Memo Gidley wins Mazda SuperKart Race in Mexico

Memo Gidley takes a victory lap

Memo Gidley added to his already impressive and extensive racing resume with a victory in Mexico driving in the Mazda 250F SuperKart Series. Born in La Paz and raised in the U.S., Gidley – who has dual American/Mexican citizenship – made his second trip to Monterey, Mexico to compete in the season-opening event of the Mazda SuperKart series and scored his second consecutive victory on a temporary track in the parking lot of the “Parque Tunidura" on the river of Sta. Catarina.

The hotly-contested race of the SK 250 and SK 250 Pro category started at 2:30 with regional participants and special guest driver Gidley, whose regular ride is at the controls of the #77 Kodak Doran/Dallara Ford Daytona Prototype in the Grand-Am Rolex Series.

At the start, Adolfo Berain (# 28), who qualified second, surprised Memo by jumping to the front, but after completing the first lap, Gidley made the pass to re-take the lead, a spot he never relinquished for the remainder of the 20-lap race. In addition to winning, Gidley and his and his #19 Trackmagic kart also set the fastest lap of the race.

Memo Gidley (C) on the podium

“It feels great to win again in Mexico," said Gidley. “It is never easy, down here the drivers are very good, and I really had to work hard to get the kart working on this temporary circuit to pull off this win in my Trackmagic Kart."

Adolfo Berain finished second after surviving an accident with Nacho Mijares, the 2007 series champion, during the first five laps. Mijares, in his eagerness to pass Berain, spun out when he had to brake in a turn in order not to crash, and from then on, Noe Trevino (#7) was the driver pursuing Berain, but it wasn’t possible for him to gain that position and he finished on the third step of the podium.

In the 250 SK category, the winner was Miguel Angel Cantu (#4) who started in the fifth position followed by Julio Cesar Coronado de Saltillo (#22), and by Domingo Trevino(#48). The shifter 125cc champion included the champion of Saltillo and was won by Rolando Martinez, followed by second place only .173 seconds was Carlols Medina. The winner on the 125cc Shifter A race of 15 laps was Arturo Ramirez(#9), accompanied on the podium by Jose A. Rodriguez(#7A) and Carlos Vallarta(#15) in second and third respectively.

The Super Motard (motorcycles) also put on competitive 10-lap race with victory going to the driver from Chihuahua, Ambrosio Gutierez. He beat the favorite, Pedro “Speedy" Gonzales when Gonzales tried a last-lap pass but went off-course. He managed to re-join the event and finish 2nd, while 3rd place went to Gabriel Guardado.

The successful, competitive and well-attended event was sanctioned by the National Commission of Karts of the Automobile Federation of Mexico.

“I really enjoy the 250F Superkart Series, the Mexican fans, and the tough competition from the Mexican drivers," said Gidley. “As competitive as the drivers are on the track, both them and the people of Monterrey really treated me like family. It’s a bit funny to them that I have this Mexican background of being a dual citizen…born in Mexico even though I am about as Californian as they get! This Mexican “imposter" can’t wait to come back for the next race in August!"