SuperNationals moves to the Las Vegas Strip and promises a new track with views of the famous boulevard

Superkarts! USA SuperNationals will launch at a new venue — the LVCC Diamond lot, located in close proximity to Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino — starting in 2021. The key feature of the venue is that sections of the track will run directly along the Las Vegas Strip, meaning thousands of passersby will be able to watch the racing without purchasing a ticket.

Twenty years of moving around Las Vegas

Over two decades, SuperNationals has moved through a series of locations. The race has been held at X-Plex, the Rio, Sam Boyd Stadium, and the parking lots of the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Westgate hotel. In 2015 and 2016, the LVCC Gold lot hosted the event.

The event has now moved to the Diamond lot, which spans 1.25 million square feet. This scale gave the organizers the freedom to create an entirely new track layout.

A significant step for Vegas in the era of iGaming dominance

The move to the Strip underscores the role of SuperNationals in Las Vegas's tourism ecosystem. After the pandemic, the city was in particular need of large-scale live events, as during the lockdowns audiences shifted en masse to online entertainment. Casinos and bookmakers launched dozens of digital formats, and developers invented genres that simply do not exist in traditional land-based casinos. One such format is crash games, where a player places a bet on a growing multiplier and must cash out before the round ends. Based on data we reviewed from luckyjetgame.org on the recent hit Lucky Jet, the audience for such games numbers in the millions — as is the case with online roulette, poker, arcade games, and blackjack. Naturally, many fans of these games are former land-based casino patrons who no longer travel to Vegas, Макао, or even a casino in their own city.

However, with the return of live events, it became clear that no screen can replace the roar of the engines and the adrenaline of a real race. That is precisely why the SuperNationals organizers focused on maximum openness of the track to passersby, aiming to bring spectators back from online platforms to the streets of Vegas.

Tom Kutcher, CEO of Superkarts! USA, welcomed the move with enthusiasm. "After 20 years, we are finally on the famous Las Vegas Strip. Millions of people from around the world come to walk this street. During our week in Vegas, passersby will not only hear the roar of the karts, but will also see drivers from nearly 50 countries flying past them at 80 mph!" he noted. According to Kutcher, the new space allowed the design team to put forward a wealth of ideas and create "the best track in the event's history."

Three designers with combined experience across all SuperNationals

In 2017, the track design group was expanded to three people. Joining returning designers Howie Idelson and Bonnier Moulton was Wesley Boswell, winner of the 2003 SuperNationals.

Idelson and Moulton as the living history of the event

Idelson and Moulton remain the only drivers in history to have competed in all 20 SuperNationals. Idelson has claimed numerous victories and titles, raced in 12 countries, and held key positions with several industry brands. Moulton, a three-time SuperNationals winner, is also known as the original designer of the now-closed Black Rock Raceway in Utah.

Boswell became the bridge between drivers and coaching experience

The 33-year-old Californian made his SuperNats debut in 2001 and has since worked as both a driver and a mechanic. Today, Boswell is considered one of the most sought-after driver coaches in North America, with his students regularly competing at the world's biggest international events.

0.8 miles and 14 turns replacing the previous layout

The new lap measures approximately 8/10 of a mile, featuring 14 turns. Only the long front straight with a fast, wide first turn and two 180-degree hairpins have been retained from last year's layout. Everything else has been designed from scratch.

Key changes include:

• longer acceleration zones before heavy braking zones, creating additional overtaking opportunities;
• an added 180-degree hairpin in the "stadium" section, designed for spectacle both for drivers and spectators;
• a combination of high-speed sweepers, hairpins, and tight turns suited to different kart classes.

Around 20 versions before all three voices aligned

Idelson, Moulton, and Boswell began by exchanging ideas remotely via email. The trio then met on site, took measurements, and verified the concept against the actual dimensions of the Diamond lot. Approximately 20 versions were developed in total, with Joe Janowski providing significant assistance during the finalization process.

According to the designers, the Diamond lot surface looks "like a dream" and promises a high level of grip. The space turned out to be considerably larger than it appears on a map, allowing for greater dynamism and more opportunities for attacking maneuvers.

Registration open until October 30

Entry via MotorsportsReg.com using the SKUSA link is accepted until Monday, October 30, at 11:59 pm (PDT). The deadline applies equally to all those wishing to compete at SuperNationals 21.

The sole paddock entrance is located across the road from Westgate. No general parking is available inside the event.

Under the Westgate/SKUSA package, no daily resort fee is charged, and the hotel does not charge for parking for either guests or event participants. Details and online booking are available on the SKUSA website via a dedicated link or by calling the toll-free number using the group code.