Mechanical Gremlin Hampers Larson at Red Bluff

Red Bluff, CA – ParkerStore Outlaw Sprint Kart driver Kyle Larson competed Saturday February 10th in the penultimate event at the Red Bluff Winter Indoor Series inside the Pauline Davis Pavilion and scored a second place finish in the 125/250 Intermediate division A-Main behind first time winner Justyn Cox. However, misfortune struck on the last lap of the 500cc Open Intermediate division feature as Larson’s chain broke while in fifth place.

Larson, who sub drove for an absent Dylan Pemberton, qualified with fast time in the 29 kart field in the 125/250 division. He started fifth and finished third in the first heat, transferring to the A-Main. Larson started last in the six kart six lap trophy dash and finished fourth as Chase Hill got the win. Larson started his ParkerStore/Team FBR Motors/QRC Factory Kart fourth in the feature next to point leader Brian Southers as Cox and Kenny Allen filled the front row. Cox took the lead at the drop of the green while Larson fell into fourth behind Allen and Southers. The foursome pulled away as they set a furious pace. Although they battled constantly the order at the front remained the same until lap 15, when Southers passed Allen. Larson followed by overtaking Allen on the next lap and one lap later the ParkerStore kart moved by Southers into second. Over the next eight laps Larson applied heavy pressure on Cox but the Clarksburg, California youngster withstood all of Larson’s advances to capture his first ever win in the outlaw karts.

Larson qualified fifth fast in the 19 kart 500cc Open Intermediate division. He started fifth in the third heat but contact on the last lap with Jake Park and Kenny McArthur left Larson and McArthur stopped in turn three, on their way to the B-Main. Larson started third in the talent laden B-Main as point leader Mason Moore and third ranked Keith Bloom sat on the front row and fifth in points Dillon Silverman lined up outside Larson. Bloom got the lead at the start as Moore, Silverman and Larson fell in behind. The order remained unchanged until lap 19 when Silverman got sideways exiting turn two, allowing Larson to get by. On the last lap Alissa Geving shot under Silverman and Matthew Davis to take the last transfer spot to the A-Main.

Larson started second in the trophy dash and drove to a convincing win in the six-lapper, as Silverman and Bloom followed. Larson began the A-Main from 12th and got to tenth on lap three. On lap five he moved into ninth and stayed there until Cameron Millard spun in turn four, collecting Larson briefly. Larson restarted 10th and was back to ninth by lap 17. Contact between Moore, Bloom and Michael Forslund pushed Larson into sixth on the next lap. On lap 23 Larson powered by Derek Copeland for fifth and appeared to be on his way to finishing there. However, on the 25th lap Larson’s chain came apart, dropping the Elk Grove, California driver to 13th and last in the final rundown. Robert Marcos led the last three laps to also capture his first win of the season.

When it was over Larson stated, “I caught the wall in qualifying and knocked the chain off then, so that is probably why the chain came apart in the main. It sure waited for a bad time to do it though. The 500 kart felt as good as it ever has here, too. I just seemed to be having things happen in front of me all race long. I felt like I could put the kart anywhere, high, or low, but doors always seemed to be shutting in front of me. In the 250 I did everything I could to rattle Justyn Cox over those last laps but he was just not going to mess up. He’s one of my good buddies and I’m very happy for him and his dad, Terry. They said it made it much better to hold me off when Justyn got his first win.”

Race: February 11, 2006
Photos Courtesy of Jack Waterman
www.kylelarsonracing.com