Sera And Schumacher Are Heading To Vegas

11 November 2009

Very few Australians can claim that they have raced in the same karting event as a seven-time World Champion but this is what Australian karting star David Sera will be doing next week (Nov 18-22) in Las Vegas, America.

Michael Schumacher suiting up for an event
at Wackersdorf in Germany recently.
(Pic: Jenni Wade/VPD Marketing)

It was announced earlier this week that one of the best Formula One drivers of all-time Michael Schumacher will be competing in the 13th Annual SKUSA SuperNationals – as will Sera, who recently claimed his tenth Australian championship.

Sera will be competing in the 125cc TaG Senior category while Schumacher will tackle the SuperPro (KZ2) category that will see 40 of the top drivers from across the world race aboard six-speed gearbox machines, including Toro Rosso Formula 1 drivers Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuar. Nelson Piquet Junior was also confirmed yesterday as a starter in the SuperPro class.

Since retiring from Formula One at the end of 2006 Schumacher has been seen at a number of karting circuits throughout Europe, and in September he competed at the Goldpokal 2009 event held at the Wackersdorf circuit in Germany. After starting from the front row a brazen move by another competitor to snatch the lead from Schumacher sent the former European ICA Champion spinning just laps from the end of the final, leaving him fourth at the chequered flag.

Schumacher will be competing for the Tony Kart team alongside 2007 event winner and multiple world champion Italian Marco Ardigò, Englishman Gary Catt along with American stars Alex Speed and Buddy Rice.

For Sera the inclusion of Schumacher on the entry list takes the prestige of the event, and his excitement, to another level.

“It (having Schumacher competing) really brings a whole new level of hype around the event, if I wasn’t excited enough before the Schumacher announcement I’m certainly very excited now,” said Sera.

Schumacher behind the wheel of his Tony Kart.
(Pic: Jenni Wade/VPD Marketing)

“Along with Schumacher there are some great guys competing, including the World KZ2 Champion, a couple of Formula One drivers and all of the top drivers from across a variety of American motorsport disciplines.”

Next weekend will be the third time this year that Sera has competed in America, his last start coming in the Florida Winter Tour during January where he was the pacesetter across the weekend.

“I had a good run over there when I raced in Florida earlier this year but I expect next weekend to be very different. It’s a temporary circuit and there will be 80 competitors in my class but I’m really looking forward to it.”

Sera will be competing in the event aboard an Australian-made Arrow kart for the BTK Motorsport outfit.

Schumacher and Sera will take to the one-kilometre circuit for the first time next Wednesday (Nov 18) for practice, which continues on Thursday, ahead of qualifying on Friday, heat races on Saturday and the finals on Sunday.