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| Features |
| EKN 2010 Series Champion Interview: Fritz Leesmann - Superkarts! USA Pro Tour |
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 | Fritz Leesmann
(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca) |
Over the past 10 years, the North American karting scene has produced a number of outstanding drivers in the shifterkart categories. As they grew from the Junior ranks, watching along the fence line, watching their karting heroes introduced during driver introductions and taking to the track to do battle. One of those youngsters now receiving the eyes of today’s future karting stars when he hits the track and walks the paddock is Northern California’s Fritz Leesmann.
Fritz began karting around age seven as a third generation driver - his father logged in some motocross action back in the day and his grandfather race stock cars. As he moved on in his short career, he hooked up with KLS Racing and began racing an MBA chassis for them in the Junior ranks. Leesmann moved on with them into the Senior category, and in 2003, was teammates with Gary Carlton and Alex Speed under the KLS banner racing aboard a Rosso Corsa chassis.
Following that season, Leesmann bounced around from ICC, ICA, and the early days of the TaG division. It wasn’t until 2006 when he hooked up with Will Martindale and the Wunder-Bar Racing squad that Leesmann broke into the spotlight. A podium finish at the Stars of Karting Tucson round was the high-point but Leesmann kept knocking on the door. After racing the season aboard a GP, they moved to the CRG brand and kept Gary Carlton honest throughout the season, earning the vice-championship in ’07.
The winter of 2008 is when Fritz earned his first national win and title. Scoring the victory in four of the six events, Leesmann was crowned Florida Winter Tour Pro Shifter champion. The venture began a strong relationship with veteran Canadian operation - PSL Karting. While the regular season in ’08 did not produce the results he had hoped, Leesmann was still among the contenders no matter where he showed up. While the 2009 season as a chaotic one for national racing, Leesmann kept close with PSL Karting and Martindale - earning victories aboard with the Canadian outfit and earning a chance to test with the CRG factory. However, Fritz formed an additional partnership with Rob Soares and Aluminos. The NorCal based race team brought Fritz on board as a driver coach/mechanic alongside another legend - Tom Dyer.
That relationship would later turn into a full campaign for the 2010 SKUSA Pro Tour and ProKart Challenge North program in the new S1 Pro Stock Moto division. Leesmann started the season out with a victory. First at the PKC North opener and then the Pro Tour SpringNationals, both at the Jim Russell International Karting Center in Sonoma, CA. Fritz would continue to lead both championships the remainder of the year. Leesmann clinched the SKUSA Pro Tour title with a runner-up finish at the SuperNationals to earn a hefty $5,000 pay day and inclusion to the Circle of Champions prize for the 2011 Superkarts! USA season.
 | Fritz will defend his Superkarts! USA Pro Tour championship in the S1 Pro Stock Moto category
(Photo: dromophotos.com) |
eKartingNews.com: Congratulations on the SKUSA Pro Tour Championship. This past year was a successful one, putting you at the number one spot in the eKartingNews.com Driver Rankings in addition to the other accomplishments you accumulated. What were the key factors to your success this year?
Fritz Leesmann: Having the ability to be on a team where I could work on my kart during the down time and have the ability to test was helpful. Staying in the seat more throughout the season helped keep me in racing shape. My mechanic - Ricky Luther - has been with me for a number of years and he has been a key factor to my success. He knows me and my driving, so he knows what to change to make things right. The Aluminos engine was always at its best.
EKN: The 2010 season was your first full year aboard a Stock Moto package, but you had been working with the package for a few years under the Aluminos tent. What were your initial thoughts about the Stock Moto package?
FL: It’s really fun to drive, but as far as gaining an edge on someone, your options are really limited. You really have to step up your driving, and your chassis game, concentrating on that with a properly tuned engine. Your not changing a million things compared to an ICC, but the power is definitely not the same.
EKN: You have been successful in ICC racing for a number of years with a number of championships and victories under your belt. What differences, if any, do you have to make in your driving style when you jumped into a Stock Moto package?
FL: I’d say you almost have to drive it harder and be more precise. There is no room for error as you don’t have the horsepower to bail you out if you get loose in a corner. I would say you have to drive it more like a Rotax verses a standard TaG kart, if you were to compare it to the driving styles of a Rotax and other TaG karts.
 | When not racing himself, Leesmann has become a solid tuner and driver coach
(Photo: dromophotos.com) |
EKN: Over the course of the last few seasons, you have worked as a driver coach for the Aluminos operation. What has that done for you off and on the track?
FL: It’s made me more aware of the stuff that I am doing on the track and helped me communicate better with people in general. With the career path of a tuner and driver coach, I have improved my skills at working with a number of different people and multiple personalities. Now that I’m examining the stuff on do on track better, I can explain to other drivers what they are doing and how to help them improve when they come off the track. Not be so secluded in my own racing has helped me to open up and expand my knowledge in the sport.
EKN: When you first started karting, did you have dreams of racing at the Indy 500 or in Formula One? And if so, do you still have those aspirations?
FL: My dreams were mainly focused at NASCAR or Stock Car racing. Lately, what my thoughts have turned more toward has been touring cars, like the Australian V8 Supercars. That looks really fun. Or even the Trophy Trucks. Stuff like that is centered more around the driver control and his abilities. I’ve actually been hanging around the sprint car races to get an eyeball on that type of motorsports, maybe leading to something down that road. There have been some people that have let me do some track days in some Spec Fords and Miata last year.
EKN: What plans do you have for 2011? Will you defend your SKUSA crown and try to earn that first SuperNationals victory?
FL: I will be doing the SKUSA Pro Tour for sure to defend my national #1 plate. I will probably do a few one-offs at some ProKart Challenge races. I’m looking forward to racing the street Canada again (Monaco de Trois-Rivieres) and of course the SKUSA SuperNationals in Las Vegas. |
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