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| November 07, 2011 News |
| EKN Exclusive: SKUSA SuperNationals XV Preview Series - S5/TaG Junior/TaG Cadet |
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On the week of November 16-20, Superkarts! USA will host the 15th annual SKUSA SuperNationals in the parking lot of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since 1997, the event has produced a bit of history for the sport, and the 2011 edition will be no different. A record-breaking number of entries, including over 500 drivers from around the world, will all be vying to become one of the 11 winners at this year’s event. eKartingNews.com - as part of its exclusive Trackside Live coverage - has slated the remaining days leading up to the event for an in-depth look at the entry list and the major contenders in each of the 11 categories.
Today, S5 Junior Stock Moto, TaG Junior and TaG Cadet will begin the preview series, followed by the remaining categories: TaG Master, S4 Master Stock Moto/G1, S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto, TaG Senior, KF2, KZ2 and S1 Pro Stock Moto.
For complete coverage, visit the EKN Event Page.
S5 Junior Stock Moto
 | Alex Tartaglia enters the SuperNats as the S5 Pro Tour point leader
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
For the fifth time, the Junior drivers at the initial step of the SKUSA Stock Moto internal ladder system - S5 Junior Stock Moto, will compete at the SKUSA SuperNationals. Drivers between the ages of 12-15 years will be piloting karts powered by six-speed Honda CR125 engines, tuned for developing the future stars of karting and motorsports in general. A number of drivers from last year’s S5 class have graduated on to the Senior level, leaving this year’s field at about 20 drivers.
The spotlight will be on two specific pilots as they will most likely be among the contenders for the win as they decide the championship in the Pro Tour. Alex Tartaglia (Intrepid) leads the title chase over Austin Schimmel (GP) by 30 points. The two have been nearly identical throughout the year with Tartaglia holding the advantage with two feature wins on the year to Schimmel’s one. Each are carrying their SKUSA Pro Tour plate numbers from last year - Tartaglia has the #3 plate and Schimmel runs the #2 as last year’s champ Daniel Langon moved up to S2 in 2011. SuperSunday will decide just who leaves Vegas with the 2011#1 SKUSA plate for S5.
Three drivers have been on the lead duo's heels all season long, and that list includes Ryan Rudolph, Miguel Lopez and Micah Hendricks. Rudolph is the only other driver to score a feature win on the year, aside from Tartaglia and Schimmel. His Vegas results will depend on how well he can meld with his new team, CRG-USA, as he has made the switch over from the GP brand. Lopez (GP) has shown to have the speed to compete for the victory, but he has yet to show it for a complete event. Hendricks (Intrepid) has been the most consistent of the three challengers, currently sitting third in the standings with two podium finishes.
The SKUSA Central States Challenge has been a constant training ground for S5 drivers since the class began in 2007. However, the series has yet to take home a win at the SuperNationals in the previous four editions. 2011 might be that year with some strong contenders making their way west. Series champion Jenna Grillo (DR Kart) leads the way, scoring two wins on the season. Right behind her is Erik Nelson (Kosmic), another two-time winner and series vice-champion. Collin Willis (GP), a feature victor as well, will be in the field. Leading the class rookies is Texan Nathan Adds (Sodi), who has been turning laps at the new Dallas Karting Complex in preparation for his debut in the S5 class at the SuperNationals. Mexico is bringing in four drivers, led by Salvador de Alba (CRG) and Fernando Casillas Jr. (Italkart), each placing in the top-15 last year. Italian Alessio Piccini (Tony Kart), son of World and European shifter kart champion Alessandro Piccini, making his first start at the SuperNats, which will add to the international flavor of the category.
