2014-15 Unlimited All Stars-Northwest Region
Olympia, WA- The 2015 NWUAS outdoor season has come to a close and with it brought the crowning of new champion. Not new as far as champions go, but new in the matter of the series. “The Rocket” Ronnie Cox a many time champion in the speedway karting ranks has been around the game for a long, long time. However, this season aboard the Uncle Chuck’s Racing #9 UltraMax Exceed, “The Rocket” captured his first NW Unlimited All Star title for both he and car owner “Uncle” Chuck Knutson. Cox, the NWUAS administrator, put together a dream season losing only once in area series competition to defending champion Shane “Onetime” Smith at the Rainier Bowl Speedway, early in the season. For Smith it was a tough season filled with engine woes, as the defending champion logged only one win this season, a jaw dropping fact considering his 2014 championship season.
Cox took no time in letting it be known that he was the guy to beat in 2015, being consistently quick right off the trailer and dominating just about everywhere he went. Had it not been a wrong tire choice at Rainier, Cox would have went undefeated in 2015 NWUAS area competition. Critics may say that with defending champ Shane “Onetime’ Smith’s troubles and the limited schedule of ES7 Eric Stansberry, that Cox’s title came without challenge…but it was nothing of the sort, with the emergence of Kevin Bridges and his Five O Motorsports team, the 360 team of Sean Karr, the 24 team of “Savanna” Anna Singleton, and BK7 surprise Zach Schmitz. It was anything but a gimme for Cox and the UCR #9 team.
The 2015 NWUAS season also brought with it a new series that started off slow but by years end, the Burris Racing/NW Speedway Karting/OneTime Motorsports KT100-F200 Summer Shootout powered by Dirt Dog Gear was a huge success ending the season with entry numbers in 18+ range and the inaugural season being won by Rusty Rossmaier. The Series, put together by defending NWUAS Champion Shane “Onetime” Smith and sponsored by Competition Motors Corp., Scots Sealcoat and Dirt Dog Gear, along with help from the NW RaceReport, was an awesome series and looks to be gaining momentum with several new teams committing to the series for 2016. Super exciting news for NW racing.
The 2016 Season looks to be a promising one with most teams reporting that they are planning to return. For Cox, to repeat in 2016 will be no easy task with several teams working on new new engine packages, while others are updating and improving their chassis and tire programs…Of course, like always, preparation for the “Biggest, Baddest, and Best” indoor race west of the Mississippi, the 8th Annual Buddha Kinser Memorial has begun… Inaugural BK winner Renee Angel appears to be all business as she has already started her preparation for BK8, and after a brief layoff and some tough finishes recently, Angel is poised and focused in her attempt to join Wayne Felch as the only two time winner of the event. Felch captured back to back BK’s taking BK4 and BK5, an almost unimaginable feat considering the quality of the fields that are always in attendance. Angel, with a solid new engine package, improved tire program, and her antiseptically clean Steve Gannon Chassis…along with crew chief and husband Shane Biles calling the tune up shots, the Angel Racing/Matco tools/DB Graphics machine will without question have to be considered as one of the favorites in this years indoor extravaganza.
Also sporting a new engine package for this years BK8, is the West coasts quickest Yamaha wheelman Chris “The Italian Assassin”, who dominated the final two events of the BURRIS RACING/NW SPEEDWAY KARTING Summer shootout, capturing wins at Albany Motorsports Park and the final event at the 3rd annual “Betty Boop Memorial” race at ORV Raceway Park. New Matco tool distributor and defending 2014 NWUAS Champion Shane “Onetime” Smith has been some what off the radar, and has not revealed his plans for his Onetime Motorsports JaWa powered machine for 2016..My guess?..Smith will be ready and a contender for the 2016 NWUAS title as well as one of the favorites in this years BK8, time will tell.
One of the biggest surprises is the possibility of defending BK7 Champion, “Bad” Brad Berg not being back to defend his title aboard the Joe Pimentel owned entry. Pimentel, owner of JP Karting and long time UAS car owner, lost long time driver Michael “The Lawman” Laughton, as Laughton is focusing his time and efforts to the development of his Micro Sprint racing program, after a stellar 2015 season…Confirmed to be in attendance however, is Gilroy, California superstar Ryan “The Hitman” Diatte aboard his Joe Cervantes/Diatte Racing Innovations/ Stephen Gleason powered Triton. Diatte was the class of the field in the BK6, in his first ever appearance at the event, and dominated the first 20 laps of the 25 lap feature in impressive style, until a coolant hose ended one of the most impressive runs in the prestigious event, since Wayne Felch’s utter dominance in BK4 and BK5.
The 2016 NWUAS season will not disappoint and as always, will be filled with exciting, action packed, edge of your seat racing right down to the final wave of the checkers. Thrills, chills and heart stopping suspense is store for all who attend NW Unlimited All Star events 2016! The NW Unlimited All Stars and the entire American Muscle Kart Series is without question, one of the best kept and underrated series in speedway kart racing. Be sure you stay tuned to the quickest and most positive motorsports broadcast, the NW RaceReport powered by Blue Line Graphics…the flagship for all breaking news, results, and UAS changes and updates and all things Speedway..Every Winning Wednesday night at 6:30pm pacific at www.TerryBridgesRacing.com/listen-live and be sure you follow us at #WinningWednesday, and our NW RaceReport Facebook page.
Article by: Terry Bridges- NW RaceReport, for American Muscle Kart Magazine.
November 2015. No portion of this article may be reproduced without consent from American Muscle Kart Magazine or the NW RaceReport.