(Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca)

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

Defending SummerNationals champ Dylan Tavella leads the X30 Junior title chase (Photo: EKN)

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

Provisional X30 Junior Entry List

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

Provisional Mini Swift Entry List

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

Provisional Micro Swift Entry List