2019 Mid-Ohio National Road Race is another one for the record books

Story by Bruce C. Walls; photos by Bruce C. Walls and Susan Taylor-Walls

LEXINGTON, OH – Last year’s American Kart Racing Association/Dart Kart Club/VEGA Tires/National Road Racing Series National hosted by MID-OHIO Sports Car Course drew 610 practice and race entries over a three-day event. This year there were 178 practice entries, 276 Saturday race entries and Sunday race entries of 182 for a total of 636 eclipsing last year by 26-.

Racers came from coast to coast and from across the pond. One Londoner (Olly Cooper)’s adventure getting there included a long flight from the United Kingdom to LAX followed by a long UBER ride to Sacramento, CA where they picked up two more racers. From there drivers and crew packed into the team hauler and headed for Ohio- 2,500 miles due east.

“We drove the whole way taking turns driving so that we had a fresh driver on the wheel at all times,” Cooper said. “It was hard to drive with the big trailer in the back.”

Ben Eberhart bagged four wins. He swept the Vintage Twin Engine class and added a Sunday Piston Port win for the Hat Trick.

Six of those 636 entries were double winners that weekend. Corfu, NY racer Adam Myers proved he was the man to beat in Controlled Final 1 and Piston Port Sprint.

“The CKI kart worked great and Buck Keen Racing motors pulled strong,” Myers reported after his first win. I want to thank my parents for their support and Buck Keen Racing Engines. I couldn’t do this without them.”

Saturday Gary Mikusch, Patricia Hechler, Galen Brownewell and Todd Hayden finished second through fifth.

Glen Luening showed the Stock Honda racers across the stripe both days. Saturday Luening had Chad Donner threatening at the wire where just 0.589 of a second separated them. Bryan Blair, Russ Pyles and Aaron Schmidt completed Saturday’s top five.

Robert Murray ruled Sunday’s 4-Cycle Sprint 350 and 370 Finals. In the 350 race Robert and Michael O’Dell, Jason Pribyl and Jack Reall. In the 370 class

Elite Kart factory driver Mallory D’Augustine swept the 100cc Limited Enduro offerings. Saturday her Van Gilder Racing engines powered kart claimed Saturday’s win after a struggle with Fran Mazzacotelli D’Augustine went under the checkers with a 0.442 seconds advantage over Mazzacotelli. Behind Mazzacotelli in the top four were Matthew Gibson and Michigan Kart Supply sponsored Jerry Cole.

Sunday Fred Stoll followed D’Augustine across the stripe. Behind Stoll were Cole and Mazzacotelli.

Austin Hill won KA100 Junior Sprint Final 1 and backed it up Sunday with a win in Junior Sprint Final 2

Kasey Davis earned his first ever Junior Enduro that Saturday

30 Yamaha Pipe Final 1 racers took Saturday’s green flag. Fulks got the early lead and fought off Scott Grenier’s challenges. Grenier was 1.435 seconds late. Trailing Grenier’s machine for the top five were Adam Trumbley, Evan Stamer and Michigan Kart Supply factory driver Nick Cole.

Sunday Michael McLaughlin showed the field home with a comfortable advantage over Carl Lankenau. Further back N. Cole, Scott Grenier and Brad Zoeller completed the top five of 19.

Thirty-three racers took Saturday’s Shifter Final 1’s green flag. Jeremy Lightwine and Steven Rougeou battled for the lead for 12-laps. Lightwine led them across the stripe with a narrow 0.360 seconds edge over Rougeou. 2.984 seconds later Alex Watzke crossed the stripe with Alex Conlin and Brandon Basela following in the top five.

Sunday Jared Langenfield led them to the checkers. Alex Conlin crossed second and was trailed in the top five by Melvin Nelson, Lightwine (who was later DQ’ed) Sean Pyles and Steven Rougeou.

Dean Martin was first across Saturday’s G 125 Shifter Final. But, Martin was a no show at the scale and Darins Kudarauskas, who crossed second, was awarded the win. Officially Tony Plahitko took second, Dan Chalk trailed in third and Rich Kurlim and Jon Craigo capped the top five.

Sunday Michael Crawford won the G 125 Final 2 race with Coleman crossing a distant second. Martin was third followed in the top five by Martin, Joseph Wallace and James Stevenson.

In Saturday’s sixth race Andrew Kiker led 13 Super Karts across the stripe with Mark Nagy 17-seconds behind him. Dean Martiin, Mark Jauregui and John West were behind them for the top five.

Sunday Nagy led the field finishing nearly a minute ahead of Martin. Denver Liabenow was third across the line with Kyle Cuthbertson and Sidney Danals behind him for the top five.

Antony Williams piloted his way to the top of Unlimited Final 1’s podium. Sharing that podium’s top five were Brad Berelsman, James Skyers, Larry Dobbs and Brian Wilhelm. Berelsman bagged Unlimited Final 2. Jeremy Baldi, Larry Dobbs, Mark Morrison and James Skyers were the rest of the top five of 17.

Young Kasey Davis scored his first ever Junior Enduro win that Saturday.