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| February 20, 2009 News |
| EKN Awards 2008: Event of the Year - SKUSA SuperNationals XII |
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 | Event of the Year - SKUSA SuperNationals XII
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
New to the eKartingNews.com Awards in 2008 is the ‘Event of the Year’ category. Like the EKN Awards program itself, this new honor has been re-kindled from the pages of Super Kart Illustrated as in the past, the magazine’s staff would list their selections of the top-10 events of the previous year. Now positioned as part of the EKN Awards, the site’s viewers submitted their favorite events and the top-five were then awarded a nomination. After long discussions among the website’s staff, the National Guard SKUSA SuperNationals XII has earned the honor of being named the inaugural winner of the award.
Considered by many as the biggest race in the history of the sport, the ’08 edition of the SKUSA SuperNationals had the prestige, the venue, star power and an unrivaled entry list that elevated the event to a brand new level. The 12th edition of the race was highlighted by a return to the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and a total entry count of roughly 400 competitors in 10 classes. A number of international drivers, mostly entered in the SuperPro category, made the journey to Vegas and a few of them took home the spoils in their respective classes. The TaG Senior category reached 100 entries alone, while the battle in the S3 main event may go down in history as the best shifter kart race ever run. The event was capped off with a Sunday event AfterParty celebration atop the Rio in the hotel’s VooDoo Lounge, which overlooks the Vegas strip.
Returning to avenge his loss in the 2007 event due to a gear shift lever, Belgian star and CRG factory driver Jonathan Thonon made good on his promise to win the event and take home the big $10k check for the victory. Early on, the race was between World Champion Marco Ardigo and quick Frenchman Anthony Abbasse, as they were the leading contenders in the main event until contact took both out of contention. This paved the way for Thonon to run unchallenged to the checkered in front of Canadian Jordy Vorrath and two-time national champion Gary Carlton.
The TaG class was an eventful group throughout the four days of competition in the Rio’s Las Vegas parking and a number of contenders were vying for the win. IndyCar drivers Dan Wheldon and Buddy Rice were in the class, joined by Rolex Grand-Am driver Michael Valiante, all three returning to their roots to join a long list of present karting stars in the category. In the end, Italian Emanuele Pagani would run unchallenged to the victory ahead of defending winner Joel Miller and a charging Cory Pollock.
The headline Stock Moto class - S3 - also fielded a star-studded driver roster with NASCAR’s Jamie McMurray and Rolex Grand-Am pilot and karting author Memo Gidley joining a solid core of shifter kart pilots from across the country. They needed to step it up in running against the likes of Bonnier Moulton, Mike Beeny, Tyler Bennett, Steve Reasoner, Tommy Thompson and the young Brendan Phinny. As the laps wound down, drivers would fall out of the hunt, leaving McMurray and Phinny to duke it out one-on-one. When the checkered fell, the 14-year old Phinny took the win with McMurray crossing the line a humble but very impressive second.
When the teams began packing up on Sunday night under the Las Vegas lights, many throughout the paddock could no doubt feel they were part of history. The electric atmosphere of this race had not been felt in karting for some time and it sent many home preaching to those who had not attended the ’08 that they should not miss this year’s edition. For that, EKN encourages anyone who have never been to the SuperNats to make sure that you mark the race down on your to-do list in the near future, as EKN is proud to recognize the 2008 edition as the Event of the Year.
To discuss the EKN Awards 2008, please visit the Official Discussion Thread and also visit the Official Awards Page. |
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