Reaction Karting Strong In Colorado

press release

With a total of nine Reaction Karting drivers, results were plentiful at the most recent round of the Colorado Sprint Championship Series held at Grand Junction Motor Speedway in Grand Junction, Colorado

Making the trek to the challenging and tricky facility were Brandon Anderson, Cody Tracy (above), Eddie Olpin, Becca Mitchell, Melissa Yount and Troy Smith all in the TaG senior class while Bret Walton entered TaG masters. Youngsters Sophia Price and Sam Mason competed in the Kid Kart division.

After a successful Saturday morning TaG Senior qualifying session that saw six Reaction Karting drivers in the top fifteen, drivers would begin preparation for the heat race where a mixed bag of results would be found. At the start of the 12 lap heat, Reaction Karting Manager Brandon Anderson and Cody Tracy moved into the second and third positions as they kept in touch with the leader. After having a ride side seat strut break, Anderson was eventually passed by his teammate and began to fall back into the clutches of his TaG rivals. Trying to hold his position, Anderson was involved in a mid-race incident that took him out of the race.

Fireworks could only describe the main event as Reaction drivers were scattered through the field. As the green flag flew, several drivers were involved in an incident including Anderson who ended jumping over his fellow drivers Troy Smith and Melissa Yount. Smith was able to continue with only minor damage while Yount suffered a wrist and shoulder injury that ended her weekend. The talented Tracy had an epic battle with the eventual race winner as a trio of drivers swapped the top spot on several occasions. Tracy would eventually settle for the final podium position while Becca Mitchell came home seventh, Anderson eighth, Smith 11th while Eddie Oplin failed to take the checkered.

Looking for better results on Sunday, Cody Tracy started on the right foot as he managed to claim the TaG Senior pole position while Brandon Anderson clocked the third quickest time. Reaction Karting pilots had a superb qualifying session as almost all were in the top half of the running order.

After claiming the pole and then the heat race win, Cody Tracy had to settle for the second position in the main event after yet another battle ensued between the top three drivers. Eddie Olpin had a better drive as the Utah resident battled his way to a solid fifth place result. Anderson drove to another top ten result after battling engine problems while Troy Smith came home 11th.

TaG Masters pilot Bret Walton had an eventful Saturday as motor issues plagued the veteran pilot all day long. After qualifying and finishing the heat race in seventh, Walton failed to take the green for the start of the final as the motor would fail him yet again.

Sunday would be a better day for the Masters pilot as Walton would once again qualify with the seventh quickest time. Looking to improve throughout the day, Walton finished sixth in the prefinal before battling hard with the leaders in the main event. Walton drove one of the best races in his life in sweltering heat to score his first career regional level podium as he came home in the third position.

Kid Kart racers Sam Mason and Sophia Price were looking to show the rest of the drivers who were boss around the technical Grand Junction facility. Mason was involved in a pretty big incident on Saturday and had a badly bruised ankle in only his second ever race, after qualifying third in a deep Kid Kart field. Sophia Price had a really good weekend and made some great passes to finish third as she also scored her first regional level podium