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SKUSA Winter Series
EKN Trackside: 2025 Superkarts! USA Winter Series – Orlando 2 – Sunday Report
Wednesday, 12 February 2025 17:50

Matheus Morgatto won the Pro Shifter main event to claim the 2025 championship (Photo: EKN)

The 2025 Superkarts! USA Winter Series concluded on Sunday at the Orlando Kart Center, completing the fourth round of the ‘Spring Training’ championship. The penultimate round was contested on Saturday, with similar weather conditions featuring clear skies and warm temperatures greeted the over 285 entries at the Orlando, Florida facility. Drivers were all in on attacking the 8/10-mile course and the tough competition with the final SKUSA event until the WinterNationals in March. Defending Pro Shifter champion Matheus Morgatto was able to claim a second straight title with victory in Round Four while British driver Joe Turney won his fourth straight main event to earn a second Pro X30 crown at the series.

A fourth straight victory for Joe Turney in Pro X30 (Photo: EKN)

The PSL Karting Pro Shifter division brought on the continued battle between former SKUSA Pro Tour champion AJ Myers (Magik Kart USA) and defending SKUSA Pro Tour champion Matheus Morgatto (PSL / Birelart). Following their contact on Saturday, Myers struck first on Sunday with a 49.575 lap time to claim the fast time in qualifying over Morgatto by 30 thousandths. Myers grabbed the holeshot and led all eight laps over Morgatto with Saturday winner Justin White (Maranello USA) in third. Prior to the race, Myers elected to sit out the Final due to rib pain suffered from the wreck on Saturday. This allowed Morgatto the clear path to the lead, going wire-to-wire for his first victory of the series. White ran second, three seconds back while Gavin Bayliff (TKG / Birelart) running third. Vincenzo Sarracino (Maranello USA) was in the podium hunt over the opening laps before a mechanical issue put him on the sidelines. Scott Presti (Croc Promotion) drove to fourth over Lucas Deslongchamps (PSL / Birelart). Morgatto’s win put him at the top of the championship standings for the second straight year, 45 points ahead of White with Bayliff completing the championship podium.

Frankie Mossman came from 18th on the grid to a third KA100 Senior victory (Photo: EKN)

Picking up his third win on Saturday, Joe Turney (JHDD / Kart Republic) entered Round Four with the championship already in hand. Turney left no question on the table about going for a fourth straight win with a 52.768 lap to secure fast time in qualifying. Fellow British driver Caden McQueen (Energy Corse Americas) put the pressure on in the Prefinal, taking lead for two laps before Turney resumed at the top, going on to take the win. The start of the Final saw Turney joined at the front by six-time SKUSA Pro Tour champion Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic) and defending USPKS title winner Austin Garrison (SCR / CS55) joined him up front with Norberg going on the attack. Garrison was not able to work past Turney, allowing the British driver the chance to size up Norberg for a move. Lap seven, Turney went back to the point and by that time, the second group of three others – McQueen, Jakub Kolar (Vice / Kart Republic) and Diego Ramos (PSL / Birelart). When Turney returned to the point, the battle heated up for the second spot, led by McQueen. Norberg was able to fend him off and return his focus on Turney, however, it would not be enough. Turney reached the line first by over six tenths ahead of Norberg with Garrison working up to the third spot on the podium. Ramos pushed McQueen to fifth as Kolar was sixth at the line. Turney’s final advantage in the point standings was 140 points over Norberg with McQueen ending up third in the championship.

