FONTANA, CA (August 29, 2018) – The 2018 season for the Los Angeles Karting Championship continued on August 26 with the seventh round of the year. The seventh of nine races counted toward the year-end championship standings was contested at the CalSpeed Karting Center. The Classico layout of the Fontana, California facility, located outside the Auto Club Speedway, challenged the racers from all over the west coast competing in the categories ranging from shifterkart, IAME TaG, Briggs & Stratton 206 and Kid Karts.

For a second straight round, Edward Portz ended the day on top of the podium in the Nash Motorsportz X30 Senior Pro class. Portz scored maximum points in July and matched that performance in Round Seven. Edward never relinquished the top spot, leading all the laps of the Prefinal and Final after qualifying P1. In the 18-lap main event, Portz drove away to a 4.5-second advantage over Joseph Daniele. Championship leader Alex Siragusa won the fight for third over Billy Musgrave and Jim McKinney.

Ryan Carey became a first time winner in the 2 Wild Karting X30 Senior Intermediate class. Carey came out of the trailer quick, securing the fast time in qualifying. Championship leader Cody Diggs secured the top spot in the Prefinal, only to retire on the opening lap of the Final. This gave Carey the run to the top of the podium for the first time in 2018. Payne Brawley drove to second with Michel Manning landing on the podium in third. Lauran Adams and Ian Bland completed the top-five.

The Empire Karts Micro Swift category took the top honors for largest class of the event with 19 drivers battling. All were chasing John Antonino throughout the day, as the young driver earned his sixth victory of the season. Antonino lead all the laps of the Prefinal and Final, however, Max Repolust made it a photo finish at the end, coming up 99 thousandths short and stealing the fast lap of the race. Rocky Moran completed the podium with Alexander Gonzalez fourth and Tristan Young in fifth.

Logan Toke was able to grab his first victory of the season in the P1 Engines Mini Swift division. The day was a sweep of the round for Toke, who set fast time in qualifying and was awarded the win in the Prefinal after a one position penalty to Kasey Gillis. Toke and Gillis went back and forth in the Final for the lead, with Toke securing the top spot on the final circuit to claim his first victory of 2018. AJ Zarcone slipped past Gillis for second and recorded the fast lap of the race. Championship leader Jesus Vasquez finished fourth with Izaac Gutierrez in fifth.

With his third victory of 2018, Alan Tang helped to pad his championship lead in the Ryan Perry Motorsport X30 Junior Expert division. Cole Morgan began as the driver to beat with fast time in qualifying and earning the win in the Prefinal. Issues in the Final put Morgan on the sidelines after two laps, allowing Dustin Salaverria to take over the point. Tang eventually found his way at the front, assuming the lead and going on to take the checkered flags first. Salaverria crossed the line second, but was penalized down to fifth, moving Kameron Perry onto the podium in second and Bryce Stevens to third. The penalty also promoted Marcus Rodriguez to fourth.

Tim Meyer secured a second victory on the season in the Mike Manning Karting X30 Master class. Meyer was challenged early on by Travis Irving, who was making his first start of 2018. Irving set fast time in qualifying with Meyer getting the win in the heat race. Irving had an issue at the start of the Final, and did not complete a lap. Meyer would go on to lead all 18 laps of the Final for the victory. Tony Rossetti won the fight for second over Steve Martin.

John Crow made it another double win event at LAKC. Crow dominated the day in the iKart West Briggs 206 Master class over Mikey Griffin. In the PKS S4 Super Master Stock Honda division, Crow had to fight his way from the back. Crow came from sixth on the grid to finish second to Brett Harrelson in the Prefinal. In the Final, Crow led all the laps for his fifth victory of the season. Harrelson was second with Warren Kindberg in third.

The Phil Giebler Racing Open Shifter division welcomed a new winner for 2018 in Vivek Tandon. A regular at the LAKC in S2 and S4, Tandon moved to the Open class to earn a sweep on the day. Tandon drove away to a 3.5-second advantage in the Final over Michael Korody with championship leader Slava Prikhodko in third. MRC S3 Novice Stock Honda point leader Eddie Tafoya added to his championship advantage with a third victory on the season. Tafoya was looking up at Vincente Salas after qualifying third. A great Prefinal put Tafoya at the front of the field with a win, going on to show the way in the Final. Jacob Pope drove to second with Quintin Bineau completing the podium.

Numbers continue to increase in the IAME USA West KA100 Senior and Superkarts! USA KA100 Master divisions. The Senior class welcomed eight for Round Seven, welcoming new winner Nick Ramirez. In his class debut, Ramirez dominated the day which was highlighted by a seven-second advantage in the 18-lap Final. Jared Caylor and point leader Luis Perez rounded out the podium. Robert Perez added to his 2018 win total in the Master class. Perez swept the day, running away from Arman Cornell and Mike Giles for the victory. It was a second straight victory for Fred Kamphues in the Mack Motorsports Briggs 206 Senior division. Kamphues swept Round Seven to earn maximum points on the day in his third start for 2018. Joey Paonessa was second with Troy Jones third.

Other winners on the day include:

Baldozier Racing S1 Pro Stock Honda: Billy Musgrave
Mad Old Nut S2 Semi-Pro Stock Honda: Keawn Tandon
Kimball Williams Racing S4 Master Stock Honda: Javier Colombo
Mike Manning Karting X30 Super Master: Jon Persing
Italcorse S5 Junior Stock Honda: Cash Baxley
MDG X30 Junior Novice: Timothy Carel
Formula Works Honda Kid Kart Expert: Johnie Stamps
Formula Works Honda Kid Kart Novice: Sebastian Cortes