Eric Freiberg and Jacob Humphrey win Burris Twin 50's in Rockford, Illinois

    By John Nuttall
    ROCKFORD, IL - The 5th Burris Twin 50's were the featured event at the Burris Circle Tour, Sunday, May 27th. The Tour, the Midwest's premier kart racing speedway series traveled to the Rockford Speedway for the third event of the season. 50 lap feature races for the Yamaha Sportsman Lite and Sr. Lite classes were the highlight of the day.

    The heat race set the stage in the Yamaha Lites with local racer Jay Gough earning the pole for the feature and Eric Freiberg on the outside pole. At the drop of the green in the feature event, Freiberg jumped out to an early lead in the bright yellow 55 kart. Gough took a few laps to get up to speed and started to close up on the leader, with Joe Kliem in third. A third of the way through the race, the leaders were in a dead heat as they approached lapped traffic. Freiberg and Gough split the traffic and as they emerged from the fray, Freiberg was still leading with Gough on his bumper. Gough made a rare move to the outside to take the lead on lap 19. Then Freiberg spun and went to the back of the field. On the restart Gough couldn't get his engine to fire and was out of the race. Freiberg quickly made his way to the front and at the halfway mark it was Freiberg in the lead, with Kliem, Kelly Mandarino and Scott Piller fighting it out for second. On lap 30, Mandarino's 95 kart edged by Kliem to move into second place. Scott Piller took advantage of the draft, moving into third and brought Seth Lootans along for the ride. No one was giving up easy and in this test of endurance, Freiberg took home the victory, Mandarino was second, Lootans - third, and Kliem and Piller finished side by side for fourth and fifth. Freiberg, in his third race ever said, "That was CRAZY and a lot of fun!" He attributed his success to Jim and Jerry at Chicago Karting Technology (CKT), GEM Product's Jack Benson, Sr. for an outstanding set up and Dad for making it all work.

    The Sr. Lite race in the Twin 50's was even more exciting. Jacob Humphrey and T.J. Mertes got off to the early lead - but 50 laps is a long way! Several of the usual front-runners set up for the long run and took several laps for the track to come to them. The lead pack formed up with Humphrey (#63), Joe Moser (#9), Richard McGill (#19) and Ryan Rockhold (#52) settling in single file. It didn't last long as Ken Paulson and Mertes starting knocking on the door. Paulson tried a pass on the inside and Rockhold slipped out of the draft to protect his line. But soon, Rockhold and Paulsen caught back up and were right behind McGill. Moser drifted up the track, giving McGill a rare passing opportunity on the inside, but Moser fought and held the second spot. It was anyone's race. With only 2 laps to go, Paulson pulled off the track with mechanical problems and Rockhold blew a motor. Humphrey was still in the lead with Moser and McGill playing cat and mouse for second. Moser held off a last straight-a-way charge to finish second and McGill was third. Rounding out the top 3 were Mertes, Paul Weter and Tiffney Wester.

    The Jr. I Lite feature was another close one with many drivers in position to win. Billy Hulbert (#188) took a lead by a hair. Ben Stumpf (#9), Jordan Thiel (#X2), Tanner Bolen (#18) and Adam Carlson (#08) formed into a pack right behind the leader. At halfway, it was Hulbert, Tyler Peterson (#16), Bohlen, Carlson and Thiel. These young drivers were 4 wide coming into turn 4 and Carlson led the way through the lapped traffic with Thiel, Peterson and Hulbert in hot pursuit. Carlson started to pull away but Peterson moved to the inside followed by Hulbert. Peterson and Carlson continued to dice back and forth with Hulbert in the fray. Peterson got loose in turn 2 and fell to third going into the last lap. Coming down the final stretch, the drivers were 5 wide. At the stripe it was Carlson, Hulbert, Peterson, Stumpf and Bohlen in one of the best races so far this year.

    Anthony Danta took the lead on the first lap of the Sr. Medium class with Jesse Fox and Mark Johnson forming a three kart draft at the front. Local favorite Jay Gough and Brandon Hill closed in right behind the leaders. At the halfway point, it looked like a 10 kart train. Gough made a move to the inside but couldn't make it stick. Then Hill tried on the inside. Finally, Fox made the pass and stretched out his lead while 7 others were battling for second place. At the white flag the karts were four-wide going into turn one. At the checker it was Fox, Josh Stahl, Johnson, Gough, Danta and Kellen James finishing within two kart lengths.

    Jack Benson started on the pole of the Star Champs, with Mark Kuzniar on the outside pole and Mike Slabenak in the second row. Benson took the lead with Slabenak on his tail. Benson was faster in the corners and Slabenak faster on the straight-a-ways making the action tight. Kuzniar put his nose right in with the lead pack and made several passing attempts to the inside. A yellow flag halfway through lined the field back up in single file. On the restart Benson jumped back into the lead, but Slabenak was not about to let the race get away from him. On the last lap, Mike Slabenak tried the pass on the inside, then, the outside, but couldn't get by. The final order was Benson, Slabenak, Kuzniar, Johnathan Foster and Jason Krage finishing 1st through 5 respectively.

    The Jr. Champs continued demonstrate how fun side by side racing can be. Nick O'Dell had a narrow lead on the white flag lap but Gina Mooi made a dive to the inside and took the lead coming down the final stretch. Mooi won by inches.

    Sara O'Dell jumped out to an early lead in the Jr. Sportsman Champs with Mickey Kudlicki and Frank James Slabenak in hot pursuit. Mickey took advantage of several passing opportunities but just couldn't get by. O'Dell hung on until the end. Kudlicki finished second and Slabenak was third.

