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Supernationals
EKN Trackside: Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 27 – Thursday Report
Wednesday, 20 November 2024 11:58

Senna Van Walstijn grabbed fast time in Pro Shifter in his first SuperNationals start (Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca)

The first official day of competition was put into the books on Thursday for the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 27. The over 500 drivers took to the track for the second day of action on the temporary circuit outside the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, following a full day of practice on Wednesday. The morning and afternoon groups took to the track for two rounds of practice and the qualifying session to set the grid for the heat races over Saturday and Sunday. Clear skies all day eventually rolled into the night time with the afternoon groups qualifying under the lights after a couple red flag situations on the day. In the end, it was Dutch driver Senna Van Walstijn and Spainard Ruben Moya that set fast times in Pro Shifter and Pro X30.

The first category on the track for the morning group was KA100 Junior presented by Birel ART USA. The 84 driver category was split up into four groups for qualifying based on the final practice session lap time. Mateo Calderon (Supertune USA / Tony Kart) was in the second group out and held the provisional pole position through the first three groups. It looked as if he might keep the spot until the second half of the final group. 2023 class winner Turner Brown (RPG / Kosmic) was up to the top spot but on the final circuit, John Antonino (MPG Academy / Kart Republic) put in a 52.330 lap time. He edged out Brown by 56 thousandths for his first career SuperNationals pole position. Max Cristea (TKG / Kart Republic) was third overall, only recording three laps in the session. Canadian Ty Fisher (Racelab / TB Kart) was fourth in the final order with SKUSA Winter Series champion Sebastian Garzon (Orsolon Racing / Tony Kart) completing the fast five. Calderon’s time was good enough for tenth.

John Antonino put together the best lap in KA100 Junior (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

The KA100 Senior presented by Factory Karts was led in qualifying by 2019 class winner Pauly Massinino (BJR/MDR / LN Racing Kart). The driver from North Carolina was able to position himself on the final circuit of the four-minute session to lay down a 51.786 lap time to lead the 91 driver field. Race Liberante (MPG Academy / Kart Republic) was the provisional pole after the third lap. The 2019 Pro 2 winner at the SuperNationals was put on the sidelines after contact on his final circuit in turn four. Only 43 thousandths separated the top two with Collin Lloyd (Speed Concepts Racing / CS55) in third, only 63 thousandths off. The top six drivers, including former Texas Sprint Racing Series champion Peyton Phillips (Hi5 / Redspeed), 2021 X30 Senior top qualifier Jake Drew (Formula Works / GFC) and Jose Carlos Hernandez (Orsolon Racing / Tony Kart) from Mexico. SKUSA Pro Tour champion James Overbeck (BJR/MDR / LN Racing Kart) was 22nd overall in the final lineup.

The stacked 48-driver field in Master Shifter presented by freem was led by 2009 SuperPro SuperNationals winner Bas Lammers (IM USA / Italkart). Lap three of four was his best lap, a 47.443 lap to squeak under last year’s winner Davide Fore (IM USA / Italkart) by only 17 thousandths. Four-time SuperNationals winner Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts) was a close third, within 26 thousandths in his first Master Shifter start. Multi-time podium finisher Jordon Musser (PSL / Birel ART) was fourth with Thomas Mich (PSL / Birel ART) in fifth, also making his first Master Shifter start after two starts in 2010 and 2011 in SuperPro. The session began with contact between Robby Bujdoso (Magik Kart USA) and Patrik Hajek (RPG / Kosmic) in turn 11. Bujdoso did not record a lap while Hajek was 14th. SKUSA Pro Tour champion Scott Barnes (National Karting Group / Maranello) was 11th, trailing five USA drivers in Travis Irving (Formula Works / GFC), Jonathan Vitolo (GFC Karting), Vincent Cossard (CRG Nordam), Alan Sciuto (GFC Karting) and Luca Bortone (Factory Karts).

2019 KA100 Senior Pauly Massimino will start the heat races from pole position (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Micro Swift presented by Benik Kart was the final class of the morning sessions to hit qualifying, featuring 43 drivers. Alvaro Medeiros (Orsolon / Tony Kart) was able to move up to the top spot on the final circuit with a 55.862 lap. Cameron Johnson (Franklin / Merlin) was up to second, just ahead of SKUSA Pro Tour champion Zayne Burgess (Sodi USA). Aidan Go (Parolin USA) was fourth with Lawrence Peremen (BJR/MDR / LN Racing Kart) – making his third Micro Swift SuperNationals start – rounding out the fast five.

