Taylor Miinch sat tucked in third place for seven laps Saturday, trying to get around Kolby Araki and leader Louie Pagano.

Miinch took the lead on lap eight. Fourteen laps later, the Alpine-based rider pumped his arms three times in triumph as he crossed the finish line, the win in the 22-lap HPV 2 Go-Kart race secured along with his second Duffy at the 2008 International Karting Federation 2-cycle Grand National at the seven-tenths-of-a-mile Santa Maria Karting Association track.

He apparently secured his second Duffy pending official resutls. The results Saturday were preliminary. If they held up Miinch, Zane Smith (Rookie Sportsman division), Joey Licata Jr. (Super Sportsman Heavy) and Ty Matta (Masters Y/C) earned the other Duffys that day.

Miinch made a long journey pay off. Alpine is near the Mexican border, about 45 minutes east of San Diego.

The Duffy Award is a coveted one in Go-Kart racing, given in honor of Duffy Livingstone who built the first paved Go-Kart track in Azusa in 1959. The Nationals conclude today. Heats are scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Finals are slated to start at 1 p.m.

Miinch, 13, finally got around Pagano, who was in the No. 5 car, on the eighth lap. A few laps later, “I heard contact behind me,” said Miinch.

Miinch was suddenly clear of Camden Geise, who had moved into second place, and Araki, who was running third. Pagano was temporarily out of the front pack after being on Miinch's tail a lap earlier. Pagano rallied afterward to finish fifth.

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Miinch motored away from runner-up Geise to win by 3.012 seconds. Araki wound up third.

“I just drove away a little bit,” after the contact behind him, said Miinch. “There was a bunch of dirt all over the track - you really had to be careful.

“The dirt wasn't hard to get through - you just had to be aware of where to go. I just tried to run consistent laps and it paid off.”

Miinch said, “My teammate did a good job too. He had to come from last and he was faster every lap.” Miinch's teammate is Phil DeLao Jr. DeLao finished sixth. Mason Marotta finished fourth.

Miinch stayed out of trouble. Several of his competitors wished they could have said the same. At one time, six were off the track because of one mishap or another.

Licata, a 17-year-old from Van Nuys, went to the front early and stayed there, keeping a comfortable margin. He beat runner-up Dylan Albiani by 2.232 seconds. Derek Zimmermann finished third. Neil McCoy and Chris Gomez rounded out the top five.

“I just tried to get out in front and get a gap on the others,” LIcata said. He did and earned his third Duffy.

After he powered his way to the lead, “I just tried to put down consistent, fast laps, keep it going, and it paid off,” said Licata.

Licata won Friday in the HPV 3 and IKF Tag divisions. Of the three divisions he earned Duffys in, “I like the IKF best,” Licata said. “It has the most horsepower. It's a lot of fun to drive down the track.”

Licata and Miinch's long-term goal is the same as a lot of other Go-Kart racers. Both said they eventually want to race on the NASCAR circuit.

Matta, 40, and Smith, 9, didn't seem to have NASCAR on their minds Saturday. They were happy simply to pick up their first Duffys.

Matta earned his by going in front early and then blasting away from the rest of the six-racer Masters Y/C field. He bested runner-up Mat Kattanek by 6.214 seconds. Larry Fisher finished third.

Matta lives in Fontana. He works at Empire Karts in Redlands selling Go-Karts. “Yesterday I got spun out in the lead, “ in the Sr. Sportsman race, Matta said. “Tough crowd.” Matta wound up sixth in the nine-racer field.

He was racing alone almost throughout his run Saturday. “Once I got the lead, I just pushed it,” the first several laps.

“I wanted to get a good lead and then cruise, save the engine.” He was able to.

Matta said he's been racing Go Karts since 2001. “It's a good hobby,” he said. “I'm the driver at the shop,” where he works.

Smith made the trip north from Huntington Beach. The youngster said he has been racing for two years.

“It was fun,” he said of the race Saturday. “I think I raced pretty good.”

Brenden Baker crossed the line first by .751 of a second but was moved down a spot because of a blocking call. Smith was moved up from second to first. Kyle Kaiser finished third. Riley Reyes came in fourth. Carter Williams came in fifth.

The SMKA holds a club race during the third Sunday of each month. For more information visit SMKA.org.

August 3, 2008