EKN Trackside: 2017 SKUSA Pro Tour SummerNationals – Preview Part 1
Full fields for youth categories at season championship finale
For the first time in Superkarts! USA Pro Tour history, the championship chase will end in August. The eighth running of the SKUSA Pro Tour SummerNationals is set for August 11-13 at the New Castle Motorsports Park. This is the third straight year the 1-mile course outside New Castle, Indiana is playing host to the SummerNationals. And for the first time, the event will mark the end of the six-round SKUSA Pro Tour championship chase with the addition of the WinterNationals. Tensions will be high for the five IAME divisions and four Honda categories competing on the weekend.
The New Castle Motorsport Park opened in 2004 and is a landmark facility for the sport of karting. Owner Mark Dismore, former IndyCar driver and second generation karter, forged the 1-mile circuit with his own vision and creativity to provide the sport with the ultimate playground. Since its opening, New Castle has hosted major events and the 2017 SKUSA SummerNationals will be no different with another record turnout, eclipsing the 250 pre-entry mark.
eKartingNews is bringing all the action live to anyone and everyone with a laptop or mobile device. Bookmark www.ekartingnews.com/live and listen in to the live play-by-play provided by the official voice of SKUSA – EKN’s own Rob Howden. Updates, photos and videos will be available throughout the weekend on the EKN social media outlets – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
X30 Junior
The Junior division has been a fun category to watch, as we now see many of the former Cadet stars reaching their stride as a Junior driver. The large fields make no room for error, and that has the championship fairly tight between the top-three. Dylan Tavella is no stranger to the New Castle circuit, sweeping the main events at the 2016 SummerNationals weekend and most recently winning another at the USPKS event. Tavella (IRM / Tony Kart) has two victories on the 2017 SKUSA Pro Tour, winning one feature at the two events. Tavella, the current SKUSA #2 plateholder, leads the standings over Junior rookie Jak Crawford, who has yet to win on the Pro Tour. The three straight podium finishes by the Nash / FA Kart driver puts him in the lead challenger position to Tavella, 65 points back when factoring in the drop. Twenty points back of him is Andersen Racing / Birel ART driver Aidan Keel. The Floridian has been quick all season, including two fast times in qualifying, racking up three top-five finishes and his first Pro Tour podium at Round Four.
Tyler Gonzalez and Trey Brown are the other race winners on the season. Gonzalez (SRC / Tony Kart) – the 2016 SuperNationals winner – won Round Two in NOLA, and has won three of the last four races he competed in at New Castle including the WKA and UPSKS events. Brown (Nash / FA Kart) is among the more experienced Junior drivers in the field, coming off a victory in Round Three at Sonoma. The Californian will need to improve on his last trip to New Castle, placing outside the top-15 in both days at the 2016 SummerNationals.
The remainder of the top-10 in the championship standings will be on hand at the SummerNationals. Arias Deukmedjian (Kosmic) has shown the speed to contend for victory, earning a runner-up in Round Three. Argentina driver Franco Colapinto is lurking for his first podium finish with the CRG Nordam pilot taking part in the USPKS event to prepare for this weekend. Jeremy Fairbairn (Tony Kart) is the third led of the SRC operation, showing well two weeks ago. Pedro Lopes (Kosmic) and OGP’s Dylan Gennaro (Tony Kart) complete the top-10 in the standings. Watch for other drivers looking to make an impact on the SummerNationals – Texas ProKart Challenge point leader Ethan Arndt (TKS / CompKart), Spike Kohlbecker representing the ‘Made in the USA’ Margay brand racing – competing with a broken arm this weekend, USPKS point leader Maks Kowalski (Franklin / Merlin), and Team USA Rotax Grand Finals driver Hannah Greenemeier (RPG / Kosmic).
