Sussex County racers Carson Wright, of Georgetown, and Evan Dennis, of Laurel, earned Junior Sportsman 1 Lite and Heavy wins at Margarettsville Speedway last Saturday (June 27) during the North Carolina track’s hosting of the Virginia Dirt Karting Association’s (VDKA) third race of the 2009 season. Wright won the Lite race and Dennis dominated Heavy’s 13-racer feature field.
Katlyn Alphin clocked Lite’s pole winning lap rounding the quarter-mile clay oval in 16.097 seconds. Wright’s best of three laps was 0.046 seconds slower. Dennis and Millsboro driver Zach Bullis started on row two with lap times of 16.201 and 16.300 seconds.
After a fizzled first start, Alphin led them single file back to the green flag. She shot into the early lead with Wright glued to her back bumper. Next time around Wright dove low into turns one and two passing her for a never surrendered lead to the stripe. Behind him Alphin and Dennis battled for second giving him a chance to extend his lead. When they reached the stripe Alphin was second, Dennis crossed third, Dylan Jackson followed in fourth and Brady Penny completed the top five.
Dennis was fastest of 13-Heavy qualifiers earning the pole with a 16.034 seconds lap. Alphin clocked the outside pole lap with a 16.350 seconds rounding. Wright was third fastest at 16.457 seconds and Bullis was fourth fastest at 16.484 seconds.
When the green flag flew so did Dennis who shot into the early lead as they headed down the front stretch. When they reached turn one Alphin tried to get under Dennis, but he shut the door on her and held the lead. Next time around Wright joined her in the draft and pushed her past Dennis for the lead. Before the second lap was in the record book Wright passed her for the lead.
Dennis dropped to third and had to fight his way back to the front. He took second then the lead. Wright got another brief turn leading the 11-racer field before Dennis blasted by him again, this time for good. In the final laps Wright took second from Alphin who crossed third. Penny and Dylan Jackson finished fourth and fifth.
“I think the kart handled great all day,” said eight-year-old Dennis of his first win at Margarettsville. “I had fun and there is a lot of competition in the VDKA series. After I finished third in the Junior 1 Lite race, I knew that the Heavy race was my race to win. I want to thank my dad (Leroy Dennis), Chris Williams and Bobby Helgason for all their help with setting up my kart. I also want to thank my sponsors Cut Plus Lawn Care, Donaway Homes and Ad-Art Sigh Company and I was to say a special thanks to Bradley Gerrells for building a great kart.”
For Dennis, who’s been racing since he was five-years-old, this win is just part of the success he’s having this season. So far he’s earned top five finishes in the VDKA, N.C./VA Money Series and in the Delaware Dirt Divisional Series where he recently swept the Junior 1 Lite and Heavy classes. Dennis also competes in the AKRA American Speedway Championship Dirt Series.
Wright, Dennis and Bullis will rejoin VDKA racers at Capital City Speedway in Ashland, VA on July 25th. On September 19 VDKA racers will compete at Amelia Motor Raceway in Amelia, VA followed by an October 3rd rain makeup scheduled for Margarettsville Speedway. In addition to regional racing with the VDKA they will also be competing nationally in the American Kart Racing Association’s (AKRA) third annual Labor Day Bash September 4-6 at the Georgia Karting Komplex in Carnesville, GA. October 9-10 they travel south again this time to Palmetto Motorsports Park Gaston, S.C. for the second annual AKRA American Speedway Championship Dirt Series ‘Wayne Poole Memorial’ race.
MARGARETTSVILLE, N.C. —