Charlie Fonseca won a thriller in KA100 Master (Photo: EKN)

The final round of action in the KA100 Senior category was labeled by one word – thrilling. It began with Sathvik Sarathy (DDR / Alonso Kart) shocking the paddock with fast time in qualifying from the slower group in the two sessions, posting a 55.485 lap to edge out Saturday’s fast driver Jensen Burnett by 16 thousandths. Sarathy led the first three laps before getting shuffled down to eighth as Burnett, Caden McQueen (Energy Corse Americas) and others worked past. McQueen ended up crossing the line first but was penalized five seconds for contact with Sarathy, dropping him to ninth and giving the race win to Burnett. Part of the finish was contact on the final lap between two-time winner Frankie Mossman (JHDD / Kart Republic) and Sebastian Garzon (Orsolon / Tony Kart) going into the final turn. Mossman was able to continue crossing the line in 18th while Garzon was a DNF. Early shuffling in the Final allowed championship contender Blake Nash (Nash / EOS) to take the lead and break away from the pack. Leading the race, Nash needed to win or place second with fast lap of the race to clinch the title as long as Mossman was third or worse to steal the crown. As the race went on, the group behind Nash continued battling for the lead challenger position all while Mossman joined them, and knifed through the group. Into third by Lap 13, they were able to reel in Nash and put the pressure on. Lap 15, the trio fought for the lead, including contact between Mossman and Nash. The contact damaged the front end of Nash’s kart, leaving him to fall down the order and out of the top-five. Mossman went on to take the win ahead of Burnett and Sarathy. Burnett was issued a five-second penalty for contact, moving Sarathy to second and Santiago Fernandez (SCR / CS55) to the podium in third. Frederick Manning (GWR / Gillard) was fourth in a career best finish along with Rahim Alibhai (RRC / OTK) in fifth. Nash ended up sixth, putting him 76 points short of Mossman in the title chase. It is the first SKUSA Winter Series championship for Mossman. Fernandez ended with two podium results over the four rounds, landing him third in the points.

Rene Martinelli came away with the victory in Master Shifter (Photo: EKN)

Charlie Fonseca (RPG / Redspeed) was able to break up the perfect score by Franco Crivelli (Inter MS / Tony Kart) in the AM Racing Team KA100 Master division. Crivelli set fast time in qualifying but contact on the final lap of the Prefinal dropped him to fifth as Fonseca took the race win. Fonseca led early in the Final before Crivelli was able to work his way back up to the front. He established a sizable lead before Fonseca cut into that advantage over the final few laps. The two were nose to tail on the final circuit, with Fonseca pulling the over under on Crivelli in the final corner. They slapped side pods through the kink before Crivelli went spinning around as Fonseca continued, going on to take the checkered flag for the victory. Paul Elefonte (RRC / OTK) crossed the line second ahead of Mundy Loyer (Tony Kart), who was penalized three seconds for contact, dropping him off the podium in fourth and moving Nico Rivas (RPG / Kosmic) to third. Miguel Mier (Orsolon / Tony Kart) completed the top-five. Crivelli finished the championship run by winning the title 157 points over Fonseca as Elefonte ended up third.

Rene Martinelli (TB Kart USA) came away with the victory in the Velocity Racing by Sodi USA Master Shifter class. Provisional champion Skitchy Barnes (Maranello USA) set fast time in qualifying and won the Prefinal. He led for the first 15 laps before his engine let go, handing the lead and the victory to Martinelli. Tyler Guilbeault (DRT / DR Kart) was second. Barnes secured the championship by 110 points with Guilbeault 10 points back in third.

Theo Salomao went wire-to-wire in the KA100 Junior for his first series victory (Photo: EKN)

The championship for the Orsolon Racing KA100 Junior division went down to the wire. Two-time race winner Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic) and Theo Salomao (Orsolon / Tony Kart) entered the Final with different scenarios for each to earn the title. Salomao’s title hopes increased thanks to his fast time in qualifying for the 10 bonus points and a Prefinal A win. Vanchev missed out on the full points haul in Prefinal B with Max Cristea (JHDD / Kart Republic) taking the win, still putting him in the mathematical hunt. Salomao needed a win AND set fast lap for the 10 bonus points if Vanchev finished fourth or worse to claim the title. Salomao did what he needed to by leading all 18 laps of the Final for his first series victory. He and Travis Pettit (TB Kart USA) escaped from the field to go 1-2 the entire distance. Vanchev was running fourth early before advancing to third ahead of Cristea. The fast time bounced around between Salomao and Vanchev before eventually Edward Kennedy (Energy Corse Americas) set the benchmark on lap nine. By that time, Victor de Alencar (AM / Tony Kart) was on the charge and made his way up to Vanchev. He took over the third spot on lap 12 and stayed there to the checkered flag, keeping Vanchev off the podium and in fourth ahead of Kennedy. With the results official, Vanchev and Salomao recorded the same point total in the best three of four rounds, as the tie breaker went to Vanchev with his two wins to give him the title. Cristea ended up third, back by 65 points.