X30 Junior Championship Standings Top-10
Pos. | Total | No. | Driver | Drop | Diff | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 837 | N2 | Dylan Tavella | 730 | 0 | 250 | 230 | 107 | 250 |
2 | 761 | 525t | Jak Crawford | 665 | 65 | 96 | 215 | 225 | 225 |
3 | 788 | 255f | Aidan Keel | 645 | 85 | 215 | 215 | 143 | 215 |
4 | 592 | 157f | Tyler Gonzalez | 532 | 198 | 220 | 240 | 60 | 72 |
5 | 589 | 28b | Trey Brown | 531 | 199 | 144 | 167 | 220 | 58 |
6 | 610 | 199f | Arias Deukmedjian | 520 | 210 | 195 | 125 | 200 | 90 |
7 | 534 | 79a | Franco Colapinto | 438 | 292 | 157 | 96 | 150 | 131 |
8 | 466 | 287f | Jeremy Fairbairn | 424 | 306 | 42 | 134 | 126 | 164 |
9 | 460 | 318a | Pedro Lopes | 394 | 336 | 104 | 180 | 110 | 66 |
10 | 443 | 259f | Dylan Gennaro | 359 | 371 | 115 | 84 | 102 | 142 |
Provisional X30 Junior Entry List
No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | Hometown |
---|---|---|---|---|
94t | Ethan Arndt | Trackside Karting Services | CompKart | Leander TX |
233j | Bryce Aron | Kosmic | Winnetka IL | |
418s | Caleb Bacon | CB Motorsports | Tony Kart | Mooresville NC |
41f | Fernando Barrichello | Ocala Gran Prix | Tony Kart | Ocala FL |
093a | Luka Berazategui | SLA | Tony Kart | Chili |
05d | Joey Brienza | Nash Motorsportz | FA Kart | Golden CO |
28b | Trey Brown | Nash Motorsportz | FA Kart | Lemon Grove CA |
79a | Franco Colapinto | CRG Nordam | CRG | Argentina |
525t | Jak Crawford | Nash Motorsportz | Tony Kart | Conroe TX |
22m | Pablo Perez De Lara | RPL Racing | Tony Kart | Mexico |
108c | Jace Denmark-Gessel | Ryan Perry Motorsport | Tony Kart | Glendale AZ |
199f | Arias Deukmedjian | Deuk Spine Racing | Kosmic | Ocala FL |
48 | Vinicius Dias | NF Piquet Sports | Kosmic | Orlando FL |
287f | Jeremy Fairbairn | Team Koene USA | Tony Kart | Wellington FL |
222n | Connor Ferris | Team Ferris Racing | Top Kart | Hackettstown NJ |
201y | Bijoy Garg | SpeedSense Motorsports | Exprit | Atherton CA |
259f | Dylan Gennaro | Ocala Gran Prix | Tony Kart | Ocala FL |
157f | Tyler Gonzalez | Speed Concepts Racing | Tony Kart | Saint Cloud FL |
217t | Kaden Gray | CRG Nordam | CRG | Fort Worth TX |
208d | Hannah Greenemeier | Rolison Performance Group | Kosmic | Parker CO |
21j | Aidan Harrington | Comet Kart Sales | Kosmic | Des Plaines IL |
056f | Zachary Hollingshead | Ocala Gran Prix | Tony Kart | Ocala FL |
213f | Jade Hubert | Ocala Gran Prix | Tony Kart | Ocala FL |
18t | Alejandro Jaramillo | Team Koene USA | Tony Kart | Dallas TX |
255f | Aidan Keel | Andersen Racing | Birel ART | Plant City FL |
5e | Spike Kohlbecker | Margay Racing | Margay | Saint Louis MO |
02j | Maks Kowalski | Franklin Motorsports | Merlin | Barrington IL |
128s | Gray Leadbetter | Verde Speed Resources | Tony Kart | Morganton NC |
318a | Pedro Lopes | Rolison Performance Group | Kosmic | Brazil |
204c | Carson Mallett | Ryan Perry Motorsport | Tony Kart | Blythe CA |
00y | Christopher Martin | Infinity Karting | Sodi Kart | Daly City CA |
74s | Tyler Maxson | Speed Concepts Racing | Tony Kart | Lawrenceville GA |
70j | Colin Neal | Motorsports Driver Development | Kosmic | Peebles OH |
124r | Thomas Nepveu | PSL Karting | Birel ART | Oka QC |
202f | Kai Palomino | Andersen Racing Team | Birel ART | Miami FL |
211z | Edward Portz | Exprit | Corvallis OR | |
68m | Emiliano Richards | RPL Racing | Tony Kart | Mexico DF |
N2 | Dylan Tavella | Iron Rock Motorsports | Tony Kart | Massapequa NY |
361j | Kyle Thome | Franklin Motorsports | Merlin | Dousman WI |
07h | Arie Venberg | Franklin Motorsports | Merlin | Lakeville MN |
141j | Kaden Wharff | TopKart USA | Top Kart | Brownsburg IN |
121t | Travis Wiley | CompKart | Austin TX | |
88a | Matias Zagazeta | BBR Karting | OTK | Peru |
Mini Swift

Double SpringNationals winner Carson Morgan holds the advantage in the Mini Swift title chase (Photo: EKN)
An oversold field is set to take on the SummerNationals in the Mini Swift division. SKUSA has opened up the field to 48 drivers, with still a handful on the waiting list to get into the weekend. This category has continued to draw some of the best talent in North America and beyond, and the numbers show it. The competition span is so narrow, that you could pull a name out of a hat, and there could be an argument as to why that driver can compete for the victory or the podium. The championship has an added bonus, with a ticket to this year’s IAME International Final in Le Mans, France as part of the limited Mini category.
