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| November 18, 2009 News |
| SuperKarts! USA SuperNationals – The Top-5 Canadian Performances - Number 1 |
What makes a great performance? While some may see that as a rhetorical question, we should go ahead and answer that right now. Beating the odds against a huge field of the top drivers to take the win when no one thought you would and doing so with heart and determination. That about sums it up. Now that’s a long list of conditions to meet and our top pick for the #1 performance by a Canadian at the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals covers it all. We need look no further back than the 2005 SuperNats and the victory by Lorenzo Mandarino in the stellar SuperPro field.
“It was a father/son effort, just privateers, it was just pure hard driving and my 25 plus years experience in karting,” commented Vince Mandarino from his home in British Columbia. “Considering no Canadian had ever won this prestigious race before, it was unbelievable.”
But we’re a bit ahead of ourselves. Back at the track, held for a second time in the expansive parking lot of Sam Boyd Stadium, the ninth edition of the SuperNats was then, as it is today, the single biggest shifter kart race in the country. With karting seeing incredible growth and expanding grids, the best of the best headed to SuperPro and the annual Las Vegas pilgrimage. The bright lights and ringing bells of Las Vegas were just background noise for those four magical days as the sound of six speed shifting was music to the karting community’s collective ears. A young pilot in his third year of shifter kart racing came to Sin City to prove something to everyone; that he could be number one. No one needed to tell Lorenzo he was good, that came through in his confident walk and aggressive style. He just needed a way to let everyone else know.
Before making it to the finals on Super Sunday, drivers would have to survive through three grueling rounds of heat races. Also returning to the package was racing action under the lights. Heading into the ninth edition, SKUSA’s then lead man Joe Janowski wanted to get back to what made the event so great in its early years. One new innovation was the ‘SuperPro Hour of Power’ practice session, held on Friday morning. During the run, the SuperPro drivers were given a full hour of uninterrupted track time to try several different set-ups, and the scramble to post fast time was exciting with each move detailed by event announcer Rob Howden. For Mandarino this is where his journey would begin.
 | Mandarino cruised to the Heat C vs D win after starting from the second row
(Photo: Super Kart Illustrated) |
“The best part of the weekend was the Power Hour,” smiles Mandarino. “I backed it into the wall and bent the back pretty bad. My dad and I got it fixed and did as much of the session as we could. We only had one chassis so we had to make it work.”
Putting in the fourth best time in qualifying, the British Columbia native was ready to do battle. Mandarino headed to Vegas with his dad Vince on the wrenches, one kart and a 10x10 tent. While Genesis Racing provided transport and George Barks ’s prepped a TM engine, it was a privateer effort by Mandarino and father Vince against the big teams. The Canadian is one of those drivers who normally does well in Las Vegas, and that point would be underscored.
The series of three heat races began to shed some light on just how good Mandarino would be on the week in the US southwest. In heat one Mandarino took the holeshot from his second row starting spot to grab the lead and cruised to the win. In heat two it was again Mandarino off the line first to steal P1 and cross the line in second in a great battle for the win. In the third and final heat race, Mandarino would grab the holeshot for a third straight time, lead the field through corner one and cross the line in the fourth spot.
With no prefinal on the schedule, the field of North America’s best ICC drivers would line up for the final and a shot a karting glory and 363 days of bragging rights. At the drop of the green flag Mandarino charged into the lead from the second row as the pole sitter stalled off the line. A crash in turn one took out a couple of contenders and allowed Mandarino to gap the field. As the pack scrambled to find positions, up front Mandarino would confidently cruise in for a well-deserved triumph, the biggest win of his career.
“This is still the biggest win for me in my life. The experience by far,” comments Mandarino in a phone interview from the Rio Hotel. “It was just me and my dad, and we got it done. It was the best.”
And that part about how no one thought Lorenzo could get it done. Well, here is how the shifter kart media on hand for the 2005 event predicted things would shape up. While all had him on their radar screen, no one picked him for the win making this underdog privateer performance one of the ages.
 | Lorenzo Mandarino - the 2005 SKUSA SuperNationals SuperPro Winner
(Photo: Super Kart Illustrated) |
Rob Howden
Super Kart Illustrated Editor-in-Chief
…“I expect to see Carlton run to second after a battle with Lorenzo Mandarino, Ryan Phinny, Jan Velez and Jason Bowles.”…
Rob’s Picks:
1. Ron White
2. Gary Carlton
3. Lorenzo Mandarino
4. Ryan Phinny
5. Jason Bowles
Tim Blaney
Super Kart Illustrated Editor
…“ Lorenzo Mandarino has been quick every session and will be in the fight as will Gary Carlton.”…
Tim’s Picks:
1. Ron White
2. Lorenzo Mandarino
3. Gary Carlton
4. Phil Carlson
5. Jonathan Branam
David Cole
eKartingnews.com News Manager
...“Another driver who has been impressive this weekend is Lorenzo Mandarino. With the win under the lights on Friday, he showed he was going to be a contender all weekend long and proved it.”…
David’s Picks:
1. Ron White
2. Jan Velez
3. Lorenzo Mandarino
4. Gary Carlton
5. Alan Rudolph
 | Mandarino earned the 2009 Brian Stewart Racing Karting Championship Rotax Max Senior Championship with Pserra Racing
(Photo: Cody Schindel - Autosports Media) |
While even the best in the business can underestimate pride, determination and focus, when it comes to Lorenzo Mandarino, no one will make that mistake again. So what does the future hold for Mandarino? In his words, he is working on the most important job of his life right now. One he is tackling with all the heart and determination he showed back in 2005. While time may have slowed down his swagger a little, he couldn’t be happier.
“My future is pretty wide open. Raising my son is my biggest focus right now, my primary job and I love it,” comments Mandarino from Las Vegas. “I am working with my dad on his new kart program and I look forward to getting back in the seat sometime soon.”
So next time you are in Vegas and the odds are stacked against you, just think of Lorenzo Mandarino and maybe some of his good luck. |
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