The Great American Shortcourse GAS 2023 held Rounds Eight and Nine at San Bernardino County Fairgrounds Nov 4-5 to round out their 2023 season. Several championships were up for grabs and the racing action showed it. Congratulations to all the racers and the 2023 Champions.
Johnny Holtger was the Pro 2 winner on Saturday while Bradley Morris came across second and third was Brock Hanmer. Sunday was an easy win for Bradley Morris, once out front he let the pack fight for second. Myan Spaccarelli would take second after he and Brock Hanmer tangled in turn one with Spaccarelli taking the position. Brock Hanmer held on for third. Taking the championship for 2023 was Myan Spacceralli after amassing 351 point for the year. Second place Brock Hanmer earned 341 and Johnny Holtger was third with 308.
In Pro Lite Round 8 action Johnny Holtger was first under the checkers ahead of Kyle Knott in second. Thomas Madigan was third. In the final race of the season Johnny Holtger took the early lead but saw Connor Barry take the lead in turn four. The front three, Barry, Johnny Holtger and Kyle Knott, were providing plenty of action until Holtger got up on the bicycle which allowed Barry to pull several lengths away. Holtger and Knott were putting on a good battle but then on the last lap and just at the finish line Holtger’s throttle quit working and Knott passed him at the checkers with Holtger slowing down. So Barry took the win with Knott taking second at the wire over Holtger. Not only did Barry take the final event win but also earned the championship honors with 359 points over Holtger’s 345 and Knott finished the year third with 339.
Round 8 Super Buggy action saw Zach Drapkin take the early lead but after a few laps Lorenzo Bonacci was able to jump out front. Out in clear air Bonacci kept the position for the win. Zach Drapkin crossed second and Gunner Kennedy was third. Things were calm Saturday but boy did things heat up in Round 9. Right off the start Bonacci got sideways in Turn 2 and Gunner Kennedy literally ran up and over Bonacci’s car. So on the restart the two again tangled in Turn 4 with Kennedy getting turned over and Bonacci driving up and over Kennedy’s car. But wait, there is more! The race gets going again and once again the two are racing together and this time as they jumped before entering Turn 4 Bonacci bumped into Kennedy causing him to spin. For the contact Bonacci was black flagged and had to set in the penalty box (finishing fourth). While all this was going on Zack Drapkin was running out front and was first under the checkers. Gunner Kennedy had managed to get back into, and maintain second place. Third was Chaden Zane Minder. As it turns out those three were in contention for the championship but once the points tallied it was Zachary Drapkin taking the season (370) with Bonacci earning 355 and Kennedy 333.
In the Production 1000 race Saturday Dominick Benites checked out early and left the pack to decide second. George Llamosas stepped into that spot and held it all the way to the checkers. Chad Williams and Connor Barry fought for the final podium spot with Williams taking the spot on the last lap. At the start of Round 9 Connor Barry took control early and held the position until lap six when George Llamosas got by in turn four. A couple of laps later Chad Williams and Dominick Benites found away around the early leader. Throughout the race Williams and Benites swapped positions but at the end it was LLamosas taking the win, Williams second and Benites was third. Those three had been close competitors all year and the points were tight with George Llamosas taking the championship with 456 points. Connor Barry was second with 438 and Williams third with 420.
In the Production Turbo UTV class it was Jason Weller dominating both days. In fact the results were the same both days with Weller winning, Kevyn Rivera second and Oliver Golding third. In championship points it was again Jason Weller taking the season with 488 points to Oliver Golding’s 423. Third for the year was Chase Hill 298 points.
In the Unlimited UTV action Jonah Bishop ws first to the checkers on Saturday with Bobby Walberg second. On Sunday Walberg took the win with Bishop second and Michael Burnstein was third.
Round eight of the Limited Buggy class saw Travis Howard take the win with Carson Smith second and Shawn Jones third. Carson Smith jumped out the early Limited Buggy leader in Round Nine. He did have a challenge from Travis Howard early when Howard got past but Smith was able to retake the position. Once in the clear Smith went on for the win with Matthew Somody getting past Howard for second. Travis Howard was third. Taking the season championship was Carson Smith totaling 475 points. Travis Howard was second for the season with 452 points and Matthew Somody third with 416.
In the 1600 Desert Buggy class Richard Woods took wins both days over Kevin Streety.
In the Weller Racing SR1 class it was all Corry Weller. Corry Weller came out charging I both days of racing. On Saturday she took the win with Robert Gutierreza second and Chris Redden third. On Sunday she again jumped out and went straight to the checkered flag. This time Chris Redden was second and Sami Nino finished third. Having won six events on the year she earned the championship with 482 points with Robert Gutierrez second (399) and Paul O’Brien was third with 359.
Travis Jones had a good weekend racing even though he had to over come some bad luck. On the start of the Mod Kart Round eight he had a flat, and dropped to ninth when he came back out. Out front was Ashton Williams with Dane Culver in second. Those two had a fierce battle raging so most didn’t notice Jones working his way through the pack. He was now in fourth. Culver got past Williams and Williams fell back to fifth. That is when Jones had moved up to second behind Culver. When the checkers came out it was Culver taking the win with Jones second and Williams third. On Sunday there was all kinds of confusion with front runners going backwards. And yet, Travis Jones who started fifth had moved up to third. The leaders were Ashton Williams and Dane Culver. When those two tangled with two laps to go Travis Jones was there to drive past them for the lead and eventual win. Dane Culver was able to salvage second but Williams was stalled in Turn four. Cade Martin finished third. Taking the championship was Dane Culver with 468 points with Travis Jones second 417 and Ashton Williams was third with 407.
Rob Orr proved unbeatable in the Mini Stock action. Orr went home with repeat wins. Brent Veenstra finished second on Saturday with Anthony Csuzi third. Sunday’s podium had Orr on top with Anthony Csuzi second and Bill Madigan third. For the season standings it was again Robert Orr on top with 480 points over Brent Veenstra;s 468. Third for the year was Anthony Csuzi with 449.
The RZR 170 class seems to belong to Jake Hill. Hill took home repeat wins and also won the season championship. On Saturday it was Hill on top with Brixton Wirt second and Jaxon Witherow third. On Sunday Hill was on top with Luke Vail second and Brixton Wirt third. For the season Hill earned 454 to edge out Luke Vail by two points. Third was Brixton Wirt with 431.
J2 Kart action saw Jayden Manchester take the win Saturday with Brixton Wirt second and Chris Collinsworth third. In Round nine Lake Adler turned things his way for the win. Brixton Wirt was second and Mikey Childress third. Although Childress was third on the last day he came out on top in the championship standings with 462. Second was Jayden Manchester earning 433 points over Brody glaze 394.
Dominating the AM Ortega J1 Kart division was Ian Torfi who won Saturday over Brixton Wirt and Penelope Scafuto. On Sunday Torfi won with Brixton Wirt second and Samuel Gibbs third. Ian Torfi took home the championship by earning 495 points over Brixton Wirt’s 457 and Samuel Gibbs ws third with 412 points.
Mikey Childress took home repeat wins in the Youth 1000 action. Regan Stell was second and Jordyn Skaggs was third on Saturday. In the final race of the season Childress won with Jake Hill second and Molan Bishop third. No points were posted for the Youth 1000 but Nolan Bishop was on top with Reagan Stell second and Mikey Childress third.