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| November 07, 2012 News |
| EKN Exclusive: MG Tires SKUSA SuperNationals XVI - Preview Program - S5 |
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eKartingNews.com, the official online media partner of Superkarts! USA, is proud to present the SKUSA SuperNationals XVI Preview Program. Over the coming days leading up to the November 14-18 event, EKN will preview each of the nine categories that will compete for a share of the prize package worth roughly $100,000, and the completion of the 2012 SKUSA Pro Tour.
For complete coverage of the SKUSA SuperNationals XVI presented by MG Tires, visit the Official EKN Event Page
It never fails…the first time a junior-level driver jumps behind the wheel of a shifter, you can be pretty sure that it’s all they’re going to want to run. The speed, the torque, the action….shifter karts are just flat-out fun to drive. The first rung of the SKUSA Stock Moto internal ladder system is the S5 Junior Stock Moto category. Introduced to the karting community in 2007, the class has welcomed an average of 20 drivers over the previous SuperNationals. This year marks the second-highest entry number as 24 competitors are set to battle in Las Vegas. Part of the growth has been due to an increase in numbers on the Pro Tour, as 17 drivers who will be in Vegas having taken part in the SpringNationals and SummerNationals.
From those events, a trio of drivers have positioned themselves in the title chase for this year’s Pro Tour championship. These drivers are Jim McKinney, Micah Hendricks and Ryan Rudolph.
 | Jim McKinney
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Jim McKinney
In his first year piloting an S5 machine, Jim McKinney has placed himself in the ‘driver’s seat’ for the Pro Tour championship. With a great opening weekend that produced two podium finishes at his home track in Phoenix, the Arizona driver grabbed a third podium result to complete the ‘cycle’ and secure the top spot in the standings heading into the finale at the SuperNationals. One factor that could play into his results on the weekend is the move to the new KGB chassis, a rebirth of a brand that once found success in Superkarts! USA action (more on that during EKN Trackside coverage). Speaking with Jim’s father Mike, they have tested the new frame and are comfortable working with the kart and Ruthless Motorsports.
Pro Tour Results:
SKUSA SpringNationals #1 - 2nd
SKUSA SpringNationals #2 - 1st
SKUSA SummerNationals #1 - 3rd
SKUSA SummerNationals #2 - 15th
Previous SuperNationals Finish: N/A
Micah Hendricks (-116 points)
Micah Hendricks (Praga) makes it two Arizona drivers at the top of the Pro Tour S5 standings. Hendricks is one of four drivers set to make their third start at the SuperNationals, and he has the most racing experience in the class with three full years of regional and national racing. The 15-year old earned his first Pro Tour victory at the opening round of the SpringNationals, followed up by a runner-up finish at that same event. Struggles in Utah allowed Hendricks’ Arizona counterpart to pull a gap on him in the point standings, but with three rounds of heat races and the excitement of the SuperNationals on the table, anything can happen in Vegas.
Pro Tour Results:
SKUSA SpringNationals #1 - 1st
SKUSA SpringNationals #2 - 2nd
SKUSA SummerNationals #1 - 7th
SKUSA SummerNationals #2 - 9th
Previous SuperNationals Finish: 6th (2011), 8th (2010)
 | Micah Hendricks
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Ryan Rudolph (-168 points)
Next to Hendricks, Ryan Rudolph (CRG) rounds out the leading two veterans in class. The Colorado driver carries the #3 SKUSA plate thanks to his efforts last year, which were highlighted by a photo finish at the checkered flag in last year’s SuperSunday showdown. While he came up just inches short of the victory, Rudolph has the knowledge and speed to do it again. The CRG-USA driver will need some help, however, to close up in the championship chase as he wraps up his S5 career coming into the Pro Tour finale with two podium finishes in four feature races.
Pro Tour Results:
SKUSA SpringNationals #1 - 3rd
SKUSA SpringNationals #2 - 11th
SKUSA SummerNationals #1 - 2nd
SKUSA SummerNationals #2 - 6th
Previous SuperNationals Finish: 2nd (2011), 25th (2010)
The S5 category has a nice handful of wildcards in contention for the SuperNats victory, all of whom will likely play a role in how the championship will unfold. The field got a taste of it at the SummerNationals as Texan Patricio O’Ward (GP) broke onto the scene in a big way. The 2010 TaG Cadet SuperNationals winner made his debut on the Pro Tour with a perfect weekend, scoring maximum points. The only driver that challenged O’Ward is another wild card, Carter Williams (Tony Kart), the California ProKart Challenge champ. The ironman of the Junior ranks, running both S5 and TaG Junior on the week driving for Phil Giebler Racing, was runner-up on day two of the SummerNats. Both remain mathematically in the championship chase, as does Erik Nelson (Kosmic) and Mexican driver Yigal Garcia Rached (CRG), who while not on the entry list provided by SKUSA, has been confirmed to be racing with CRG-USA.
