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| July 19, 2012 News |
| EKN Trackside Live: Superkarts! USA Pro Tour SummerNationals - Preview |
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The third running of the Superkarts! USA Pro Tour SummerNationals is set for this weekend (July 20-22) at the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. A record high total number of entries (182) have already registered, making it the largest SummerNationals to date and eclipsing the total reached in April at the opening weekend of the Pro Tour. Tom Kutscher and the SKUSA staff have been busy preparing for what should be another exciting weekend of racing at one of the top facilities in the country.
The Miller Motorsports Park was finished construction in 2006 and features a diverse line-up of circuits, hosting a number of national and international events for many different forms of motorsports. The karting circuit features the 9/10-mile ‘Star Trek’ layout and will be contested in the counter-clockwise direction. The staff at the MMP circuit is welcoming SKUSA racers with open arms. A ‘SummerNationals 100’ endurance race in their MMP Rental Kart fleet has been added to the weekend schedule. The 100-lap team race will feature drivers, crew and SKUSA staff all going wheel-to-wheel for bragging rights Thursday evening. Friday after the practice day is complete, Superkarts! USA will be hosting a dinner for all SummerNationals attendees, sponsored by Rodizio Grill, Buddy Rice Karting, and Rolison Performance Group.
Arriving early to Tooele early, eKartingNews.com Rob Howden had a chance to sit down with SKUSA President Tom Kutscher to discuss the upcoming weekend - our latest EKN Audio One-on-One interview.
For those family members, friends, and karting fanatics who are unable to attend the SKUSA SpringNationals event in person, eKartingNews.com will bring you the benefit of feeling like you are there right to your couch or computer desk. The EKN Trackside Live coverage - http://www.ekartingnews.com/live - will give you the play-by-play action from EKN’s own Rob Howden and allow you to view the live scoring feed from Race-Monitor.com. The EKN Trackside Live page is the one page to bookmark for your weekend. If you have a mobile device, you can listen in through EKN’s streaming page - mobile.livestream.com/ekartingnewslive - when racing is taking place. Check updates from the event, including the top-10 of each session, at the Official Discussion Thread in the EKN Forums. Be sure to ‘Like’ us on Facebook/eKartingNews and @eKartingNews on Twitter for extra updates, pictures and videos from this weekend. For the complete entry list, click the following links:
SKUSA Pro Tour SummerNationals - Entry List - Senior Classes
SKUSA Pro Tour SummerNationals - Entry List - Junior Classes
Phil Giebler Racing TaG Senior
 | The TaG Senior field will all be chasing double SpringNationals winner Phil DeLaO
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
There is no question that everyone will be gunning for when the track opens up Friday morning. Team Top Kart USA driver Phil DeLaO (Top Kart) put down a dominant performance at the SpringNationals to score maximum points toward the Pro Tour championship. No stranger to the MMP facility, DeLaO may be just as tough. Back in 2008, DeLaO stood on the podium in two feature races in the competitive Junior Intercontinental A (JICA) category. In the field that weekend was a second year Junior driver Remo Ruscitti. Fast forward four years, and the Italian Motors pilot is a rising start in the Senior ranks. The Canadian made his Pro Tour debut at the SpringNationals with two runner-up finishes and leads the challenge against DeLaO in the standings.
A trio of young guns is sitting right below the top-two in the standings, hungry to showcase their talent on Pro Tour stage. Austin Elliott (Top Kart) has already found his way to the podium with a third place run at the SpringNationals. Joel Jens (Tony Kart) made his Senior debut in April, capping off the weekend with a solid fourth place finish under the guidance of Tiffin Willareth of the new Verde Speed Resources operation. Mason Daughters (FA Kart) is another rookie making strides already in 2012. The Missouri driver running under the Phil Giebler Racing tent is coming off his first California ProKart Challenge victory. On the outside looking in are two of the top three from 2011 - Dakota Dickerson and Matt Johnson. Dickerson (Arrow) fought strong to remain in the top-10 on Saturday at the SpringNationals but struggled to return on Sunday. Johnson saw another DNF hurt his chances at the title early, retiring in round one but fighting back for a fifth on Sunday. Missing from this weekend will be defending champion Brett Felkins, officially handing over the title for someone new in 2012.
A couple drivers making their debut on the Pro Tour this season is EKN TaG Driver Rankings #1 pilot Mason Chelootz. The Top Kart USA/Grand Products driver will look to join his teammates DeLaO and Elliott at the front this weekend. Veteran Eric Jones showed that age is just a number last year at the SummerNationals in Colorado, battling for the victory on the opening day. The KartSport North America team manager will be piloting one of the new Arrow X2 chassis that has already found victory lane in the United States recently. Another one to watch is Louie Pagano (Birel). A podium challenger last year, Pagano is a talented driver piloting a Dave’s Performance Karting entry this weekend.
