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| November 11, 2009 News |
| SuperKarts! USA SuperNationals – The Top-5 Canadian Performances - Number 2 |
eKartingnews.ca will be presenting a series of articles featuring the top Canadian Performances at the SuperKarts! USA SuperNationals. This event has been held in Las Vegas, Nevada for the past 12 years in various locations including the XPlex, the Rio Hotel, Sam Boyd Stadium and most recently back to the Rio. Canadian teams and drivers have always showed well at this amazing event and this year’s 13th edition will be no different. We look forward to everyone commenting on our series and maybe telling us whom you think should be number one. Got an opinion, let’s hear it.
Number 2 Top Canadian SuperNationals Performace – 2006 – Morad, Langlois and Jenn One-Two-Three in TaG Senior
Our next spotlight looks at a great battle between three of Canada’s best. Formula BMW USA Rookie-of-the-Year Daniel Morad stepped up to the plate and scored the big win after an epic battle with fellow Canadian’s Brendan Langlois and Colby Jenn, both from British Columbia. All three got to the battle in the closing lap in very different ways and brought to the party a different experience. In the end it was three great drivers having one great battle.
First though, a look at the tenth running of the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals, which put the perfect cap on a full decade of Las Vegas competition. That year the SKUSA organization had been sold to California businessman and race promoter Tom Kutscher earlier in the year, and this major league event ushered in a new era for the organization and the SuperNationals itself. The build-up for the event was awesome, as the University of Las Vegas-Nevada’s Sam Boyd Stadium would once again play host to the biggest shifter kart race in North America.
 | Daniel Morad took the win in TaG Senior in a great battle with fellow Canadian and teammate Brendon Langlois
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
In 2006, SKUSA offered up a pair of TaG class at the SuperNats, and TaG Senior attracted a stacked field of the sport’s finest non-shifter drivers. An 80-kart TaG Senior field was pared down on Saturday and the grid was set for a wild ride on Super Sunday. Sean Burr of GO Racing Magazine was on site and described the class:
“TaG Senior was possibly the most talented group of drivers at the SuperNats this year. The roster read like a who’s who of ICA and ICC drivers with a few pro guys like Rocky Moran, Jr. thrown into the mix for giggles.”
At the front, the Formula BMW Rookie-of-the-Year from Markham, Ontario, was potent all weekend and scored a huge win in the biggest field in Sin City. After qualifying sixth in the Friday timed session, Morad (FirstKart/Parilla) was only beaten once all weekend, in his first heat head-to-head meeting with National Champion Joel Miller (TonyKart/Parilla). After securing the pole with three heat wins, ICA national champion Joel Miller looked to be the favorite in the final until a first-lap incident took him, along with many others, out of contention, leaving the win up for grabs.
Also near the front, a great drive came from Canadian Colby Jenn (Intrepid/Parilla). Jenn, who qualified seventh, got better and better with each on track session, taking 9-5-2 in the heats. While Jenn was a late entrant to the event after joining the Intrepid squad, he started the final in fourth - a great spot on the tight temp circuit. He was able to miss the corner one crash and slide into P1 on lap two and be part of the battle at the front. Jenn would hold tough and cross the line in third for most of the race looking for his chance to take back the lead.
 | Brendon Langlois had an amazing run at the 2006 SuperNationals
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Meanwhile, the rookie senior from Kamloops, British Columbia, qualified fourth, then took a pair of seconds from his first two heats before a DNF in the third. Langlois would have a little bit of work to do starting the final back in 13th spot. The huge turn one crash opened up the door for Langlois who moved to P6 on the opening lap then P5 two laps later. The quiet-spoken teenager moved forward into the top five as the lead group began to open a gap on the field. By lap 19 Langlois would show on the timing sheets as P3. Dueling each lap with the leaders, he looked to grab not just a podium but the feature event win.
The top five swapped positions nearly every lap, yet Morad was able to cross the stripe in first place on 19 of the 20 laps using a late braking move into the second 180 degree hairpin before the front stretch. Morad began the final circuit in the lead with Langlois in the fourth position. Morad protected his line into the final two passing zones while Langlois picked up one position at the end of the long back straight bringing Jenn through into P3. Heading into the final corner, Langlois threw his Parilla powered First Kart inside his fellow competitor taking away the second position and drove to the finish right behind his FirstKart.com teammate. Jenn not only took earn a podium spot he as was to pull off fast lap of the final event.
In a phone conversation with Daniel Morad from his home outside of Toronto, Ontario, he recalled that exciting race as if was yesterday. Here in his own words he describes the last few laps.
 | Colby Jenn completed the Canadian sweep of the TaG Senior podium
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
“At one point, two karts passed me coming onto the long back straight and it was nearing the end of the race. I knew I had to get the lead back right away so I broke as late as I could and managed to out brake the two other drivers at the end of the straight. At that point, there were only two laps to go, and there was a bit of contact behind me as I made the late braking pass. That left the door open for my teammate (Brendon Langlois) to get right behind me. I pushed as hard as I could and got every last bit of speed out of my kart to stay ahead of him on the last lap but he slipped by me on the second last turn but didn’t have such a good exit, and I got beside him in the braking zone overtaking him on the last turn taking the win. It was one of the hardest fought wins I have even had.”
With the win, Morad received a trip to Brazil for the Granja 500 as well as a Formula BMW test with Hearn Motorsports. Due to his participation in the BMW World Finals in Valencia Spain, Morad passed the trip to Brazil onto Canadian Brendan Langlois.
Up next our final and number one pick for Canadian SuperNats performance is all about getting it done at the big show. |
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