Also Sets New Track Record

Chico, CA - ParkerStore Outlaw Sprint Kart Driver Kyle Larson enjoyed one of his finest nights in his six year racing career as the 13 year old from Elk Grove, California captured both the Intermediate 125/250 and the 500cc Open Intermediate point championships during the QRC Cup six foot perpetual trophy races at Cycleland Speedway Saturday October 1st.

Larson also set the qualifying track record in the 500cc Open Intermediates, breaking the two year old standard by 3/10ths of a second and narrowly missing the all time track record. While all Larson had to do to win the 125/250 championship was to qualify for the A-Main, he wouldn’t settle for just that as he drove to his ninth 125/250 main event win of the season at the 1/6 mile speedplant. He also took home the six foot trophy for the second year and added his name to the perpetual trophies for a record fifth time on the QRC Cups.

In the 500cc Open Intermediate division the championship was still up for grabs as Larson held a narrow 13 point lead over Mason Moore who earlier finished second behind Larson in the 125/250 points race. Larson drove to a second place finish to secure the championship as misfortune struck Moore on the first lap when he could not avoid a stalled kart. Moore did race back to a seventh place finish but it was too little, too late.

Larson started the night with second fast time in the 29 kart 125/250 division. He started fifth in the six kart eight lap dash and made an exciting high side last turn pass on race long leader Sean Martin to garner the narrow win. Larson, with championship in hand, held nothing back in the feature race as he jumped from fifth starting to pass leader Dillon Silverman on lap four. He then drove his ParkerStore/Predator Motors/QRC Factory Kart to a convincing win over Moore and fast time Jake Cartwright.

In the 500cc Open Intermediate Division Larson drove his ParkerStore/Grandpa George Motors/QRC Factory Kart to the second fastest lap ever seen at Cycleland and stopped the clock at 10.237. He gained two points on third fast qualifier Moore and led the chase by 15 points. Larson started last of the six karts in the dash and advanced to a fourth place finish. Moore finished third to bring the gap back to 13 points heading into the A-Main. The pair started side by side in the fourth row as the 20 lap race began. As Larson went low into turn three Moore went high, only to find the spun kart of newcomer Adrien Betourney sitting directly in his path. Moore slammed into Betourney, effectively ending his chance for the point title unless a similar fate befell Larson. Moore restarted at the back while Larson began to charge to the front. On lap two Larson went from seventh to fifth and got into fourth on lap five. On lap six Larson passed both Colby Copeland and James Sweeney to take over second. Two laps later Larson overtook leader Nick Soto in turn four. He proceeded to drive away from the pack and looked to be headed to his second convincing win of the night. However, a yellow flag appeared on lap 16 and Sweeney was poised to make a race of it. On lap 18 Sweeney dove under Larson in turn three and carried the ParkerStore driver nearly to the turn four wall. Larson, cognizant that the championship was more important than the race win, let Sweeney go and safely drove to a second place finish and the track championship. Moore soldiered to a respectable seventh place finish but ended the season 24 points in arrears of Larson.

With the races completed Larson said, “This feels so good. I have gone for double division championships here at Cycleland four times and would usually get one but not both. Heck, last winter we decided we weren’t even going to run for points here. But as the season came near we figured this was the place to be and I sure am glad we did that. It’s a big effort to win two championships, with what can go wrong running two karts at one track on the same night every week. But my dad and Sean Sheppard always had my karts race ready and that made my job easier. Tonight, with the way the points were in each division, my dad and I talked it over and the plan was to run as hard as I could and get the QRC Cup trophy in the 125/250 race. But in the 500cc race I was just going to try to stay out of trouble and not push things. I just had to finish within a few places of Mason. Even with Mason going to the back I knew the same thing could happen to me. But as the race went on I felt like I was just cruising and still passing people. The next thing I knew I was leading and pulling away. When the yellow came out with four to go I just told myself if somebody tries something risky with me to not fight it. When Sweeney drove me up to the wall in turn four with two to go that was enough for me. On any other night I would have come right back and challenged him, but with the championship on the line I know I did the right thing. Next week is the 100 lap races and I can’t wait. Last year was the first ever 100 lappers and it was so fun. You get to do pit stops and use some strategy and it is a great way to close out the Cycleland season.”

Race: October 1, 2005
Photos Courtesy of Jack Waterman
www.kylelarsonracing.com