National QUICK LINKS
Supernats Menu
SUPERNATS SPONSORS
SKUSA Partners
SEARCH
Supernationals
| EKN Trackside: Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 27 – SuperSunday Report |
| Wednesday, 20 November 2024 12:10 |
|
Daniel Vasile scored the Pro Shifter victory at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Photo: CanadianKartingNews.com) The Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 27 came to a close outside the Las Vegas Motor Speedway following five days of on track activity. For many, it was the culmination of a year’s worth of preparation to not only make the main events on SuperSunday, but to be able to compete and contend for a spot on the podium, and for seven drivers, the chance to enjoy putting their names into the history book. It was perfect conditions on Sunday in Las Vegas, with clear skies and bright sunshine. The sun set prior to the final main event of the day, as the Pro Shifter category put in a thrilling 25-lap Final to close out this year’s SuperNationals.
Sebastian Garzon celebrates the KA100 Junior victory (Photo: EKN) The first race of SuperSunday was the KA100 Junior presented by Birel ART USA. A total of 43 drivers took the green flag, led by defending race winner Turner Brown (RPG / Kosmic) and last year’s provisional winner Sebastian Garzon (Orsolon / Tony Kart). Brown led the first lap before the fight really began for the next 19 laps. Garzon and Ty Fisher (Racelab / TB Kart) both worked past Brown along with Enzo Vidmontiene (Trinity / Kart Republic). Garzon and Vidmontiene each took a turn at the point before Fisher also led for two laps, leading a group of about eight drivers. Eventually, Ukraine driver Lev Krutoholov (Energy Corse Americas) took the lead with five laps to go. He showed the way as they fought behind him for position as Fisher kept on his bumper until lap 19. That’s when Fisher made his move and allowed the rest of the pack to close back in. Garzon put himself into the second spot and when Fisher did not defend into turn 13, he made the move for the lead. Garzon came out of the corner with the lead, as Fisher had to fend off Krutoholov. This gave Garzon the path to the checkered flag, taking his first ever SuperNationals triumph. Fisher was second at the line ahead of Krutoholov with SKUSA Pro Tour champion Diego Ardiles (SCR / CS55) winning the fight for fourth over Vidmontiene. John Antonino (MPG / Kart Republic) was sixth at the line after falling back to 14th on the opening lap. Brown ended up sixth with Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic), Nico Sarphati (FW / GFC) and Luca Popescu (FW / GFC) completed the top 10.
Billy Musgrave became the first driver to win five times at the SuperNationals with his first in Master Shifter (Photo: EKN) History was made at the end of the 20-lap Master Shifter presented by freem Final. Defending race winner Davide Fore (IM USA / Italkart) started from the pole position with four-time SuperNationals winner Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts) on the outside. The holeshot went to Musgrave, getting the better launch and into the lead as the 48 driver field funneled into turn one. It was a holeshot victory as Musgrave never was challenged over the 20 laps. Fore ran second until lap 12 when two-time heat race winner Bas Lammers (IM USA / Italkart) grabbed the position. He was fifth early until Thomas Mich (PSL / Birel ART) suffered a mechanical failure on lap six while running third, collecting five-time SKUSA Pro Tour champion Jordon Musser (PSL / Birel ART) in the process. Lammers was able to post the fast lap of the race, however, could only get within 1.1 seconds of Musgrave by the checkered flag. Musgrave crossed the line first, becoming the only five-time winner at the SuperNationals. Fore settled for third as Patrik Hajek (RPG / Kosmic) and 2022 runner-up Alan Sciuto (GFC Karting) rounded out the podium. Jonanthan Vitolo (GFC Karting) drove to sixth with Luca Bortone (Factory Karts) placing seventh. Vincent Cossard (CRG Nordam) improved 11 spots to eighth while Robert Bujdoso (Magik Kart USA) completed his recovery on the week. Bujdoso did not complete a lap in qualifying, passing 64 karts in the heat races before adding another 17 in the main event to earn hard charger of the race getting up to ninth from 26th. Joe Ruch (NKG / Maranello) rounded out the top 10.