Provisional 2011 SKUSA SuperNationals XV S5 Entry List
| No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | ST | Country| 2 | Austin Schimmel | Rocky Mountain Kartworks / GP West | GP | CO | USA | | 3 | Alex Tartaglia | Champion Racing | Intrepid | TX | USA | | 4 | Fernando Casillas Jr. | Casillas Racing | Italkart | | MEX | | 11d | Ryan Rudolph | CRG USA | CRG | CO | USA | | 13t | Miguel Lopez | Rocky Mountain Kartworks / GP West | GP | TX | USA | | 15h | Jenna Grillo | DRT Racing | DR Kart | MN | USA | | 16 | Alessio Piccini | Tony Kart America | Tony Kart | | ITA | | 18 | Nathan Adds | The Kart Shop | SodiKart | TX | USA | | 21 | Collin Willis | Crockett Motorsports | GP | MO | USA | | 27z | Andrew Evans | Italian Motors | Italkart | WA | USA | | 42 | Salvador de Alba | Ferdez Racing | CRG | | MEX | | 46 | Axel Matus | Ferdez Racing | CRG | | MEX | | 66r | Nelson Learn | GP Canada | GP | ON | CAN | | 70 | Yigal Rached | | Italkart | | MEX | | 73c | Micah Hendricks | Innovative Karting | Intrepid | AZ | USA | | 81d | Cameron Wogrin | Rocky Mountain Kartworks / GP West | GP | CO | USA | | 91h | Erik Nelson | Riverlake Racing | Kosmic | MN | USA | |
TaG Junior
 | Brazilian Joao Viera returns to defend his TaG Junior victory from a year ago
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Since becoming a class at the SuperNationals in 2008, the TaG Junior category has proven to be one of the most intense divisions over the five days of competition. With this chaos comes some exciting racing, as all of the three previous main events were decided by less than half a second at the line. Last year’s winner Joao Ricardo Queiroz Vieira (Tony Kart) will be back to defend his crown. The Brazilian was the top qualifier, finished in the top-three in all his heat races to start outside row one, and then conquered the 20-lap battle in the feature race.
Just three other finishers from the top-10 will be returning from the 2010 edition: Austin Self (Arrow), Zachary Claman-DeMelo (Tony Kart) and Logan Bearden (Haase). Self stood on the podium last year in third and will wrap up his Junior career in Vegas with his fourth career start. Each season, he has improved his finishing position, finishing sixth in ’08 and fourth in ’09. There is no doubt that he would love to cap his Junior CV with a SuperNats victory. ZCD hails from Canada and comes to Vegas as the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship Rotax Junior titlist, placing eighth one year ago after starting 21st. Bearden will make his third trip to Vegas, missing out of the main event in 2009 only to improve vastly with a 10th place last year.
Among the 70 drivers that make up this year’s field, six will have thoughts of championship gold on their mind as the SKUSA Pro Tour wraps up in Vegas. The top two currently in the standings - Jake Craig and Parker Thompson - are not competing at the Pro Tour as each qualified for the Rotax Grand Finals, Craig for Team USA and Thompson for Team Canada.
This blows things wide open as it leaves a whole host of drivers scrapping for the title and chance to be part of the SKUSA ‘Circle of Champions’ program for 2012. Austin Dement (DR Kart) will now hold the provisional number one position in the standings when the action begins in Vegas. With two wins on the season, he appears to be a frontrunner for the win on SuperSunday and in the championship chase, however, a non-droppable disqualification at the SpringNationals could come back to haunt him, depending on his SuperNats results. Sonny Cervelli (Top Kart) sits second with Mason Daughters (FA Kart) in third. Bailey Murphy (CRG), Maxx Marian (Zanardi) and Blaine Rocha (Wild Kart) remain mathematically in the hunt, but they will need a victory and a lot of help to claim the title.
