RENO, Nev. — Landon Brooks won a haymaker duel with Preston Carr to claim Friday’s preliminary Open 500 Outlaw Kart feature at the inaugural High Desert Hustle. The action wrapped up the preliminaries, with Saturday’s lucrative features awaiting at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center.
Brooks and Carr compete at the top of the standings in the Red Bluff Outlaws and resumed their exciting 2023-’24 season battle in Reno. The top-five finishers in each of the six features joined the top-five runners from Thursday’s racing as locked in cars for Saturday’s finales.
“We kind of struggled all weekend. Just couldn’t get grip. Once it got grip and laid a lot of rubber it played in our favor and we were good in the main,” Brooks said. “Hopefully we can do it again tomorrow in the 40-lapper.
“Preston always races really clean. We have respect for each other and we know how to put on a show without wrecking each other.”
The 30-lap feature opened with a flip in turn four for Mason Smith. When action resumed, Carr drove ahead to a straightaway advantage while a three-car battle ensued for second position. Chase Hill won the battle for the position. Carson Sousa climbed up to Hill’s rear bumper but spun, bringing out the caution on lap nine.
Brooks swooped into the frame on the restart, winning a cross over battle with Carr to lead lap 10. The caution then flew on that same lap. On the restart, Carr muscled past Brooks in turn one to re-take the lead. Isaiah Vasquez and James Edens collided on the backstretch for the next caution flag.
Brooks battled back and slid past Carr on lap 22, winning a tight race for the top spot back to a caution flag. John Michael Bunch clobbered the turn one wall but was uninjured. One more stoppage set up a sprint run to the finish line. Brooks paced Carr nose-to-tail across the line for the $750 win.
Connor Mewhirter finished third followed by Aiden Larimer. Ethan Lashley transferred through from the C and B-Mains to lock in to Saturday’s feature with a fifth place finish.
Other Divisions
The younger competitors in the 250cc division matched the excitement of the Open 500 division in a 20-lap feature. Logan Reeves ran a master class in lapped traffic to survive multiple challenges for the win.
Kinser Bell tried to slide Reeves in turn one but Reeves held the lead on lap 10. A three-wide battle ensued with Kayden Williams involved as well. Reeves scooted out of the fracas to hold the top spot as the field charged into lapped traffic by lap 13.
Kayden Williams showed his nose on the inside of Reeves down the front stretch on lap 15 yet Reeves held on. Williams tried the inside again and was credited with the point on lap 17. Reeves crossed him over in lapped traffic in turn two to retake the lead lap 19. Reeves led Williams, Brody Reinolds, Bell, and Landon King at the finish.
Eric Gannon won the Non-Wing night cap, topping Ethan Lashley for Lashley’s second lock in division of the night. Missouri’s Jace Delment, Rylan Sharrah and Kinden Peacock rounded out the top-five.
Deakon Kamisky led all 20 laps for the Box Stock victory. Clay Stopplemore followed him home in second followed by Peyton Bunch, Forrest Vanpool and Hunter Wood.
Ryder Matthews won the 20-lap Beginner Box Stock feature after inheriting the lead on lap 14 and never relinquishing it. For the second consecutive evening, Jaxon Fuchs enjoyed a comfortable lead before an incident bounced him from the top spot. Nixon Soiland, Maison Mockridge, Ashton Lynch and Jaxson Evett rounded out the top-five finishers.
Dominic Gorden held court throughout a Caged Clone feature littered with caution flags, winning the 20-lap feature wire-to-wire. Ricky Jones stormed from 15th starting position to finish a strong second. Brian Hubert snuck ahead with third followed by Timmy Crews and Taylor Simas.