The first two events were dominated by two different drivers – Luca Mars and Carson Morgan. Mars (Energy) swept the main events at the WinterNationals while Morgan (Benik) was the double winner at the SpringNationals. Morgan holds the championship lead over Mars by 45 points, however, the lead will double when karts hit the track in New Castle. Mars is electing to sit out the event and the SuperNationals with a focus on preparing for the Junior ranks in 2018. Morgan now enters the SummerNationals with a 90-point lead in the standings when factoring in the drop.
Consistency has kept two drivers in the hunt for the championship. Benik teammates Santiago Trisni and Reece Gold have the opportunity to finish the SummerNationals as the SKUSA Pro Tour champion. Trisni – the current USPKS point leader – has three top-five finishes, including a podium at NOLA, with strong results in the Prefinals to be just 90 points back of Morgan. Five points back of him is Gold with three podium finishes over the first four rounds and comes in as the defending two-time SummerNationals winner in 2016.
Notable drivers to watch in the large field include Comet Kart Sales’ drivers Garrett (FA Kart) and Logan Adams (FA Kart), 2017 US Rotax Micro Max champion Brent Crews (Nitro Kart), and recent USPKS winner Nicholas Terlecki (Merlin). Last year’s runner-up in the SKUSA Pro Tour – Diego LaRoque (PDB) – currently sits seventh in the championship chase with a runner-up finish in Sonoma as his best result this season.
Mini Swift Championship Standings Top-10
Pos. | Total | No. | Driver | Drop | Diff | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 875 | 88x | Carson Morgan | 725 | 0 | 150 | 215 | 250 | 260 |
2 | 795 | 888n | Luca Mars | 680 | 45 | 260 | 210 | 210 | 115 |
3 | 777 | 123f | Santiago Trisini | 635 | 90 | 225 | 220 | 190 | 142 |
4 | 801 | 455f | Reece Gold | 630 | 95 | 210 | 195 | 171 | 225 |
5 | 548 | 066x | Cole Morgan | 513 | 212 | 35 | 118 | 175 | 220 |
6 | 485 | 272s | Connor Zilisch | 485 | 240 | 170 | 120 | 0 | 195 |
7 | 477 | N2 | Diego LaRoque | 456 | 269 | 41 | 21 | 235 | 180 |
8 | 470 | 131r | Dale Curran | 444 | 281 | 167 | 159 | 26 | 118 |
9 | 420 | 611s | Brent Crews | 420 | 305 | 164 | 170 | 0 | 86 |
10 | 439 | 122f | Jeremy Fletcher | 409 | 316 | 30 | 166 | 102 | 141 |
Provisional Mini Swift Entry List
No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | Hometown |
---|---|---|---|---|
04j | Garrett Adams | Comet Kart Sales | FA Kart | Greenfield IN |
002j | Logan Adams | Comet Kart Sales | Benik | Greenfield IN |
136r | Justin Arseneau | PSL Karting | Birel ART | Morin-Heights QC |
49t | Noah Baker | Positive Motorsports | Energy | Pinehurst TX |
71f | Paul Bocuse | Speed Concepts Racing | Tony Kart | Orlando FL |
44t | John Burke | Iron Rock Motorsports | Energy | Carrollton TX |
199n | Chloe Chambers | Mike Doty Racing | Benik | Monroe NY |
165f | Ashton Chilton | Team Nitro Kart | Nitro Kart | Key Largo FL |
020a | Diego Contecha | Tony Kart | Aventura FL | |
27s | Paige Crawford | Benik Kart | Mooresville NC | |
116t | McKenzy Cresswell | Trackside Karting Services | CompKart | Cedar Park TX |