Drivers to watch for during the event that should be among the contenders include Dore Chaponick Jr. (FA Kart), AJ Myers (Arrow), Joel Jens (Tony Kart), Ashley Rogero (Tony Kart) and Lance Stroll (Zanardi). Chaponick elected to pass on the trip to the Rotax Grand Finals he earned as the Florida Winter Tour champion and will race in Vegas for the first time. Much like Chaponick, Myers has been one of the stars in Junior Rotax action in Florida and across the country. Jens and Rogero come to Vegas on a hot streak from the WKA Grand Nationals in September as they swept the Junior categories (Jens one win, Rogero three). Jens earned the coveted WKA Triple Crown status this year with three championships while Rogero is completing her first season in the Junior division. Stroll has been competing in Europe as part of the Chiesa Corse operation, racing alongside World Champion Nyck De Vries and American Gary Carlton aboard the Zanardi brand. With some solid results and experience now under his belt, Stroll could be a factor in Vegas.
Provisional 2011 SKUSA SuperNationals XV TaG Junior Entry List
| No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | ST | Country| 2 | David Beckmann | Zanardi America | Zanardi | | DEU | | 3 | Vasily Romanov | Energy Corse | Energy | | RUS | | 4y | JR Raczko | Jammin' JR Motorsports | Energy | CA | USA | | 5 | Connor Jupp | Energy Corse | Energy | | GBR | | 6 | Mauro Auricchio | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | | ITA | | 07t | Austin Self | KartSport North America | Arrow | TX | USA | | 7 | Sergio Camara | | Italkart | | BRA | | 8 | Jake Johnston | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | NJ | USA | | 09b | Brenden Baker | TNR Kartsport | CRG | CA | USA | | 9 | Kevin Lavelli | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | | ITA | | 10 | Lance Stroll | Zanardi America | Zanardi | QC | CAN | | 11y | Maxx Marian | Zanardi America | Zanardi | CA | USA | | 12 | Tyler David | Scuderia Karting | Zanardi | QC | CAN | | 13r | Zachary Claman-DeMelo | ZCD Autosport | Tony Kart | QC | CAN | | 13x | Bailey Murphy | AZ Kart Werx | CRG | AZ | USA | | 14o | Wyatt Maness | | Birel | OK | USA | | 15y | Austin Dement | Pitts Performance | DR | NV | USA | | 16e | Mason Daughters | Phil Giebler Racing | FA Kart | MO | USA | | 17 | Ashley Rogero | Comet Kart Sales | Tony Kart | FL | USA | | 19k | Jim McKinney | Zanardi America | Zanardi | AZ | USA | | 21 | Thiago Vivacqua | Energy Corse | Energy | | BRA | | 23 | Gustavo Lopes | Zanardi America | Zanardi | | BRA | | 25 | Garrett Johnston | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | NJ | USA | | 28f | AJ Myers | SKS / Team Arrow | Arrow | FL | USA | | 29 | Dominic Tesoro | SKS / Team Arrow | Arrow | FL | USA | | 31 | Artie Carpenter | Black Flag Racing | Tony Kart | WA | USA | | 35 | Joel Jens | Tony Kart America | Tony Kart | WI | USA | | 38y | Mason Filippi | Zanardi America | Zanardi | CA | USA | | 40 | Federico Iribarne | Bordogna Racing Team | PCR | | ARG | | 44o | Jesse Woodyard | Champion Racing | Intrepid | OK | USA | | 50j | Karl Weber | Comet Kart Sales | Tony Kart | IN | USA | | 52 | Fabrizzio Famularo | Intrepid North America | Intrepid | | VEN | | 55c | Carter Williams | Tony Kart West / Buddy Rice Karting | Tony Kart | CA | USA | | 56y | Austin Thomas | ART Racing / STA Racing | Tony Kart | CA | USA | | 63 | McKay Snow | Rolison Performance Group | Kosmic | UT | USA | | 64 | Yurik de Carvalho | Italian Motors | Italkart | | BRA | | 66 | Logan