Go-karts get rolling

Saturday night’s alright for fighting when it comes to the big boys, but the pint-sized speed demons decided it’s more fun on Fridays.
After a pre-season practice and a washout due to inclement weather, the Borderland Racing Association’s go-kart season turned the key to ignite another season of action Sunday at the Emo Speedway.
But with problems from the previous season in mind, the decision was made to move the racing to Fridays at 7 p.m., starting this week.
“Last year, with us racing Saturdays, people who were here for the go-karts and the stock cars later that evening could wind up being here from noon to midnight,” go-kart racing organizer Karen Davis said.
“We figured we’d try it Friday nights. That way, people who want to go to their cabin for the weekend can still head there early Saturday morning,” she reasoned.
Nine cars fired up their engines Sunday, with three in the beginner class and six in the gas division—numbers similar to what they had last year.
“We’ve got about two or three more coming in the next couple of weeks,” said Davis. “We’re just starting here. It would be nice to see more kids out.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever reach 20-30 cars, but we’d definitely like to see a few more,” she added. “We’re trying to keep it so it’s not real competitive in the sense that everyone is going out and spending tons of money on their cars.”
Organizers also are looking at extending their track outwards where it would move closer to the main speedway oval, thus allowing for more room for the machines to race.
“It’s a good program to develop racers for the future,” said Davis. “I think every one of these kids has a parent or relative involved in the racing scene around here.”
One of those is Emo’s Carlee Bosma, 11, who is the only female go-kart racer this year after her speedy soul sister, Tiffany Marinaro, and brother, T.J., sold their vehicles in the off-season and gave up the sport.
Bosma’s father, John, spends his Saturday nights going wheel to wheel with the rest of the gear-jammers in the Street division.
Carlee spent a successful first season ripping up the go-kart track last year, winning the overall points championship in the beginner division. But not resting on her laurels, she has revamped her car for the new campaign.
“I changed the gears on it and added a new body, but kept the same engine,” said the soft-spoken pre-teen, who is anything but soft when she battles the boys as she proved Sunday by taking the checkered flag in the first feature race of the season.
“It doesn’t really bother me that I’m the only girl. It’s a fun experience just to try and stay ahead of them,” she remarked.
Bosma said the most important thing she learned from her inaugural season was how to handle the car going around the corners.
Now she has her sights set on one day cornering the market when it comes to female racers moving up to test their skills against the circuit’s higher-profile vehicles.
“In three years, I’ll have a chance to go into the street stocks,” Bosma said with anticipation. “I’ll have to start out just doing hot laps until I get used to the car.
“Can I take the checkered flag one day? I hope so.”
Here are the results from Sunday’s action:
< *c>Beginner division
•Heat #1—1. Jeff Davis (#00) 2. Andrew Trimble (#7) 3. Carlee Bosma (#21B)
•Heat #2—1. Jeff Davis 2. Carlee Bosma 3. Andrew Trimble
•Feature—1. Carlee Bosma 2. Andrew Trimble 3. Jeff Davis
< *c>Gas division
•Heat #1—1. Robbie Brandrick (#85) 2. Jordan Davis (#0) 3. Brady Caul (#00) 4. Curtis/Dale Hartlin (#14) 5. Riley Caul (#69) 6. Cody Drennan (#11)
•Heat #2–1. Brady Caul 2. Robbie Brandrick 3. Curtis/Dale Hartlin 4. Riley Caul 5. Cody Drennan 6. Jordan Davis
•Feature—1. Curtis/Dale Hartlin 2. Robbie Brandrick 3. Jordan Davis 4. Brady Caul 5. Cody Drennan 6. Riley Caul