Two-time SuperNationals winner Ben Cooper (RPG / Kosmic) opened up the afternoon sessions for qualifying with fast time in KA100 Master presented by Orsolon Racing. The Canadian cleared the 52 driver field by only seven hundredths with William Isaias (Inter MS / Tony Kart) coming up late to finish the session in second. Wisconsin driver Niki Coello (Franklin / Merlin) was keeping pace with Cooper for much of the session but ended up third over four-time SuperNationals winner Kip Foster (BJR / Arrow). Jakab Nyiri (AEM / Kosmic) completed the fast five. One of the unique stories of the category was the late entry of Laurentiu Mardan (Tecno Kart USA). Unable to register before the class was sold out, Mardan sat on the sidelines all day Wednesday and was allowed into the event Thursday morning after another competitor withdrew. With only 19 minutes of practice today, Mardan was ninth in qualifying and will start each heat from row five.

Ben Cooper earned his first top qualifier honors at the SuperNationals in KA100 Master (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Mini Swift presented by JNM Racing was up next with 46 drivers vying for the top spot in the session. A late charge on the final lap put Mini rookie Parker Ives (RPM / Nitro Kart) to the top of the order with a 55.103 lap time. He edged out Benja Fernandez (Trinity / Kart Republic) by only 28 thousandths. With six hundredths was Texas driver Liam Nachawati (Parolin USA) to end the session in third. Nico Kotowski (JNM / Sodi Kart) and Troy Ferguson (Benik) completed the fast five. SKUSA Pro Tour champion Ashton Woon (Supertune / Parolin) was at the front of the field in the session and ended up seventh overall.

Drivers were playing games in the short qualifying session for X30 Junior presented by Speed Concepts Racing. Instead of getting clean laps, drivers were pulling over to the side and making bold pass attempts in the four timed laps they were given. Pedro Alves de Lima (Orsolon / Tony Kart) nearly held on to the pole position from the slower group until last year’s winner Turner Brown (RPG / Kosmic) got clean track to enter a 51.066 for the top spot. Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic) moved up to third on the final circuit with Javier Chaparro (RPG / Kosmic) fourth and Paityn Feyen (RPG / Kosmic) completing the fast five. SKUSA Pro Tour champion Diego Ardiles (Speed Concepts Racing / CS55) was seventh overall in qualifying.

Ruben Moya shocked the paddock with fast time in Pro X30 (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Four different groups took to the track for the 69 drivers in Pro X30 presented by Rolison Performance Group. Spanish driver Ruben Moya (FDM / Pantano) was able to set the provisional pole position in the C group with a 49.598. No one in the B group were within three tenths of his time, and Moya survived the A group and their four laps to retain the pole position to start the heat races from the P1 spot. Six-time SKUSA Pro Tour champion Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic) was the only driver to get close in the end, coming up just 27 thousandths short of the fast time. SpringNationals winner Kai Hunter (RPG / Kosmic) was off by six hundredths of a second in third while 2023 SKUSA Pro Tour champion Joe Turney (Trinity / Kart Republic) clocked in the fourth best time. Rounding out the fast five was 2022 KA100 Junior winner Steven Miller (CDR / Kart Republic). Last year’s winner Donovan Bonilla (RPG / Kosmic) finished the session in 13th.

Group C was the place to be in the two Pro categories as a similar scenario played out in Pro Shifter presented by PSL Karting. 2024 FIA KZ2 world title winner Cristian Bertuca (PSL / Birel ART) was able to set the provisional fast time in Group C. No driver in the B group was able to better his time. By the third lap of the A group however his time was beaten as Dutch driver Senna Van Walstijn (Sodi USA) entered a 47.036 lap time to claim the pole position. Markus Kajak (NKG / Maranello) was only 47 thousandths off to land on the outside of the front row for all three heat races. Bertuca ended up third overall with 2024 SKUSA Pro Tour champion Matheus Morgatto (PSL / Birel ART) in fourth. David Trefilov (NKG / Maranello) completed the fast five.

Wheel-to-wheel action will take place on Friday for the first time with the morning and afternoon groups hosting the first and second round of heat races for SKUSA SuperNationals 27 outside the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.