When the class leader made contact with an LO206 Light kart, and both spun off the track, Brady was right behind them. He drove around the mess, took the lead, and never looked back.
That’s how Hornet Nation Racing picked up the LO206 Senior Heavy class win at NJMP on Sunday. Not the fastest kart on track. Not even the fastest in our class. But the smartest race of the weekend.
A Weekend at NJMP Avenger
This past weekend was the Northeast Karting Challenge round at NJMP’s Avenger circuit on April 26, 2026.
Saturday was a grind. Cold, damp conditions, and the track had zero overall grip from the first session to the last. We spent the day chasing setup, working through air pressure changes to find something Brady could lean on.
By the final run, we’d pushed the air pressures too far. Time to regroup overnight.
Sunday Setup Changes That Stuck
Sunday morning, we made two key changes.
First, we narrowed the rear by 2 mm on each side. Then we went back to a staggered air pressure setup: 13 pounds in the rear, 12 pounds up front. Brady liked the feel in practice, so for the race we added another half pound of air all around.
The kart came alive. Brady ran his best laps of the weekend.
Bad Start, Smart Recovery
We started 4th overall and 1st in class.
Then the green flag dropped, and Brady got a bad launch. By the end of the first set of corners, he’d dropped to last.
Most drivers panic in that spot. Brady didn’t. He worked his way back through the overall order, picking off karts methodically, putting himself in position to capitalize when something opened up.
That something came when the LO206 Senior Heavy class leader had contact with a kart from the Light class. Both spun off, right in front of Brady. He drove through, took the class lead, and the race changed.
Defending Against the Points Champion
The reigning class points champion was closing in late in the race. He had pace, and he was coming.
But Brady had built enough of a cushion that the late charge never quite got there. He took the class win by nearly 2 seconds. A clean defense after a chaotic recovery.
This wasn’t a day where we had the fastest equipment on track. We didn’t. What we had was a driver who made the best of every situation the race threw at him.
What We’re Working On
After the race, Brady walked us through what he felt in the kart.
Turn-in was solid. The rear followed his inputs the way he wanted. But mid-corner, the kart lost rotation, and that hurt the exit off every corner. That’s the puzzle we’re solving before the next race.
Stuff to work on. That’s how we get faster.
Up Next
Next weekend we’re at Oreville Karting Club in Mertztown, PA. Different track, different conditions, same approach. Show up, make the changes, drive smart, take what the race gives us.
That’s how class wins happen.
