|
Saturday, 10 November 2018 15:26 |
|
The late Fausto Vitello, the founder of Trackmagic Racing Karts, will be inducted into the Superkarts! USA Hall of Fame at this year’s SuperNationals in Las Vegas (Photo: Thrasher Magazine)
For over 20 years, Superkarts! USA has been part of the sport of karting in the United States, and the organization formed its own Hall of Fame in 2016 to begin honoring those who have played key roles in its history. This year, SKUSA is proud to announce that the late Fausto Vitello will be inducted into the Hall of Fame to honor his tremendous contributions to not only the organization, but to karting as a whole. Vitello, who passed away from a heart attack in 2006, was the founder of Trackmagic Racing Karts, the San Francisco-based chassis manufacturer that pushed the envelope for American kart builders through 100% commitment to innovation and its culture. Vitello will be joined in the Hall of Fame by SKUSA’s own Stan Bryniarski, who has been a cornerstone workhorse and crusader of the organization for 20 years as a Regional Director, Race Director and now, the current National Director of Operations.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Friday, 09 November 2018 13:33 |
|
USPKS champion Zachary Hollingshead is pulling double duty in the Senior ranks (Photo: EKN)
There has never been a 100cc category for Senior drivers in the 21-year history of the SKUSA SuperNationals. When the KA100 Senior class hits the track on Wednesday, it will be the first. The Senior category joins the Junior KA100 division in making its SuperNats debut this season, and there is a great deal of excitement surrounding the opportunity and the driver line-ups. Each division has a solid roster of drivers, however, it looks as if the Senior will be a heated battle all week long. Reviewing the entry list, there’s a great mixture of veterans and young guns all looking to add a SuperNationals win to their trophy case. Only 30% of the drivers competed in a X30 class last year – Senior or Junior – helping to build the total entry count overall.
First, let’s look at drivers who were successful in KA100 racing this season. The USPKS program was the first to welcome in the KA100 category last year, and was one of the most competitive divisions over the last two seasons. Florida driver Zachary Hollingshead (OGP / FA Kart) secured the championship in 2018, while pulling double duty on the year racing X30 Senior. He is scheduled to race both KA100 and X30 in Vegas as well, among the seven to do so in Senior. Blake Hunt won three times on the season in WKA Manufacturers Cup Series competition, earning the championship. Hunt (Kart Republic) is under the KartSport North America tent in his first SuperNats start. On the west coast, a number of top drivers from the IKF Grand Nationals in California should be watched. Nick Ramirez (Yesnick / Fullerton), Tomas Mejia (PKS / Tony Kart), and Jason Pettit (MRC / OTK) stood on the podium at the event. Pettit was the provisional winner in the S2 main event on SuperSunday last year, only to have the victory taken away by a jump start. Jason will pull the double duty, making his Pro Shifter debut as well at the SuperNationals. Edward Portz (Nash / FA Kart) pulled off the victory at the Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix, while Jenson Altzman (Ruthless / FA Kart) claimed the win at ROK the Rio. Read full story on eKartingNews.com |
|
Friday, 09 November 2018 10:40 |
|
Jak Crawford won in his Junior debut at the SuperNats in 2017 (Photo: EKN)
Junior-level racing has been part of the SuperNationals from its very beginning, back when the organization featured a heavy emphasis on 80cc shifterkart competition. Then, in 2006, Tom Kutscher took over ownership of SKUSA and focused on the adult classes only for the 10th running of the event. At the 2007 SuperNationals, SKUSA added the S5 Junior Stock Honda class, and then in 2008, TaG Junior made its debut. Every year since, a new driver has stood on top of the podium, representing four different countries. Among those to earn victory on SuperSunday are two current Formula 1 drivers – British talent George Russell in 2011 and the impressive Canadian Lance Stroll the following year.
During the first eight years of the TaG Junior category, which is now the X30 Junior class, no driver has repeated to log that second victory. In 2018, there are two drivers who have a chance to etch their name in the history books as the first two-time winner in the division. The first is 2016 victor Tyler Gonzalez. The Florida driver won in his SuperNationals debut, however, he was unable to compete for victory the following year, placing 15th. That checkered flag went to Texan Jak Crawford. The 13-year-old started on pole and duplicated Gonzalez’ feat of winning in his Junior debut at the SuperNationals. Both have even more experience under their belts this time around, with Gonzalez leaving his spot at CRG Nordam to run under the Team Benik program in Vegas. Crawford joins the same Nash Motorsportz operation that he has been winning with since his Cadet days. Read full story on eKartingNews.com |
|
Wednesday, 07 November 2018 14:14 |
|
Aussie Kris Walton comes in as the defending winner (Photo: EKN)
You can forget about odds when looking at the stellar entry list for the X30 Master field. This is the 16th year for the Master category, dating back to the second year that the SuperNationals were held at the Rio in 2003. Each and every year, the category grows larger, more talented, and increasingly more international. This year is no different with half the drivers coming in from outside the United States.
Four specific drivers from outside the USA have combined to win seven of the last eight SuperSunday main events. The last is Kris Walton (CompKart), who won in his second Master start at the SuperNationals in 2017. The race last year was called early after contact with a barrier soaked the race track in turn four. A lengthy clean-up was needed to dry the area, and as a result, Walton was named the victor after just 13 laps were completed. The Aussie is back to defend his crown, and is aiming to be the one taking the checkered flag after a full length run in 2018. Read full story on eKartingNews.com |
|
Tuesday, 06 November 2018 17:48 |
|
Bonnier Moulton will make his 22nd start at the SuperNationals (Photo: EKN)
In the year 2000, the Master category made its debut at the SuperNationals as the G1 division. The category branched off with the addition of the S4 Master class in parallel with the introduction of the Stock Honda package. The evolution continued in 2016, when the S4 Super Master category was brought onto the national scene to provide drivers 45-years-of-age and older a chance to compete against one another. Current participation numbers have motivated Superkarts! USA to move into a new era for shifterkart racing, combining the Master age groups into one division once again. History from the SuperNationals will be made once karts hit the track on Wednesday in the category, and even more depending on who takes the checkered flag on SuperSunday.
The Master Shifter division has among the most experienced SKUSA racers at the event. Many competitors have been part of SKUSA and the SuperNationals since the beginning. One driver in particular will make his 22nd start at the SuperNats – the only driver to do so – Bonnier Moulton. The ‘ageless one’ stood on the podium at the first SuperNationals in 1997 alongside inaugural winner Alex Barron and the talented Bobby Oergel. Moulton (Tony Kart) remains a fixture in the sport, working with Rolison Performance Group throughout the season when not providing his talents to racers at the grassroots level with MSquared Karting in Utah. Bonnier is not only a co-designer of the circuit for SuperNationals 22, he is also a three-time winner at the event. Moulton’s first victory came in 2004 in the G1 division at the inaugural event at Sam Boyd Stadium. He then went back-to-back in 2011 and 2012 in S4. Moulton has the chance to tie Connor DePhillippi at the top of the SuperNationals winner list with four victories at the Vegas spectacular. Read full story on eKartingNews.com |
|
|
