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Minnesota Missile Monday: Season Opens on Syrup with a Win

Minnesota Missile Monday: Season Opens on Syrup with a Win
March 2, 2020

The 2020 season started earlier than expected when a race was planned at the W.H.Lyon Fairgrounds in Sioux Falls, SD, only 20 minutes from home. Although we were going to support the event, we hadn’t planned on racing in the Outlaw Indoor Syrup Races until about 8 days before the practice night when we received word from the powder coater that the seats and wings were finished. Dad and Mom spent every evening the week prior to the event out in the shop until midnight building a brand new kart from scratch, buying a new helmet, shoes, and hybrid restraint system. To say the team was scrambling would be an understatement.

FRIDAY PRACTICE
Being the first race of its kind in the Sioux Falls area, the kart count was great for the beginner wing class. There were eight drivers ready to try out syrup. Only two of the racers, Kaden Rice and Karter Heiskell, had ever driven on syrup before and four of the drivers were getting behind their wheels for their first ever competitive race. The 1 kart stayed in the pits for the first couple practices as Dad was nervous about the syrup and getting enough rubber down from the quads, bikes, lawn mowers, and other karts. One youngster, Karter Heiskell, led the pack of drivers with consistently fast laps and set himself as the guy to chase for the weekend.

SATURDAY
HEAT RACES
With the variety in experience in the field, the attempt at putting all eight karts into one heat race proved to be unsuccessful as three karts rose to the top of the class putting other competitors laps down quickly with karts strewn all around the quick syrup track. After a wild finish to the attempted heat race that saw Karter Heiskell win from the front row, KC Sparks up from fifth to finish second, Karson Hansen, Kaden Rice, LeRoy Ralff, Micah Haugan, Kenlee Hansen, and Rylee Martens all cross the checker line. Although a finish was recorded, the officials were not confident with the outcome and determined that the field would be split and the beginner wing drivers would rerun the heat with the field separated into two heats.

Heat one was lined up with LeRoy Ralff and Karter Heiskell on the front row with a pair of #4 karts driven by Micah Haugan and Karson Hansen in the second row. Heiskell’s experience showed as he motored away from the field and won the first heat without contest. The battle was for runner up as the #4 karts ran nose to tail with Haugan holding the lead but struggling to keep his kart in the racing groove. With a couple circuits to go, Hansen found his way past the Haugan machine and claimed the runner up position with Haugan and Ralff rounding out the finish for heat one.

Heat two drew the remaining four drivers with KC Sparks and Rylee Martens pacing the field. Kenlee Hansen and Kaden Rice would have to come from row two. Martens was on the front row for her first race and after a couple attempts, she was able to hang close to Sparks and the dancing flagman flew the green and they were on their way. KC Sparks and Kaden Rice quickly hooked up and ran nose to tail for five laps, zipping past the other karts trying to get some laps in. On the fifth lap, Rice cut low in turn two and bounced off an infield tire, upsetting his kart and requiring him to get out of the throttle to collect the kart while Sparks pulled ahead to a 3 second lead. Sparks went on to take the heat win without contest from Rice. Kenlee Hansen and Rylee Martens finished out the heat finish.

FEATURES

The officials made a determination following the heat races that the experience levels among the eight drivers was significant enough to split the field into two events with the rookies running one feature and the drivers with experience on dirt running a second feature.

ROOKIE FEATURE
The first feature saw all four beginners line up with LeRoy Ralff, Karson Hansen, Rylee Martens, and Kenlee Hansen in a battle for fifteen laps. Ralff captured the early lead with Karson Hansen in pursuit. Hansen was able to move around Ralff and pull ahead. Just past halfway, Karson Hansen put his sister Kenlee Hansen a lap down and closed in on the tail of Rylee Martens. Ralff kept in it and started to pick up speed, also making his way past Kenlee Hansen and closing in as Karson was stuck behind Martens. Ralff made a charge and was able to take the top spot from Hansen with two to go. Hansen did not let Ralff get away and on the next circuit, the lead duo headed into turn one and bumped, hooking their karts together. Officials determined that with the other drivers down laps, the race would be checkered with the last lap scored making Ralff the winner in his first race. Karson Hansen was second with Kenlee Hansen edging out Martens and all four drivers took home trophies.

EXPERIENCED DRIVER FEATURE
The second feature for the restricted box beginner class had Karter Heiskell pacing the field with KC Sparks alongside. Kaden Rice and Micah Haugan were in row two. As the pace increased coming to the green, Sparks was right alongside Heiskell and was able to edge his kart to the lead heading into turn one as Rice was right on Heiskell’s tail and the two rubbed going into the turn, allowing Sparks to get some concrete between him and the field. Sparks led the first lap with Heiskell holding off Rice for second but on the second lap, Heiskell got high through the second set of corners allowing Rice to move ahead into the runner up position.

On lap five, Sparks’ tires caught coming out of turn four, causing the kart to hop up on the right side but it didn’t phase him as he continued on to put Haugan a lap down in the next set of turns. The next lap saw the field stopped as Haugan slid high out of turn four and hooked the outside wall tires, tipping his kart on the side. Haugan was fine and able to restart at the tail of the field.

As the crossed flags were displayed, Sparks was leading Rice and could only get a kart length advantage as Rice chased him. Rice made slight contact out of two with a tire like in his heat race, upsetting the kart and allowing Sparks to pull ahead. Heiskell closed in on Rice but as they were making their way past Haugan, Heiskell’s kart got tangled in the bars bringing out a caution.

The next restart had Rice pushing Sparks back bumper to the start but Sparks was unrattled and maintained the top spot. On the next circuit, Sparks got loose and chased his kart out of the racing grove, allowing Rice to overtake the top spot. Rice led the next two circuits with Sparks all over the tail and racing to Rice’s inside into turn one. Rice did not know Sparks was on his inside and made his turn causing the lead duo to make contact and standing Rice’s kart up on its side against the tires.

The final restart had Sparks leading Heiskell, Rice, and Haugan. Down the backstretch, the top three drivers were bumping which caused Heiskell to get out of line coming to the green and allowing Rice to quickly find Sparks’ tail. Sparks worked hard to protect his line and hold off the bumps and challenges from Rice to claim the feature win. Rice finished second with Heiskell and Haugan all finishing and taking home some nice trophies.

KC was nervous when Advantage TV met him in victory lane with a microphone. Only being asked his name and where he was from, KC wasn’t able to thank his partners for the great support and help. The biggest helpers on race day were Corwin DeRoon and Kirk Weber with DRE horsepower and Tire Solutions. Dale Furby from Furby’s Auto Repair was also in attendance.

2020 Partner/Sponsor Appreciation
Autoland; Sioux Falls, SD
Furby’s Auto Repair; Sioux Falls, SD
Last Deck LLC; Jackson, MN
Heser Auto and Detailing; Jackson, MN
DRE Horsepower; Boyden, IA
Jared Bailey Photography; Carlisle, IA
MyRacePass; #TeamMRP #GetTheApp
GRP Motorsports; Stillwater, MN

YTD Stats:
Features: 1
Wins:1
Top 3: 1
Top 10: 1
Heat Wins: 1

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