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SKUSA Winter Series
| EKN Trackside: 2025 Superkarts! USA Winter Series – Orlando 1 – Sunday Report |
| Monday, 13 January 2025 00:00 |
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Daniel Formal swept the weekend in Pro Shifter (Photo: EKN) The opening weekend of the 2025 Superkarts! USA Winter Series came to a close on Sunday at the Orlando Kart Center. It was an improvement on the weather side for the over 300 entries at the Orlando, Florida facility. Clear skies brought on sunshine all day, despite chilly temps when the gates opened, there was no wind to allow the temps to rise into the 60s. Laps were cut down by two in both the Prefinal and Final, helping to keep on the printed schedule on the day. The main events wrapped up as the sun set and Round Two winners were decided. It ended with two wins each for the Senior drivers – Daniel Formal (Pro Shifter), Joe Turney (Pro X30) and Frankie Mossman (KA100 Senior).
Defending Master Shifter champion Skitchy Barnes swept the weekend (Photo: EKN) Four-time SKUSA SuperNationals winner Daniel Formal capped off his debut with PSL Karting / Birelart with a clean sweep of the Pro Shifter division sponsored by PSL Karting. The Costa Rican bettered his double win performance from last year’s Winter Series opener, sweeping Saturday’s round as well as Sunday’s round. Formal posted a 49.718 lap time in qualifying, setting a new track record in the process. He led all eight laps in the Prefinal as Gavin Bayliff (TKG / Birelart) moved to second. Formal grabbed the holeshot to begin the 18-lap Final, only to push wide at turn one to allow Bayliff to slip past for the lead. Bayliff led the opening five laps before Formal, who fell back to fourth on the opening lap, drove his way to retake the lead. Two laps later, Morgatto advanced to second to put Bayliff into third. They would run that way for the remainder of the race, with Formal celebrating the weekend sweep. Morgatto finished runner-up, similar to what he did in the opening weekend of the 2024 championship program. Bayliff enjoyed a third place podium finish after ending up in the wall due to a broken hub Saturday evening, celebrating a Birelart podium sweep. Alan Isambard (RRC / Maranello) won the battle for fourth over Justin White (Maranello USA). Skitchy Barnes (Maranello USA) went unchallenged on the day in Velocity Racing by Sodi USA Master Shifter division. The defending champion swept the action with Tyler Guilbault (DRT / DR Kart) placing second in his return to competition after a four-year absence.
Double win weekend for Joe Turney in Pro X30 (Photo: EKN) The Rolison Performance Group Pro X30 class was a duplicate of Saturday’s action with winner Joe Turney (JHDD / Kart Republic) and Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic) battling for the top spot. Turney got the advantage in qualifying, posting a 52.908 lap to edge out Norberg by 44 thousandths. Norberg was able to best Turney in the eight lap Prefinal to claim the pole position for the main event. The two welcomed three others into the lead pack early on as Norberg tried to keep the field behind him. British driver Caden McQueen (Energy Corse Americas), Collin Lloyd (SCR / CS55) and Diego Ramos (PSL / Birelart) joined the lead duo with McQueen the mover of the group, stealing the lead on lap four. Norberg returned to the lead the following circuit and continued to lead the way to the white flag. With a defensive line, Norberg kept Turney behind him. Coming into the final turn 13, Norberg held the inside line as Turney pulled the over-under move. Turney came off the corner with great speed, powering past Norberg to be able to cross the line first to earn a second victory on the weekend. Norberg settled for second, holding off McQueen at the line. Ramos was able to grab fourth while Lloyd completed the top-five, earning fast lap of the race. Jakub Kolar (Vice / Kart Republic) had a heartbreaking end again. A DNF at the end of the main event, he suffered issues in qualifying to start the Prefinal in 43rd. He drove up to 19th in the eight laps. By lap 15, Kolar had got himself up into the lead pack before his rear sprocket broke over the curbing into turn 13, ending his race again on the sidelines.
Frankie Mossman emerged with a second victory on the weekend in KA100 Senior (Photo: EKN) The AKT Racing Team KA100 Senior class went down to the wire for a second straight day. This time in the dry, Kai Hunter (RPG / Kosmic) repeated his top qualifier honor with a 55.207 lap, edging out Blake Nash (Nash / EOS) by 12 thousandths. Qualifying third was Senior rookie Ty Fisher (TB Kart USA). Fisher was able to lead the final two laps of the Prefinal over Hunter and Saturday winner Frankie Mossman (JHDD / Kart Republic). The three were at the front of the lead pack throughout the 18-lap Final, each taking a turn at the point. With two laps to go, Mossman was able to secure the lead after three-wide action shuffled up the lead group. As they began the last lap, Mossman escaped while they battled behind them. Hunter got the worst of it on the exit of turn three, hitting the grass divots and spinning out. Thankfully he did not hit anyone coming back onto the surface, but it ended his race. Mossman went unchallenged to the victory, claiming a second victory on the weekend. Fisher won the battle for second ahead of Nash. Senior rookie Sebastian Garzon (Orsolon / Tony Kart) and Henry Wheeler (PSL / Birelart) – who were the hard chargers on Saturday after issues in the Prefinal – ended the weekend fourth and fifth.
