Karter Beattie Wins Twice As KBR/SKE Continue To Show Strength Around The Nation

Photo courtesy of Eight1 Racewear

CONCORD, N.C. -- Winning races is nothing new for Karter Beattie, but there is more to watch these days than simply how many trophies the 15-year-old brings home.

Beattie put together another strong week behind the wheel, winning the 250cc National feature at Thunder Hill Speedway in Wisconsin before returning home and scoring an Open Outlaw victory during NC Kart Week at Millbridge Speedway.

It was another successful week for Karter, but also another glimpse at how much he continues to develop as a racer.

The speed has never really been the question. Karter recently became the first driver to reach 50 career victories at Millbridge, but he has been winning races in Outlaw Karts and other equipment for years, traveling across the nation to compete against the best of the best in national events, and learning how to lose as gracefully as you win. 

All of that is part of growing up in racing, and Karter has shown plenty of signs this season that he is doing just that.

Last weekend offered another example.

The KBR/SKE team traveled to Thunder Hill Speedway, located in Menomonie, Wisconsin, and Karter came away with the 250cc National feature victory.  He has had tremendous success over the years running in the Midwest, and it continues.  

Kylea "Speedy" Beattie gave the family another reason to celebrate when she won the AJC International Clone feature, sending the Beatties home from Wisconsin with two major victories. Kylea has also shown tremendous improvement throughout this season, and her own increasing off-track maturity and growth is a joy to watch.  

Then it was back to Millbridge for NC Kart Week.

Kylea opened the week Tuesday with a strong second-place finish in the Jr. Wing feature.

Karter finished fourth in the Open Outlaw main event, one spot ahead of SKE racer Payton Johnson in fifth. Trace Latour finished 11th in the Beginner Box Stock feature.

On Wednesday, "Katfish" did himself three spots better. 

He won the Open Outlaw feature, giving him his second victory in less than a week and continuing a late summer stretch that has seen him find his way back to victory lane on a much more regular basis.

There is something to be said for that, too.

One night you finish fourth. You work on what needs to be worked on, come back the next night and try again.

At 15, Karter is still learning. But the racer we are seeing now is becoming more experienced at dealing with the good nights, the bad ones, and everything in between.

And Wednesday was a very good night for more than just Karter.

Ten-year-old Cole Sculthorpe continued what has become an impressive late summer run by winning the SKE Intermediate feature again.

The Cambridge, England-born racer has become a regular visitor to the front of the field over the past several weeks, with multiple victories and podium finishes at Millbridge.

Kylea finished fourth in the Intermediate main event.

Trace Latour also turned in an outstanding run Wednesday, racing to a second-place finish in the Jr. Sprint feature.

New England racer Cole Robie joined the KBR/SKE group for NC Kart Week and finished ninth in the Winged Micro main event.

It made for a strong week all the way around.

Karter won in Wisconsin and North Carolina. Kylea won at Thunder Hill and finished second at Millbridge. Sculthorpe went back to victory lane again, while Latour added a runner-up finish of his own.

For Karter, the recent results are encouraging not simply because he is winning again, but because of everything that goes into doing it.

More tracks. More classes. More competition. More experience.

There are still going to be bad nights. There are still going to be races that get away. That is part of the education for any young driver who hopes to keep moving forward.

Karter, Kylea, and the entire KBR/SKE family of racers are learning those lessons while still having quite a bit of success along the way.

Millbridge Speedway is back in action Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday, Sept. 15, 16, and 19.

Come out and enjoy some of the most exciting racing action found anywhere in the Carolinas; stop by the KBR/SKE pit and ask how you or your young racer can rent an Outlaw Kart or Micro Sprint, and pick up some KBR merchandise.

DirtVision goes live when on-track action begins, at 6:15 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday and Wednesday and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.