Shock Tech/Kernz Racing’s Dylan Parsons Scores Second in 1600 Single Buggy at Championship Off-Road Rounds 1 and 2

Pro-Am Driver Colin Kernz Earns Top Five Finishes at Antigo Lions Roaring Raceway

MANITOWOC, Wis. – Shock Tech/Kernz Racing had a great opening weekend of Championship Off-Road in Antigo, Wisconsin. Dylan Parsons scored second in 1600 Single Buggy for both days of the double-header event. Additionally, he earned 17th in Pro Stock Side-by-Side at Round 1, and upped his performance at Round 2 the next day to take ninth. Teammate Colin Kernz captured fourth in Pro-Am Side-by-Side on Saturday at Antigo Lions Roaring Raceway, and seized second on Sunday.

Round 1: Saturday

1600 Single Buggy
Parsons set out to prove that he could defend his title in the 1600 Single Buggy class, leading more than half of the race despite sloppy track conditions. He started from sixth and swiftly made the pass into the lead by the second turn. Determined to leave his competitors behind, he pulled a gap that he held until the middle of the race. After a caution, Parsons battled with a competitor who eventually got around. He tried to regain the position, but had to settle for runner-up at the line.

“I made the pass for lead in the second corner and led by considerable margin until the halfway point,” said Parsons. “We missed our set up on gearing and a faster car got by after the halfway caution. It was nice getting out front in clean air, but the track was way over-watered and muddy.”

Pro-Stock Side-by-Side
Parsons set himself up well for Pro Stock Side-by-Side, qualifying 10th on Friday. However, the next day’s race seemed more like a mud bog than a short course after the track was heavily watered. Parsons hung around the 10th place spot for most of the race, before a competitor drove through his front wheel and broke a tie rod with just a couple laps to go. It prematurely ended his day, resulting in a 17th place finish.

Pro-Am
Friday started off well for Kernz, putting in good lap times in practice on a track that was in good shape. On Saturday, he was given an 18th randomized computer draw and would have to push hard in his Yamaha YXZ to make it to the front of the field of riders. Running 10th near the middle of the race, he began to really find his flow. Kernz excelled in the rhythm section of the track, eventually making a three-car pass with a few laps to go, and propelled himself into fourth. From there, he tried to put himself into a podium position, but wasn’t able to make it happen in the last few laps. He ultimately took the checkered flag in fourth.

“On Saturday, I had an 18th random randomize computer draw,” said Colin Kernz. “So, I knew I would have my work cut out for me to make it up front. After feeling out the track for two laps, I finally started to put my head down and make a charge for the front. After a couple laps and a couple cautions, I found my strength in the rhythm section of the track. I made a three-car pass in the whoop section and put myself in fourth place. Looking ahead, I could see the third-place car and tried to make a charge but ran out of time.”

Round 2: Sunday

1600 Single Buggy
For Round 2, Parsons made some adjustments to his machine based off of the prior day’s course and result. He opted to make the gear ratio taller in the transmission. After the points leader drew a four for the invert, Parsons was slotted into third for the start. He quickly moved into second before a bump from a competitor shuffled him back into third. Not giving up, Parsons regained the runner-up position but encountered clutch issues, which lost him time on the leader. However, he was still able to secure the second step of the podium when the checkered flag waived.

“In the first hairpin, the lead car over-rotated and caused me to get bumped back to third,” said Parsons. “After a few laps, I found myself in second behind Fitzgerald again. I had the speed to stay with him, but my clutch pedal went away toward the end of the race and I missed a few shifts.”

Pro-Stock Side-by-Side
Prepping the side-by-side for Sunday’s race was a chore, with the team putting in nearly four hours of wash time. After the machine was prepped, Parsons lined up near the back of a 20-car field. Parsons accepted the challenge and took advantage of a pile-up that he avoided but trapped many of his competitors. He powered his Shock Tech/Kernz Racing UTV into the top seven. After a restart, he was pushed back into ninth – the position he eventually crossed the finish line in.

“We made our way into the top seven after many cars crashed in the nasty whoops section,” Parsons said. “With a caution and green white checker restart, the car ahead of me over-rotated and made me lose two spots.”

Pro-Am
Wisconsin-native Kernz was gifted a front line start on pole for Round 2 after the previous day’s winner drew an invert of four. After the green flag flew, he soon entered into a several-lap fight with a competitor to maintain the lead. Able to hold off his challenger for most of the race, he was eventually overtaken and took the checkers in the runner-up spot.

“Another car and myself battled for the first half of the race, going back-and-forth, pulling away from the rest of the field,” Kernz said. “After the midway caution, the rest of the field definitely picked up the pace. I knew I was slower around a few corners, which I tried to push through. Unfortunately, I got passed and had to settle for a second.”

Looking Forward

After taking second in 1600 Single Buggy at the first two rounds, Parsons is focused on getting wins at Rounds 3 and 4. He also is keeping a positive mindset about Pro Stock Side-by-Side, hoping to make it into the top five.

“My goal for Crandon is to win or at least finish ahead of John Fitzgerald, who is 5 points ahead of me now, in 1600 Single Buggy,” Parsons said. “For Pro-Stock Side-by-Side, I want to keep making my way up to the top five and compete with the best of the best in the country, including a few guys with factory backing from Yamaha and Polaris.”

Kernz, in his first year of racing Pro-Am Side-by-Side, will be hoping to add another two podium finishes to his results at the upcoming rounds.

“I’m happy with how the weekend went and to be leaving Antigo sitting second in points,” Kernz said. “I have a couple mechanical things I need to work on before next round, but we will definitely be coming into Crandon with a better car than we had at Antigo. And, of course, will be looking for a win.”

Five weekends of racing remain. The next race takes place June 25-26 at Crandon International Raceway in Crandon, Wisconsin. Watch the action of the 12-round series at floracing.com.

Standings (After Round 2)