Lucas Palacio was promoted to the win in X30 Junior (Photo: EKN) The Speed Concepts Racing X30 Junior class welcomed another first time winner on Sunday. Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic) added another top qualifier honor, clearing the 37-driver field by over two tenths with a 54.136 lap before going wire-to-wire in the Prefinal over Augustus Toniolo (RPG / Kosmic). The two were able to get away from the field early in the race while Junior rookie Lucas Palacio (JHDD / Kart Republic) drove up to third in the second group. By lap 15, the lead duo began battle for the top spot after Vanchev led to that point. Vanchev put on heavy pressure to Toniolo, allowing Palacio and others to close back up as they took the white flag. Toniolo and Vanchev went side by side on the exit of turn four with Vanchev getting spun sideways, ending his hope for victory. Toniolo was able to go on and take the checkered flag first, however, officials handed him a five-second penalty for contact with Vanchev. This promoted Palacio – the new member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy – to the top of the podium in his SKUSA Junior debut. The penalty to Toniolo dropped him to eighth as Fion Shi (RPG / Kosmic) was classified second and Max Weiland (Magik Kart USA) to third on the podium. Vanchev recovered to fourth with Kit Belofsky (Energy Corse America) completed the top-five.
Augustus Toniolo won in a shortened KA100 Junior main event (Photo: EKN) Augusuts Toniolo (RPG / Kosmic) was able to score a win on the day, taking the top spot in the Orsolon Racing KA100 Junior division. Travis Pettit (TB Kart USA) was quickest in the qualifying sessions for the split group, laying down a 56.266 lap with the top four all within 66 thousandths. Group B Prefinal was led by Theo Salomao (Orsolon / Tony Kart) while the Group A Prefinal saw Saturday winner Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic) beat out Toniolo and Pettit. Salomao was able to jump out to the lead at the start of the Final, showing the way for the first four laps. Toniolo took over the top spot from there, as he fought to hold on to the lead lap after lap. Vanchev was the top contender until he was shuffled down the order on lap nine. Max Cristea (JHDD / Kart Republic) became the next challenger, however, a red flag came out on lap 15. The race was called, completing 14 laps, and declaring Toniolo the winner. Cristea was second with Salomao in third. Pettit and Max Weiland (Magik Kart USA) completed the top-five.
Franco Crivelli scored maximum points on the weekend in KA100 Master (Photo: EKN) Franco Crivelli (Inter MS / Tony Kart) was able to complete the weekend sweep in the AM Racing Team KA100 Master category. Crivelli set fast time in qualifying with a 56.554 lap. He was challenged by reigning Trans Am champion Raphael Matos (Velocity / Sodi Kart) in the Prefinal before taking the checkered flag first. Matos moved into the lead on lap six of the Final and showed the way to the white flag as he and Crivelli were able to break away from the field. On the final circuit, Crivelli was able to get past Matos, scoring a second victory on the weekend. Matos settled for second with Miguel Mier (Orsolon / Tony Kart) trailing in third. Niki Coello (FMS / Merlin) was put to the rear of the field for the Final after a spark plug issue in tech following the Prefinal. He drove up to fourth in the 18-lap race, while Paul Elefonte (RRC / LN Racing Kart) ended up fifth.
Last lap pass by Liam Nachawati gave him his first win in Mini Swift (Photo: EKN) The action in the Benik Kart Mini Swift Final went down to the wire, featuring a last to first story with Liam Nachawati (JHDD / Kart Republic). Mini rookie and new Andretti Global Driver Development signee Zayne Burgess (Velocity / Sodi Kart) led the field to the green flag after setting fast time in qualifying and winning the Prefinal. He and Colton Schniegenberg (GWR / Tony Kart) exchanged the top spot a few times over the first half of the race before others began fighting for the lead. Maxwell Macha (Velocity / Sodi Kart) took the lead with two laps remaining until Burgess regained the top spot as they took the white flag. By that time, Nachawati had worked his way up from 18th to second, trailing Burgess. Coming to the pit lane sweeper, Burgess left just enough room for Nachawati to slip inside, taking the lead. As he exited the final corner, Macha got a run alongside to form a drag race to the checkered flag. At the line, it was Nachawati by 29 thousandths. Unfortunately for Macha, a spark plug issue in tech removed him from the results. This promoted Schniegenberg to second with Mini rookie Santiago Orioli (OKP / Kart Republic) on the podium in third. Fourth was Mini rookie Wynn Godschalk (Team Benik) with Aston Wyatt (RPM / Nitro Kart) in fifth.
Dutch Westbrook claimed his first victory in Micro Swift (Photo: EKN) Another driver stepped up on Sunday to claim his first series victory, including the Energy Corse Americas Micro Swift division. Lenox Lockhart (Velocity / Sodi Kart) was the driver to beat early on, setting fast time in qualifying and winning the Prefinal. He slipped back at the start of the 16-lap Final with Leo Simone (JHDD / Kart Republic) jumping out to the lead. By lap five, Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) took control for the first time as the two swapped the lead a couple times later. By lap 12, Saturday winner Marcelo Flores (JHDD / Kart Republic) was able to work past both for the lead, taking the white flag with Westbrook on his bumper. They battled throughout the lap, coming out of the final corner side by side. The two made contact down the straight, sending Flores around just feet short of the line. Westbrook went on to take the checkered flag, earning his first series victory. Lockhart ended up second with Brody Stoffle (JHDD / Kart Republic) in third. Mauro Mario (Orsolon / Parolin) was fourth with last year race winner Danny O’Gara (MPG / Kart Republic) in fifth.The Superkarts! USA Winter Series will continue on February 7-9, returning to the Orlando Kart Center in Orlando, Florida for the third and fourth deciding rounds of the 2025 championship program. |
