Scott family claims three of top eight spots in Briggs Heavy class on Grand Prix’s opening day

QUINCY — Only a father can truly appreciate a day like Saturday.

Quincy’s Jeff Scott, son Riley and daughter Avery all finished among the top eight in the Briggs Heavy class of the Grand Prix of Karting on a sun-splashed Saturday afternoon at South Park.

“It’s awesome,” Jeff Scott said. “Being able to race with the kids is great, and while I’m trying to concentrate on myself and what I’m doing, I’m trying to watch them, too.”It really gets exciting when you’re bumper to bumper.”

For the record, Riley, 18, won that race and Avery, 20, was runner-up. Their dad was a respectable eighth in a 26-kart field.

“I was driving the (family’s) third kart,” kidded Jeff Scott. “Riley and Avery had the two fastest karts.”

The Briggs Heavy division was one of six classes that ran during the “Saturday Sprints”. Each of the six races was eight laps around the up-and-down 1.25-mile course. The Grand Prix concludes Sunday with 11 races of 12 laps each. Each of Sunday’s winners earns a Gussie trophy that bears the likeness of Grand Prix founder, the late Gus Traeder, who started the Grand Prix in 1970 and coordinated it through 2001 when it ceased operation during a downturn of interest in the sport. Gus Traeder died in 2016 at age 90. 

The Grand Prix was revived in 2018 by Gus Traeder’s son, Terry Traeder, a 27-time winner at the event. This weekend marks the 36th overall running of the Grand Prix and features 334 entries. There was no racing in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Riley Scott’s victory came when he emerged from a chaotic four-kart scramble on the last lap. 

“We hit bumpers and got a little squirrelly,” said Riley Scott, who credited all drivers involved with a large degree of professionalism in being able to avoid any major mishap. Riley Scott edged Cole Rodgers by .207 of a second for the top spot.

The top four finishers were separated by just .336 of a second. Third-place Avery Scott had the fastest lap (57.243 mph) of the race. Riley Scott, who has earned three Gussie trophies, will be racing in five events Sunday and has an opportunity to crack the all-time top 10 Grand Prix victory total. Three victories would give him a shot, four would almost guarantee it.

“That would be awesome,” Riley Scott said. “I think I have a good chance to win four of the five races.”

Avery Scott will be searching for her first Gussie trophy after a number of near misses in recent years. She has earned two Grand Prix podiums during her still-fledgling career.

“We race all over — in Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri, Florida and North Carolina, but this is the most important weekend of the year for us,” she said.

Saturday’s victories do not count in the event’s all-time win list, only the Sunday 12-lappers are recognized. That was too bad for Rick Fulks of Jacksonville, Ill., who won the Ignite Masters class by .098 of a second over Matt Krecher. If that victory had counted in his Grand Prix career total it would have been No. 6 and allowed him to enter into a tie for the No. 10 spot on the all-time log.

Other Saturday winners were Jeff Dolian of Plano, Texas, in Briggs Masters; Phillip Smith of Quincy in Shifter Open/Masters; Trevor Eggemeyer of Troy, Ill., in Margay Ignite; and Ethan Arndt of Dallas, Texas, in FK-100.

“I love this event so much and am looking forward to Sunday,” said.Eggemeyer, who edged Dolian for first place by a scant .091 of a second. “I lost the lead to Jeff early on the last lap, but was able to get back past him.”

The most convincing victory was put together by Smith, who not only turned in a best-of-the-day 69.580 mph lap but won his race by a whopping 16.4 seconds in front of an appreciative crowd.

“The fans are what makes the Grand Prix such an awesome event,” Smith said.