9/26/2021
(4th & 4th)
Ohio Valley Karting Association
at Whiteland Raceway Park
This race was set as a qualifier and 17 lap final.
In the 100cc Junior class, Wes qualified on the pole. During the final 2 racers tangled moving Wes back into 4th position where he ended finishing.
In the LO206 Junior class, Wes qualified in the 4 position. At the start, in turn 1 a racer struck Wes's rear bumper causing Wes to spring. Most of the field then spun and crashed since the track was blocked, the race was red-flagged. During the restart, things looked great as wes and leaders were again fighting for the lead. However, in the end Wes was unable to overtake the other karts and finished 4th.
9/25/2021
14th
Whiteland Raceway Park
Late in the week, Wes chose to race at Whiteland Raceway Park. Their format is pill draw to determine a qualifying position, a qualifying race, and a 12 lap final.
Wes drew #78 which placed him at P9 out of 10 in the A qualifier. He finished 5th which put him again starting 9th in the final. Twice in the final Wes was collected in other racers' crashes. During the second crash, he ended off the track, when he managed to return to the racing surface he didn't have enough time to rebound and unfortunately finished in last place, 14th.
9/19/2021
(1st & 2nd)
Ohio Valley Karting Association
This race was a rain make up and the first OVKA has hosted on configuration 2A reverse. The weather was 90° and partly cloudy with no rain in sight. Wes raced two karts, KA Junior and LO206 Junior.
KA Junior - Wes immediately demonstrated to all his Top Kart was quick. He qualified on the pole, won the prefinal and with a 1.2 second lead on 2nd, won the final.
LO206 Junior - Again, Wesq, put his QG3 Birel Charles Leclerc kart on pole and played it safe with a 2nd place finish in the prefinal. During the final he pushed the kart, and competitors several times to their limits. On 2 occasions going 2 wide in turns which should really only be single file. In the end he he took 2nd place.
9/12/2021
(2nd & DNF)
Ohio Valley Karting Association
Wes was extremely fast in his KA100 Junior class, over 1 second faster than his competitors. In the final he jumped to an early lead spacing 2nd place nearly 1.2 seconds per lap until his engine let go on lap 4 ending his day early
In the LO206 class, the racing was close. For 12 laps 5 karters battled inches apart swapping positions nearly every lap. On the final lap, 2 karters tangled and Wes made an evasive move taking advantage of their misfortune and moving into 2nd place where he finsished.
9/11/2021
(5th & 2nd)
Ohio Valley Karting Challenge
This weekend was a double-header race weekend. Today, Wes raced both his LO206 and KA100 Junior karts.
During the LO206 final, and while in 3rd position the kart in front of him lost control in a turn coming to rest sideways on the track. Wes was able to avoid damage to his kart but was boxed-in losing much ground to the leader. As a result, he finished in 5th.
In the KA100 Junior class Wes was fast but just didn't have it to make a clean pass on the racer in the first place. A good clean race, Wes finished 2nd.
8/14/2021
(4th & 2nd)
Ohio Valley Karting Association
Wes and his LO206 and KA100 Karts were fast! He qualified on the pole in both and finished both prefinals in 2nd place. In the 15 lap final in the KA100 kart was attempted several passes but didn't quite have the speed needed and ended the race in 2nd. At the start of the LO206 there were 5 karts battling for the lead and sadly another karter struck Wes spinning him. Wes was able to comeback for a respectful 5th place finish.
8/7/2021
Ohio Valley Karting Challenge
This race was to be raced under the lights. Again, the rain was in the forecast. The Ohio Valley Karting Association does not race in the rain. Following Wes placing his KA100 Junior on the pole, the skies opened up. And, the race was canceled.
7/25/2021
(2nd & 2nd)
Ohio Valley Karting Association
This is the yearly Championship Memorial Race which highlights all those who have had a significant impact on the Ohio Valley Karting Challenge and the formation of WKA in the early years.
Wes raced in both his LO206 and KA100 Junior karts. He qualified in 2nd in both his karts. Changes were made throughout the race day which yielded faster lap times, however, that was just not enough. In the end Wes took home two trophies, both for 2nd place.
7/16-18/2021
Buckey Karting Challenge (Wilmington, OH
Just the KA100 Junior Kart was raced. During Saturday's Happy Hour Wes was passing another karter when the other kart racer swerved to determine what was wrong with his kart, unfortunately, he was unaware Wes was passing at a high rate of speed and struck Wes which damaged the rear axle, sprocket and hubs.
