**** Saturday Race Rewind **** For some racers it is the skyboxes and all the amenities, others it is the promoter, still for others it is the money. When the top drivers stop in at HRK it is for one reason only , the racetrack. For many of the top names in karting ,if you want to find out where your program is HRK is the track to measure that. 72 drivers made up 223 entries as they took on the task at hand. Many of the top names in kart racing stopped in to take on the Rock. A very smooth and fast racing surface made this the perfect test for those teams. It also was a chance for the top local racers to test were their program stacked up against the best. From the start two names stood out as the guys to beat on this day. Millennium rider Jason Scruggs and new platinum rider Nick Scott. The night got started with more of the same that has been all year. Overall KOR points leader Phillippe Coppin drew first blood as he held off a determined Brandon McClain to claim the first race of the night in clone 410. That continued a very impressive fall season for Coppin. One that may take him all the way to being crowned the sixth different KOR champion , in as many years. Next up in clone light Nick McDoanld started from the pole and took command throughout this main event. It was a rare trip to HRK for McDonald and his win was impressive over the competition. Points leader Cookie increased his hold on the light division and looks to be on his way to his first championship. The pee wee division was a great little group of racers and Dillion Sharp held off rivals Robertson and Conover to secure his very first win ever in the pee wee division. Folks most of you probably were not watching ,but these three drivers handled this track like real pros as they battled side by side for a few laps. Good job Dillion and I am sure many more wins await you. In pro 410 Brandon McClain outlasted a charging Brent Lewis to seal the deal in pro 410. Predator 375 was more of the same as points leader Chris Cook outlasted Shawn Rogers and tightened his grip on what would be his second championship of the fall season. Jr 1 had a good group of drivers compete in a class that has been for a lack of better word, dominated by one Noah Hubbard. Hubbard picked up a pair of wins on this night and continued a season that is impressive for any racer on any level. Hubbard has took on all racers who have dared to bring their program to the rock. He has won every race except the first race and is quite simply the dominate driver in the Jr 1 division. These drivers as a class did an exceptional job on this track,but in the end one driver Noah Hubbard has showed the results to go with what is sure to be the overall JR KOR championship as we head into our final race. Next up was the first chance to see if Scruggs could race as he qualified. At the drop of the green Scruggs showed the power and handling that would make him the man to beat on this night. Scruggs led flag to flag and held off Youngblood Yarborough and local hot shoe Jamie Seymoure. Shawn Rodgers returned to his winning ways in the predator 400 division and Pebo Johnson took home the w in predator 350. Pro Clone Medium seen more of the same as Jason Scruggs held off a very fast Justin McDonald and cast to take home his second main and the $500 first prize. In the Jr 3 races Garett Catledge and Jay McManus split the pair of Jr 3 mains on this night. Reining champ Catledge smoked the field in the first race and McManus best the field in the second race. Good job to both of those drivers as they have had to move up a division sooner than expected and are getting used to the unrestricted HP of the jr 3 class. Next up clone heavy took to the track and this would be the chance to see who had the speed to bring home the top [prize in pro heavy later in the night. Darin Browne set the fastest time of the night in heavy as 26 drivers took the green.. At the drop of the green it was go time for Scruggs and Scott ,as they wasted little time in shuffling Browne out of the picture. As these two heavyweights sparred into the night , it was Scruggs again taking home the $500 top prize and outlasting a very fast Nick Scott. Pro Heavy would be the final main for the KOR phase of the program. All the marbles were on the line as this class made the minimum and would pay $1000 to win. Twenty three drivers took the green ,but one driver Nick Scott would start from the pole and lead every lap. Scott driving the house ride for platinum as Gaylord looks to take a sabbatical from the seat. Scott is one of the best ijn the game and his grit secured the win and the $1000 first prize as he held off a resurgent Jesse Riggins and Ironman Mullis. Next up we did an engine swap and brought out the FH engines for a rare cameo at HRK. Four classes were on tap for this part of the program. Brandon McClain wasted no time getting out front in FH 410 and it must have seemed like old times for McClain. HRK and Brandon McClain are almost synonymous as McClain has been one of the most successful drivers at The Rock for most of its 23 year history. The nostalgia of the class was rewarded with a grey beard winning this very tough field of karts. Limited Modified hit the track next and former KOR champion Kasey Hammond took the reigns in this one. Hammond was on a rail and left everyone else in his dust on his way to the limited main event victory. FH heavy was up next and even though we thought Scruggs was done after he lost the handle in pro heavy, it was Scruggs who made his way back upfront. Scruggs sparred with hot shoe Riggins and Mullis, but in the end Scruggs would prevail on the way to his fourth win of the night. Quite a feat for this track. The final event of the night would the the marquee event FH Pro Heavy. Pole sitter Nick Scott and man of the night Scruggs would run away and hide in this one. Riggins and Mullis tried to hang on early but as this 25 lap main played out it was two drivers. Scott and Scruggs who would settle this one. With $1000 hanging in the balance these two prize fighters dooked it out lap after lap. For the entire 25 laps Scruggs stayed a half kart link off Scotts back bumper. As the laps wound down Scruggs could not get to his bumper and Nick Scott secured the win and the $1000 top prize. This was a great night for both Scott and Scruggs as they both represented Platinum and Millinium well in this very tough field of drivers. Before I close I want to mention that Nick Scott is the most overlooked racer in our sport. This guy has won on every chassis made and has drove for most of the top teams in karting and each team he joins , he elevates their program to the highest level. My best memories of this guy is how tough he is. A couple of years ago Scott took one of the nastiest crashes I ever seem at HRK. he got back on the horse that day and finished strong. From that day on , I always thought , if i had a top kart team , Nick Scott would be my driver. I think Tony Gaylord has made the best selection he could make to fill his seat. In the coming weeks and months , the results will show that indeed Nick Scott, Platinum racing chassis and Tony Gaylord are a very formidable team going forward. And that Scruggs fellow, you definitely can not bet against him and the very fast Millinium Facktor racing team. Thanks for all the racers who came out to HRK last night. Our next race will be the final race of the year on Dec. 27th. This will conclude the fall KOR season and good luck to all the racers battling for the championship. As we look forward I have to say at this point that I am on the fence about racing next year. Even though I have said I would like to come back next year, my health is waning. I have a medical condition that may make it hard for me to continue into next season. I want to do a Memorial /Charity race and I have committed to a race in May. As we finish up our last race , hopefully my condition will improve and allow me to continue promoting this great racetrack. See you on Saturday Dec. 27th
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 21:52:14 +0000
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