Reviving Dirt Kart Racing in Southern California

SoCal Championship Series Race 1

Perris Raceway Flat Track – April 11, 2026

The 2026 SoCal Dirt Karters Championship Series opened Saturday night at Perris Raceway Flat Track with strong competition across five divisions as drivers began a nine-race championship run stretching from April 11 through October 24. Early momentum matters in a series this compact, and several drivers wasted no time making statements in Round One.

RLV Jr. Clone / Jr. Stock

The junior class delivered the closest finish of the night and immediately set the tone for what could become one of the season’s most competitive championship battles.

Parker Drottz edged Aiden Gout by just 0.181 seconds after a hard-fought 20-lap feature, holding off pressure to secure the opening victory of the season. Auston Yates completed the podium with a steady drive in third.

Seth Guckeen finished fourth, while Brody Guckeen completed the field after running 17 laps in the opener.

If this finish is any indication, the junior title chase could stay tight all the way to October.

Top 3

1. Parker Drottz
2. Aiden Gout
3. Auston Yates

YOA / Burris Racing KT100

The KT100 division opened the championship with one of the night’s most competitive feature races, as the top four drivers finished within roughly a second and a half.

JJ Ercse backed up a dominant performance in the heat races, where he swept both preliminaries to earn the pole, with a strong main event victory. The win carries added significance, as Ercse will make just one more appearance in the Duane Lawson-owned kart on April 25 before relocating to Idaho. After that, Mike Callahan is expected to take over the seat.

Gary Long set the fastest lap of the race while finishing second, followed closely by Sam Gentry in third. Scott Bassett remained in the hunt throughout the feature and finished fourth ahead of Art Laski, who stayed within striking distance of the lead group.

With Ercse’s departure approaching, the championship picture in KT100 may shift quickly after the next round.

Top 3

1. JJ Ercse
2. Gary Long
3. Sam Gentry

Electro Tech / San Diego Small Engine Small Bore Open

The Small Bore Open class belonged to Rodney Argo, who delivered one of the most commanding drives of the night. Argo not only won convincingly but lapped nearly the entire field except second place, underscoring the pace advantage he carried throughout the feature.

Adam Jones secured second place and continues progressing toward a new challenge. He is currently finishing construction of an Outlaw kart and is expected to join that class soon.

Jeff Baker completed the podium, followed by Scott Rogers in fourth.

The night also marked a milestone moment for Charles Bragg, who made his first dirt kart start in the event—an important step into the SCDK program and another sign of continued class growth.

Top 3

1. Rodney Argo
2. Adam Jones
3. Jeff Baker

A&M Pumps Outlaws

The Outlaw division once again delivered the fastest laps of the night, and Cash Culp opened the championship season with a strong victory in the 20-lap main event. Culp not only took the win by just over five seconds, but also set the fastest lap of the race.

Jacob Chutuk finished second, with Parker Drottz close behind in third after all three drivers completed the full 20-lap distance. Jason Bishop and Alan Phillips finished in fourth and fifth, respectively.

With Adam Jones preparing to enter the class later this season, the Outlaw field may become even deeper as the championship unfolds.

Top 3

1. Cash Culp
2. Jacob Chutuk
3. Parker Drottz

SoCal Mowers

The mower class featured a close fight at the front between familiar contenders. Luke Papps claimed the victory after holding off Brandon Hubbard across the 16-lap feature, while Garry Papps recorded the fastest lap of the race on his way to third.

Greg Barnett and Jarrod Groff rounded out the top five in another competitive showing for the division.

Top 3

1. Luke Papps
2. Brandon Hubbard
3. Garry Papps

Championship Season Underway

With Race 1 of 9 complete, several early themes are already emerging:

• Parker Drottz opens the junior title chase with momentum
• Rodney Argo establishes himself as the Small Bore driver to beat
• JJ Ercse caps a clean sweep weekend before his upcoming departure
• The Outlaw class may grow deeper as the season progresses

If the opener is any indication, the 2026 SoCal Championship Series is shaping up to deliver tight racing and evolving championship battles all the way through the October finale.

