Tazio Wins Indoor at Grand Prix New York

12 Year old Tazio Torregiani will race at Grand Prix New York this winter at select races on Sundays. Tazio is an outdoor sprint kart National racer, but racing at the local indoor track in Mount Kisco NY gives the CT karter a convenient opportunity to stay active and sharp as he prepares for his next big WKA race in South Carolina in March.

the karts here are different. They are bigger and heavier and are powered by a four stroke engine versus the lighter two stroke power Merlin karts he drives outdoor. The racing here however is no walk in the park for Tazio. Passing is very difficult in the very tight indoor tracks, and he races against the strongest group where the fastest are 15 to 16 year old. To make the racing fair Tazio has to add 50 lbs ballast weight to his kart to match the weight of the heaviest drivers in his group.

The first race of the Junior winter series was Sunday January 9th. In the closing lap of qualifying Tazio secured Pole Position, and in the third and final race Tazio made his move with a last lap pass and won the race.

In the second round on 1/23/11, Tazio went for a difficult pass that didn't work which kept him from winning. He did however secure fastest lap of the race which awards bonus points.

Tazio is currently leading the indoor points standings and will be back at GPNY on 2/6/11.

Top ten National finish for 12 year old CT race driver Tazio Torregiani.

 photo Courtesy of www.ontrackpromotions.com

December 28th-30th 2010.

The TazioTorregiani.com Racing Team returned to the annual Daytona Kartweek in December just after Christmas. The 2011 WKA Manufacturer's Cup National Sprint Series starts here, at the famed Daytona International Speedway. This time the challenge was going to be the strongest for the team with record entries from all over North America.

Sportsman driver Tazio Torregiani arrived on a high, after being one of the fastest national drivers at the closing WKA round in Melville, NJ, and qualifying on the front row.

Tazio entered the Daytona Race with two Merlin/Fleming karts for three different classes: Cadet, Yamaha Sportsman light and heavy. This was the first time for Tazio to race in National Yamaha class.

In open practice Tazio was fast right away, setting some really quick laps especially in Yamaha class.
But it was in Cadet that things were going to look better.
50 National drivers attempted to qualify for only the 34 spots that would take part in the final races.

Tazio qualified 15th overall and made the race as expected. In the pre-final race he fell to 17th at the start, but quickly fought his way back and finished 14th. This would be his starting position on the grid for the Final. In the main race Tazio got a clean start and engaged in one of his best battles including a last lap pass that gave him his tenth place finish. You can see the on board video of this race by clicking here.

On race day 2 Tazio went better in Cadet qualifying to a 12th position, and moved up to 9th in the prefinal race. In the Final 2 race Tazio was very fast out of the box and was able to climb as high as 6th. Unfortunately by that time there was so much rubber on the track, that a tire pressure miscalculation gave Tazio's kart too much grip mid race, which developed a bad under steer. He was still able to finish 11th out of 34.

In the Yamaha Sportsman class Tazio was very impressive as a rookie, qualifying his Merlin/Fleming kart in 8th position out of 52 National entries. To Tazio's disbelief, he was disqualified after not making the minimum 260lbs weight by three pounds.

 photo Courtesy of www.ontrackpromotions.com

On the second day, traffic in qualifying and a kart loosing a wheel on front him in the race, kept Tazio from finishing better than 22nd out of 34.

Overall Tazio made it clear that he was part of the top ten fast group in National Man Cup.

Fairfield County race driver Tazio Torregiani plans to stay active, by entering select races at GPNY indoor karting in MountKisko NY, in the junior winter league. In preparation to the next National race in March.

The www.TazioTorregiani.com Racing Team would like to thank his sponsors and supporters including

http://www.newcountryporsche.com/, http://www.vincentgarage.com/ , and http://www.mikedotyracing.com/ .

On Board with Tazio at Daytona to a top ten finish 12 29 10

National Cadet Kart Race with front and rear view Camera, WKA Daytona Kartweek 2010.

Great Racing video,this one is updated and includes front and rear viem camera shots.

You're on board with Tazio Torregiani as he battles his way through the field to a top ten National Finish at the legendary Daytona Kartweek. This is the WKA Manufacturer Cup Sprint series in Cadet class on December 29th 2010. The fast racer #80 is the son of Indy 500 winner Buddy Lazier. Great action.

Tazio to Start his 2011 Season with his 2nd Daytona Kartweek

After his first year of National competition, Tazio is ready to return to the famous Daytona Kartweek on 12/28/10, for one of the biggest National Kart Race in the country. What makes it big is not just the venue, but also the competitors who are the best drivers in North America.

Daytona is where, every year, The motor racing starts in the US. First with the WKA National Kart season, and than with the 24 Hours of Daytona, followed by the Daytona 500.
 Race driver Tazio Torregiani just turned 12, on the 13th of  December. He looks forward returning to the Florida track, where last year his overall pace was very competitive.
In 2010 Tazio competed in just his Cadet kart, Winning races in the Divisional New Jersey Sprint Series, and consistently finishing on the podium in Regional and club competition.