Joe Turney won the battle in KA100 Senior for his first SuperNationals triumph (Photo: EKN) The 91 drivers of KA100 Senior presented by Factory Karts was narrowed down to 43 drivers taking the green flag, led by three-time heat race winner and 2019 winner Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Racing Kart). Not a great start put him back to fifth at the end of the opening lap and then on lap three, made contact with the barriers on the exit of turn 15, bending his axle and thus was not able to continue. Up front, Race Liberante (MPG / Kart Republic) jumped out front and was challenged by Frankie Mossman (SCR / CS55) – who started third. They exchanged the lead over the first few laps as the group behind them shuffled position. Liberante led from lap four to lap nine while British driver Joe Turney (Trinity / Kart Republic) was making his way up into the second spot. Lap 10 is when Turney took over the lead and Liberante was battling to hold onto second. This fighting allowed Turney to breakaway to a big lead. Eventually, Nicholas Terlecki (HDD / Tony Kart) took over the second spot and remained there until two laps to go. Liberante went back to the second spot and Terlecki fought back in turn 11. He slammed the curb at the apex, pushing the two wide and nearly into the wall. This allowed Jesus Vasquez Jr. (FW / GFC) the chance to slip past for the second spot. At the line, Turney took the victory by a class record 3.3 seconds over Vasquez. Terlecki won the battle for third just ahead of Jose Carlos Hernandez (Orsolon / Tony Kart) with Liberante back to fifth to complete the podium. Collin Lloyd (SCR / CS55) was sixth after starting ninth as Mossman dropped down to seventh. Oliver Calvo put a third Speed Concepts Racing entry into the top 10 with Steven Miller (CDR / Kart Republic) crossing the line in ninth. He was awarded a pushback bumper penalty, dropping him to 16th. This promoted Stephen Eisert (SpeedSense / Exprit) to ninth and Mick Gabriel (AEM / Kosmic) to 10th. Hard charge of the race was Oliver Hodgson (CompKart) – who won his spot on the grid from the SuperSunday Roll Off after missing a transfer spot in the LCQ. Hodgson started the race 42nd and drove up to 13th.
Zayne Burgess completed an amazing 2024 with SuperNationals win in Micro Swift (Photo: EKN) Micro Swift by Benik Kart was a wire-to-wire performance by Zayne Burgess (Sodi USA). The SKUSA Pro Tour champion started from the pole position after three heat wins and was able to get away from the over the opening corners. Outside polesitter Aidan Go (Parolin) slipped to fourth and made contact with Mauro Nario (Orsolon / Tony Kart), sending Go into the barriers on the exit of turn five. Burgess used that to extend out to a solid lead, holding a near two-second advantage. Eventually, Wynn Godschalk (Team Benik) and Santiago Orioli (MGP / Kart Republic) locked up and began running down Burgess. The two caught Burgess as the white flag waved. Burgess went defensive going into turn four, and as they exited, Godschalk pushed wide and nearly into the wall with Orioli following. This allowed Burgess to get away, unchallenged to the checkered flag for the victory to earn his first SuperNationals triumph and a second straight for Sodi USA. Orioli was able to work past Godschalk for second with Jayden Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) up 11 spots to fourth. Leo Simone (Trinity / Kart Republic) completed the podium in fifth. Kiwi Iver Spence (Parolin USA) recorded a second straight sixth place result ahead of Nario. Hudson Howard (Trinity / Alonso Kart), Danny O’Gara (MPG / Kart Republic) and Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) completed the top 10.
Ben Cooper earned a third SuperNationals win, his first in KA100 Master (Photo: EKN) One of the greatest battles for victory took place in the main event for KA100 Master presented by Orsolon Racing. Top qualifier and three-time heat race winner Ben Cooper (RPG / Kosmic) led the 52-driver field to the green flag with four-time winner Kip Foster (BJR / Arrow) on the outside. Foster got the jump from the outside, as the top two were able to get away from the rest of the field. Part of the reason for the gap the top two enjoyed was turn four contact between Niki Coello (FMS / Merlin) and William Isaias (Inter MS / Tony Kart) – who started third and fifth, which would put them out of the race. Foster and Cooper exchanged the lead at least five times over the first 18 laps. By that time, the second group was closing in and right there. On lap 19, Foster tried to catch Cooper off guard at turn 15. They made contact, but it hurt Foster the most as he lost momentum and Cooper inched away. That was it as Cooper reached the line first, taking his first victory in the category and third overall to go with his DD2 triumph in 2013 and X30 Senior win in 2018. Foster crossed the line in second, however, a jump start penalty of three seconds put him down to seventh. That promoted last year’s winner Matthew Waters (RPG / Kosmic) to second and 2022 winner Martin Stone (RPG / Kosmic) into third. Renato Jader David (Orsolon / Tony Kart) put in the quickest lap of the race, driving from 17th to fourth. Laurentiu Mardan (Tecno Kart USA) – who entered Thursday morning – was able to advance five spots to end up on the podium in fifth. Bruno Spengler (Sodi USA) was sixth in his SuperNationals debut with Kyle Byers (GFC Karting), Dennis Holler (Racelab / TB Kart) and Jesse Gwin (GFC Karting) completing the top 10. Hard charger of the race was Mingnan Xu (AEM / Kosmic), up 21 spots from 51st to 30th.
