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| November 15, 2010 News |
| EKN Exclusive: SKUSA SuperNationals XIV Preview Series – S1 Pro Stock Moto |
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When the gates open the week of November 15 to the parking lot of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, the Superkarts! USA organization will be welcoming the largest contingent to compete at the famed SuperNationals. The SKUSA SuperNationals XIV is set to host a record-breaking 485 entries for 11 categories on a temporary circuit outside the famed Las Vegas facility. Drivers from all over North American and around the world will converge to ‘Sin City’ at a chance to claim a piece of SuperNats glory and place their name into the history books. eKartingNews.com has slated the remaining days leading up to the event for an in-depth look at the entry list and the major players in each of the categories. Started on Monday, November 8, EKN examined TaG Cadet, TaG Junior, S5, TaG Master, G1, S4 Master Stock Moto, S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto, KF2, TaG Senior and KZ2. The 11th and final class profile is the S1 Pro Stock Moto category that will complete the 14th running of the SKUSA SuperNationals on SuperSunday.
For complete coverage, visit the EKN Event Page.
S1 Pro Stock Moto
 | Fritz Leesmann enters Vegas leading the SKUSA Pro Tour standings in the S1 category
(Photo: Tony Leone - sixspeedphotos.com) |
Just before the sun ducks behind the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino on SuperSunday of the SKUSA SuperNationals XIV, the headline S1 Pro Stock Moto division will roll out onto the circuit to crown their champion for 2010. With the restructuring of the SKUSA class roster, based around the Stock Moto package for the shifterkarts, the S1 division is now back in the headline role for the first time since 2000 when former Formula One and current NASCAR driver Scott Speed took his first SuperNats victory. While 24 drivers will be vying for the victory, there will be more on the line for a select few as the SKUSA Pro Tour will come to fruition in Vegas.
Currently leading the PT standings is NorCal’s Fritz Leesmann (CRG). Three podium trips – including two victories in four rounds – have the Aluminos pilot in the driver’s seat for the inaugural title. 2010 has been the first season piloting a Stock Moto package as the 23-year old had been a standout in KZ2 action for the last few years. Competing in the SuperPro category last year, Leesmann was poised to finish as the top American before an engine failure put him on the sidelines in the penultimate lap. Running both S1 and KZ2, Leesmann will hope the extra track time will give him the edge and the $5,000 pay check for clinching the championship.
Chasing Leesmann will be Clinton Schoombee (DR) and Jason Toft (GP). All three drivers have battled since the first green flag back in April at Sonoma. Schoombee drove his Select Shifter Services entry to victory on day two while Toft stood on the podium in both races as well under the STA Racing banner. Both suffered bad results on day two which help Leesmann to hold a 283-point advantage over Schoombee with Toft 22-markers back of him. Schoombee crossed the line sixth in last year’s S3 Stock Moto feature for his best finish in three attempts while Toft was 10th in the order one year ago.
 | Two-time winner Tom Dyer returns, looking to defend his crown from last year
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Speaking of last year, the driver who took home the glory was another Californian Tom Dyer (GP). Driving to a near four-second victory in ’09, Dyer was the winner in his only other Stock Moto start (2007). The Aluminos driver coach will be busy under the large tent operation, but when he straps on the helmet it will be go time for win number three.
Others that have been successful at the SuperNats but not yet tasted the sweetness of victory. Tyler Bennett (Tony Kart) was on the podium the last two years, recording an amazing drive one year ago from nearly outside the top-10 to third. The 2009 EKN Rising Star is back with MSquared Karting and another successful year in the Utah Karting Championship program. His teammate Mike Beeny (Tony Kart) was the pole-sitter in 2008, coming away with fourth from what can be considered to be the best shifterkart race ever. The first Utah driver on the podium was Keenan Schmitke (CRG). His runner-up finish was the second trip in four years as he placed fifth in 2006. Schmitke will be one to watch as the event progresses. Another former podium finisher is Californian Tommy Thompson (CRG). A championship contender in the ProKart Challenge South program, Thompson will look to improve his best finish of fifth from the 2008 event after placing ninth last year.