Bearden | Mike Doty Racing | Haase | TX | USA | | 69 | Alex Keyes | Koene USA | Tony Kart | MI | USA | | 70y | Grayson Browne | Cambrian Go-Karts | Birel | CA | USA | | 75 | Felipe Gildin | Phil Giebler Racing | FA Kart | | BRA | | 77u | Austin Versteeg | PSL Karting | CRG | UT | USA | | 77y | Curtis Paul | Tony Kart America | Tony Kart | CA | USA | | 78 | Andrew Bujdoso | Checkered Motorsports | PCR | OH | USA | | 79 | Dore Chaponick Jr. | DeFrancesco Racing | FA Kart | FL | USA | | 81 | Matheus Leist | Italian Motors | Italkart | | BRA | | 85 | Matthew Graham | Zanardi America | Zanardi | | GBR | | 88a | Juan Jimenez | G-Phactory | SodiKart | | COL | | 90r | Jordan Redlin | Champion Racing | Intrepid | BC | CAN | | 92a | Christian Munoz | Intrepid North America | Intrepid | | COL | | 96y | Nick Sommers | Bordogna Racing Team | Tecno Kart | CA | USA | | 97y | Brennen Mankin | Leading Edge Motorsports | Intrepid | CA | USA | | 99 | Santino Ferrucci | | Maranello | CT | USA | | 103y | Jarred Campbell | Leading Edge Motorsports | Intrepid | CA | USA | | 110 | Martin Moggia | Bordogna Racing Team | Tecno Kart | | ARG | | 116 | Jeffrey Kingsley | Intrepid North America | Intrepid | ON | CAN | | 118 | Vinicius Papareli | Tony Kart America | Tony Kart | | BRA | | 119 | Joao Viera | Tony Kart America | Tony Kart | | BRA | | 132 | Ian Cummings | PSL Karting | CRG | | PRI | | 141 | Diego Borrelli | AM Engines | Tony Kart | | VEN | | 155 | Kurt Kostecki | J3 Competition | Kosmic | | AUS | | 197 | Bruna Tomaselli | J3 Competition | Kosmic | | BRA | | 199 | Zack Enright | Pitts Performance | DR | AZ | USA | | 218z | Marco Eakins | Tony Kart West / Buddy Rice Karting | Tony Kart | OR | USA | | 221 | George Russell | Intrepid North America | Intrepid | | GBR | | 223 | Sarah McKay | PSL Karting | CRG | NB | CAN | | 246d | Mianna Wick | CRG USA | CRG | CO | USA | | 421y | Blaine Rocha | Kartel Motorsports | Wild Kart | CA | USA | | 677y | Sonny Cervelli | Kartel Motorsports | Top Kart | CA | USA | | 888 | Joaquin Rodriguez | Acceleration Karting | Maranello | | MEX | |
TaG Cadet
 | Patricio O'Ward will defend his inaugural TaG Cadet victory, moving from Kosmic to the Tony Kart brand in the process
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
The TaG Cadet division is the entry level category for the Superkarts! USA internal TaG ladder system. Drivers 9-12 years of age get to experience the thrill of racing alongside the nation’s top pilots and now every year, they also rub shoulders with karting’s best from around the world at the SKUSA SuperNationals. Last year’s event was the debut of the category at the SuperNats and Patricio O’Ward took home the top honors. The Texan, making the switch from Kosmic to Tony Kart this year, will return to defend his title against a staggering 81 other drivers who will attempt to keep him from repeating last year's triumph.
Last season, O’Ward came into Vegas following the Rok Cup International Final in Italy as the top American finisher in fourth. This year, Logan Sargeant (Tony Kart) took the Mini Rok victory and will look to duplicate O’Ward’s accomplishment. Sargeant is among the top Cadet drivers in the country, proving it last month in Italy. Once again, Colton Herta (DR Kart) has been the top driver in the SKUSA TaG Cadet division on the Pro Tour. Three main event victories have the defending champ positioned to repeat the title as Davey Manthei Jr. (Wild Kart) is the only other winner who is able to overtake him in the standings.
