34 JUNE 2023 By Mallory Gleich B oth Gio Santora and Mia Lovell have been featured in Arcadia News before. They both also attend Arcadia area schools – but these aren’t the only things they have in common. Both Gio and Mia love all things fast – and, with the help of their families, they’ve taken their racing careers to the next level in their respective categories. Thirteen-year-old Gio has been racing go-karts for nine years. With parents who grew up racing just for fun, it’s no wonder he took to the sport – and has succeeded in various ways. Since his feature in the December 2022 edition, Gio has spent time practicing, attending regional and national races, and improving his racing skills. “I recently moved up to a No. 2 ranking out of over 1.2 million adults at Octane Raceway’s Adult Pro Skills for indoor karting,” he said. “I am focusing on executing our driving plan and strategies.” His love for racing started when he was just a tot. At four years old, his family would spend time at CrackerJax – where he discovered go-karts and his need for speed developed. He moved his way up through indoor karting to outdoor karts and has now participated in over 100 outdoor races. Most recently, he won the Club Championship for the Phoenix Kart Racing Association in April. There were 10 races at the championship, but only eight of those accrued points. Gio received a total of 1,514 points – 62 ahead of the second-place finish. He came in first place three times, second place four times and third place once to win the Club Championship. “It felt really good to win, and I’m grateful for everyone that helped me get the championship: my team, my coach, and my family,” Gio said. “Everyone supported me and worked together, which makes me feel proud to be part of the team and have that support.” He also held the track record at PKRA, and beat that time for this year’s track configuration. “I picked up the win, fastest lap, and the championship all in one race. I hold three course records at PKRA,” he said. Gio races competitive go-karts on an asphalt track. He drives with various engines: Rotax, KA, or the Briggs and Stratton engine – it depends on the race. Competitions start with a warm-up race, a qualifying race (to set positions), heat races (one to three each, depending on the race) and the primary race, which has a similar setup to the Formula 1 racing circuit. Gio drives a 2023 Compkart Covert with a Rotax 125cc engine, with speeds up to 72+ mph. Each track that Gio races on has different configurations. To get a feel for it, drivers can walk the track with their teams to make a plan and get familiar with the curves, rumble strips, curbs and, of course, the finish line. A race series typically has a practice day with six sessions. The next day, usually a Saturday, consists of Heats and Qualifying races for six sessions. Sundays kick off with a warm-up, and then it’s “light ‘em up” for the main race, about 20 laps and approximately 20 minutes of continuous racing. “This is where my strength, focus and conditioning come into play,” Gio said. In January, he received some great news when he was added to the J3 Competition team, which has been part of the kart racing world for over 20 years. “I’m thrilled that he found his passion so early in life. I feel grateful that we can support him and his dreams,” Gio’s mom, Melissa, said. “It’s so nice to see him developing into a gentleman, and this sport has helped him in many areas of his maturation process,” Dad, George, said. “He has the confidence to do other things in life because of the fundamentals he has learned in karting. This sport promotes independence, teamwork, resilience, relationship building, discipline, motivation and build character.” Melissa hopes that Gio stays grounded and happy and continues to bring up others around him. “Gio is a wonderful person and has the heart of a champion. When he focuses, and it’s race time, he has all the skills to be an elite driver. I’m happy we can support him, and I know there is a special place in racing for him,” George said. Sixteen-year-old Mia first stepped onto the race track when she was 13 – thanks, in part, to her father’s love for cars and racing. “We’ve always been into extreme sports, and we’ve always liked action,” Mia said. “My dad has been club racing his whole life, and when I was old enough, he put me in a car. I did not know much about the racing world, but since then, I’ve become a rabid Formula 1 fan and look up to those drivers.” Her father, Mike, is also an avid car collector. “My father was a National Corvette Restoration Society judge when I was a child,” Mike said, “so I spent my childhood summers traveling to shows, participating in judged events and restoring cars on weekends with my dad and brother. It’s in my blood.” Mike bought a stock Toyota 86, and he and Mia turned it into a racecar by adding wheels, suspension, a supercharger, a roll cage and brakes. Once it was ready, they headed to the track. “We built that car, but the first proper race car I drove was my dad’s Multimatic Mustang GT4,” Mia said. “I did my first race when I was 15 in the Apex Challenge series at our local track, Apex Motor Club, where I got first in class.” Mia partakes in sports car racing and road course racing. This means that instead of racing on an oval track, she races on tracks with left and right turns. Her passion – and extra practice time with go-karts – has paid off, FASTEST KIDS ON FOUR WHEELS 34 FASTEST KIDS FASTEST KIDS ON FOUR WHEELS (left) Gio has been racing go-karts since he was four years old. (right) Gio with parents George and Melissa at the Club Championship in April. PHOTOS COURTESY OF GEORGE SANTORA