Snow Racing S1 Pro Stock Moto
 | 2010 S1 champion Fritz Leesmann is back at the top heading into the SummerNationals
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
The numbers are up this year for the co-headline category - 17 drivers at the SpringNats and 15 entered for the SummerNats - and so is the talent pool. The evidence showed at the SpringNationals with two Pro Tour champions on the podium both days along with a series rookie. 2010 S1 champion Fritz Leesmann (CRG) and S1 rookie Joey Wimsett split the feature wins in Phoenix with Fritz gaining the most amount of points to leave with the lead in the standings. The Diede Racing / PSL Karting driver was off his game in 2011, but has certainly returned more confident in his abilities. Wimsett made the transition at the end of 2011 to shifterkarts after a solid campaign in the single-drive karts. Driving for CRG America with support from RPG, Wimsett trails Leesmann by just 55 points, putting emphasis on every session this weekend. Defending champion Daniel Bray (GP) ran third in both feature races, certainly a strong effort but not what the Kiwi driver was looking for. Determined for more, Bray will be on the assault in Utah.
Hometown heroes may mix things up for the championship contenders with veteran Bonnier Moulton and SuperNationals podium finisher Tyler Bennett contesting their first Pro Tour event. Moulton (Tony Kart) is coming off a victory in the S4 category at last year’s SuperNationals, and understands the MMP facility better than anyone. Bennett (Tony Kart), racing for Moulton’s MSquared Karting operation, will be right there, battling for a spot on the podium both days.
CRG-USA S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto
The S2 category is to bring in young talent from the Junior ranks and help to groom them into the next studs in karting. Looking to disrupt that stereotype is female driver Sabré Cook (CRG). The CRG-USA pilot ran up front throughout the SpringNationals, placing second on the podium both days to leave Phoenix with the championship lead - the first female to do so in Pro Tour history. A number of talented drivers will be gunning for the recent high school graduate. Utah’s Cody Tracy (Tony Kart) has home track advantage, and the benefit of a victory under his belt already. Like Cook, Christina Bird (GP) is contesting his third season in the S2 division and the Aluminos pilot is looking for his first podium finishes of the season. Texan Ryan Kinnear (Formula K) was an early title contender last season and after struggles on the opening day of the SpringNats, bounced back to contend for the win, finishing third. Augie Lerch (Intrepid) enters the weekend fifth in the standings. The Arizona driver will need another consistent weekend to remain in the title chase. A number of local drivers could have a chance at a run to the podium throughout the weekend, along with the Diede brothers - Troy and Cody - from California who was impressive at the Rocky Mountain ProKart Challenge event back in June.
Extreme Karting/Vemme Kart S4 Master Stock Moto
 | Sabre Cook is the first female driver to lead a championship in Pro Tour history
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Entering the SpringNationals, a number of drivers stood out as title contenders for the 2012 crown. A number of factors took each one out of the big picture leaving Phoenix, as Eddie Olpin (Kosmic) rose to the occasion and was the most consistent driver over the two days of competition. Avoiding any trouble, the Utah driver raced to second and first in the two feature races to secure a 150 point advantage heading into the SummerNationals. Now at his home track, all the stop-watches will be on the #14u come Friday practice. Former SuperNationals champion and newly crowned Texas ProKart Challenge champion Chris Jennings (Birel) battled through chassis issues in Phoenix to record two fourth place finishes. He now sits second in the Pro Tour standings, looking to take his 3G Kart Racing entry to the top of the podium as he did six of six races in Texas. The #3 SKUSA plate holder Lance Lane (DR Kart) starts the SummerNationals in third place in the standings. Qualifying on pole to open up the SpringNats, the DRT Racing pilot suffered a mechanical issue on Saturday, recovering on Saturday to stand on the podium for a second straight year.
Among the contenders that experienced trouble back in April was Accerleration Karting’s Curtis Cooksey (CRG). The round one winner was in the hunt until an opening lap spin in round two cost the Vegas driver any chance at strong finish. Texas driver Mike Mantel (CRG) had his issues on Saturday, rebounding with a stellar drive to second on Sunday, featuring fast lap honors. Trevor McAlister (Praga) and Jordon Musser (Birel) each ran into trouble both days, including each other on Sunday. McAlister was quick both days, getting shuffled back Saturday after a starting penalty and unable to return up front. Musser was quick as well but aggressive driving hurt his chances at the podium in round one. Round two saw McAlister leading with Musser on the charge. The two made contact near the halfway mark with another aggressive move by Musser, pushing both off the track and out of the race. With the title possible out of reach for both, sitting ninth and 12th, race wins may be the only thing these drivers will be gunning for.