In addition to O’Ward and Herta, who finished third after starting 21st last year, there are five drivers from the inaugural top-10 who will return. Among those is current Rotax Grand Nationals Mini Max champion Christian Brooks (Tony Kart). Brooks had an up-and-down season on the Pro Tour with just one podium finish, but he should be on his game in Vegas. Jake Drew (CRG) finished sixth last year and has recorded nothing but victories in Southern California in the Cadet level classes this year. Ohio driver Emerson Reed will carry the Merlin Nation banner for the Cadet class, returning to Vegas with a strong seventh one year ago. Illinois driver David Malukas (Birel) and Argentina driver Guido Moggia (Tecno Kart) complete the top drivers returning to the race, and all will be looking to improve on their finishes from last year.
With 80 drivers in the field, a number of drivers will be in contention once the action begins November 16, leading up to SuperSunday.
Provisional 2011 SKUSA SuperNationals XV TaG Cadet Entry List
| No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | ST | Country| 00 | Devlin DeFrancesco | DeFrancesco Racing | Top Kart | FL | USA | | 00t | Trenton Estep | SKS / Team Arrow | Arrow | TX | USA | | 01 | Gregory Diegues | | Italkart | | BRA | | 1 | Colton Herta | Pitts Performance | Nevoso BA-1 | CA | USA | | 1t | Derek Scott Jr | Iron Rock Motorsports | Tony Kart | TX | USA | | 2 | Jake Kostecki | J3 Competition | Kosmic | | AUS | | 02 | Royal McKee | Tony Kart West / Buddy Rice Karting | Tony Kart | NV | USA | | 04 | Jamie Williams | PCR Distribution | PCR | OH | USA | | 5 | Sofia Floersch | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | | ITA | | 06c | Anthony Sawyer | Pitts Performance | Nevoso BA-1 | CA | USA | | 07n | Anthony Gangi Jr. | G7 Motorsports | CRG | NY | USA | | 7a | Matias Signorelli | Bordogna Racing Team | Tecno Kart | | ARG | | 10 | Gianluca Petecof | Italian Motors | Italkart | | BRA | | 11 | Guido Moggia | Bordogna Racing Team | Tecno Kart | | ARG | | 12 | Cole Glasson | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | TX | USA | | 13 | Kami Moreira-Laliberte | KML Karting | Tony Kart | QC | CAN | | 15y | Hayden Wagner | Pitts Performance | Nevoso BA-1 | CA | USA | | 17 | Juan Crespi | | Tony Kart | | BRA | | 19 | Petr Ptacek | Praga North America | Praga | | CZE | | 20 | JP Southern Jr. | PCR Distribution | PCR | OH | USA | | 20e | Austin Mayton | Crockett Motorsports | Wild Kart | MO | USA | | 21y | Eric Nascimento | Tony Kart West / Buddy Rice Karting | Tony Kart | CA | USA | | 22 | Max Hewitt | MPH Racing | Birel | TX | USA | | 24y | Cole Davis | Kartel Motorsports | Birel | CA | USA | | 27 | Leo Stoia | PCR Distribution | PCR | | ITA | | 28 | Grant Quinlan | MRP Motorsport | Birel | ON | CAN | | 29c | Jake Drew | Pitts Performance | CRG | CA | USA | | 29y | Hunter Corbitt | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | CA | USA | | 31 | Jeff Fulham | Glover Brothers Racing | LH | MB | CAN | | 34b | Christian Brooks | Tony Kart West / Buddy Rice Karting | Tony Kart | CA | USA | | 38 | Juan Correa | Jay Howard Driver Development | Arrow | | ECU | | 41 | Braden