Charles "Chuck" Maranto

     I am a current resident of Zionsville, IN. since 1995, born, raised, educated and worked in Chicago for the previous 45 years.  A hopeless gear head, I purchased my first car at age 14 (MGTC) for $ 25, followed by a series of “unusual” acquisitions including an Isetta, Fiat Topolino, Abarth Record Monza, and Corvair.  Joined SCCA at age 18 and raced a Fiat Abarth 1300/124 for several years in F Production, and then quit racing to satisfy my family and start a business.  At age 40, I returned to racing Vintage racecars, having become disenchanted with the “politics” within the SCCA.  I have owned and campaigned a Cooper Mk 5 Formula 3, a Brabham BT-6 Formula Junior, a Lola MK 5 Formula Junior, a Detomaso Isis Formula Junior, a Brabham BT-21 Formula B, an Elva Mk-6 Sports Racer, a Dallara/Abarth x1/9, and an Autodynamics MK 5 Formula Vee.  I am the past president of Monoposto Racing US, the past president of VSCDA (a 1000 member racing club in the Midwest, and the past Vintage Vee national representative for the SCCA.  I was the National Vintage Monoposto (open wheel) Champion in 1991 and 1992. I acted as the race director of the “Children’s Museum Vintage Grand Prix”, held at IRP for 5 years, raising $180,000 for them and the American Red Cross.

     Currently, with 7 and 16 year old sons, I decided to curtail my racing activities (temporarily), and become involved with my boys in Karting.  Although the boys and I have had a great first year in the sport, my extensive exposure to the structure of more advanced forms of the sport has made me aware that a true ladder series, devoid of politics and heavy on learning the skills required to “Move up”, is really not readily available to the Dad wishing to introduce his 5 year old to Motorsports.  Being part of the solution and not part of the problem is my sole motivation.