The highlight of his 2010 season was qualifying second on the front row in his last 2010 National WKA Man Cup race in September at NJ Motorsports Park, and posting the overall fastest lap of the weekend in cadet class.

Torregiani is hoping to continue with his fast pace going to Daytona and into the 2011 year.
For the new season Tazio will race in three classes using two different chassis':  Cadet and Yamaha Sportsman. Both are Merlin karts, which Tazio finds himself very comfortable in.
The TazioTorregiani.com Racing Team will like to thank his Sponsors and supporters www.NewCountryPorsche.com, www.Bodicures.com, www.VincentGarage.com and www.JoaoCarlosPhoto.com.
For more info, you can contact the team at patrizio@newcountry.com or 203 561 2759.

Tazio Qualifies on Front Row in WKA National Race

On September 17th 2010, 11 Year old Cadet Driver Tazio Torregiani returned to one of his favorite kart tracks: The reconfigured Tempest track at NJ Motorsports Park.

He arrived full of confidence, Thanks to a fine win the previous weekend at the same track, his second this year in WKA NJ divisional races. This time the street fight was going to be with a different gang: The WKA Man Cup National Series, Cadet Class. Perhaps the most competitive sprint kart racing in the country. This was the last race weekend of the 2010 season.

Thanks to a very productive Friday practice, On Saturday morning Tazio was able to qualify 11th out of 26. After an off in the grass in turn one, Tazio finished Saturday’s final race in 12th.

Sunday was a new day. Tazio returned to the pits after morning practice eager to improve the chassis. So, together with Dad Patrizio and Brother Dario, the Torregiani team was able to find the right setup.

Tazio hit the track for qualifying determined to go faster, and in his second flying lap, he managed to qualify second, in the front row, 1 tenth of a second, from pole. The third lap could have been even faster, but came too close to the driver on front on the straight. This was Tazio’s finest drive yet and he knew it.

Tazio started the pre final and jumped in the lead in turn one. He led the first lap. His luck wasn’t going to last. On the fourth lap his motor (the Hornet) started losing RPM and slowing down. The tip of the spark plug became loose and came off inside the boot loosing spark. Tazio very rapidly lost many positions. He nursed his #07 kart home and barely finished 20th. He did manage to secure fastest lap of the race at 1:15.1 on the third lap, which was to hold fastest lap of the weekend in cadet class.

Tazio started his Sunday final race in 20th position, and again drove great to make several passes and stay out of trouble to finish in 11th position. The results were no indication of the potential. Tazio finished his first National season knowing that he has the speed to race with the best, and can’t wait for next season.

Tazio and the Torregiani team would like to thank all their supporters and sponsors, including http://www.newcountryporsche.com/ and http://www.vincentgarage.com/. For more info visit http://www.taziotorregiani.com/.

Tazio Wins his First WKA Regional Race at NJ Motorsports Park

The Following is the press release from Ekartingnews.com:

The WKA New Jersey Sprint Series returned to NJ Motorsports Park on June 11th, 12th and 13th for round two of the 2010 Series. The one mile Tempest track is very fast and one of the best kart tracks around. Good enough for the WSK World Kart Series coming in July.

This is also the same track where last year Tazio flew out of his cadet kart in a racing accident, which left him with a minor foot injury for a week.

On Friday, during open practice, Tazio very quickly got into his groove turning very competitive laps. His great feedback enabled his father Patrizio Torregiani find the right chassis set up with the help of Mike Doty, one of the best tuner/coach in the country.

On Saturday, Tazio’s pace kept getting better. After a brilliant drive in the qualifying heat races, he placed his Merlin cadet kart in 2nd place starting position on the grid for the feature Cadet final 1 race.

A great start saw him jump in the lead into turn 1 only to fall in third place shortly after. But Tazio knows races are not won on the first lap, so lap after lap he made sure he didn’t lose sight of the two karts on front. Bump drafting is a big factor at this track because of the long and very fast front straight, especially in cadet class. So when the two front karts started pulling away in their own draft, Tazio alone needed help. He frantically started tapping the back of his helmet signaling the kart behind to step on it and give him a push. Now with a drafting partner they very quickly reeled in the leaders. Time was running out so on the last lap coming out of turn one, Tazio went for the double pass and jumped from third to first, ironically the exact spot where his accident happened last year. Eleven year old Tazio Torregiani managed to hold on to the lead to the checkered flag holding off a last charge from the pole sitter, side by side in a marvelous photo finish. It was Tazio’s first regional win of the year.

On Sunday the weather was much hotter and humid, which didn’t favor Tazio’s kart setup. He finished fourth.

Tazio will race at Road America WI on July 10th and 11th for the third round of the WKA Manufacturer Cup in the Zoom Zoom Grand Nationals.

You can follow Tazio on his website at http://www.TazioTorregiani.com

Our Racing Team on the Papers for the Third Time

Last month our racing team made the Greenwich Citizen newspaper again. It's the third time now the local tabloids find interest in the 11 year old race driver. Sports writer Rob Kelly did a follow up story on Tazio after his promising Daytona National race debut. You can read the article by clicking on the photo. Our family would like to thank Rob again for his memorable articles on our team.