Patriots in the pits

Fourth of July kicked off a day earlier as drivers suited up and hit the track at Rattlesnake Raceway.

The track hosted racing action Wednesday and Thursday featuring the Ironman Challenge, Northern Nevada Outlaw Karts, Gen-X and Hobby Stock classes. Results of Thursday’s races, though, were not available at press time. According to Lahontan Auto Racing Association board member Stacy Wilson, the track also purchased $7,000 worth of fireworks; however, hours before the show and after LVN’s press time, rain soaked the valley.

On the track, meanwhile, Al Bishop and Christy Rasmussen won their respective heats in the Gen-X division. Bishop edged out Shawn Hartzell, Dave Raber, Kali Pope and Cody Thunder in the first heat. Rasmussen took the checkered flag over Mikki Beauchat, Steve Eisele, Holly Olsen and Lee Ketten Jr.

Beauchat and Harztell, though, finished second and third, respectively, behind Raber in the main event. Beauchat leads Hartzell, 222-219, in the overall standings. Pope and Raber are tied for third with 205 and Eisele is fourth with 204.

As for the karts, Shansen Ternora won the main event in the beginner class, while Xavier Frock placing second. Ternora leads the points race with 125.

In the box stock class, McKenna Krshul swept her two races as she gathered first-place finishes in the preliminary heat and main event.

She extended her points lead to 11 over Kolbie Mace.

KateLynn Robertson had another solid performance as she won her prelim and placed second in the main event of the 250 cc class. She has a 27-point lead over Jacob Dias, who won Wednesday’s main event.

Thursday’s action featured the IMCA class led by Steve Evenson.

He holds a three-point edge over Missy Natenstedt and Evenson took second in the June 15 race and aims to increase his points lead. Mark Skender (167) follows Evenson and Natenstedt in third, while Jerry Crowley (157) is fourth and Don Childs (146) is fifth.

In the Hobby Stock division, Royce Goetz holds a nine-point lead over Carl Barlow, 188-179. Aaron Benham sits in third (178) followed by Wes Washburn (173), Pete Baglin (148) and Dennis Buehn (146).