photo by RPM 360
Story by Chris Roy
Driver of the #34 Christian Hanscom of Benton, ME., is gearing up for the 2016 race season in the Senior Sportsman Class at Richmond Karting Speedway. “My body is out getting lettered as we speak, just a couple of finishing touches and I will be ready to go. 2016 I will be racing in Richmond I am not sure if we will race every race but we may try dirt track and a couple of out –of-state tracks. My hope is to get a teen car to race in Bangor or maybe Unity (if they open)at the end of the season. My parents say I need to keep my grades up.”
Last season Christian raced the #34 and won with his broken arm in a cast. “Oh ya I remember that day, I had just got the cast on the day before and unsure how I would feel. My dad made the steering wheel wider in one spot so I didn’t have to grip it so hard and it worked out great. My mom said I should race like that more often, kidding of course.”
A close point’s battle last season on the Sportsman Series, Christian finished in second by just 1 point. “Yes last season was a close one and I am reminded of that last race where I gave the win to Conner. I never run the Chicken line but I tried and when I did went in to fast and pushed up the track which allowed my competitor to get by. I had it won but messed up. I have learned and will not do it again unless I am coming out of the final turn. For the most part we had a lot of fun last year and I won 6 or 7 races but we learned a lot set-up wise.”
Richmond Karting Speedway is one of the premier kart racing tracks here in Maine. “I like going and spending time with the other kids, it’s a family atmosphere.”
The Legends and Bandolero race cars race the road course as NHMS and the Indy cars are racing through the streets of Boston so what if RKS had a road course race through down town Richmond? “HAHA that sounds like fun. Why not I have had the opportunity to race at several different tracks. Louden NH (which was my first time and won). We went to Nationals in NY with Wyatt Alexander Race Team in 2012 and met Kevin Smith (who we have are motors from). I raced two different classes, I was top qualifier and both classes and won one class and got passed last turn to finish second (My kart was fast that weekend) I have been to Route 106 and another track in NH and finished outside of the top three. They have all been good experiences and in hopes to get to a couple of big races this year.”
Christian has taken the checkered flag a number of time, so what is the key to getting around RKS and getting the kart into victory lane? “The key is staying focused and having that drive every week to win. My dad always says “I can only work on the kart so much and getting it ready for you, you are the drive so you will have to drive it, I can’t drive it for you”. Passing at the right time and getting to the front is always important. You win some and loose some but at the end of the day if you learn something from the race, that is all that counts. Of course everyone wants to win.”
photo by RPM 360
There is a number of feature races at some of the tracks here in Maine, like the Long John at Unity Raceway or the Oxford 250 at OPS. So what about a 100 lap feature race including pit stops at RKS? “Josh Bath and I did over 100 laps when we raced to see who went the most laps before running out of gas that was a fun day. We have done it once why not again, haha. It is a lot of your motor and body though.”
Christian and the race team would like to thank their sponsors – Ron Smith’s Carpentry, KB Auto, Gene’s Auto.
A special thanks to my dad who works very hard every race and so far this year to get the karts looking good and ready to go for the first race. This year he has two to take care of my brother Trenton will be racing throughout the year but not every race probably. He is excited! I will get to help him which I can’t wait to do.