We thought the kart was repaired 100% but during qualifying, additional issues presented themselves and held was to a 6th place finish.
All issues had been resolved in time for the prefinal. As Wes was advancing from 4th to 3rd place during the race a karter slid wide in a turn striking Wes making his kart inoperable for the finish of this race as well as the final.
7/11/2021
Race Canceled
Ohio Valley Karting Association
Sadly the weather prevented all racing for the day.
7/10/2021
Rain Out
Ohio Valley Karting Association
The weather was not on the racer's side today. After qualifying on the pole the race was canceled due to rain.
6/13/2021
(2nd)
Ohio Valley Karting Association
Today Wes raced just the KA100 kart. During qualifying, the chain broke resulting in a starting position of 9 for the prefinal. In the prefinal, he was fast, and chose to not push for a win but instead set himself up for a good starting position for the final. Wes finished the final in 2nd due to poor timing when the leaders passed lapped traffic.
6/19/2021
(13th)
GoPro Motorplex (Mooresville, NC)
During practice, Wes noticed his engine was not performing well. We swapped carburetors prior to qualifying but that, unfortunately, was not the issue. Wes Qualified in 16th position. We made a few more changes prior to the prefinal but again, this didn't resolve the issue. Wes finished the prefinal in 15th. The issue ended up being a bad fuel pump and this was replaced in time for the final. Wes finished a respectful 12.
6/12/2021
(4th & 2nd)
Ohio Valley Karting Association
Wes raced his LO206 and KA100 Junior karts today. Qualifying in both didn't go as planned. In the LO206 he commented having issues exiting right-hand turns and in the KA100 he fought an ill-handling kart. Changes were made prior to the extended final and Wes finished 4th in the LO206 kart and 2nd in the KA100 kart.
May 16, 2021
Buckeye Karting Challenge
The race day started out with light rain but quickly moved to sun and 75°. Minutes before pushing up for qualifying the decision was made to change from rain tires to slicks. This moved proved to be the right decision as Wes turned the fastest lap in qualifying. In the Buckeye Karting Challenge series the top five qualifiers then draw a number for the starting position in the pre-final, Wes drew card #3.
Wes finished the pre-final in 2nd. While competing in this race a crash occurred directly in front of him which he was narrowly able to avoid.
During the 18 lap final, Wes drove with determination and never gave up. He ended the day in 3rd position. Overall, a good day.
April 23, 2021
Race 3, Configuration 1A
Ohio Valley Karting Association
The racing format was set at pill draw, two 8 lap heat races followed by a 10 lap final.
Wes started the first heat in 3rd. In turn 9 of 11, a racer in front of Wes spun. Wes avoided the kart but unfortunately karts behind him wrecked into him disabling his kart. The race director provided time for the repair to all involved in the crash and restarted the race. Wes won the race.
During the 2nd heat, in turn 1 another racer spun in front of Wes. Again, Wes was able to safely stop, however, another racer wrecked into Wes disabling Wes's kart.
Wes's kart was repaired and now ready for the final. He would start in 8th due to the misfortune in heats 1 & 2. Wes drove well managing a 4th place finish.
April 25, 2021
Race 2
Ohio Valley Karting Association
Wes chose to forgo morning warmups due to a few broken chains and many worn-out gears in recent practice sessions. The race format was pill draw and include 2 8 lap heats and a 10 lap final.
In the first heat, Wes would start at the tail. By lap 5 Wes had moved into 2nd place. Unfortunately, his forward progress was short-lived as he was forced to pull off early due to a chain issue.
Prior to heat 2, the issue with the chain had been resolved. With the pill draw format, Wes will now start on the pole. During this heat, Wes experienced no chain issues, kept his kart upfront the entire race and won.
Wes started the final in P4. Within half a lap he moved into the lead and never looked back. With each lap, his lap times improved. Crossing the finishing line over 4.5 seconds ahead of 2nd place Wes won the season opener at OVKA and his first race in his KA100 Junior kart.
April 11, 2021
Race 1
Ohio Valley Karting Association
Unfortunately, due to constant rain and OVKA not racing in the rain the race was postponed until September.
February 27, 2021
(13th)
GoPro Motorplex (Mooresville, NC)
Although the rain was not falling, rain tires were necessary. During the first lap of qualifying, Wes felt and heard something with his kart he didn't feel was right. He limped his kart to a P10 start for the pre-final.
Unfortunately, Wes would have to miss the pre-final while the damage to the sprocket hub and axle was repaired. Wes started the final in last place, 20th and did a great job bringing his kart to the 13th place finish.