Leading Edge Motorsports TaG Master
 | Paul Bonilla enters Utah as the point leader in TaG Master after a solid SpringNationals
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Three of the four TaG categories saw double winners, with TaG Master led by California driver Paul Bonilla (Arrow). The Full Throttle Karting pilot was on his A-game in Phoenix, winning three of the four heat races in addition to the two feature victories. The driver in the lead challenge position is Nevada’s David Harwin (Tony Kart). The #2 SKUSA plate holder enters Utah down 151 points. Behind him is a tight fight that includes North Carolina’s Chuck Gafrarar (Parolin), NorCal’s Randy Froom (Intrepid), #3 SKUSA plate holder Larry Fraser (CRG) and Scott Falcone (Arrow) - all within 57 points of Harwin. Defending champion Brian McHattie (Exprit) suffered his worst weekend in his Pro Tour career and enters the weekend back in eighth in the title chase, needing some perfection going forward to have a chance at climbing back. A quick EKN fact, three of the last four EKN Road Racer of the Year award winners will be in the field - Gafrarar, Jim Russell Jr. (Parolin) and Anthony Honeywell (Arrow), making his first Pro Tour start.
DRT Racing S5 Junior Stock Moto
The S5 Junior category is experiencing its largest non-SuperNationals field in the three year history of the Pro Tour. Fifteen drivers will do battle in Utah with Arizona drivers Jim McKinney and Micah Hendricks locked in a tight championship battle. Each earned a feature win at the SpringNationals with McKinney (Intrepid) scoring 10 more points then Hendricks (Praga) to lead the chase thus far. Mexican driver Yigal Garcia Rached (CRG) enters the weekend in third with a host of others returning. New on the weekend will be Texas driver Patricio O’Ward (GP), the newly crowned champion from the Texas ProKart Challenge and Mianna Wick from CRG-USA, making the transition from TaG Junior to S5 after a solid campaign thus far at the Rocky Mountain ProKart Challenge.
Italian Motors USA TaG Junior
 | Luke Selliken is aiming for a repeat performance in the TaG Junior category
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Luke Selliken (Kosmic) was one of the few drivers to double up at the SpringNationals and enters the weekend solidly in the championship lead. The Rolison Performance Group pilot swept the action on Sunday following a near perfect day on Saturday. While not on the official entry list as of Wednesday, he will be on-track in Utah, looking to add to his point lead of 115. Brendan Baker enters the weekend second in the standings following his third and second place finishes at the SpringNats. Baker however will be moving from the CRG chassis to Formula K, so his results will be dictated on how well he has adapted to the new ride. Utah driver Austin Versteeg (CRG) capped off his Pro Tour debut at the SpringNats with a podium finish. Campaigning his rookie Junior season, the PSL Karting driver may have the home track advantage to tighten up the title chase.
Behind them are four drivers capable of winning and returning to the championship chase. Christian Brooks (Energy) is also making the jump to the Junior level after a successful Cadet campaign. The Buddy Rice Karting driver ran top-five at the SpringNationals, and won the US Grand Nationals last year at MMP. Carter Williams (Tony Kart) was runner-up on Saturday in Phoenix and is leading the point standings at the California ProKart Challenge with two features wins to his credit. Kartel Motorsports pilots Davey Manthei Jr. (Arrow) and Blaine Rocha (Arrow) enter the weekend sixth and seventh in the title chase. Manthei was the vice-champion in TaG Cadet one year ago, making great strides in his rookie campaign thus far with Rocha the defending ProKart Challenge North champion.
Iron Rock Motorsports TaG Cadet
The TaG Cadet division will experience an increase in participation as well with 18 drivers registered for the weekend. Hunter Corbitt (Top Kart) is the top dog thus far in the title chase, picking up a victory in round one. Corbitt leads Anthony Sawyer (DR Kart) by 45 points with round two winner Hunter Kelly (Tecno Kart) 10 points back of him in third. The field will see a strong presence from the Texas ProKart Challenge series with Riley Dickinson (Tony Kart) and Parker Chase (Tony Kart) joining SpringNats competitors Max Hewitt (Kosmic) and Ryan Patrick Lewis (Arrow) with a number of other first-time competitors. |
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