National QUICK LINKS
Pro Tour Menu
Pro Tour Sponsors
SKUSA Partners
SEARCH
SKUSA Pro Tour
| EKN Trackside: 2024 Superkarts! USA Pro Tour SummerNationals – Sunday Report |
| Sunday, 28 July 2024 00:00 |
|
SummerNationals sweep earns Ryan Norberg a sixth SKUSA Pro Tour title (Photo: EKN) The 2024 Superkarts! USA Pro Tour SummerNationals ended on Sunday with the final day of action at the New Castle Motorsports Park. Rain threaten the New Castle, Indiana area all day, with only a brief sprinkle of rain coming down during one of the main events. It was not enough to force rain tires and it never returned, allowing for the other races to be completed without interruption. The on track action was exciting all day as the final laps decided this year’s champions in the eight categories.Coming into the weekend, Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic) trailed in the Speed Concepts Racing Pro X30 championship, sitting fifth and needing to sweep the weekend for a chance at a sixth SKUSA Pro Tour championship. After earning fast time in Super Pole and winning both heat races on Saturday. Starting on the pole position, Norberg led the opening lap before Austin Garrison (SCR / CS55) took over the lead. Norberg reclaimed the top spot on lap five and was able to gap Garrison a few kart lengths as the two pulled away from the rest of the field. In the closing laps, Garrison inched closer and was able to reach Norberg’s bumper by the final lap. Norberg kept him at bay, reaching the line first to claim his second victory of the season. The victory was enough to secure the sixth championship since 2016. Fast Friday driver Jonathon Portz (RPG / Kosmic) was able to fight off Harley Keeble (Inter MS / Kart Republic) for the third step on the podium. Championship contender Hayden Jones (RPG / Kosmic) – who started second, was shuffled off at the opening corner and fell to 15th. He drove his way back up to the fifth position, needing to finish second to claim the title. Jones ended up 18.5 points short in the final standings. Championship leader heading into the Diego Ramos (PSL / Birel ART) recovered from a DNF in the heat race, climbing 10 spots to seventh in the Final to finish the championship in third place.
Billy Musgrave triumphed in Pro Shifter for first SummerNats win since 2015 (Photo: EKN) The stage was set for an amazing battle in the PSL Karting Pro Shifter division with the two championship contenders starting on the front row. Former championship AJ Myers (Magik Kart USA) on the pole position and points leader Matheus Morgatto (PSL / Birel ART) on the outside of the front row. Myers grabbed the holeshot with Morgatto slotting behind into second. After completing the opening lap, Morgatto pressured Myers through turn one and then once again heading into the Monza corner. Contact was made with Morgatto climbing up on the right side of Myers. This damaged Myer’s kart enough to not be able to continue while Morgatto fell to third behind Billy Musgrave (Factory Kart) and Kyle Wick (GFC Karting) – who started eighth. Morgatto would eventually work past Wick by the halfway point and inched closer toward Musgrave. Their gap bounced back and forth until the closing lap when Morgatto was within a kart length. Unable to make a move, Musgrave reached the checkered flag to claim his first SKUSA Pro Tour victory since last year, and first at New Castle since 2015. Morgatto crossed the line second but was penalized five seconds for the contact with Myers. This promoted Wick to second and dropped Morgatto to third, claiming his first SKUSA Pro Tour championship. Privateer Tahlon Yockel (Sodi Kart) drove to fourth with two-time defending champion Marijn Kremers (RPG / Kosmic) crossing the line in fifth. Kremers would be removed from the results for ‘dangerous incident responsibility’, promoting Ian Quinn (PSL / Birel ART) to fifth. Myers ended up third in the championship as Jacob Gulick (GFC Karting) finished the standings in second with an eighth place result.
First KA100 Senior victory for Caleb Gafrarar (Photo: EKN) The Sodi Racing USA KA100 Senior welcomed another first-time SKUSA Pro Tour winner in the category as Caleb Gafrarar (CDR / Kart Republic) swept the action on Sunday. Coming in as a late entry on Thursday night and wearing borrowed safety gear, Gafrarar set fast time in qualifying for a second straight day before going on to win the Prefinal. He led a group that included Henry Wheeler (PSL / Birel ART) and championship contender James Overbeck (BJR / Tony Kart) – who won on Saturday. Overbeck lost the top two as the race progressed however the second group caught back up when the two leaders began fighting for the lead in the closing laps. Gafrarar was able to work back around Wheeler for the lead and break away with fighting for second going on. At the line, Gafrarar celebrated his first SKUSA Pro Tour Senior victory. Jake Drew (FW / GFC) – who started 28th after contact in the Prefinal, went from fourth to second on the final lap as the group of about 10 drivers all scattered across the line. Fernando Leque (Supertune / Tony Kart) ended up third with Wheeler falling back to fourth. Josh Campbell (BJR / LN Racing Kart) was fifth while championship contender Finnegan Bayliff (Trinity / Kart Republic) drove up five spots to finish sixth. Overbeck fell to eighth in the final lap, however, secured enough points to claim his first SKUSA Pro Tour championship. Bayliff finished the standings in second with Wheeler in third.