 | Ryan Rudolph
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
EKN Selections:
Rob Howden
As the S5 class continues to attract new talent, we get the opportunity to see great young pilots enter the shifterkart categories. Patricio O’Ward was a strong Cadet driver as he started his career, and his move to the S5 class has come with Texas ProKart Challenge and SKUSA Pro Tour success. He’s won at the SuperNationals before, scoring the TaG Cadet victory a couple years ago, so you can be sure that he can do it again. I think McKinney and Hendricks will be ready to challenge, and Rudolph will be aiming to go out in style. My sleeper pick into the top-five is Colorado’s Mianna Wick. She has improved her pace all year running in TaG Junior and S5, and I think she’ll surprise the established drivers before moving to S2 in 2013.
1. Patricio O’Ward
2. Carter Williams
3. Jim McKinney
4. Ryan Rudolph
5. Mianna Wick
 | Patricio O'Ward
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
David Cole
The talent level in the S5 category continues to increase year after year. With only a two or three-year span for each driver, it varies season by season - but thanks to the growing popularity of the Pro Tour and cool factor that is shifterkart racing, the S5 class is gaining lots of momentum across the country. Breaking down this year’s SuperNationals, first you must understand the numbers going in. The first three winners piloted Top Kart chassis, the last two have been on GP karts. With just five GP’s set to compete, the nod goes to O’Ward. His SummerNationals perfect score, matched with his five of six feature wins en route to his Texas ProKart Challenge championship could propel him to his second SuperNats victory of his young career. Williams seems to be one of the top Junior drivers in the country, and it’s hard to deny him from the podium in S5. Rudolph has been up and down this year, but should be on the upward swing in Vegas as he did last year. Hendricks has improved each year at the SuperNats, and 2012 will be his third straight as he finally reaches the podium as McKinney will accumulate enough points for his first Pro Tour championship.
1. Patricio O’Ward
2. Carter Williams
3. Ryan Rudolph
4. Micah Hendricks
5. Jim McKinney
S5 Junior Entry List - Updated 11.09.12
| No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | City | State | Country| 9nz | Marcus Armstrong | Aluminos | GP | Christchurch | Canterbury | NZL | | 103y | Jarred Campbell | Leading Edge Motorsports | Intrepid | West Sacramento | CA | USA | | 29t | Pierce Dawlett | Iron Rock Motorsports | GP | Austin | TX | USA | | 42 | Salvador de Alba | SKUSA Mexico / Casillas Racing | CRG | Corona | CA | MEX | | 27z | Andrew Evans | Rolison Performance Group | Kosmic | Sammamish | WA | USA | | 23 | Santiago Fernandez | | Energy | Zapopan | Jalisco | MEX | | 727t | Skyler Finley | Pole Position Raceway | Birel | Frisco | TX | USA | | 33m | Yigal Garcia Rached | CRG-USA | CRG | Guadalajara | Jalisco | MEX | | 15h | Jenna Grillo | DB Motorsports | Exprit | Lakeville | MN | USA | | 73c | Micah Hendricks | Innovative Karting | Praga | Glendale | AZ | USA | | 61t | Allyn Hewitt | 3G Kart Racing / Team Burger King | Birel | Angleton | TX | USA | | 63 | Saundra Lynn Kirby | Leading Edge Motorsports | Intrepid | Las Vegas | NV | USA | | 66r | Nelson Learn | GP Canada / Innisfil Indy Kartways | GP | Bolton | ON | CAN | | 168t | Jacob Loomis | Iron Rock Motorsports | CRG | Corinth | TX | USA | | 46m | Axel Matus | SKUSA Mexico / Casillas Racing | GP | Zapopan | Jalisco | MEX | | 19k | Jim McKinney | Ruthless Motorsports | KGB | Chandler | AZ | USA | | 91h | Erik Nelson | DB Motorsports / Riverlake Racing | Kosmic | Stillwater | MN | USA | | 6t | Patricio O'Ward | Paradise Racing | GP | San Antonio | TX | USA | | 77y | Curtis Paul | Tony Kart USA / Orlando Kart Center | Tony Kart | Lodi | CA | USA | | 3 | Ryan Rudolph | CRG-USA | CRG | Denver | CO | USA | | 11t | Luke Shanahan | MJDrive | Arrow | Dallas | TX | USA | | 246d | Mianna Wick | CRG-USA | CRG | Delta | CO | USA | | 55c | Carter Williams | Phil Giebler Racing | FA Kart | Clovis | CA | USA | | 22e | Collin Willis | DB Motorsports / Riverlake Racing | Exprit | Wildwood | MO | USA | | 2t | Andretta Young | 3G Kart Racing / Team Burger King | Birel | Katy | TX | USA | |
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