Benja Fernandez came away with the win in Mini Swift (Photo: EKN) The Mini Swift presented by JNM Racing was decided on the final lap. Parker Ives (RPM / Nitro Kart) and SKUSA Pro Tour champion Ashton Woon (Supertune / Parolin) led the 47 driver field to the green flag. Ives was shuffled back outside the top five over the opening lap as Woon led the field. Benja Fernandez (SLA / Kart Republic) started third and took over the lead on lap two. He led the way until Woon returned to the point on lap seven. It was Woon leading the majority of the race as they fought for the second spot behind him. As the race came to the final few laps, Woon and Fernandez were joined at the front by Josh Bergman (Trinity / Kart Republic), Maxwell Macha (SLA / Kart Republic) and Troy Ferguson (Team Benik). Once the lead group became five, Bergman went on the charge to get past both Fernandez and Woon. On the final lap, Fernandez go the run on the outside while Woon went inside at turn one. Fernandez held the spot with Woon taking over second. Bergman was quick to recapture the second spot in turn six, which allowed Fernandez to get away. They continued fighting behind, with contact between Bergman and Ferguson at turn 15 to put them into the wall. At the checkered flag, Fernandez enjoyed celebrating his first SuperNationals victory, crossing the line a half second ahead of Woon. Valentino Santillan (Parolin USA) slipped by the contact in turn 15 to take third with Macha in fourth, holding the fast lap of the race. Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Racing Kart) completed the top five. Braydon Wagner (FW / GFC) was sixth with Ives ending up in seventh. Liam Nachawati (Parolin USA), Texas Sprint Racing Series champion Alex Chandler (IRM / Tony Kart) and SKUSA Pro Tour champion Royce Vega (Team Benik) capped off the top 10. Hard charger was Nicholas Ardelean (Team Benik), gaining 15 spots to end up 32nd.
Sebastian Garzon became the fourth driver to double up in the Junior categories, earning his first in X30 Junior (Photo: EKN) It was a wild finish in the main event for X30 Junior presented by Speed Concepts Racing. Pole sitter and defending race winner Turner Brown (RPG / Kosmic) was joined at the front by three others, including Ty Fisher (Racelab / TB Kart), Diego Ardiles (SCR / CS55) and Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic). Brown and Ardiles swapped the lead before the halfway point when Ardiles secured the position as they continued fighting for position and Sebastian Garzon (Orsolon / Tony Kart) was leading the second group. The gap was just over three seconds with four laps remaining. Ardiles went on the defensive, which bunched up the top four all trying for a way to gain positions. With two to go, the lead group was eight drivers with Ardiles ahead of Fisher. A bump and run on Ardiles into turn 16 put Fisher into the lead. On the exit of turn one, the two went side by side all the way to turn four. The two pushed wide on the exit of turn four, allowing Garzon to slip past for the lead. They went three-wide through second apex of turn four, as Brown jumped the curb and spun around into the wall, ending his race. Up front, Garzon gapped the battling and drove unchallenged to the checkered flag. It is the first win in the category for Garzon, becoming the 16th different winner in 16 editions, while also becoming the fourth driver to double up in the same SuperNationals in the Junior categories – joining Connor De Phillippi, Jeremy Fletcher and Turner Brown. Ardiles crossed the line in second with Vanchev in third. Lillian Scarbrough (RPG / Kosmic) took advantage of the skirmishes and from the second group, moved up to fourth by the checkered flag with Enzo Vidmontiene (Trinity / Kart Republic) in fifth. Charlie Smith (Nash / EOS), Lev Krutoholov (Energy Corse Americas), Sarah Bradley (SCR / Sodi Kart), Jackson Gibson (Ruthless / Exprit) and Fisher completed the top 10. Hard charger of the race was Gage Korn (MPG / Kart Republic), going from 43rd to 25th, gaining 18 spots.
