Reviving Dirt Kart Racing in Southern California

The So Cal Dirt Karters Club (SCDK) is a non-profit club that promotes kart racing as a safe, fun, and competitive motorsport in the Southern California area. Our club strives to promote top quality, professionally managed events.  Classes are run under uniform rules that are impartially enforced, providing fair competition and safety for all those involved. We adhere to high standards in our efforts to provide the most competitive racing program possible for everyone. We believe in a family oriented and friendly environment to make our events enjoyable for all who participate. 

Start your engines, the 2026 Winter Co-Series is here! Heritage Imperial Dirt Karts & SoCal Dirt Karters are teaming up for an action-packed winter of racing! Check out the race schedule and get ready to hit the track.  

SoCal Dirt Karters Race 9 – November 8, 2025 – Perris Raceway Flat Track

It was perfect weather and near-ideal track conditions to close out the 2025 SoCal Dirt Karters Championship Series at Perris Raceway on Saturday night, November 8th. The final round of the year brought smooth racing, multiple classes, and a sense of celebration as racers wrapped up another great season of dirt kart action under the lights.

Mini Dwarfs

The youngest drivers kicked off the night in style, with Levi Pitt-McQueen cruising to victory in the Mini Dwarf main. Levi showed impressive poise and speed over 20 laps, turning a best lap of 16.719 seconds on his way to the win. Ryder Pitt-McQueen was unable to make the start this time but will no doubt be back to challenge in 2026. The Mini Dwarf class continues to grow and sets the tone for a strong youth presence heading into the new year.

Open Class

The Open Class field was quick and competitive all evening, with Joe Gibb storming to the top spot in commanding fashion. Gibb’s best lap of 13.182 seconds stood as the fastest of the race, earning him a 1.7-second margin of victory over Jeremy Drew, who stayed close throughout the 20-lap feature. Sam Gentry rounded out the podium after a solid run, while James Randolph showed early pace before retiring on lap 15.

250cc Outlaw

The 250cc Outlaw division lived up to its reputation for high-speed fireworks. Jacob Chutuk led from the green to the checkers, setting the race’s quickest lap at 12.649 seconds and pulling out a convincing win by more than four seconds. Andrew Martin crossed second with a smooth, consistent drive, and George Wolf was third on track, but first in the 2 Stroke division. Brent Horstman and Alan Phillips were forced to retire early, while Marty Wolfe missed the start after mechanical issues in staging.

Small Bore Open

In Small Bore Open, Rodney Argo returned to victory lane with a flawless drive. Argo’s sharp lines and consistent laps gave him a slim edge over Duane Lawson, who chased hard to finish just over a second behind. Adam Jones took third after a spirited battle up front, while Michelle Munoz and Kevin Martin rounded out the field after tough luck late in the race. Argo’s best lap of 13.200 seconds was the class benchmark.

KT-100

The KT-100 class brought out one of the largest grids of the night and didn’t disappoint. Joe Gibb made it a perfect double, adding a KT-100 win to his earlier Open Class triumph. Art Laski charged back from a mid-race spin, then got  within striking distance with a late-race caution, and finishing just over a second behind. Sam Gentry continued his consistent form with another podium in third, followed by Karl Yokes and Rodney Argo. Scott Bassett and Nick Argo both retired early, while Charles Beck was unable to take the start. Gibb’s best lap of 13.743 seconds secured both victory and bragging rights to end the season.

SoCal Mowers

Capping off the night — and the year — the SoCal Mowers put on another entertaining show. Luke Papps took the win in a nail-biter, edging out Gary Papps by just 0.501 seconds in a family 1-2 finish. Brandon Hubbard claimed third, followed by Garrett Stearns and Brad Barnett in the top five. Tyler Barnett and Britt Griffith had early exits, while Jarrod Groff and Kenny Pfitzer did not start. The Mowers once again brought plenty of laughter and side-by-side thrills to close out the 2025 campaign.

Season Wrap-Up

With the 2025 season officially in the books, SoCal Dirt Karters would like to thank all the racers, families, sponsors, and fans who made this year another success. The racing was competitive, the camaraderie strong, and the spirit of grassroots karting alive and well. Schedules are already out for the 2026 SoCal Championship Series and the Winter Series with Imperial Valley Karters, so stay tuned!

For info on joining the fun or trying an Arrive & Drive, visit socaldirtkarters.com, message SoCal Dirt Karters on Facebook, or contact a Board Member directly:

* Don Morbitzer – dsmorbitzer@gmail.com

* Matt Drottz – mattdrottz87@gmail.com

* Art Laski – artlaski@earthlink.net

 Please make sure you have clean tanks, and are using the spec fuel for KT100 which is from either the Chevron station right off the 15 and 74 or 215 and 74. Utilizing Burris Castor or Blend 16:1 ratio. If you are running box stock open, please no exotic nitro etc, we will be checking. We handed out rule books last race they also will be available at the track, or online. Make sure all lead weights are painted white and have your kart number on them. For KT100 engines need to be painted by tech before heat races, you must bring your engine to tech to replace any painted items. Those items will be held thru post tech inspections. 1 driver 1 pit mechanic in post tech. Any questions please bring up in the club meeting. 

So Cal Dirt Karters is implementing a pre-race safety tech on all karts, starting this Saturday, 3/29.  Once you get unloaded, roll your kart(s), along with safety equipment down through the grid area and our resident safety monitor, Gary Long will check for the basics.

Karts that don’t pass safety tech due to slight infractions will get a “fix it” ticket for our next race.

Egregious safety issues (no chain guards, lead weight held by zip-ties), will need to be an immediate fix.

You can refer to the checklist below for an idea of what will be looked over.

It’s important that everyone complies to safety measures in order to keep racers and fans safe so we can continue growing events at Perris Flat Track

Per the insurance restrictions at the Perris Raceway, all MOTORIZED vehicle riders in the pits MUST wear a helmet. This includes quad, motorcycle and mini-bike riders. This is a strict requirement of Perris Flat Track. Please do not violate this mandate and jeopardize our future at this facility.

Also, all long-hair racers need to secure their hair per the rule book in section 4.6.5:

" If hair extends appreciably from beneath helmet, the competitor must wear a balaclava to retain hair from extending outside helmet. No hair is allowed to be visible when the driver is “race ready”. 

No exceptions!