The action and excitement were non-stop Thursday as the Wayne Brown Memorial 2008 International Karting Federation's (IKF) 2-cycle Grand Nationals kicked off at the Santa Maria Karting Association's (SMKA) track.

Grand National champions were crowned in five classes - Kid Karts, Senior Super Sportsman, Junior Sportsman, HPV1 and Formula Y/C Heavy.

Raquel Martinez won the day's closest and most exciting race, edging Taylor Miinch and three other drivers by just 0.134 seconds to win the Junior Sportsman championship.

Brian Phillipsen edged Rob Logan by a mere 0.570 seconds for the title in the Formula Y/C Heavy class.

Kyle Kaiser ran away from the pack to win the HPV1 class.

Neil McCoy poured it on to win the championship in the Senior Super Sportsman class.

Jacob Drew raced to an early lead and a comfortable cushion to take the Kid Kart title.

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“There were some great races out here today,” said Frank Lowers, who heads up the local SMKA host committee. “The kids - especially the kids - are smart, great racers. They know how to race.”

Racing began early with practice for each class starting at 8 a.m.

Qualifying races were held at 11:30 a.m. followed by heat races at 1 p.m.

The finals - the dash for the Duffy - hit the track at 3 p.m.

These Grand Nationals are being held in honor of Wayne Brown, a longtime kart racer, motor builder and, at the time of his death in January, the President of the IKF.

The Duffy is awarded to the Grand National champion in each class and is named for Duffy Livingstone who created the first paved go-kart track in Azusa in 1959.

“Everyone wants a Duffy,” said IKF President Bill Hilger, in town from his Lincoln, Neb. home. “Anyone in any form of racing knows about the Duffy. It's one of the most prestigious awards in racing.”

Martinez, Miinch, Branden Underwood, Kolby Araki and Dylan Nobile staged an intense battle in the 22-lap Junior Sportsman final.

The race began with 26 cars that qualified for the final.

That number quickly dwindled as Orcutt's Ryan Lauer went out with a broken clutch on the war-up lap.

A four-car crash on the first lap in the middle of the pack knocked out Bobby Runyan and Cody Moss.

At the front of the pack, Martinez pulled out into the early lead.

“My focus was to get through the start,” said Martinez, a 12-year old from Pico Rivera. “I'm usually nervous at the start but, once I got through the start, I knew I had the best car that anybody could have, the best line around the track - So I just focused on the race.”

Araki was hot on her bumper with Nobile, Miinch and Underwood following - single file - just inches behind.

Nobile passed Araki to move into second place on the sixth lap.

In the middle of the 11th lap, Miinch made a daring move to grab second place behind Martinez.

Miinch repeated the move midway through the 12th lap to take over first place. Nobile followed him into second and Araki followed him to grab third pushing Martinez all the way back to fourth.

Nobile spun out on the first turn during the 15th lap. He was quickly back on track but had fallen back to fifth place.

Martinez made her first stab at re-taking the lead, passing Underwood later in the 15th lap to grab second place.

She re-took the lead on the 18th lap, sliding inside Underwood on a hairpin turn to move back out front.

“I knew their weaknesses,” said Martinez. “I knew where they were going to slow down and where I could pass them to get back into the lead. That was what I was shooting for and it worked.”

Martinez held on for her 0.134-second victory with Miinch, Underwood, Araki and Nobile all quickly following her over the finish line.

Arroyo Grande High School freshman Taelor Janes finished in 10th place.

This is Martinez's first Duffy in 2-cycle kart racing and her third overall. She recently won two Duffys in Shifter Karts.

“We are very proud of her,” said her mother Sabrina Martinez. “I think she did an outstanding job, her racing was phenomenal. I couldn't be more proud of her. We're going to celebrate tonight, she deserves it.”

The day's finals began with the 11-lap Kid Kart (5-to-8-year-old) race.

Jacob Drew pulled out to an early two-second lead. He widened that margin throughout, racing to an 8.5-second victory over Christian Brooks.

“It was a lot of fun, but I was nervous. The car was handling really well, and when I get nervous I just drive hard,” said Drew. “My favorite part of the track is at the end, the last corner and the long straightaway. It's really quick.”

Jerett Tachovsky finished in third place followed by Noah Garza and Chloe St. George.

A seven-car crash at the beginning of the 22-lap Senior Super Sportsman final knocked out four cars and forced an immediate re-start.

Neil McCoy pulled into an early lead, widened his margin to two-seconds by the midway point then pulled away for his nearly six-second victory over Joey Licata, Jr.

Dylan Albiani finished third followed by Neil Alberico and Ty Matta.

Michael Howanic came all the way from Maui, Hawaii, to race in the Senior Super Sportsman division.

“I did all right. I came in dead last but I had fun,” said Howanic - who actually came in 13th in the 20-car field.

Howanic was in a group of four racers who battled back and forth at the back of the back.

“Yeah, we were battling pretty good back there,” said Howanic. “It doesn't matter where you are in the race, you're still fighting to get ahead. It was a blast out there.”

“It was worth coming to Santa Maria for this no matter where Mikey finished,” said Howanic's father Mike, Sr.

A four-car crash knocked out one driver and forced a re-start on the opening lap of the 22-lap HPV1 final.

Kyle Kaiser roared into the lead after the re-start and quickly put distance between himself and the rest of the field.

“It's really amazing how fast the car can go down the straightaway,” said Kaiser, whose car can hit 60-miles-an-hour on the straights. “Going into the turns it can get scary. You just have to stay calm, keep cool and keep your head in the game.”

The battle in this race was for second place with four drivers - Austin DeMent, Riley Reyes, Carlee Tyler and Nipomo's Kyle Blum - tightly packed throughout the 22-lap final.

DeMent held on for second place ahead of Reyes, Tyler and Blum.

“Winning the Duffy is the greatest feeling of my life,” said Kaiser. “There is so much pressure out there on the track. I had people on the sidelines telling me the gap (between first and second place) was getting bigger and bigger. I just wanted to focus on the race.”

Phillipsen and Logan staged a spirited two-man battle in the Formula Y/C Heavy class.

The Top four drivers - Phillipsen, Logan, Mat Kattanek and Craig Zimmerman - were tightly packed through the first five laps of the 22-lap final.

Then Phillipsen and Logan surged ahead, leaving Kattanek and Zimmerman to battle it out for third place.

Logan passed Phillipsen to take the lead midway through the race but Phillipsen got the lead back on the 15th lap and held on for the victory with Logan, Kattanek and Zimmerman finishing two, three and four.

“This is nice. This is real racing,” said Hilger. “This is a great crowd, a fine facility. It's a beautiful place and a real friendly environment. This is the best sport in the world. Everyone should come out to see it.”

“Everything went well today,” said Lowers. “There were great races in every class and we're just getting started.”

The action resumes - following the same schedule - at 8 this morning. Champions will be crowned in six classes - Kid Kart Heavy, Senior Sportsman, Junior 1 Heavy, IKF Tag, Junior Sportsman Heavy and HPV-3.

Admission is $5 with pit passes available for $15.

Sports Editor Elliott Stern can be reached at 739-2235 or by e-mail to elliottstern@santamariatimes.com.

August 1, 2008