“The rules have changed, they allow the director to make that call. And I'll take the heat. They can have my job, based on his sacrifice I'd give up my job just to make sure that kid raced.”

- Gary Richter,

IKF Grand Nationals Official

It was at the end of a long day at the races Friday when I made my way back to the raucous scene that is the trailers behind the go-kart track - the course a suddenly serene place, settled from the non-stop action that consumed its turns, straight-aways, chicanes since 8 a.m. to just now, about 5 p.m. Day 2 of the IKF Grand Nationals of go-kart racing was finally complete, and I was on a search for an interview, or two.

Eight-year-old champion Jacob Drew was my first target, just that day he had won his second title. But good luck in this mess, I thought.

Dozens upon dozens of make-shift garages were heaped on the premises - in reality a small city of tents where crew members worked furiously on karts - the riders, many no more than 15 years of age jumping, running, laughing along the streets while their dads tinkered with the machines.

Somehow, 10 minutes into my search, I spot the No. 29. Drew's car. And up he pops, a springy bundle of energy surrounded by his competitors, his rivals. His friends.

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He's bubbling with excitement, just as he was the night before when I interviewed him following his first national title. “This is going in the newspaper?” he asked then. “It is,” I quipped. “Yes!!!!!!!!” he screamed, jumping in the air ridiculously.

This time, he talks about how his friend caught up and passed him at the end. "But I re-took the lead to win, and then gave him a high-five," he clears up.

He talks about nerves, about celebrating at the Hitching Post restaurant, about the sport- and the interview quickly ends. I'm on my way.

That is, until I hear, “Hey, want to interview my friend Riley?”

I pause. Oh boy, I think.

“Um. Sure,” I respond skeptically, not knowing who Riley is.

And suddenly he's bounding down the street with his friends, leading me on a goose chase from tent to tent, on a fascinating series of talks I never expected to have.

“Riley's the one that crashed today,” he yells in front of me.

Battle scars

“Where's Riley?” Drew asks Riley Reyes' father, who looks up from machinery work. “He (Drew points accusingly at me) wants to interview him.”

No one knows where Riley Reyes is. He could be throwing around a football. He could be riding his bike. One thing's for sure, Reyes' arm, which he injured during a concerning spill along the track hours ago, is fine.

It was during that crash when another competitor, Blake Dunkleberger, did a courageous thing. He got out of his car - which was involved in the collision but still fine to drive - and assisted his fallen racer, tearing off gear and calling for medical attention.

Soon enough, Reyes appears. Drew explains with pride that he now drives Reyes' old car. Reyes is now one class higher - the 9 to 17-Year-Old class.

“The guy behind me hit me, and I spun around,” he explains. “Then No. 4 stopped. Blake just stopped and asked, ‘Are you alright?' He pulled off my gloves, my neck brace and helped comfort me.”

Sounds like a pretty horrific scene.

“Nah, I'm good,” he says. “You should see my crash at the Perris Speedway, want to see pictures of it?”

To another trailer we go. Our small entourage starting grow. He shows me pictures from Karting News magazine. Scene by scene his No. 25 car starts to tip over. Riley is crunched on the track. “I had two bruised lungs,” the kid proclaims proudly. “But I won the very next month at the California Speedway.”

The “interview” carries on a short time. Soon, I'm on my way. Until, “Hey, want to interview Blake?” Reyes asks.

This time I stop and smile. That's a pretty good idea.

Man of the hour

Along the way to Dunkleberger's tent, there is mention of a sportsman award. New to this sport, I'm clueless. But Reyes and Drew think Dunkleberger should win it.

We arrive, and as usual the expected interview target is nowhere to be found. But his dad, Mike Dunkleberger, is there, toiling away on the kart.

I notice a small message on the front of the steering wheel: “Have Fun.”

“I put it there for him to remember when he's out there to have fun,” dad explains. “They're kids. I do it for my son because he enjoys it. And it keeps him out of trouble.”

On cue, Blake Dunkleberger appears, Drew and Reyes having retrieved the hero.

What happened I asked? “I was about to get back on the track and saw him flopping around, crying. He was injured.”

Didn't he see the other racers continuing on, didn't he worry he'd lose ground?

“Not really. I was in the crash and out of the race anyway,” he fibbed, everyone contradicting that retelling.

Later, when both racers turned out to be fine, they were allowed to re-start with the others - showcasing their mettle for all to see. Yet, remarkably, official Gary Richter later took some criticism for allowing the move.

I walked away charmed, how could a kid that young, no taller than a gasoline barrel - his heart nothing remotely the size - view his act so nonchalantly.

And what was this sportsman award?

The award to rival them all

“Well, let me show you it,” IKF President Bill Hilger said of the Lake Speed Award, given once a year to a racer who commits an “Achievement of Excellence in Karting.”

Separated from all the other awards is the Lake Speed Award, dwarfing the more popular Duffy Awards - the “creme de la creme” of honors - in size. Inscribed in the 2007 slot is Nick Johnston's name, and this is his tent. The winner keeps it for a year.

“Last year I won two races, and two Screaming Eagles, but it's about who promotes the track, not about coming off the track with a bad attitude. Last year, this was more special than the others. There are 10 to 12 Duffy Awards. But just one Lake Speed a year."

Did he see what Blake did today?

“The kids, you can tell on the track, are very cutthroat,” Johnston said. “But off the track, we're all friends. We play football. That side of him came out. He saw a friend instead of a competitor.”

Does he have a chance at the award?

“It's not a bad thing he did. There's a committee of four to five people, including myself that decide Sunday,” he explains.

Also on the committee is Richter, the official who saw Dunkleberger's act, and felt compelled to let him restart, even breaking from “official-mode” to pat him on the back, while spectators cheered.

An act of courage,

followed by another

Richter is next, waiting in the Tech trailer - where post-race inspections take place to verify no rules were broken. Richter is in charge of enforcing the track rules.

“He could have pulled around (the crash),” Richter explains. “Instead, there was a red flag, and he had to re-start at the very back of the field. He started five to six positions worse, but to take responsibility for his actions is commendable. ... I made sure he could race. I don't care if someone writes a letter (to complain).”

A new addition to the rulebook allows the director to make that judgment call, Richter explains.

He also explains about how many potential Lake Speed Award candidates there are.

“There's a kid (Noah Garzia) in the Kid Kart Class known to give parts off his go-kart so others can race. ... This award gives recognition whether you win a Duffy or not. It's about good sportsmanship. In 2006, the winner would give you parts of his go-kart and wouldn't race.”

Despite emotions running high - and do they ever run high, riders screaming at officials to yank a black flag, parents enraged by officials' calls or crew members incensed by illegal blocking - this is what go-kart racing is all about. “It's a family sport,” Race Director Lloyd Mack confirms.

Dunkleberger may or may not have won the award Sunday - any other winner a strong affirmation of the sports' overall character. However, “That's the type of behavior the award's all about,” Ricther said.

The interview over, I looked around, my new little friends who led me on the chase nowhere to be found - most definitely causing chaos somewhere else.

But no worries, I think. There are more than enough Dunkleberger's around to clean up a bad fall, or two.

Sports Writer Dan Watson can be reached at 739-2235 or by e-mail to dwatson@santamariatimes.com.

August 4, 2008