row starting position of the A-Main. Going into the race Keith Bloom had turned a one point deficit to Larson into a 12 point lead mostly due to Larson’s poor qualifying effort that saw him miss the dash where 15 points are available. Larson’s ParkerStore/Grandpa George Motors/QRC Factory Kart assumed the lead at the start of the feature and went unchallenged to the 20 lap win. Bloom had his exhaust pipe disconnect after contact with another competitor on lap 10 and had to exit the race, where he was scored 18th. Moore did finish second to Larson and cut a 30 point gap to 13 as Bloom fell 26 points off the pace.

At night’s end Larson said, “That 125/250 race sure was fun. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a race like that where three guys were going at it with each other like that with so much traffic to deal with. The lapped traffic was opening and closing holes so fast. I thought I had the race won about five different times but the traffic would change everything. I was disappointed I didn’t win but I added to my point lead over Mason and if I can just qualify for the main next week I will lock the championship up. I wish it was going to be that easy in the 500 kart, but I am really lucky to still be leading the points after the motor mount broke in qualifying. If you miss the dash here it really hurts because you get no points in the heats. If Bloom would have finished the main where he was running (fifth) we would be tied in points right now. Mason had a really good night and now he’s in second behind me. All three of us have a chance to win the championship and next week should be really exciting.”

Race: September 24, 2005
Photos Courtesy of Jack Waterman
www.kylelarsonracing.com