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KARTING: Lammers Wins SuperNationals
Michael Schumacher was the draw but youth ruled the day in Sunday's SKUSA SuperNationals in the parking lot course at the Rio Hotel & Casino.
Robin Miller  |  Posted November 23, 2009   Las Vegas, NV
Poland’s Bas Lammers dominated the best karters in the world with a runaway victory in the Pro division. (Tom Donoghue)
Michael Schumacher was the draw but youth ruled the day in Sunday's SKUSA SuperNationals in the parking lot course at the Rio Hotel & Casino.

While the 7-time Formula One champ finished a respectable 7th out of 43 in the Super Pro main event, Poland's Bas Lammers dominated the best karters in the world with a runaway victory in that category.

Driving an Intrepid kart, Lammers started up front and steadily pulled away from teammates Norman Nato and Jeremy Iglesias to pocket the $10,000 check from promoter Tom Kutscher.

"It was a perfect weekend and this is a fantastic team," said the 23-year-old Lammers, who recently finished third in the WSK world championships.

Schumacher, driving for the powerful Tony Kart squad, qualified way back in 27th but earned the 11th starting spot by working his way forward in the qualifying heats. In his American karting debut and only sixth Super Pro event of 2009, he was satisfied with his progress.
The biggest draw of the day was the 7-time F1 world champion, Michael Schumacher. (Tom Donoghue)

"You have to be realistic about the situation and I know I'm not contending for the win but it's still good fun and we passed our share of karts," he said.

Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon was in the thick of the best race of the afternoon -- the TAG Seniors. Following a pair of victories in the heats on Saturday, the 2005 IRL champion started on the pole and traded the lead with Gustavo Menezes, Brazil's Andre Nicastro and Taylor Minch.

That foursome broke away from the field and staged a tremendous battle that saw Menezes and Nicastro trade the top spot no less than four times in the closing laps. But, on the final circuit, Nicastro knocked Menezes out of the groove and the lead as Minch snuck past into second.

Niscastro was given the checkered and black flag simultaneously as the chief steward ruled that his aggressive move would cost him two spots and give Minch the win.

"There was a lot of beating and banging at the end and I was in the right place," said Minch a 16-year-old Californian making his SuperNationals debut for Joey Hand's Kartel squad.

Menezes, a resident of Orange County who drives for Buddy Rice's Tony Kart West team, got a nice consolation prize afterwards when it was announced he'd been selected to compete in next month's shootout for a full-time ride in the 2010 Jim Russell Pro Series.

"I was pretty disappointed after getting knocked out of that win but this is a fantastic opportunity and I can't wait to drive my first car," said the 16-year-old who has raced 14 times in Europe this year.

Wheldon's fourth place finish was hard-earned. "Man, I'm not as young as these kids but this was a great event and I'm just honored to be part of it," he said.

The other big race was the S3 where Tom Dyer scored a 3-second triumph over Keenan Schmite and Tyler Bennett.
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Robin Miller

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