2009

Nov 21-22, 2009

Photo by Tom Donoghue

Eric participated in the SKUSA SuperNats, the premier annual "super kart" event.  This year contestants (in various classes) included Michael Schumacher, Dan Wheldon, Sebastian Buemi, Nelson Piquet Jr, and the top karters from the US and Europe.  Eric raced in the S4 class, and proved to be one of the fastest in the field of 40.  Unfortunately Eric suffered from an incident in each of the heat races and started 38th.  Eric passed 20 karts in the first 5 laps of the 20 lap feature race before a crash with another kart ended his race.

Despite the disappointing results, it was an exciting weekend!  

Sept 27, RoboPong 2009

Photo by David Lee Photography

Evan Batt and Jimmy Simpson returned to the RoboPong as teammates after coming from behind to finish first last year (but were accessed a penalty resulting in a second place finish).  They selected a Zanardi chassis this year and proved they were the team to beat, as Jimmy placed them on the pole for 2009.

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

photo by David Lee

Evan and Jimmy review strategy minutes before the race starts.

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Evan drove the first stint. Although Conor Daly took a momentary lead, Evan passed Connor to lead the race.  Evan had a commanding lead in the race until lap 47 when Evan was forced off track while passing slower traffic, and we dropped to 4th.

After pitting on lap 51 and a driver change from Evan to Jimmy Simpson we were in second place.  Jimmy began closing the gap on the Vision race team of Carpenter and O'Rourke, and Jimmy passed for the lead on lap 79.

Jimmy pitted on lap 110 and Evan took the wheel. Disaster hit when the brake rotor exploded at the end of his first straight resulting in a crash and DNF!  The second place kart of Vision racing went on to a comfortable victory.

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Evan tells George Simpson how the brake rotor exploded just before he entered the brake zone (at high speed)!

September 5, KRA #13

It is a close battle for the Stock Moto Championship between Eric Batt (DDR Power) and Ron Peterson (2007 KRA ICC Champion).  Peterson edged Eric in qualifying, but Eric took the early lead on the standing start.  After swapping the lead four times, Peterson won the race and now has the season points lead.  So far Eric has finished on the podium for every race but one, and is close behind Peterson in season points (after drops). 

August 1, KRA #10

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Evan Batt, last years TaG USA champion, raced his first KRA TaG USA race of the season. Evan used a Sharing Success Zanardi Kz2 powered by a Comet Leopard.  Evan qualified at 105.8, half a second faster than Billy Lewis (series points leader), and more than 1 second faster than everyone else.  At the start of the race Lewis got the jump and Mark Dismore Sr. also made a pass on the first lap. The three were dicing it up and pulling away from the field when Evan was forced off the track and dropped to 6th.  Evan charged back and chased down the leaders, going on to a comfortable victory! 

Later that day Eric raced in the Stock Moto event, and was slightly off pace, and finished 3rd.

July 26, KRA #9

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Although Eric was fast in the morning practice sessions, we struggled with changes on the kart and a unusually fouled plug.  The major problem was an error in setup for qualifying, and Eric lost 1.5 seconds, instead of improving on his practice times.  Eric qualified 5th, his worst qualifying of the year!

Unfortunately he also had his worst standing start in the final and dropped to 6th in the first turn.  Joe Ruch took the lead with Ron Peterson close behind.  Eric moved to third during the first lap, and soon it was Peterson leading the race and Eric on his bumper. Eric passed Peterson with 2 laps to go, and pulled away to win the race!

July 11-12, WKA Manufacturer's Cup at Road America

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Evan's first time on the kart track at Road America.  He consistently ran in the top 10 for qualifying, and the heat race, then finished 7th in the Saturday TaG final.  The Rotax was quick, but the Leopards and Soniks were always quicker on the long up hill straight.  We switched to a Sonik for the Sunday event, but the motor failed (stuck) during the break-in session!  Due to the failure, Evan did not race Sunday.

July 5, KRA #8

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Evan raced a Monza MKP team kart in the Stock Moto same stock moto class as Eric.  Evan qualified on the pole, then Ron Peterson, and Eric qualified third.  This was Evan's first ever shifter race, and he did not do well on the standing start.  Evan quickly moved back to the front, while Eric was run off the track twice by the third place driver.  Eric finished forth, and Evan won the race.

July 4, KRA #7

Eric had a great day as he took the pole in qualifying.  Rain settled in after the races few races, which always makes for some exciting racing!  The power and speed of the shifter kart makes the rain an even bigger challenge.  Eric took the lead at the start and pulled away for a comfortable (but wet) victory.

June 27, IKS Rotax

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Evan entered his first Rotax Senior event at NCMP.  Evan finished 2nd in the final.

June 6-7, KRA #5 and #6

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Eric maintains the KRA Stock Moto series points lead, but finished 3rd in both races.

May 10 KRA #4

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

The two class leaders form ICC/Stock Moto Light class switched over to Eric's class for Race #4.  Eric got a great start and took the early lead after qualifying 3rd.  Eric and Ron Peterson traded back and forth several times, and Eric finished 3rd.

May 9 KRA #3 (#2 was postponed for weather)

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Eric takes pole and wins KRA3 leading from start to finish.

May 1-3 WKA Man Cup at MRP

Evans first Manufacturer's Cup Race for the MKP team.  Practice day was a challenge, and we seemed to be step behind on Saturday. Evan qualified 16th, as he had problems with his jetting.  Evan was able to advance int he heat race and Saturday final for a 9th place finish.

Evan improved his qualifying time, but so did others, and he was again in 16th on the grid for Sunday.  Evan advanced quickly in the the heat race, and moved from 16th to P8 on lap 4, when another kart ramped his left side - for a DNF.  This caused Evan to start 26th for the final.  Evan moved through the field again, and advanced to 11th.  

April 25-26 GLPS #1

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Eric entered the Great Lakes Pro Series with his DDR powered Stock Moto Zanardi as part of the Sharing Success Racing Team.  Most of the field of 16 in his class were shifter kart veterans.  Eric qualified 4th on Saturday and advanced to 3rd in the the pre-final, but the axel gear failed in the final for a DNF in Race 1.

Sunday was a new race, and Eric improved his qualifying position to P3.  Unfortunately his shifter lever broke in the pre-final for a DNF.  Eric moved quickly to the front pack in the final and finished 3rd for Race 2.

April 18, GLSS #1

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Evan's first race of the season, and his first race for the MKP team was in South Bend at the Great Lakes Sprint Series WKA Regional.  There was a record turnout of over 250 entries!

Evan tested Friday and continued to adapt to his new Birel RY31 and Rotax engine package.  Evan qualified 4th, and finished 4th in the pre-final.  Although TJ Koyen was able to pull away from the field, Evan battled ahead and finished 2nd place in the TaG feature.

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

April 4, KRA #1

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Eric's first day and break-in of the new DDR Stock Moto Zanardi was the day before the first race.  Eric looked good in the kart, and continued to improve each test session.  In qualifying Eric went off track as he was passing a slower kart, but still came back to take pole in the last lap of qualifying.  In the race Eric took the lead at the green flag, and lead the race every lap!

April 3 First Practice Session

We completed the DDR powered Zanardi shifter kart, and Eric spent all day breaking-in, then testing the kart.

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Evan also had a chance to complete some testing with MKP in a Birel Rotax.

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Andy also ran some lap in the "Crystal Flash" Spec TaG.

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Evan goes for a session in his brother's new DDR powered Zanardi shifter.

Photo by Battmotorsports.com

Eric returns to our garage after his last session.