SCDK – Imperial Winter Co-Series Race 6 Recap

March 28, 2026 – Perris Raceway Flat Track

The SoCal Dirt Karters–Imperial Dirt Karts Winter Co-Series wrapped up Saturday night at Perris Raceway with a strong turnout across multiple divisions and a season finale that delivered close racing, late passes, and final championship decisions in several classes.

KT-100: Laski Wins Thriller, Bassett Claims Championship

The KT-100 division entered Race 6 with the championship still mathematically open, but Scott Bassett controlled his own destiny and needed only a finish to secure the title. By taking the green flag and completing the feature, Bassett officially locked up the Winter Co-Series championship.

Up front, the race itself came down to the closing laps.

Art Laski led the field to the checkered flag after a hard-fought 20-lap feature that stayed tight among the lead group throughout. Charles “Chuck” Beck made a decisive move on lap 19 to take second place and finished just 0.538 seconds behind the winner, with Sam Gentry close behind in third. Bassett crossed the line fourth after turning the fastest lap of the race.

With the win, Laski closed the season on a high note, while Bassett’s consistent performances across the series secured the overall title.

4-Stroke Open / Super Stock: Argo Finishes Strong to Seal Championship

Rodney Argo capped off the winter season with another feature victory in the combined 4-stroke divisions, pulling away late to secure a comfortable margin at the finish.

The win also finalized the 4-Stroke Open championship, completing a late-season surge that carried Argo past JJ Ercse in the standings. Ercse finished second in the feature, while Duane Lawson continued his steady run of results that helped secure the 4-Stroke Super Stock championship.

Brody Moler finished third overall in the mixed-class feature and also wrapped up third in the 100cc Two-Stroke Gentlemen’s Cup standings, while Blake Reed’s earlier season consistency secured that class championship despite Moler’s strong finale performance.

Junior Stock / Cadets: Drottz Wins Feature as Smail Secures Title

Parker Drottz led the combined Junior Stock/Cadets feature from the start and drove a clean race to victory in the main event.

Behind him, Paul Smail’s steady performance helped finalize his Cadets championship, capping the most consistent season in the class. Seth Guckeen delivered one of the standout drives of the night by finishing third overallin the combined field while also competing as a Kid Kart entry.

Kid Karts: Gentry Gains Valuable Feature Experience

Waylon Gentry ran her Kid Kart feature separately to gain laps and experience in a controlled environment without traffic from other competitors, continuing her steady development in the class.

Meanwhile, Seth and Brody Guckeen competed within the combined Junior Stock/Cadets race group, with Seth’s third-place overall finish highlighting the pace he carried into the series finale. Over the full winter schedule, Seth Guckeen’s consistency secured the Kid Kart championship.

Outlaw Karts: Drottz Doubles Up

Parker Drottz returned to victory lane for the second time of the evening by capturing the Outlaw Kart feature. Alan Phillips followed in second after completing 19 laps in a steady run to the finish.

Winter Co-Series Championship – Top Three by Class

KT-100

1. Scott Bassett – 92
2. Art Laski – 83
3. Sam Gentry – 63

4-Stroke Open

1. Rodney Argo – 98
2. JJ Ercse – 93
3. Adam Jones – 79

4-Stroke Super Stock

1. Duane Lawson – 99
2. John Seaman – 49
3. George Morris – 40

100cc Two-Stroke (Gentlemen’s Cup)

1. Blake Reed – 76
2. Chad Reed – 68
3. Brody Moler – 55

Kid Karts

1. Seth Guckeen – 75
2. Rocky Anderson – 43
3. Kruz Row – 40

Cadets

1. Paul Smail – 83
2. Rocky Anderson – 33
3. Bradlie Moler – 27

Junior Stock

1. Aiden Gaut – 100
2. Auston Yates – 79
3. Harlee Edgmon – 18
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Full championship standings are available at socaldirtkarters.com/race-results.

Racers and Future Racers!

SoCal Dirt Karters Arrive and Drive program has been very well-received with many inquiries and new racers joining us for the last few events. We are on pause for the next race on October 11th, but reservations are now being taken for November, so reach out now if you have interest!

We will also be adding cadet kart (8 to 11 yrs) to our lineup of kid karts (5 to 7 yrs) and junior (12 to 15 yrs) to the Kids Arrive & Drive promotion.

We also have Senior karts for rent, so inquire now and get racing!

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!