League Donates $1,015 to Help Local Families
With the season championship on the line, Darren Crane erased any doubts as he scored second place in the first race and then won the December finale to snare his first Golden Benny Karting League Championship at Victory Lane Karting in Charlotte, NC. Hans Soneson, the 2010 champion, was second in points followed by Fred Ogrim, the 2008 GBKL champ. Crane led the league with six race wins and also grabbed two clean sweeps in 2011, winning both races in March and September. Dan Burke led the league with 10 fastest laps during the season, while Ogrim ended the year with the fastest race lap of the year in both directions.
In the night's first race, John Luzzi and Dr. John Connaughton paired for the victory, with Connaughton passing Crane for the win with less than two laps remaining in the race. Crane was teamed with Paul Shelton in second place, followed by Ogrim and David Vasta in third place. Ogrim had the fastest race lap.
The season finale proved to be the most competitive race of the year, as the top four teams ran in close proximity for the final 30 minutes. In the final stint, Michael Ibach grabbed the lead and the victory for himself and teammate Crane. Shelton and Mike Birkle were a close second, followed narrowly by the third place team of Luzzi and Jade Gurss and Walt Sova and Connaughton in fourth place. Ogrim once again had the fastest lap.
Charity Funds: Thanks SO much to everyone who contributed this year! I have mailed a check for $1,015.00 to the Women's Auxiliary of Motorsports (WAM). They will be using the funds to adopt/assist local families in need during the holidays. While the karting is immense fun, the donations help make the GBKL a more worthwhile endeavor. Thanks again.
2012 Schedule: We're set for the 2012 season of Golden Benny, so mark your calendars with the following race dates:
Jan. 11*
Feb. 1
March 7
April 4
May 2
June 6
July 11*
Aug. 1
Sept. 5
Oct. 3
Nov. 7
Dec. 5
(*= second Wed. of the month due to holidays)
December Race Results:
Race One: Forward / 32 min.
1.) Luzzi / Connaughton 44 laps
2.) Shelton / Crane
3.) Ogrim / Vasta
4.) Ibach / Birkle
5.) Dan Burke / Todd Inskeep
6.) Sova / Gurss
7.) Soneson / Michael Pomeroy
Fastest Lap: Ogrim, 41.1 sec.
Race Two: Reverse/ 60 Min.
1.) Ibach / Crane 83 laps
2.) Shelton / Birkle
3.) Luzzi / Gurss
4.) Sova / Connaughton
5.) Ogrim / Pomeroy
6.) Burke / Vasta
7.) Inskeep / Doug Miller
Fastest Lap : Ogrim, 40.539 sec.
2011 SEASON RESULTS
Total Entries: 47 drivers
Top 10 in Points:
1.) Darren Crane 317
2.) Hans Soneson 281
3.) Fred Ogrim 276
4.) Paul Shelton 255
5.) Dan Burke 243
6.) John Connaughton 224
7.) Jade Gurss 223
8.) Mike Birkle 208
9.) Michael Pomeroy 207
10.) John Luzzi 190
Race Wins:
1.) Darren Crane 6
Jade Gurss
3.) Hans Soneson 3
Michael Ibach
Jamil Nassar
Dan Burke
John Reaney
Andrew Hopwood
Fastest Laps:
1.) Dan Burke 10
2.) Fred Ogrim 7
3.) Hans Soneson 4
Most Points in an Event:
1.) Darren Crane 39 (Twice)
Andrew Hopwood
Andrew Von Fange
4.) Darren Crane 37
Ed Schurr
Jason Robert
Fastest Lap:
Forward: Fred Ogrim 41.050 (Nov.)
Reverse: Fred Ogrim 40.501 (Oct.)
Most Laps:
32 Min/Forward: Luzzi/ Connaughton 44 laps / 43.443 sec. avg (Dec.)
32 Min/Reverse: Hopwood/J. Nassar 43 laps / 43.347 sec. avg. (Nov.)
60 Min/Forward: Shelton/Schurr 82 laps / 43.572 sec. avg. (Nov.)
60 Min/ Reverse: Ogrim/Gurss 84 laps / 43.035 sec. avg (August)
Golden Benny Karting League
HALL OF CHAMPIONS**:
2003: Ryan Kurek
2004: Ryan Kurek
2005: Brandon Sperling
2006: Dan Burke
2007: Jade Gurss
2008: Fred Ogrim
2009: John Reaney
2010: Hans Soneson
2011: Darren Crane
(**= it's a short hall... like the one leading to your guest bathroom...)
Full Stats Online 24/7: http://public.iwork.com/document/?a=p33819828&d=2011_GBKL_Point_Standings.numbers
Thanks again to everyone - 2011 was BAF*** (as usual) and 2012 will be more of the same!
(***= Big Ass Fun)