611s | Brent Crews | Team Nitro Kart | Nitro Kart | Denver NC |
02m | Andres Perez De Lara | RPL Racing | Tony Kart | Mexico |
122f | Jeremy Fletcher | Ocala Gran Prix | Tony Kart | Saint Cloud FL |
73q | Aidan Fox | J3 Competition | CompKart | Redding CT |
133t | Chase Gardner | Gardner Motorsports | Energy | Prosper TX |
09m | Jose Garfias | Tony Kart | Mexico | |
911c | Kasey Gillis | PKS Kart Supplies | Top Kart | Rialto CA |
112f | Elio Giovane | Team Benik | Benik | Miami FL |
455f | Reece Gold | Team Benik | Benik | Fort Lauderdale FL |
144t | Jack Jeffers | Nash Motorsportz | Benik | San Antonio TX |
107f | Nikita Johnson | Team Benik | Benik | Gulfport FL |
N2 | Diego LaRoque | BBR Karting | PDB | Laveen AZ |
881f | Anderson Leonard | Team Benik | Benik | Saint Petersburg FL |
100f | Jimmie Lockhart | Team Benik | Benik | Fort Lauderdale FL |
071a | Ryan Lue | Anderson Racing | Birel ART | Jamaica |
727y | Kailey Meris | Team Benik | Benik | Elk Grove CA |
88x | Carson Morgan | JO Motorsports | Benik | Anaheim CA |
066x | Cole Morgan | Team Benik | Benik | Anahaim CA |
013g | Bryson Morris | Comet Kart Sales | FA Kart | Old Hickory TN |
66j | Nathan Nicholson | Energy | Unionville IN | |
21d | Maximilian Opalski | Benik | Conifer CO | |
156o | Jace Park | Russell Karting Specialties | Parolin | Overland Park KS |
10z | Jonathon Portz | Energy | Corvallis OR | |
180f | Alex Powell | Speed Concept Racing | Tony Kart | Doral FL |
007n | Annie Rhule | Checkered Motorsports | Energy | Pittsburgh PA |
15t | Santiago Robles | Orsolon Racing | Benik | San Antonio TX |
86t | Ryan Shehan | Trackside Karting Services | CompKart | Cedar Park TX |
121a | Kyffin Simpson | Speed Concepts Racing | Energy | Middletown NY |
001j | Lucas Smalec | Franklin Motorsports | Merlin | Glenview IL |
1 | Kai Sorensen | Energy Corse / Positive Motorsports | Energy | Lodi CA |
46t | Alex Stanfield | Energy Kart USA | Energy | Argyle TX |
014d | Enzo Swan | Team Benik | Benik | Centennial CO |
08j | Nicholas Terlecki | Frankin Motorsports | Merlin | Elgin IL |
69t | Branyon Tiner | Brash Racing | Tony Kart | Angleton TX |
123f | Santiago Trisini | Team Benik | Benik | Miami FL |
272s | Connor Zilisch | Team Felon | Energy | Matthews NC |
Micro Swift

Brit Brandon Carr is looking to move up one spot in the SKUSA plate in the Micro Swift championship chase (Photo: EKN)
The two drivers holding the SKUSA plates from the 2016 Micro Swift Pro Tour championship are in the top two positions for the #1. Brandon Carr (Benik) and Elliot Cox (Energy) finished second and third in the 2016 standings, carrying the SKUSA plates for the 2017 season. The two now hold the top two positions in the chase to become the 2017 SKUSA Pro Tour champion. Each won at the opening event at NOLA, and are separated by 20 points when factoring in the drop race. The advantage is in the hands of Elliot Cox. The Indiana driver is competing at his home track, and site of his first SKUSA Pro Tour victory last year at the SummerNationals. Carr is making his second trip to New Castle, with the Brit looking to improve on a best finish of fourth at last year’s event.