    In other racing action: Clay Kliem got out to a big lead over Jessica Brannam and Carly Mandarino in the Jr. Yamaha class to take home his third feature win of the year. Al Pierschalla won the 4 Cycle Sportsman Feature, Denise Kruse was second and J.J. Adams was third. Sr. Heavy Ken Paulson took his first victory of the year. #19 Anthony Danta edged out #9 Brandon Hill for second.


    Results:

    Jr. Yamaha
	1	 57	Clay Kliem		Elgin, IL
	2	 94	Jessica Brannam	McHenry, IL
	3	  9	Carly Mandarino	Glen Ellyn, IL
	4	 38	Brian Ellis		Orland Park, IL
	5	 26	Amanda Preo		Lomira, WI
    
	

    Sr. Medium
	1	  5	Jessie Fox		Momence, IL
	2	 60	Josh Stahl		Sandwich, IL
	3	 02	Mark Johnson		Plano, IL
	4	 11	Jay Gough		Roscoe, IL
	5	 19	Anthony Danta		Orland Park, IL
	6	 88	Kellen James
	7	  9	Brandon Hill		Lake Geneva, WI
	8	 98	Chris Lishamer		Elgin, IL
	9	 28	Steve Rex
	10	  4	Sam Pierce		Wonder Lake, IL
    
	

    Jr. Sportsman Champ Kart
	1	 75	Sara O'Dell		New Lennox, IL
	2	  8	Mickey Kudlicki		Glendale Heights, IL
	3	 29	Frank James Slabenak	Palos Park, IL
	4	  9	Jessica Kudlicki	Glendale Heights, IL
    
	

    Jr. Champ Kart
	1	 09	Gina Mooi		New Lennox, IL
	2	 75	Nick O'Dell		New Lennox, IL
    
	

    Yamaha Sportsman Lite
	1	 55	Eric Freiberg		Lockport, IL
	2	 95	Kelly Mandarino	Glen Ellyn, IL
	3	 37	Seth Lootans		Bristol, WI
	4	 56	Joe Kliem		Elgin, IL
	5	 10	Shane Reinink		Sycamore, IL
	6	 45	Mike Maisel		Lombard, IL
	7	 11	Jay Gough		Roscoe, IL
	8	 13	Ray Piotter		Carol Stream, IL
    
	

    4-Cycle Sportsman
	1	  8	Al Pierschalla	
	2	007	Denise Kruse		Bridgeview, IL	
	3	 81	J.J. Adams		Wonder Lake, IL
	4	 91	John Hunley		Cedar Lake, IN
	5	88E	John Ehlers		Burlington, WI
    
	

    Jr. I Lite (Purple)
	1	 08	Adam Carlson		Lisle, IL
	2	188	Billy Hulbert		Chanahon, IL
	3	 16	Tyler Peterson		Lake Gevena, WI
	4	  9	Ben Stumpf		Menasha, WI
	5	 18	Tanner Bohlen		Hortenville, WI
	6	 X2	Jordon Thiel		Appelton, WI
	7	 12	Brett Adams		West Chicago, IL
	8	 38	Ryan Marshall		Kanasasville, WI
	9	  1	Corey Domenick	Lombard, IL
	10	 45	Karisa Rhoades	Green Bay, WI
	11	 62	Dylan Hobbs		Sterling, IL
	12	 88	Raymond Mooi		New Lenox, IL
	13	 09	Marly Mooi		New Lennox, IL
	14	 21	Michael Schumacher
    
	

    Sr. Heavy
	1	  8	Ken Paulson		Beloit, WI
	2	 19	Anthony Danta		Orland Park, IL
	3	  9	Brandon Hill		Lake Geneva, WI
	4	  4	Rick Stromme		Momence, IL
	5	  5	Mike Fox		Momence, IL
	6	 98	Bob Chatten		E. Peoria, IL
	7	 4S	Nick Savaglio		MacHenry, IL
	8	 77	Kurt Ehlers		Burlington, WI
    
	

    Jr. III Lite (Gold)	
	1	  7	Jeff Everts		Channahon, IL
	2	 7A	Matthew Atkinson	Morris, IL
	3	 33	Brian Freiberg		Lockport, IL
	4	 45	Kyle Rhoades		Green Bay, WI
	5	 22	Matt Vice		Woodale, IL
	6	 69	Ricardo Mejia		Sheridan, IL
    
	

    Star Champ Kart
	1	 17	Jack Benson		Hoffman Estates, IL
	2	 15	Mike Slabenak, Jr.	Cicero, IL
	3	  7	Mark Kuzniar		Hanover Park, IL
	4	  8	Johnathon Foster	Sycamore, IL
	5	  5	Jason Krage		Addison, IL
	6	 18	Aaron Phillips
	7	 14	Nicole Phillips		Sycamore, IL
	8	 11	James Maher		Downers Grove, IL
	9	 28	Linda Slabenak	Palos Park, IL
    
	
	

    Sr. Lite
	1	 63	Jacob Humphrey	Lake Geneva, WI
	2	  9	Joe Moser		Elkhorn, WI
	3	 19	Richard McGill		Chicago, IL
	4	 72	T.J. Mertes		Sheboygan Falls, WI
	5	 08	Paul Weter		River Grove, IL
	6	 12	Tiffany Wester		Hampshire, IL
	7	  5	Cale Wyse		Evansville, WI
	8	 5A	Bobby Atkinson	Morris, IL
	9	  3	Mike Kann		Arlington Heights, IL
	10	 13	Jackie Hagen		Franklin Park, IL
	11	  7	Jacob Finney		Sycamore, IL
	12	 28	Steve Rex
	13	 52	Ryan Rockhold		Pekin, IL
	14	  8	Ken Paulson		Beloit, WI
	15	 88	Kellen James
	16	 83	Danny Boynton	Lindenhurst, IL
	17	 60	Josh Stahl		Sandwich, IL


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