‘He was with me’: Scott’s pass on backstretch leads to victory in race honoring his late grandfather

QUINCY — This one’s for Grandpa.

On the final lap of Sunday’s Bob Scott Memorial Pro Briggs championship race at the Quincy Grand Prix of Karting, Riley Scott found himself in the middle of a six-kart battle for the win.

“I was ready to go, but something was telling me I needed to be patient,” Scott said.

Maybe that was not something, but someone. In the race named after his late grandfather, who passed away in February, Riley Scott channeled that patience — and maybe some extra speed — to pass Matt Krechel on the South Park course’s backstretch. Scott held on through the final turn and crossed the finish line with his right arm raised high enough in the air for Grandpa Bob to see.

“He was with me,” Riley Scott said. “I’ve never driven a kart that fast.”

Scott got some help from his competitors, as well, to make that victory happen.

“I can’t thank Hunter (Bolton) and (Allen) Borntreger enough for shoving the absolute crap out of me,” Scott said. “We were three-wide on the backstretch, and Hunter chose me. There’s no way I can make that up to him.”

That victory was the third of Scott’s four on the day. He followed up his Pro Briggs championship with another last-lap pass for the win in the Ignite Senior class.

“That one goes out to Matt Krechel,” Scott said. “I went for the pass and he could have totally passed me, but he shoved me to the line. I cannot thank him enough.”

Prior to his Pro Briggs and Ignite Senior victories, Scott won the Briggs Heavy and Pro FK100 championship races, the latter of which has given Scott fits in the past.

“That’s been the one that’s haunted me,” Scott said. “I think I’ve gotten second every year. We finally switched chassis this year and found a ton of speed in it, so this means a lot.”

The Briggs Heavy class — and the kart with which he races in it — has been much kinder to Scott.

“We pretty much have dedicated karts for every class we run, and I fell in love with that one ever since I started running it back in 2021,” Scott said. “I have three wins in that one alone just here. That kart is my baby. I love driving it. I don’t care where I finish. It’s just always a blast.”

Scott also has a blast racing in his hometown.

“I love this event so much,” Scott said. “It’s the biggest event in my racing career. Every time I get the opportunity to run here, it’s bucket list no matter how many times I run it.”

This time around, Riley Scott had his grandfather as his drafting partner.

“I’m glad I could do it for him,” Riley Scott said.