Alexander Vanchev notched a second straight victory in X30 Junior to celebrate his series championship (Photo: EKN)

Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic) landed a second series championship with victory on Sunday in the Speed Concepts Racing X30 Junior category. Fion Shi (RPG / Kosmic) repeated as quick driver in qualifying coming out of the slower group following his mechanical in Happy Hour on Friday. Vanchev was back in fifth in the order but fought his way forward to the point in the Prefinal. Edward Kennedy (Energy Corse Americas) put on the fight to Vanchev, leading in the middle portion of the 18-lap race. Vanchev eventually took back control and went on to the checkered flag, winning by four tenths over Kennedy to celebrate the championship with a second victory over the four rounds. Canadian Cole Medeiros (REM / Kosmic) won the battle for third over Jaxon Porter (RPG / Kosmic) and Shi, who was removed from the results for a missing chain guard, promoting Round One winner Tristan Murphy (RPM / Tony Kart) to fifth. Vanchev won the championship by 194 points over Murphy with Shi ending up third.

Aston Wyatt was awarded the victory in Mini Swift (Photo: EKN)

Enzo DiGennaro (Parolin Motorsport USA) carried the momentum off his first win in the Team Benik Mini Swift category on Saturday into Sunday. DiGennaro set fast time in qualifying and won the Prefinal. He was joined at the front in the Final by Texan Aston Wyatt (RPM / Nitro Kart) DiGennaro led wire-to-wire, but Wyatt put the pressure on heading to the checkered flag. They ran side-by-side to the line, separated by only 11 thousandths. The win however was taken away from DiGennaro, penalized three seconds for blocking. This gave Wyatt his first series victory with Cameron Johnson (FMS / Merlin) up to second and Maxwell Macha (Velocity / Sodi Kart) on the podium in third. Benja Fernandez (SLA / Kart Republic) and Zayne Burgess (Velocity / Sodi Kart) completed the top-five. The points were close as DiGennaro held on to claim his first series championship by 27 points over Burgess with Fernandez in third, only 44 points back.

A wild last lap gave Leo Simone the victory in Micro Swift (Photo: EKN)

It was a wild one in the Energy Corse Americas Micro Swift class to wrap up the series. Zev Godschalk (Team Benik) came out of qualifying with the fast lap, but was shuffled back as two-time winner Marcelo Flores (JHDD / Kart Republic) went on to win the Prefinal. He and Lenox Lockhart (Velocity / Sodi Kart) were able to get away from the field. Despite a few laps of exchanging the top spot, they remained well out front ahead of the battle for third. On the final lap, the two came out of the hairpin side by side. They made contact, spinning around and allowing the next group through to battle for the win. Leo Simone (JHDD / Kart Republic) was able to emerge from the group, reaching the line ahead of Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) by 43 thousandths to claim his first series victory. Godschalk fought up to third with Aidan Go (Parolin Motorsport USA) and Mason Brody (Nash / Energy) completing the top-five. Flores crossed the line in 31st with Lockhart in 35th. The result was enough for Flores to earn the championship by 16 points over Simone with Westbrook finishing third, only 17 out of the top spot.

The eighth season of the Superkarts! USA Winter Series is now complete, and the organization along with the competitors and teams are now focused on the start of the 2025 Superkarts! USA Pro Tour, set to start with the WinterNationals at the Speedsportz Racing Park in New Caney, Texas on March 28-30.