Life’s Good Racing!TM is pleased to Mario Lentoannounce that Mario Lento will pilot the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart during the 2014 US Touring Car Championships season. Mario brings nine years of racing experience, and significant Mitsubishi Evo experience to the seat, very significant for driving an all-wheel drive animal such as the Lancer Ralliart.
Dave Brown, Team Manager of Team Life’s Good Racing!TM said of Mario’s joining the team, “Mario will be a significant addition to the team as he not only brings proven experience in an awesome AWD Mitsubishi Evo, he also supplements the winning attitude and record of the team.”
Mario will have his first opportunity to prove his skills during the first USTCC race, scheduled for Buttonwillow Raceway outside of Bakersfield on April 5th. This first event will test Mario as it will be a 2 Hour Enduro!
Mario Lento started his competitive driving career in 2005 in NASA’s Time Trials, taking a season 3rd place in in his daily driven modified Miata.
In 2007, starting as a rookie, he won the season’s championship in NASA NorCal’s Performance Touring E Class.
In 2008, never having driven at Fontana Speedway, he was sponsored to drive a RobiSpec EVO at the Redline Time Attack series in the “Roval” configuration, where he took 2nd place in street class, and setting a new lap record for a Robispec EVO, a 1:54.7.
In both 2009 and 2010, he joined with Team Midnight Performance (TMP), gladly accepting the night time rain stints during the 25 hours of Thunder Hill, with a seat time of 10 hours in 2010.
In 2011, he ran several races with TMP taking first place twice in PTE, and setting a lap record in TTE at 1:55.17 at Infineon Raceway. Also in 2011, Mario, sponsored by Elemental and FFTEC, placed 3nd with a time of 1:49.59 in the first Global Time Attack Series at Infineon Raceway in a daily driven street car that was used in place of the track prepped car which was not ready for the event.
Mario continues religiously to take time off of his regular work schedule to volunteer at NASA’s Teen Driving Clinics at ThunderHill Raceway, and instructs at most of NASA HPDE events.