Turner Brown fought off the pack to win in KA100 Junior (Photo: EKN) It was a double win day for Junior driver Turner Brown for a second straight event, duplicating the Sunday feat from the SpringNationals. He opened up with victory in the Nash Motorsportz KA100 Junior class. Brown (RPG / Kosmic) was third in qualifying behind provisional class champion Diego Ardiles (SCR / CS55) before winning the Prefinal. Brown and Ardiles were among a large group of drivers in the lead pack in the 16-lap Final. Brown led the majority of the first half before Ardiles took control. Enzo Vidmontiene (Trinity / Kart Republic) took over the lead on lap 12 as Brown made his way back up to second. With two laps to go, Brown returned to the lead and Ardiles charged back up to second. He pressured Brown through the final circuit, coming up 86 thousandths short with Turner claiming a his second victory in the class on the season. Isaac Malcuit (PSL / Birel ART) crossed the line in third in a wild race to the line, however, cut the track at the final turn, dropping him to 10th in the final order. This promoted Vidmontiene to third ahead of Ty Fisher (Racelab / TB Kart) and Jackson Wolny (SCR / Kart Republic). Brown ended up second in the standings behind Ardiles with Vidmontiene in third.
Turner Brown claimed his second win of the season in X30 Junior (Photo: EKN) The championship in the Rolison Performance Group X30 Junior was up for grabs heading into the final day of action. Championship leader Jackson Wolny (SCR / Kart Republic) was able to grab 10 bonus points with fast time in qualifying however fell to 14th in the Prefinal as Turner Brown (RPG / Kosmic) and Diego Ardiles (SCR / CS55) went 1-2. This put Ardiles in the positive for the championship, as long as Wolny did not win and score fast lap honors. The Final began with Ty Fisher (Racelab / TB Kart) jumping out to the lead ahead of Brown and Ardiles. Eventually, Brown took over the lead and Fisher lost the draft of the top-two. Brown led until lap 14 when they began fighting for the lead. Brown secured the top spot at the white flag, holding off Ardiles throughout the final circuit to claim his second victory of the season. Ardiles held onto second, securing a second SKUSA Pro Tour championship for 2024. Nixx Eggleston (Ruthless / Tony Kart) advanced five spots to land on the podium in his first start of 2024, just ahead of Wolny. A pushback bumper penalty for Wolny dropped him down to seventh in the final results, promoting Chace Gassiot-Lee (Nash / EOS) to fourth and Fisher to fifth. Wolny ended up second in the championship standings with Brown finishing the year in third.
Three wins on the season for Joe Ruch (Photo: EKN) A third victory in Fury Motorsport / GP Kart USA Master Shifter for Joe Ruch (Maranello USA) completed the season. Ruch qualified sixth as local driver Tim Hollowell (TB Kart) set fast time. Ruch drove up to the race win in the Prefinal ahead of Hollowell. In the 16-lap Final, the top six all ran together, posting similar lap time throughout the distance. Provisional champion Scott Barnes (Maranello USA) was the big mover, starting sixth after a penalty in the Prefinal, and eventually working up to second behind Ruch. He pressured a few times, however, was unable to make a move. Ruch led all 16 laps, claiming his third victory on the season. Barnes held on to second to celebrate his SKUSA Pro Tour championship with Hollowell in third. Mike Rivera (GFC Karting) was an impressive fourth, holding off Nicolas Bedard (PSL / Birel ART) and Justin Kelly (Maranello USA). Ruch finished second in the final championship standings with last year’s champion Luis A. Quinones (Factory Kart) in third.
First career win in Mini Swift for Troy Ferguson (Photo: EKN) The Trinity Karting Group Mini Swift division also welcomed a first-time winner with Troy Ferguson (Team Benik) claiming the victory on Sunday. Rocco Simone (Trinity / Kart Republic) began the day with fast time in qualifying however was shuffled back to fourth in the Prefinal as provisional champion Ashton Woon (Supertune / Parolin) took the win. A big group of drivers made up the lead pack in the Final, led by Troy Ferguson (Team Benik) early on. Royce Vega (Team Benik) took over lead on lap six until losing it four laps later to Woon. Simone was in the mix as well but it was Woon leading at the white flag. Shuffling in turn one saw Vega get pushed off and out of the race. Ferguson emerged from the pack with the lead and would go on to claim the victory. Simone ended up second with Lourenzo Vareala (Sodi Racing USA) in third. Woon finished fourth, securing his first SKUSA Pro Tour championship, with Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Racing Kart) crossing the line in fifth. A penalty for contact and penalties to two others promoted Josh Bergman (Trinity / Kart Republic) up to the fifth spot after starting 16th. Simone ended up second in the championship with Ferguson moving up to third after the victory.
Jayden Francisco claimed his first Micro Swift victory (Photo: EKN) Jayden Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) was able to bounce back disappointment on Saturday to complete a sweep of Sunday in the JNM Racing Micro Swift class. Francisco set fast time in qualifying while going on to win the Prefinal. The main event saw sprinkles of rain fall on the track, however, the drivers in the class handled it well. Francisco led early until dropping bacak to sixth at one point. Multiple drivers led before Francisco reclaimed the top spot on lap eight. He led until the final circuit when Santiago Orioli (MPG / Kart Republic) fought up from last on the grid after an engine change to reach the lead on the final lap, crossing the line first. Orioli however would be removed in tech, handing the victory over to Francisco. Jake Manalio (TFR / Kart Republic) was classified second with Cameron Johnson (FMS / Merlin) ending up on the podium in third. Dominic Nagle (Team Benik) and Lawrence Peremen (BJR / LN Racing Kart) were fourth and fifth after other penalties shuffled up the final order. Zayne Burgess (Sodi Racing USA) secured the title on Saturday, with Wynn Godschalk (Team Benik) and Orioli completing the championship podium.The 2024 SKUSA Pro Tour is now complete, and the focus for the organization turns to the big event at the end of the year. The SKUSA SuperNationals 27 will take place on November 13-17 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. |