Frankie Iadevaia (Nitro Kart) and Logan Toke (Top Kart) remain in contention for the championship chase. Iadevaia has four top-six finishes in the four main events, including a runner-up in NOLA. He will need to gain 88 points over Cox and Carr throughout the weekend for a chance at claiming the #1 plate. Toke has one podium finish on the year, runner-up at Sonoma on Saturday, as the top west coast driver in the championship chase. The California driver took part in the USPKS event at the end of July, getting valuable seat time at New Castle, nearly pulling off a victory in the Sunday main event.
The other winner on the SKUSA Pro Tour season is Sebastian Ng. The Nitro Kart driver won both main events in Sonoma in his 2017 Pro Tour debut after missing the WinterNationals. While not out of the title chase mathematically, the driver from Panama could put himself onto the championship podium with a solid weekend in New Castle.
Micro Swift Championship Standings Top-10
Pos. | Total | No. | Driver | Drop | Diff | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 840 | N3 | Elliot Cox | 680 | 0 | 240 | 245 | 160 | 195 |
2 | 781 | N2 | Brandon Carr | 660 | 20 | 230 | 230 | 121 | 200 |
3 | 754 | 76n | Frankie Iadevaia | 592 | 88 | 177 | 220 | 195 | 162 |
4 | 645 | 57c | Logan Toke | 522 | 158 | 123 | 154 | 210 | 158 |
5 | 490 | 09a | Sebastian Ng | 490 | 190 | 0 | 0 | 245 | 245 |
6 | 546 | 44s | Caleb Gafrarar | 469 | 211 | 150 | 180 | 139 | 77 |
7 | 569 | 17c | Enzo Deligny | 457 | 223 | 174 | 112 | 157 | 126 |
8 | 529 | 8s | Danny Dyszelski | 433 | 247 | 190 | 141 | 102 | 96 |
9 | 420 | 80f | Alex Powell | 420 | 260 | 215 | 205 | 0 | 0 |
10 | 420 | 606a | Mateo Rubio-Luengo | 420 | 260 | 0 | 0 | 220 | 200 |
Provisional Micro Swift Entry List
No. | Driver | Team | Chassis | Hometown |
---|---|---|---|---|
77m | Ian Aguilera | Ryan Perry Motorsport | Benik | Mexico |
101a | Seven Aleman | Top Kart USA | Top Kart | Philippines |
78e | Ethan Ayars | Ocala Gran Prix | Tony Kart | Weatherby Lake MO |
N2 | Brandon Carr | Team Benik | Benik | Great Britian |
5f | Miguel Costa | MR Racing | Benik | Miami Beach FL |
151j | Elliot Cox | Energy Corse North America | Energy | Indianapolis IN |
32f | Julian DaCosta | iKart Indiana | iKart | Bradenton FL |
3s | Sofia D'Arrigo | Team Nitro Kart | Nitro Kart | Clover SC |
83t | Santiago Duran | Alpha Kart | League City TX | |
8s | Danny Dyszelski | Kaos Kart Shop | Benik | York SC |
44s | Caleb Gafrarar | Russell Karting Specialties | Parolin | Midland NC |
40f | Max Garcia | Andersen Racing Team | Birel ART | Homestead FL |
021j | Aryton Grim | CRP Racing LLC | Nitro Kart | Grove City OH |
717t | Miles Hewitt | MPH Racing Team | Energy | Houston TX |
76n | Frankie Iadevaia | Team Nitro Kart | Nitro Kart | Seaford NY |
67n | Ben Maier | Team Nitro Kart | Nitro Kart | Stevensville MD |
722j | Christian Miles | Kartsport North America | Formula K | Paloma IL |
09a | Sebastian Ng | Team Nitro Kart | Nitro Kart | Kannapolis NC |
606a | Mateo Rubio-Luengo | BENIK | Benik | Atlanta GA |
30a | Vinicius Tessaro | NF Piquet Sports | Kosmic | Brazil |
57c | Logan Toke | PKS Kart Supplies | Top Kart | San Luis Obispo CA |