26 Aug Event Coverage: Ignite Race #6 Recap
The sixth round of the 2015 Ignite Series marked the end of the first half of the season. Championship battles are shaping up, some drivers are climbing up the ranks and some are falling into slumps. There is still plenty of racing left for the 2015 season – anything can happen.
REID SWEENY – IGNITE ROOKIE WINNER
The Ignite Rookies were the first class to take the track. Pole sitter Nolan Baltz led the field around for their opening circuit. Reid Sweeny took over the point with a pass on Baltz on lap 3, where he would complete his first led lap of the night over Baltz, Dan Sensel and Hunter Pruitt. Baltz and Sensel would team up to get by Sweeny on lap 8 and Sweeny was unable to mount a counter attack. Baltz took the win over Sensel and Sweeny and Pruitt came home in third. Heat 2 would have Sweeny lead the opening lap, followed closely by Sensel and Baltz. The Sensel and Baltz duo made their way past Sweeny again on lap 8, this time with Sensel carving the way. The finishing order would see Sensel take the win over Baltz, followed by Pruitt. Sweeny was forced to retire on lap 8. The Final again saw the Baltz/Sensel duo lead the field for their first green flag lap, with Baltz taking the edge. Sensel decided it was his time to shine, and made the move on Baltz on lap 3. Sweeny kept his head down, put down purple laps and mounted the charge. Sweeny was able to move around both Baltz and Sensel on lap 11, a position that he would hold until the end. Another 1.262 seconds back, Baltz crossed the line ahead of Sensel and Pruitt.
COLTEN DUDICI – IGNITE SENIOR WINNER
The Ignite Seniors were next to take the track. Heat 1 saw a full grid of Ignite Seniors pile into turn one, where Colten Dudici would emerge as the lap one leader over Nick Todtenhaupt and Phil Pennell. As the top three ran away, the action behind was heating up. After falling to sixth on lap one, Michael Scharf moved past Demarcus Furlow on lap 2, and then past Tyler Granfton on lap 5. Paul Fodde followed suit on both on lap 8. The front group would cross the line as they ran, with Dudici claiming the win over Todtenhaupt by 0.308 seconds. Pennell was third, Scharf fourth and Fodde rounded out the fast five. The second heat saw pole sitter Todtenhaupt take the opening lap advantage over Grafton and Dudici. Dudici moved past Grafton on the start and set his sights on Todtenhaupt. Behind them, Scharf moved to third on lap 3, Pennell moved by Grafton for fourth on lap 4 followed by Fodde on lap 5. Todtenhaupt would edge out Dudici for the win, followed by Scharf, Pennell and Fodde. The Final saw championship leader Nick Todtenhaupt gain the hole shot over Dudici, Pennell and Scharf. The field remained calm, until lap 7 when Dudici mounted an attack on the leader, claiming the spot over Todtenhaupt. Dudici would remain unchallenged, claiming the victory over Todtenhaupt by a mere 0.287 seconds. Scharf rounded out the podium, followed by Fodde and Pennell.
AIDAN ROOSEVANS – IGNITE JUNIOR WINNER
The Ignite Juniors were next to due battle. Hailey Todtenhaupt would lead the field to the green flag and gain the advantage on lap one followed by Roosevans, Palmer and Worley. Palmer moved by Roosevans and Todtenhaupt on lap 2, leading his first lap in his first ever race. Palmer held the point until lap 5, when Roosevans was able to move past. Roosevans would stay there until the end, claiming victory by 0.718 seconds over Palmer. Todtenhaupt crossed the line in third, followed by Worley and Ronny Johnson. Heat 2 saw Roosevans lead and win the race from start to finish, eventually claiming the victory over Todtenhaupt by 4.863 seconds. Worely finished in third, Johnson in fourth and Palmer rounding out the fast five. The Final stage was set and Roosevans led the field to the green. The field remained unchanged, with the only position change coming on lap 8 when Palmer passed Johnson for fourth position. Roosevans claimed victory, but not without pressure from Todtenhaupt, who only lost by a narrow 0.158 seconds. Worley wounded out the podium, followed by Johnson and Palmer.
GREG GRAFTON – IGNITE MASTERS WINNER
The Ignite Masters were ready to round out a great night of racing and the first half of the season. Mark Hudspeth would lead the field to the green for their first heat, taking the point over Jean Roux and Robert Davis. Davis would work his way around Roux for the second spot on lap 2, with Grafton doing the same on lap 3. Grafton was able to work around Davis for the second spot on lap 5, where he mounted the charge on Hudspeth. Grafton would come up short, with Hudspeth claiming the win. Once the dust behind them settled, it was Mike Lebrun in third, Roux in fourth and Davis rounding out the fast five. Heat 2 saw Grafton assume the point on the opening circuit, followed by Lebrun, Roux and Hudspeth. Aside from a pass by Hudspeth on Roux on lap 7, the field remained calm. Grafton won the race by 9.693 seconds over Lebrun. Hudspeth settled for third ahead of Roux and Davis. The Final had Grafton leading the field and taking the advantage on the opening lap. Lebrun grabbed the runner up spot on the opening circuit, and held it until Hudspeth was able to move by on lap 8. Roux was able to take advantage as well, and moved into third past Lebrun on lap 10. Still shooting for a podium, Lebrun kept his head down, and eventually out lasted Roux, gaining the final podium spot back on the penultimate lap. Grafton cruised to a 12.534 second victory over Hudspeth. Lebrun finished in third over Roux and Davis.
Round 7 of the Ignite Series is set to take place on August 15th. Point’s battles are heating up, but with drop races it is still anyone’s race. New members are joining the scene which is sure to shake up championship fights all across the series. For more information on how to get involved with the Ignite Series, or to test drive and Ignite kart, please contact the Gateway Kartplex at 618-219-8515 or visit gatewaykartplex.com.
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