After superb outings at the SuperNationals

Tyler Bennett (in car) and Gustavo Menezes will take part in the Jim Russell Future Driver Selection program. A successful weekend at the world’s largest kart race, Super Karts USA! SuperNationals XIII, has awarded two young drivers a chance at launching their careers in motorsports.

 Utah’s Tyler Bennett and Gustavo Menezes from southern California have each been awarded a scholarship to the 2010 Jim Russell Future Driver Selection.

Bennett, racing in the Stock Moto S3 category, was recently ranked number one by ekartingnews.com and backed up that ranking with his weekend’s performance at the SuperNationals. A heat race win and two seconds put Bennett on the second row for the all-important start of the main event.

A back and forth battle between the top-seven drivers saw Bennett pushed back to the sixth position after contact at the halfway point. Showing maturity beyond his age, Bennett passed his way back to finish a very impressive second.

Equally impressive, was Menezes pulling double duty competing in both TaG Senior and KF2. Like Bennett, Menezes qualified second in the ultra competitive TaG Senior field, out pacing IndyCar Series driver Dan Wheldon Super Karts USA! SuperNationals and Grand-Am prototype race Michael Valiante. Menezes showed very well in race form and appeared to be on route to the main event win before minor contact in the final corner moved him to second position.

“Both Gustavo and Tyler put in great performances at SuperNats,” stated Chip Pankow, President of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School. “We saw great potential in these drivers, and look forward to their competing against many talented drivers from around the world at the Future Driver 2010 Selection.”

Bennett and Menezes will travel to the Sonoma, Calif., for the four-day Future Driver Selection that will take place December 19-22. The Future Driver Selection will see drivers compete in karts, Mitsubishi Evolution sedans and the school’s FJR-50 formula three equivalent race car. The two winners of the Future Driver Selection will be awarded full seasons of racing in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship series.

The Jim Russell Championship Series is a 16 Race season held in the school’s Lola built, formula three derived FJR-50, in which the 2010 champion will be awarded a seat in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship season.

source: eformulacarnews.com (Photo: Jim Russell Championship)