35 JUNE 2023 as she recently took part in the GRCup Series, her first professional race. “The GRCup Series is a ‘spec’ series, meaning all cars are identical. Toyota Gazoo Racing built 40 cars specifically for this series. To do well, it comes down to the driver’s skill,” Mia said. At the GRCup, Mia will drive a Toyota GR86, a low horsepower car that tops out at 120 mph, so drivers will rely on momentum through the corners to make speed. The races are 45 minutes long, with zero pit stops and no driver changes or rolling starts. Drivers start with two 30-minute practice sessions on Friday, a qualifying session and a 45-minute race on Saturday, and then another qualifying and 45-minute race on Sunday. Each qualifying session will determine the grid for that day. There are 14 races at seven tracks (two at each track). The series started in Sonoma, CA, and will travel through Austin, Virginia, Nashville, Wisconsin, and Sebring, with the finale held at Indy Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. Drivers who place 10th and up receive points toward the GRCup Driver’s Championship, with a total prize of $1 million. “I am beyond excited for this racing season. I would say that this is the most exciting and thrilling thing that I’ve ever done. There’s just something about being in the car and racing 40 other drivers that ends up being the most fun experience in the world,” Mia said. To race in the series, drivers must buy their own car. Mia said that Toyota was very selective with who they chose to get a car because they wanted this to be a good, developmental series. “I’m a professional skateboarder, and when we applied for a car, they saw my background in skateboarding, which convinced them to give me a spot because there are so many similarities between skateboarding and racing: good hand-eye coordination, body awareness, and being mentally strong,” she said. “I already had the Toyota 86 that my dad and I built, so I had experience.” The majority of Mia’s practice comes from her racing simulator, where she practices all the tracks she’ll be racing on from her house. “It is vital to learning track layouts, and it’s quite realistic. I’ll drive those tracks on the simulator, and then once I get to do the real thing, it feels like I’ve done it a million times already,” Mia said. She also has a workout regimen and trains her body to stay in shape because of the physicality of the car, track and race. She says it’s all worth it. “There are so many things to love: going through a corner on the edge, having a good battle with other people, making a good overtake,” Mia said. “The highs are high, but the lows can be very low. It can be nerve- wracking, frustrating, and feel like a lot of pressure, but all of the hard work and struggle is worth the thrill.” Outside of racing, Mia skateboards, rides dirt bikes and plays guitar, piano, and other instruments. “My whole goal in life is to have as much fun as possible,” Mia said. “I aim to become as good as I can in that discipline. I like to work hard at the things I love.” “I’m excited beyond belief that Mia loves to race. To have my daughter racing professionally is simply a dream for both of us,” Mike said. “I’ve been around the sport my whole life, so I understand how far safety equipment has evolved. There are certain risks that come with racing at speed, but I’m confident that we have provided her with the best safety equipment and training available. The rest is up to her.” Mia is currently competing in the GRCup Series, her first professional race. Mia and her dad, Mike, who helped inspire her love for racing. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIKE LOVELL 5738 N CASA BLANCA DR. | PARADISE VALLEY $40,000,000 | 6 BEDS | 13.5 BATHS | 23,417 SQ. FT. KATRINA BARRETT | 520-403-5270 5531 E MOCKINGBIRD LN | PARADISE VALLEY $27,500,000 | 8 BEDS | 11 BATHS | 20,949 SQ. FT. KATRINA BARRETT | 520-403-5270  7620 N RED LEDGE DR. | PARADISE VALLEY $29,000,000 | 6 BEDS | 8.5 BATHS | 15,500 SQ. FT. KATRINA BARRETT | 520-403-5270 10931 E CANYON CROSS WAY | SCOTTSDALE $9,950,000 | 5 BEDS | 5.5 BATHS | 6,838 SQ. FT. AMBER HART | 480-628-4099 7540 N RED LEDGE DR. | PARADISE VALLEY $19,500,000 | 5 BEDS | 7 BATHS | 11,500 SQ. FT. KATRINA BARRETT | 520-403-5270