2019 Kawasaki Race of Champions Recap

Main Image: Scott Lukaitis

Scott Lukaitis was at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey for the 43rd annual Kawasaki Race of Champions. He provided Racer X with some of the highlights from the weekend.

For the full results from the event, view the whip contest results, the pit bike race results, Saturday's results, and Sunday's results.

The Kawasaki Race of Champions hosted a whip contest on Friday night over the infamous staircase and Jesse Pierce was the winner. Scott Lukaitis

KROC was the third whip contest win for Jesse in recent weeks as he also won at Baja Brawl and the Racer X Maine Event as well. Next stop for Pierce, Vegas for the Dirt Shark Whip contest at the Monster Energy Cup. Scott Lukaitis

Could Drew Adams be the next big Team Green star? If you ask Team Green's Doug Douchette, he thinks so, and so do many others. Scott Lukaitis
Only time will tell, but if his Kawasaki Race of Champions result is any indication, keep an eye on this young rider from Tennessee. Scott Lukaitis

Unofficially, the winningest racer in Raceway Park Motocross history, Barry Carsten, added to his total at KROC 2019. He won the overall in the 50+ Masters class but could not defeat his arch-rival John Crewe in the 40+ A and 45+ classes. Scott Lukaitis

Team Green's John Grewe came from Michigan to take home some Kawasaki Race of Champions greenbacks. He went back to Michigan with the top honors in the 40+ A and 45+ Senior classes. He was also fourth overall in the 30+ A class. Scott Lukaitis

The stands were pack all weekend long, and those that came out enjoyed some excellent racing action. Scott Lukaitis

Team Green racer Wristin Grigg was the top Amateur class racer at the Kawasaki Race of Champions. Grigg won the overall in both the 250 B and Open B classes. Scott Lukaitis

Travis Randanella was the top Novice class racer at the Kawasaki Race of Champions. Randanella won the 250 C and Open C classes. Scott Lukaitis

Orion Gregory won the Schoolboy 2 class at the Kawasaki Race of Champions. Scott Lukaitis
However, his real highlight of the event must have been his Ironman Classic victory on Sunday. With that win, Gregory took home a new Kawasaki KX250 courtesy of local dealership, The Motorcycle Mall. Scott Lukaitis
This year marked the 43rd annual Kawasaki Race of Champions, and events like this would not be possible without a great group of sponsors helping to put it on. Scott Lukaitis
Thank you to all that support racing in New Jersey and for supporting the Race of Champions. Scott Lukaitis

Bryce Shelly was on the gas at the Kawasaki Race of Champions. He won the 125/Open 2-Stroke and Supermini classes. Look for big things from Shelly in the not-to-distant future. Scott Lukaitis

Canyon Richards has a great weekend at the Kawasaki Race of Champions. He won the 65cc 7-9 and 65cc 10-11 classes as well as the Kesseler Cup during Sunday's intermission racing. Scott Lukaitis
Many will remember that Blake Baggett is a former Kessler Cup winner, and it looks like Richards is following that path to success. Scott Lukaitis

Some of the best racing of the weekend came out of the 50cc classes. Travis Schneider (582) was able to take the win in the 50cc 7-8 Stock class with his rivals Wayne Powers Jr. in second and Travis Johnsmeyer (100) finishing third. Johnsmeyer won the 50cc Open 4-8 class with Schneider in second and Powers in third. The future of racing is in good hands with these rippers. Scott Lukaitis

Travis Schneider won the Fast Fifties class on Sunday, and with his holeshot, he earned an extra $200 from New Jersey business Eglentowicz Demolition. It is companies like Eglentowicz Demolition that keep local racing alive by supporting events, series, and racers. In 2019, they added money to the pro purse each weekend during the season and provided holeshot awards to each moto in KROC Sunday's racing schedule. Thank you, Jerry Eglentowicz and Eglentowicz Demolition. Scott Lukaitis

Cory Carsten was second overall in 450 A and eighth overall in 250 A class racing on Sunday. Scott Lukaitis

Bobby Piazza was the 450 A class overall winner with consistent 2-2 moto finishes. Scott Lukaitis

Jacob Runkles had a good day at the Kawasaki Race of Champions. He finished third overall in the 450 A class and fifth overall in the 250 A class. Scott Lukaitis

Marshal Weltin was second overall in the 250 A class on Sunday. He won the first 450 A moto as well and was leading the second when he has a mechanical issue and forced to retire from the moto. Scott Lukaitis

Coty Schock won three out of four motos at the Kawasaki Race of Champions. If not for a DNF in the first 450 A moto, it might have been a perfect race for Schock. He did end up with the 250 A class overall with his 1-1 scores. Scott Lukaitis

Blasting off the gate at Raceway Park. Scott Lukaitis

You must visualize the holeshot. Scott Lukaitis

Redux: 2019 Kawasaki Race of Champions Recap