Eves | PCR Distribution | PCR | OH | USA | | 41n | Dylan Tavella | | CRG | NY | USA | | 42z | Davey Manthei Jr. | Kartel Motorsports | Wild Kart | WA | USA | | 43 | Pedro Cardoso | Sabia Racing | Kart Mini | | BRA | | 44 | Dante Yu | Adams Motorsports Park | Avanti | CA | USA | | 46 | Gabriel Achi | PCR Distribution | PCR | VA | USA | | 47 | Kaleb Allison | Franklin Motorsports | Merlin | MO | USA | | 51 | Michael d'Orlando | J3 Competition | Kosmic | NY | USA | | 53 | Pedro Fonseca | | Kart Mini | | BRA | | 55 | Luiz Branquinho | | Tony Kart | | BRA | | 56y | Carter Herrera | Tony Kart America | Tony Kart | CA | USA | | 65t | Ryan Patrick Lewis | SKS / Team Arrow | Arrow | TX | USA | | 66 | Zane Smith | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | CA | USA | | 70 | Tazio Torregiani | Mike Doty Racing | Merlin | CT | USA | | 72j | Camden Donaldson | Motorama Kart Parts (MKP) | Birel | IL | USA | | 74t | Nicholas Brueckner | SKS / Team Arrow | Arrow | TX | USA | | 77 | Max Fewtrell | DeFrancesco Racing | Top Kart | | GBR | | 79j | David Malukas | Motorama Kart Parts (MKP) | Birel | IL | USA | | 80d | Flinn Lazier | Tony Kart West / Buddy Rice Karting | Tony Kart | CO | USA | | 81 | Arthur Leist | Italian Motors | Italkart | | BRA | | 88j | Emerson Reed | Franklin Motorsports | Merlin | OH | USA | | 91 | Neil Verhagen | Mike Doty Racing | Haase | CT | USA | | 94y | Garrett Dixon | Cambrian Go-Karts | Birel | CA | USA | | 95 | Sergio Terife | AM Engines | Tony Kart | | VEN | | 97 | Boris Marek | Praga North America | Praga | | CZE | | 98 | Santiago Terife | AM Engines | Tony Kart | | VEN | | 99y | Scott Huffaker | Cambrian Go-Karts | Birel | CA | USA | | 100 | Joao Pedro Goncalves | Tony Kart West / Buddy Rice Karting | Tony Kart | | BRA | | 103y | Hunter Kelly | Bordogna Racing Team | Tecno Kart | CA | USA | | 111 | Giuliano Paoloni | Bordogna Racing Team | Tecno Kart | | ARG | | 115 | James Marsh | Pitts Performance | Nevoso BA-1 | FL | USA | | 118 | Antonio Serravalle | Pserra Racing | Tecno Kart | ON | CAN | | 121 | Ruben Grillet | Cicconetti Racing Team | Birel | | VEN | | 147 | Roman de Angelis | | Kosmic | ON | CAN | | 186 | Roy Fulmer IV | Kartel Motorsports | Wild Kart | CA | USA | | 288 | Sebastian Alvarez | J3 Competition | Kosmic | | MEX | | 294 | Nicolas Alvarez | J3 Competition | Kosmic | | MEX | | 316z | Sting Ray Robb | Kartel Motorsports | Wild Kart | OR | USA | | 414 | Victor Prato | Intrepid North America | Intrepid | | VEN | | 415 | Leonardo Rinaldi | Intrepid North America | Intrepid | | VEN | | 419 | Goivanni Carmen | Intrepid North America | Intrepid | | VEN | | 444r | Sara Brinkac | Checkered Flag Racing | CRG | BC | CAN | | 506 | Ryan Lewis | Iron Rock Motorsports | Kosmic | TX | USA | | 508 | Juan Buitrago | JDB Racing | Tony Kart | | COL | | 514 | Gianfranco Mazzaferro | | CRG | QC | CAN | | 524 | Logan Sargeant | Sargeant Motorsports | Tony Kart | FL | USA | | 551 | Darren Keane | Homestead Karting | CRG | FL | USA | | 555 | Luis Perez | Total Karting USA | Tony Kart | | MEX | | 566 | Patricio O'Ward | Paradise Racing | Tony Kart | TX | USA | |
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