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| November 12, 2011 News |
| EKN Exclusive: SKUSA SuperNationals XV Preview Series - KF2 |
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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, with the 2011 edition no different. A record-breaking number of entries, including over 500 drivers from across the world, will all be vying to become one of the 11 winners at this year’s event. eKartingNews.com - in conjunction with it’s 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, KF2 takes the spotlight of the preview series, followed by the remaining groups: KZ2 and S1 Pro Stock Moto.
For previous class previews and complete coverage throughout the event, visit the EKN Event Page.
KF2
 | Sami Luka is going for the goods once again in KF2
(Photo: KSP) |
The first of the two international category previews for this year’s SKUSA SuperNationals will focus on the KF2 class. Introduced to the event in 2009, the engine package is part of the internal ladder system of the CIK-FIA - the next step up from the Junior level, or Semi-Pro division. Many of today’s young rising stars compete in the largely contested category throughout Europe and around the world. Many of tomorrow’s world championship contenders are in the class and a handful are making the trip to Vegas to compete in the SuperNationals to race in front of the American audience.
Of the 26 drivers, only seven competed in last year’s event, including defending winner Sami Luka. The Energy Corse driver comes to Vegas as the WSK Euro Series vice-champion in KF2. Luka will lead another strong contingent for Energy, which took four of the top-five positions on the podium last year, including Brit Jake Lloyd. The 19-year old did not record any results throughout the season in international competition, so his first laps in Vegas may be his first since last year. The non-Energy driver on the podium a year ago was Canadian Phillip Orcic. The Zanardi pilot was runner-up in a heated battle with Luka. Also running TaG Senior as he did in 2010, the advantage could be Orcic’s this time around with even more experience under his belt.
Of the three Americans returning in 2011, Nick Johnston was the highest finisher one year ago. The former Junior Intercontinental A national champion in the United States has a passion for the Euro-type racing. This year, he moves to the familiar CRG - the same brand he won his national title aboard - under the CRG-USA banner. Northeast driver Mark Pellegrini (DR Kart) and Arizona’s Chad Brassfield (Zanardi) round out the returning US drivers. Pellegrini placed 14th, while Brassfield retired early.
Six others will represent the Red, White, and Blue this year as they make their first KF2 SuperNationals starts. No stranger to the KF2 engine is Californian Raquel Martinez. She has spent the last few years racing in Europe with the Comer Top Kart factory team. With some KF2 racing this past summer, the 15-year old should be among the front runners. Two drivers who she’s raced against on many occasions are Camden Geise and Mason Chelootz. The two Team Top Kart USA/Grand Products drivers have competed against one another for a number of years. Chelootz has had a solid year in his first Senior season and will be racing TaG Senior as well. Geise is also making his SuperNationals debut as a Senior after placing 31st in TaG Junior one year ago.
Andrew Palmer will be making his SKUSA SuperNationals debut as a driver. The 2010 Rotax Junior national champion is a rising star in the sport under the guidance of the J3 Competition staff. Oregon’s Geoffery Roberti is making his first KF2 start after a successful career in Rotax competition thus far. Placing in the top-10 at the Grand Nationals in ’09 and ’11, Roberti will pilot a Kosmic for the Rolison Performance Group. John Wallace III rounds out the American contingent. Driving for Tony Kart West / Buddy Rice Karting, the California driver enters the event 44th in the EKN TaG Driver Rankings.
As the event unfolds, we will learn more about the many international drivers making their first SuperNationals start. One to keep on eye on is Norway’s Dennis Olsen (Energy). Competing in the KF3 division throughout 2011, Olsen has a German Junior Kart Championship, Winter Cup, CIK-FIA Viking Trophy title to his resume along with a third in the WSK Euro Series. No stranger to the SuperNats, Olsen finished second in TaG Junior one year ago.
Provisional 2011 SKUSA SuperNationals KF2 Entry List
| No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | Engine | ST | Country| 00t | Mason Chelootz | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | IAME | TX | USA | | 1 | Sami Luka | Energy Corse | Energy | TM | | BEL | | 7 | Adam Levi | J3 Competition | Kosmic | Vortex | OH | AUS | | 8 | Alex Humbert | Phil Giebler Racing | FA Kart | Vortex | | FRA | | 9 | Matias Koykka | PCR Distribution | PCR | TM | | FIN | | 10 | Dave Blom | Champion Racing / Formula K | Formula K | TM | | NED | | 11 | Phillip Orcic | Zanardi America | Zanardi | IAME | BC | CAN | | 12 | William Atkinson | Bordogna Racing Team | PCR | IAME | CA | ARG | | 14 | Sam Snell | Energy Corse | Energy | TM | | GBR | | 15 | Antonio Furlan | Phil Giebler Racing | FA Kart | Vortex | FL | BRA | | 20 | Dennis Olsen | Energy Corse | Energy | TM | | NOR | | 21 | Jake Lloyd | Energy Corse | Energy | TM | | GBR | | 25 | Nicolas Maranzana | J3 Competition | Kosmic | Vortex | | ARG | | 28 | Nick Johnston | CRG USA | CRG | Maxter | CA | USA | | 31 | Mitsui Duzanowski | J3 Competition | Kosmic | Vortex | | BRA | | 34 | Camden Geise | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | TM | CA | USA | | 43x | John Wallace III | Tony Kart West / Buddy Rice Karting | Tony Kart | IAME | CA | USA | | 46 | Geoffery Roberti | Rolison Performance Group | Kosmic | Vortex | OR | USA | | 53 | Andres Mendez | | FA Kart | Vortex | | COL | | 55c | Chad Brassfield | Zanardi America | Zanardi | IAME | AZ | USA | | 56 | Mark Pellegrini | DRT Racing | DR Kart | IAME | MA | USA | | 62 | Philo Armand | Tony Kart America | Tony Kart | Vortex | | IDN | | 66k | Raquel Martinez | Top Kart USA / Grand Products | Top Kart | IAME | CA | USA | | 77 | Teemu Suninen | Intrepid North America | Intrepid | TM | ONT | FIN | | 78 | Damiano Fioravanti | Tony Kart America | Tony Kart | Vortex | | ITA | | 121 | Andrew Palmer | J3 Competition | Kosmic | Vortex | IL | USA | |
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