Five notable drivers are making their first Stock Moto start at the SuperNationals but are not unfamiliar with success in big events. A winner in S1 in 2001, Alex Speed (GP) comes back to the same category that helped progressed his journey to stardom in shifterkart racing. While Speed has national titles, numerous big victories over his stellar career, the 24-year old has yet to win a headline category at the SuperNats. Like Leesmann, Speed will be in both KZ2 and S1, which could either help or kill his chances at victory. Another multi-time national champion will make his S1 debut in Vegas. Aussie driver David Sera is set to tackle the best in the States once again – this time competing in the S1 and the TaG Senior divisions. Driving the KZ2 category back home, the factory Arrow driver is sure to get accustom quickly to the Stock Moto package working under the KartSport North America squad.
 | Former SuperNats winner Alex Speed will make his first Stock Moto start
(Photo: Tony Leone - sixspeedphotos.com) |
Brett ‘The Jet’ Buckwalter (Italkart) is no stranger to the SuperNats and shifterkarts. A former shifterkart standout early on in his career (K1 winner in 1999 event), Buckwalter found success in the TaG division – recording three top-10 finishes in TaG Senior in the last four years. Now back aboard a six-speed, Buckwalter will be a contender for the S1 victory. Another driver making a return is Ryan Phinny. A former Junior standout and rising star in shifterkarts before his progression into upper forms of motorsports, Phinny is back with Kartel Motorsports aboard a Wild Kart. While he has yet score a win in Vegas, his younger brother Brendan is a two-time winner – S5 in 2007 and the epic S3 victory in 2008. Kiwi driver Daniel Bray is back in Vegas and ready to shine in his first S1 start. After competing in the KZ2 division for the past three years, Bray will bring his talents to the Stock Moto division where he contested the Pro Tour with favorable results. He will represent the Rocky Mountain Kartworks crew, led by 1999 S2 winner AJ Noud.
Looking to record his best finish at the SuperNats is Texan Jordon Musser (Birel). The 2009 King of the Streets winner at the Rock Island Grand Prix, Musser spent the 2010 season racing the Grand-Am Series while making local karting events to stay fresh on his off weekends. The multi-time Rotax Grand National champion is coming off a couple wins in Texas – notably the MJDrive Super Prix – Musser should be on his game running with the 3G Kart Racing squad. Earning the dubious honor of being the eldest driver in the field, Bonnier Moulton (Tony Kart) is no push-over. A winner in the G1 category in 2004, the 45-year old still has the talent and knowledge to battle the young guns. After two disappointing finishes the last two years in S3, Moulton will attempt to turn things around this week.
S1 Pro Stock Moto Provisional Entry List
| No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | City | State | Country| 5 | Arturo Hernandez Jr. | Casillas Racing | Italkart | | | Mexico | | 10y | Jason Toft | STA Racing | GP | Petaluma | CA | USA | | 12 | Ryan Phinny | Kartel Motorsports | Wild Kart | Carmel Valley | CA | USA | | 16t | Jordon Musser | 3G Kart Racing | Birel | Coppell | TX | USA | | 19y | Brett Buckwalter | Cameron Karting | Italkart | Petaluma | CA | USA | | 20y | Tommy Thompson | Tommy Thompson Racing | CRG | Napa | CA | USA | | 21 | Indy Dontje | Energy Corse America | Energy | Miami | FL | Holland | | 22d | Matt Kistler | Rocky Mountain Kartworks | GP | Castle Pines | CO | USA | | 27t | Nick Lucido | The Kart Shop | CRG | Plano | TX | USA | | 33y | Tom Dyer | Aluminos | CRG | Corte Madera | CA | USA | | 44j | Josh Lane | Syar Motorsports | Energy | Algonquin | IL | USA | | 48 | Fidencio Guzman | Figuse-Proa Racing | Birel | McAllen | TX | USA | | 49u | Bonnier Moulton | MSquared Karting | Tony Kart | Salt Lake City | UT | USA | | 54c | Peter Abba | Extreme Karting | CRG | Anaheim | CA | Argentina | | 62y | Daniel Bray | Rocky Mountain Kartworks | GP | Howick | Auckland | New Zealand | | 73b | Brad Dunford | Aluminos | CRG | Cypress | CA | USA | | 88 | Colby Yardley | Miller Motorsports Park | Birel | West Jordan | UT | USA | | 96 | David Sera | KartSport North America | Arrow | Melbourne | | Australia | | 111c | Clinton Schoombee | Select Shifter Services | DR | Laguna Beach | CA | South Africa | | 124 | Tyler Bennett | MSquared Karting | Tony Kart | Farmington | UT | USA | | 132u | Keenan Schmitke | Nola Motorsports Park | CRG | Bluffdale | UT | USA | | 138 | Mike Beeny | MSquared Karting | Tony Kart | Salt Lake City | UT | USA | | 141y | Alex Speed | STA Racing | GP | Manteca | CA | USA | | 161y | Fritz Leesmann | Aluminos | CRG | Elk Grove | CA | USA | |
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