Joe Turney became the 21st driver to win Pro X30, and the first to win both Senior categories in the same SuperNationals (Photo: EKN) History was made in the Pro X30 presented by Rolison Performance Group. Senior rookie Steven Miller (CDR / Kart Republic) led the field to the green flag, with the lead group of four drivers forming up. SKUSA Pro Tour champion Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic), Ruben Moya (FDM / Pantano) and Joe Turney (Trinity / Kart Republic) joined Miller up front. Miller led three laps before Moya took over. Miller fell back to fourth over the next few laps as Turney got up to second and Norberg into third. Moya went on the defensive prior to the halfway mark to bunch up the group. Norberg and Miller had to fight off the second group that caught them with the slower laps with the defensive driving by Moya. Eventually, Turney found his way past Moya on lap 16 at turn 16. Moya looked for a way past on the following lap but was unable to make a move. As they ran the closing laps, Norberg and Miller were able to reel in the top two. Coming to the white flag, Moya bobbled on the exit of turn 16 and went defensive on Norberg. That allowed Turney to go unchallenged to the checkered flag, grabbing his first victory in the category and becoming the 21st different winner. Turney’s win combined with the KA100 Senior win makes him the first driver to win both Senior classes in the same SuperNationals. Moya held on to cross the line in second, but a three position penalty for blocking put him down to third, advancing Norberg to the runner-up spot. Miller would have been third but received pushback bumper penalty to have him finish in fourth. Austin Garrison (SCR / CS55) completed the podium. Hayden Jones (RPG / Kosmic) was sixth with defending race winner Donovan Bonilla (RPG / Kosmic) crossing the line in seventh. A pushback bumper penalty dropped him to ninth, moving Alessandro de Tullio (Inter MS / Tony Kart) up to seventh and Canadian Ayden Ingratta (RPG / Kosmic) to eighth. Dalton Hanes (SLA / Sodi Kart) advanced 15 spots up to 10th. Hard charger of the race was Jayden Thien (Sodi USA) up 24 positions from 38th to 14th.
Daniel Vasile emerged from the wild 25-lap Pro Shifter battle as the winner (Photo: CanadianKartingNews.com) The 68 drivers in the Pro Shifter category was narrowed down to 41 following the heat races on Friday and Saturday that took the green flag for the 25-lap main event on SuperSunday. On the pole position was three time heat race winner and top qualifier Senna Van Walstijn (Sodi USA) with two-time heat winner Markus Kajak (NGK / Maranello) on the outside. It was Kajak with the holeshot, jumping out to a sizable lead after the field pushed wide at turn four behind him. Former winner Matteo Vigano (PSL / Birel ART) who started 11th. Van Waltstijn was joined by Sodi USA teammate Emilien Denner as the two were second and third, trailing Kajak by roughly two seconds by the time the race reached the half mark. By then, SKUSA Pro Tour champion Matheus Morgatto (PSL / Birel ART) was on a charge. Starting back in ninth, the Brazilian makd quick work of Van Walstijn and Denner to put himself into second by lap 17, then began running down Kajak quickly. The gap became zero in the matter of five laps when on lap 23, Morgatto went deep into turn one on Kajak. He made contact with the curb at the apex, pushed out wide, made contact with Kajak as both went hard into the barriers to end their race. This put Denner into the lead, but for only for two corners as Daniel Vasile (IM USA / Italkart) made the move to the lead in turn four after clearing the wreck of the previous top two. Denner fought back on the final circuit, but Vasile was able to pull the over under in the same corner, allowing 2022 winner Pedro Hiltbrand (PSL / Birel ART) to slip past Denner as well. That was the winning move, with Vasile took the checkered flag for his first SuperNationals triumph, giving Italkart its first in the headline shifterkart category and the chassis brands ninth SuperNationals victory. Hiltbrand settled for second with Denner crossing the line in third. Van Walstijn fell back outside the top five but fought back up to fourth with AJ Myers (Magik Kart USA) putting in a great performance, gaining 15 positions to land the final spot on the podium in fifth. KZ2 world champion Cristian Bertuca (PSL / Birel ART) was sixth ahead of Viktor Gustafsson (CRG Nordam). The former world champion was penalized for contact, promoting now five-time SuperNationals winner Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts) to seventh. David Trefilov (NKG / Maranello) was inside the top five until getting spun sideways on lap 17 by Van Walstijn, but ended up crossing the line behind Musgrave. A three-second jump start penalty dropped him out of the top 10. This moved Michael Avansino (RWR / CRG) up to eighth with an impressive first Pro Shifter start at the SuperNationals, gaining 17 positions. Former SKUSA Pro Tour champion Marijn Kremer (RPG / Kosmic) was ninth up 21 spots with Sam Dicker (Trinity / Kart Republic) completing the top 10 as hard charger of the race, going from 34th to 10th.The SKUSA SuperNationals 27 is in the books with another historic week of events, including new names to the winner’s list and new records set. |
