Meet The Tag Senior Pilots!

As you all know BP Motosports Group is the promoter of "The Mazda Heartland Sprint Series" presented by Russell Karting Specialties and the 1st IZOD IndyCar Series Regional Karting Partner.  It is our great privilege to be sending our 2011 Tag Senior Champion to the first ever Mazda Road to Indy Scouting Combine at Anderson Raceway Park in Palmetto, Florida this November.  Our driver will compete against some of the best kart racers from all across the country in a "Top Gun" style shoot out in USF2000 cars.  They will be evaluated on not only their on track performance but on everything else that makes a good racer.  Those who qualify and get the chance to go to Florida will be the best of the best.  There will only be twelve drivers total and the Tag Senior Champion from "The Mazda Heartland Sprint Series" will be one of them.  We thought it would be fun to introduce you to some of the drivers competing for that opportunity, and because we know our manners at BP Motorsports Group it's "Ladies first"....

It would seem fitting to first introduce you to last years Tag Senior Champion in "The Mazda Heartland Sprint Series".

1) Kaylee Granberg:  
"Defending Tag Senior Champion Mazda Heartland Sprint Series"

This young lady is the defending champion in the Tag Senior Champion in "The Mazda Heartland Sprint Series" and has an impressive list of accomplishments which include the following:

2010 - Champion Tag Senior Class Mazda Heartland Sprint Series.

2010 - 2nd place Shifter S2 Class Mazda Heartland Sprint Series.
2010 - 19th place finish at Supernats XIV Las Vegas.
2010 - Selected as a Member of Team USA for the race in France.  Kaylee had a successful race as she finished 19th out of 33 drivers in her first year at this event.

Kaylee holds several track records at the historic Liberty Kart Track and she's won countless races and several championships on her pathway to the Tag Senior Class.  It doesn't matter what you put Kaylee in, if it has a motor and wheels she'll find a way to be fast! 

Kaylee Racing with TEAM USA in France

Kaylee is a local girl from Raytown, Missouri and her favorite drivers are Mark Martin, Danica Patrick,  Ashley Force, Mike Neff, and John Force.  Her favorite kart tracks are Delmar and New Castle and she's currently acting as the driving coach for her younger brother Zach Granberg who just started this year in the Kid Kart class.  Zach is now hitting speeds of 40mph so it's safe to say he's now "The Fastest 5 Year Old in Kansas City" and with big sister Kaylee as a driving coach Zach is sure to see some success.  

Kaylee was hand picked by 8 time National Karting Champion Jim Russell Jr. of Russell Karting Specialties to be a part of TEAM USA and race in France in 2010.  Kaylee said it was a tremendous honor to be selected by Jim Russell Jr. and the chance to represent TEAM USA was an amazing thrill.  Kaylee finished 19th out of 33 drivers in the X30 Final in her first overseas race.

Kaylee said her goals are, "To learn all I can about go karting and my ultimate goal is to become and IZOD IndyCar Driver."  Her first step to that goal could be at the conclusion of this years "Mazda Heartland Sprint Series"  If she wins the Championship she'll be headed to the first ever Mazda Road to Indy Scouting Combine.  However there is another young lady with a lead foot and several driving credits under her belt that is looking to win that Championship as well.  That brings us to another Tag Senior Driver....


2)  Natalie Fenaroli

Natalie at the Texas Proving Grounds

At the time of this article Natalie was in 5th place in the Tag Senior Championship points battle, just 53 points behind Kaylee who currently sits in 2nd place.  Natalie is threat to win at any time and is currently racing karts in the Tag Senior Class with "The Mazda Heartland Sprint Series" but she's also racing a Spec Mazda Miata in the COMMA Series as well.  

Natalie is another local Kansas City girl who grew up in Raytown, Missouri.  She started racing in the Kid Kart class 10 years ago when she was only 5 years old, and she is now working her way up the racing ladder with her eyes on the ultimate goal, the IZOD IndyCar Series!  Her favorite drivers include:  Danica Patrick, Dan Wheldon, and Sarah Fisher and she said her favorite car is the 2004 Lotus Elise because it's much like being in a go kart.

Natalie has impressed several people in the racing community and she's caught the eye of some people in high places and as a result she will be traveling to New Zealand in the near future and spending a week and a half with an engineer from Formula One.  Quite the accomplishment for a young lady who is only 15 years old.

Some of Natalie's accomplishments include the following:

2003 - Participated in the Kid Kart National Championship in St. Louis in 2003 at the age of 7 years old.  Natalie finished in 1st place in Group 2.

2008 - Central States Super Series champion in the TAG Junior class.

2010 - Granted a competition license to race COMMA at Hallett race track.
  

Natalie is also part of Henry Ford History of Women in Motorsports and the information below is taken directly from her website.

 

Natalie is honored to be included in a 5 year traveling exhibit on the History of Women in Motorsports. The exhibit was put together by The Henry Ford and the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation and opened at the end of January at the Daytona Experience in Daytona Beach, FL. Natalie attended an event celebrating the opening of the exhibit and a VIP meet and greet with many racing leaders and executives from ISC and NASCAR.  One of the pictures is Natalie with Indy diver Lyn St. James who was the major force getting the exhibit put together. 
--------

These are just two of the extremely talented drivers that make up the Tag Senior Class in "The Mazda Heartland Sprint Series" presented by Russell Karting Specialties in Kansas City.  Attention IndyCar...  If you're looking for some potential future drivers you might just strike gold here in Kansas City.  These two ladies have an impressive resume of accomplishments already and their barely old enough to drive legally.  Keep your eye on these two because my bet is you'll see Kaylee Granberg and Natalie Fenaroli on the podium in the near future thanking their sponsors and signing autographs at tracks like Long Beach, Sao Paulo, and Indianapolis.