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| October 26, 2009 |
| WSK International Series - Lonato Preview |
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 | Sauro Cesetti, current Super KF leader
(Photo: Press.net Images) |
It has been a long season. Every driver’s performance, in his symbiosis with the engine, chassis and tyres, has been seriously challenged for a clear reason: at the WSK, everybody must learn to be a complete karting driver. In Lonato we are going to complete this 2009 season, number 4 since the beginning of WSK International Series. In Italy, the 7th and ultimate round will crown the Super KF Champion, not yet found to join the Gold Book.
The South Garda Karting, one of the historical circuits of the world of karting, is based in Lonato del Garda, in the provincie of Brescia. The Municipality of Lonato, who has today over 15.000 people, belonged to the Republic of Venice, in XVI Century. Then Lonato passed to Austria and finally, in 1859, was annexed to the Italian Kingdom.
The outcome in the chase for the title in the Top Class will stay still unpredictable in Lonato, with Sauro Cesetti (Birel/Parilla/Bridgestone) in the lead since the early season. The driver from Ascoli, Italy, managed to hold out against difficult times, achieving useful results like a fourth place in Zuera. However, Frenchman Arnaud Kozlinski (CRG/Maxter/Bridgestone) has progressed ever more in the latter part of the season and now is favourably placed for the conclusive round in Lonato. The 15 points gap between the two drivers is narrowing in consideration of the discard round: 15 points for Cesetti and 12 for Kozlinski, representing their worst score before the Final on South Garda. An opponent to be feared is French Brandon Maisano (LH/Maxter/Bridgestone) that passing his debut with flying colours ranks among the top drivers, thanks to the resounding win in the previous race in Zuera (E). Owing to a larger gap, Maisano will have a more difficult task, but calculations don’t cut him off from the title yet. For the same reason, the championship scoreboard shows both Czech Libor Toman (Birel/Parilla/Bridgestone), English Gary Catt (Tony Kart/Vortex/Bridgestone) and Finnish Aaro Vainio (Maranello/Maxter/Bridgestone) still involved in the chase, at their last chance to win WSK title.
 | Chris Wehrheim will make his WSK debut in the KF2 division at the series finale
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
The round in Lonato will end a season revolving around the pair Matteo Viganò (Birel/Parilla/Bridgestone) and Ben Cooper (Tony Kart/Vortex/Bridgestone) in which the English guy from Gravesend gained the WSK title in KZ2. His rival of Bergamo had been the ranking leader in the early season until Swedish Mans Grenhagen (Energy/TM/Bridgestone) emerged victorious in the round in Castelletto. From that moment on, Viganò entered a phase lacking in results, although MGM driver has proved to be able to perform at the top. Cooper was the first to seize the opportunity to take the lead with a perfect win in Genk. Swedish Joel Johansson, Grenhagen’s teammate, did the same straight afterwards, scoring a string of wins both in Salbris and in the Prefinal in Zuera. In Spain, Cooper instead was clever at achieving the results assuring him to win KF2 title beforehand. Chris Lock, second in the Spanish race, now aims at overtaking Johansson, so as to give in Lonato to his Tony kart Junior team a double win in the championship.
Making his WSK debut will be Georgia’s Chris Wehrheim. The runner-up in the Championship International Karting series KF2 championship will travel across the pond to Lonato - a track he has previously tested and raced on earlier in his career. Wehrheim will compete under the factory Comer S.P.A. tent aboard a Top Kart/Parilla/Bridgestone package.
In the unpredictable KF3 match, Dutch Nick De Vries (Zanardi/Parilla/Dunlop) gained the first lead in Muro Leccese (I). At the following meeting in Sarno (I), Russian Daniil Kvyat launched a successful attack, first on a Tony Kart/Vortex, with team Morsicani and then on an Intrepid/TM by Junior Team. Halfway through the year, Dutch Peter Hoevenaars (Zanardi/Maxter/Dunlop) emerged victorious in Genk. At least, with a double hit in Salbris (F) and Zuera (E), De Vries claimed the title. In Lonato the second place is still to be assigned between Kvyat and Spanish Carlos Sainz (Tony Kart/Vortex/Dunlop) who was always in the first three places during the season.
Californian Gustavo Menezes will finish out his second season competing at the WSK program. Certainly a much-improved year compared to last, the Tony Kart Junior Racing Team driver currently sits 15th in the championship standings with a possibility to break into the top-10 with a solid finale performance. Joining Menezes will be Canadian Remo Ruscitti. The Italian Motors driver will be making his European debut at Lonato as he and the Italian Motors squad will make the journey from Vancouver, British Columbia to central Italy.
EKN will post updates on the progress of the three North Americans in the forums. |
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