SNRA Ends 2023 “Rolling Thunder” Racing Season

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

The Southern Nevada Racing Association (SNRA) held its final event of the “Rolling Thunder” spring season on Saturday, March 18 at the Clark County Fairgrounds. Nearly a dozen racers, of various ages, came out to compete in minicarts of various sizes and colors.

In addition to local racers, there were also competitors coming from Mesquite, Las Vegas, Pahrump, and even one from Washington state to circle the local track.

Three classes were racing in Saturday’s event. The quarter-midget vehicles had two divisions: a red plate division and a faster blue plate division. There was also a very competitive Flat Cart division for older and/or larger racers.

Young Dylan Mancini, 6, came out from Las Vegas to race in the blue plate division. He came with his parents Mike and Michelle Mancini.

Dylan is in his second year racing and he already takes to the track like a pro. He enjoys frequent racing weekends all throughout the region. In addition to Logandale, he has raced in Tucson, Arizona and Irwindale, California.

Dylan was racing a zippy little blue and green junior Honda. The carts in this class are able to circle the track at top speeds of around 30-35 mph. Despite stiff competition on the track, Dylan could hold his own.
“I like to race because it’s fun,” Dylan said. “And I like to go fast!”

Dylan took second place in his division during the morning race on Saturday. Then he went on to take first place in the afternoon race.

Also from Las Vegas was 11-year-old Robert Featherstone. Fetherstone has been racing for 2 years now and also races in the blue plate division. He had his dad with him at the races, also named Robert. Dad had come from his home in Los Angeles to watch him race.

“The good thing about racing is making friends,” young Featherstone said. “There are a lot of good people here. Plus, I just love to be in my car.”

Featherstone took first place in the morning race and third place in the afternoon race. But by the end of the day, he had scored enough season points to put him on the top of his division.

The “Rolling Thunder Spring Season points and standings from last weekend’s final races were as follows:

Red Restrictor Quarter-midget 120
1. Isabella Haskell – 518
2. Lincoln Bagstad – 503
3. Samantha Haskell – 477
4. Harper Bagstad – 74
5. Hunter Layne – 66

Blue Restrictor Quarter-midget 120
1. Robert Featherstone – 511
2. Justin Carney – 425
3. Dylan Mancini – 360
4. Bruno Gonzales – 203
5. Dylan Layne – 67

Mini Dwarf Sr.
1. Justin Carney – 288
2. Bruno Gonzales – 144

Mini Dwarf Jr.
1. Isabella Haskell – 76