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| November 14, 2011 News |
| EKN Exclusive: SKUSA SuperNationals XV Preview Series - S1 |
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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, S1 takes the final spotlight of the preview series.
For previous class previews and complete coverage throughout the event, visit the EKN Event Page.
S1 Pro Stock Moto
 | Kiwi driver Daniel Bray leads the S1 Pro Tour standings heading into Vegas
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
The final category to preview for the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals XV is the Pro Tour headline category - S1 Pro Stock Moto. The name ‘S1’ is synonymous with the SuperNationals as it was the spotlight class from the beginning until 2001 when SuperPro took over that distinction and S1 became the ‘Semi-Pro’ division. After an absence in 2009 and the rejuvenation of the organizations Pro Tour in 2010, it’s back - now as a Stock Moto category. Last year’s entry total was 22 drivers, with the same number entered this year. As the Stock Moto concept grows and younger drivers gain experience in a shifterkart, the division is sure to grow and eventually reach the 40-50 mark each year.
For now, the focus is on the 17 Americans and five international drivers that make up this year’s field racing for nearly $19,000 in cash and prizes. Two drivers have a chance to walk away with almost 60% of that - Daniel Bray and Tom Dyer. The duo is at the top of the Pro Tour standings, each with a solid chance at scoring the victory on SuperSunday. While the two drivers compete on the GP chassis, they work under two different operations. Bray makes the long journey from New Zealand to compete against America’s top shifterkart drivers with Rocky Mountain KartWorks. Since racing in the ’07 edition, he’s come back every year. His best finish was second in 2009 in the old S1 category. Bray actually got his start in the states with a new team at that time - Aluminos. Dyer is one of the lead driver coaches for the Aluminos operation and has also earned the outfit’s only SuperNationals victories, two in S3 (2007 and 2009). Dyer is the eldest pilot in this year’s field, and probably the most experienced behind the wheel in just about anything with four wheels. He enters Vegas just 62 points back of Bray in the standings.
Nearly the entire field from last year is returning, except for the 2010 winner Alex Speed who shifted his focus on turning wrenches and training with up-and-coming drivers. The remainder of last year’s podium return, including 2010 Pro Tour champion Fritz Leesmann (PSL Karting/CRG). Unable to defend his championship after missing the SummerNationals, victory will be the main focus for the NorCal pilot. The top international driver in the category one year ago was Indy ‘The Indian’ Dontje. Placing third in 2010, the Dutch driver challenged Speed and Leesmann all week long, including a heat win. Under the Energy Corse banner, Dontje had a stellar season in the KZ2 category.
 | Two-time SuperNationals Stock Moto winner Tom Dyer goes for his third and chance at the Pro Tour title
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Fourth was the third NorCal driver to stand on the podium, Jason Toft (STA Racing/GP). The long-time karter started out slow last year and advanced his way forward in the main event. Taking part in a local schedule for 2011, the SuperNationals will be Toft’s first big race of the season. Utah driver Mike Beeny (MSquared Karting/Tony Kart) rounded out the podium last year. Like Dyer, Beeny has been to nearly every SuperNationals, however has yet to score that elusive victory in Vegas.
Drivers making the jump to S1 this year include three strong S2 drivers from a year ago. 2010 Pro Tour and SuperNationals champion Derek Crockett (Crockett Motorsports/GP) is making his S1 Stock Moto debut, having stood on the podium in the ICC/Open Moto S1 category back in 2008. The Illinois driver will actually not be in Vegas until Friday night due to work commitments. Dedicated to the sport, he will pick up Saturday morning from the tail of the field and produce his best results possible leading into SuperSunday. The top rookie of the Pro Tour season has been Lukas Johnson (Rocky Mountain KartWorks/GP). A double podium performance at the SpringNationals put the Minnesota driver in championship contention early, now sitting third in the title chase.
Joining them is Texan Jake French (3G Kart Racing). After showing well at the SpringNationals in S2 with two fourth-place finishes, the 15-year old has made the early jump to S1 now out of the S2 title chase since missing the SummerNationals. French has proven he is ready for the top level from the start with a podium run at his first Senior shifterkart at the Rock Island GP King of the Streets last year. French and Johnson are the first two drivers to climb the internal SKUSA Stock Moto ladder system, starting out at S5, moving to S2 and now the S1 level. Making his Stock Moto debut at the SuperNationals is Oregon’s Joey Wimsett (CRG America). A former podium finisher in TaG Senior, the 20-year old makes the move to shifterkarts, using most of the summer months preparing at the regional level with a lot of success.
Certainly, the rest of the field is filled with a number of contenders that would be no surprise to find up front in qualifying or the closing stages of main event. Come SuperSunday, as the sun goes down behind the Rio, the 22-drivers will line up on the grid for their 20-lap feature to decide what name will be etched in history as the next S1 SuperNationals winner and 2011 Pro Tour champion.
Provisional 2011 SKUSA SuperNationals S1 Entry List
| No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | ST | Country| 1 | Fritz Leesmann | PSL Karting | CRG | CA | USA | | 3 | Clinton Schoombee | Select Shifter Services | DR | CA | RSA | | 5 | Arturo Hernandez | Estral Logistics Racing Team | Intrepid | | MEX | | 6t | Jake French | 3G Kart Racing | Birel | TX | USA | | 9 | Arturo Gonzales | Estral Logistics Racing Team | Intrepid | | MEX | | 10y | Jason Toft | STA Racing | GP | CA | USA | | 11y | Nic Leduc | Infinity Karting | Energy | CA | USA | | 12y | Ryan Phinny | Kartel Motorsports | Wild Kart | CA | USA | | 15 | Indy Dontje | Energy Corse | Energy | | HOL | | 19y | Brett Buckwalter | Cameron Karting | Italkart | CA | USA | | 27t | Nick Lucido | The Kart Shop | Intrepid | TX | USA | | 27z | Joey Wimsett | CRG America | CRG | OR | USA | | 32h | Lukas Johnson | Rocky Mountain Kartworks (GP West) | GP | MN | USA | | 33y | Tom Dyer | Aluminos | GP | CA | USA | | 51e | Derek Crockett | Crockett Motorsports | GP | IL | USA | | 54c | Peter Abba | Extreme Karting | CRG | CA | ARG | | 55 | Javier Echeverria | Rocky Mountain Kartworks (GP West) | GP | | MEX | | 62y | Daniel Bray | Rocky Mountain Kartworks (GP West) | GP | Auckland | NZL | | 73b | Brad Dunford | Aluminos | GP | CA | USA | | 124 | Tyler Bennett | MSquared Karting | Tony Kart | UT | USA | | 132u | Keenan Schmitke | G-Phactory | SodiKart | UT | USA | | 138u | Mike Beeny | MSquared Karting | Tony Kart | UT | USA | |
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