By Gary Jacob
Colusa, CA -- Derek O'Bannon paced only the final four laps after leader Pete Johnston lost fire to score a $250 win in the 125 Intermediate feature race as the outlaw karts staged a special Thursday night show during the Colusa County Fair. Johnston doesn't normally race in this division, but installed a 125 engine in his open outlaw kart for the Mason Moore team. He paced the race from lap 9 through lap 21 and appeared headed for the win when he lost power on the front stretch. O'Bannon led the final four laps with Moore in second ahead of QRC All Star Tour dominator Rudger Worley. Kenny Allen of Chico paced the final 16 laps to win the 25 lap Box Stock main event, also worth $250. It was his first feature win and Cameron Bartlett ran second ahead of Kyle Larson, who was driving a second entry for the Tyler Reddick team. David Lee passed an out of shape R J Johnson on lap 13 and won the 20 lap Beginner Box Stock feature with Johnson second ahead of Devin Lee. Lowell Moural of Cycleland Speedway staged fair events in Yuba City, Gridley and Colusa in 2002, but dropped his fair shows in 2003. A few of the local racers got together with the fair board and put on this presentation, importing the Lakeport Speedway paved track officials to run the show.
The 125s drew an 11 kart field and Brian Southers won the first heat race ahead of Moore and O'Bannon. Alan Ambers won heat 2 with double division racer Larson second ahead of Johnston. Brett Miller subbed for Allie Moore in the feature race and the lineup was an invert 4 off the heat race finishes. Larson paced the first lap over Moore and Johnston. A Ambers stalled to force a big melee as the track had large berms on both the inside and outside, leaving no escape routes. Andrew Wiley raced into fourth, but lost the spot to O'Bannon on a lap 3 restart. Moore spun in turn 1 with Johnston now second over O'Bannon and Worley. When Miller spun and got hit by Wiley for a lap 9 yellow, Larson looped in turn 2 to hand the top spot to Johnston. The lengthy Box Stock feature and quick change over to his 125 left the ten year old Larson exhausted and he pulled the track. Johnston now led O'Bannon and Worley. Moore climbed back to fourth and fifth place Southers ran off the top of the track for a lap 11 yellow flag. Worley spun out of third on lap 15 and Wiley spun and got hit by Southers. Johnston lost power as he finished lap 21, but he coaxed one more lap out of the mount before he stalled for a lap 23 yellow flag. O'Bannon gained the lead ahead of Moore, Worley and A Ambers, but A Ambers spun and got hit by Miller on the restart. The leaders had to race around the incident to the checkered flag with O'Bannon winning ahead of Moore, Worley, Shane Theis, Wiley and Southers.
The Box Stocks had the biggest turnout with 14 karts. Allen won the first heat ahead of Jon Phillips and Larson. Lakeport point leader Ryan Richardson took heat 2 with Jake Cartwright second ahead of R J Johnson. Reddick had engine woes in hot laps, but was able to borrow an engine from R J Johnson for the racing action. This main event also had a four kart inversion and ran the 25 lap distance with 8 yellow flags. Phillips and Cartwright shared the front row and Phillips took a quick lead over Cartwright and and Allen. Reddick fell back with an off track excursion on lap 2 as Larson grabbed third from Allen. Richardson raced into fourth on lap 6, but got tangled up with Cartwright for a lap 7 yellow with Larson now second over Allen and Bartlett. On lap 9, the lapped car of Ethan Rohner spun and trapped leader Phillips. Larson spun off the top of the track in the incident and Allen was the new leader over Bartlett and double division racer Wiley. Wiley had borrowed the Shelly Miller kart to race in this class. Phillips raced back to third on this restart, but he broke for a lap 17 yellow flag. Larson was now third ahead of Wiley and Richardson. Reddick moved up to duel Richardson for fourth place and they traded the spot several times. Allen stayed out front for the win with Bartlett second ahead of Larson, Reddick, Richardson, Johnson, Tristan Miller and Wiley.
The Beginner Box Stock action had 8 entries and David Lee won the first heat ahead of R J Phillips and Allison Costa. Younger brother Devin Lee won heat 2 in front of Tanner Thompson and Brenden Lewis. The Lee's live in nearby Maxwell. This 20 lap feature also had a four kart inversion and ran the distance with just a single caution flag. Phillips charged into the lead over Thompson and David Lee. While lapping the slower Riley Peacock entry, David Lee took second from Thompson on lap 2. Devin Lee gained third on lap 6. David Lee began to put pressure on leader R J Phillips. After leading 12 laps, Phillips got out of shape high in turn 2 on lap 13 and David Lee was the new leader. Phillips recovered in second with Bryce Perry taking fourth from Thompson. Perry spun for the only yellow flag on lap 16. David Lee won the feature ahead of Phillips, Devin Lee, Thompson, Lewis and Perry.
Besides the three divisions of racing, five more competitors aged five and under ran a series of hot lap sessions in the debut of a new Ultra Box Stock class.
Summary
Beginner Box Stock
Heat 1
David Lee, R J Phillips, Allison Costa, Riley Peacock
Heat 2
Devin Lee, Tanner Thompson, Brenden Lewis, Bryce Perry
Main
David Lee, Phillips, Devin Lee, Thompson, Lewis, Perry, Costa, Peacock
Box Stock
Heat 1
Kenny Allen, Jon Phillips, Kyle Larson, Tyler Haylett, Tristan Miller
Heat 2
Ryan Richardson, Jake Cartwright, R J Johnson, Tyler Reddick, Andrew Wiley
Main
Allen, Cameron Bartlett, Larson, Reddick, Richardson, Johnson, Miller, Wiley, Phillips, Cartwright, Garrett Peacock, Haylett, Chris Starr, Ethan Rohner
125 Intermediate
Heat 1
Brian Southers, Mason Moore, Derek O'Bannon, Cody Ambers, Andrew Wiley
Heat 2
Alan Ambers, Kyle Larson, Pete Johnston, Rudger Worley, Allie Moore
Main
O'Bannon, M Moore, Worley, Shane Theis, Wiley, Southers, Brett Miller, A Ambers, C Ambers, Johnston, Larson