Mandarino Joins GP/KLS Racing for 2006
Canadian kart racer Lorenzo Mandarino is set to kick-off an aggressive program in 2006, one which will see the emerging star hit a total of 18 events in Canada, Europe and the United States, running both the Intercontinental C (ICC) 125cc gearbox and Intercontinental A (ICA) 100cc direct drive categories. Mandarino, 19, will contest the prestigious Stars of Karting championship in North America as well as the European Championships and Italian Open Masters series in Europe. Officially teamed with Italian manufacturer GP Racing Karts for his '06 efforts, the Burnaby, BC resident will run directly with the factory team in Europe and with the company's American importer KLS Racing while in North America. Mandarino's powerplants will be supplied by the TM factory for the European rounds, George Barks TM Racing USA for his domestic ICC events and Marc Zartarian's High-Rev Engineering for his ICA entry.

Mandarino jumped to the head of the karting world last fall when he won headline class at the annual Superkarts! USA SuperNationals in Las Vegas, arguably the most important event in the North American karting community. Following in the footsteps of former SuperNats winners Alex Barron, Memo Gidley and Scott Speed, Mandarino has now firmly planted himself at the head of the class and he is now considered a primary contender for a Stars of Karting national championship in 2006.

Heading into the new campaign, Mandarino will be behind the wheel of an assortment of vehicles running in events on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The primary focus will be the Snap-on Stars of Karting national circuit, and he will undertake an aggressive attack on the title in both the ICC and ICA categories. In the program's Western Championship, Mandarino will run a six-speed 125cc shifterkart in the ICC class, campaigning with KLS Racing and George Barks TM power. At the Eastern Stars events, Mandarino will switch to the direct drive ICA class and will run a duel satellite effort aboard a KLS GP chassis and a High-Rev Vortex engine, tuned personally by noted engine builder Marc Zartarian.

The biggest addition to Mandarino's program for '06 is the announcement of a full European race package, as the Canadian will become an official works driver for the GP factory. In addition to the track time gained in the five-race Italian Open Masters series, he will make his first attempt at the ultra-competition European Championship series in the tough Super ICC class, the world's top level for gearbox karting. To cap his international season, he will also enter the World Championship event in Italy in October.

The season will kick-off with a pair of outings in an open wheel junior formula car, however, as Mandarino will continue his development in full-size race cars, contesting the first two rounds of the SCCA Formula Russell Championship at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA. The first race is scheduled for the February 11-12 weekend.

With an exciting program in place for 2006, Mandarino looks back at a very successful '05 season with pride and wishes to thank Genesis Racing, CRG and Maxter for their support. With a new package put in place, the goal now will be to maintain the momentum built off his superb performance at the SuperNationals in November.