The third and final event of the 2022 Superkarts! USA Pro Tour returns to the New Castle Motorsports Park for the 12th edition of the SKUSA SummerNationals. Rounds Five and Six will be contested on the New Castle, Indiana facility to decide the 13th season of SKUSA Pro Tour champions. The event marks the eighth straight year the SKUSA Pro Tour has visited the New Castle Motorsports Park facility, the first coming in 2015. Each event has been over the 220 mark, including this year’s finale with 222 pre-entries set to do battle in eight categories.

Ryan Norberg has three straight wins in X30 Senior heading into the SummerNationals (Photo: EKN)

Built in 2003, the New Castle Motorsports Park has been the hub of national and international karting during its first season in 2004. The multi-configuration facility has provided SKUSA with different layouts over the eight years, including the National Reverse layout that will be utilized this weekend. It is the same layout selected for the second weekend of the SKUSA Summer Festival in 2020, where three rounds of racing were held that weekend. It measures out to 1-mile with 16 different turns, and the finish line set to the original location when the facility first opened, right in front of the main building and grand stands.

Championships are on the line this weekend over the two rounds of racing at New Castle for the SKUSA SummerNationals, with drivers looking to make a piece of history. One driver trying to extend his role in the record books is Ryan Norberg. The four-time SKUSA Pro Tour champion is attempting to complete the ‘Driver for Five’ that began in 2020, coming up short that year and missing out on his chance in 2021. With three wins over the last three rounds, Norberg (RPG / Kosmic) holds a 262-point advantage over Round One winner Jeremy Fletcher (RPM / Tony Kart). Pauly Massimino is set to make his Speed Concepts Racing / CRG debut sitting third in the chase ahead of Marijn Kremers and Pedro Hiltbrand of PSL Karting / Birel ART. With a field of 27, anything is possible.

Marijn Kremers remains the driver to beat in the Pro Shifter championship chase
(Photo: On Track Promotions / Studio 52)

The KA100 Senior field is large at 42 drivers already entered, and an even tighter championship battle. Jeremy Fletcher (RPM / Tony Kart) has three straight wins heading into the SummerNationals, however, he trails Alex Stanfield (GWR / Tony Kart) in the standings by 52 points. Round One winner Cedrick Lupien (RPG / Kosmic) is third, back by 166 points with Caleb Shrader (RPG / Kosmic) fourth, only 185 points out of first. They will be the focus of the championship battle while the rest of the field is fighting for any shot at a podium result.

Numbers in the Pro Shifter category are increasing this weekend with 23 already entered. The title chase is in the hands of Marijn Kremers (PSL / Birel ART) – the 2019 FIA Karting KZ World Champion. His two sweeps in NOLA helped to build a solid championship lead, which sits at 194 points over defending champion AJ Myers (Magik Kart USA). Round Three winner Kyle Wick (GFC / Trackmagic) – the 2019 SKUSA Pro Tour champ – is third in the standings ahead of teammate Jacob Gulick. Notable names among those in the field for a one-off weekend include three-time SKUSA SuperNationals winner Daniel Formal, making his Rolison Performance Group / Kosmic debut. Rock Island Grand Prix King of the Streets defending winner Andrew Bujdoso (Magik Kart USA) is back behind the wheel, along with five-time SKUSA Pro Tour Master Shifter champion Jordon Musser (PSL / Birel ART).

Two wins has Ayden Ingratta leading the X30 Junior title chase (Photo: EKN)

Four drivers are in the hunt for the title in the X30 Junior category, led by two-time winner Ayden Ingratta (SCR / CRG). Ingratta won at NOLA and Utah, leading the standings by 76 points over Round One winner Caleb Gafrarar (RPG / Kosmic). Brandon Carr (Team Benik / Kosmic) sits third, however, will not be at New Castle. That bumps up Max Taylor (RPG / Kosmic) and Max Garcia (MPG / WPK) into the mix with all four within 169 points heading into the weekend. At only 20 drivers in the field, racing will be tight with not a lot of room for mistakes.

The fight is just as close in KA100 Junior with the top four separated by 112 points. Caleb Gafrarar (RPG / Kosmic) has yet to win a race in the category on the SKUSA Pro Tour, however, leads the championship with consistent results. The gap is only 51 points back to two-time winner Jesus Vasquez Jr. (Nash / EOS). Stephen Eisert (SSM / Exprit) has been consistent as well, sitting third ahead of Round Three winner Charlie Smith (Nash / EOS). Among the event high 43 entries will be Ayden Ingratta (SCR / CRG), making his KA debut on the 2022 season.

Jack Iliffe gunning for his third career SKUSA title and first in Mini Swift (Photo: EKN)

A season high total of 12 drivers will compete in the Master Shifter class. Robert Fiege (HMG / Maverick) is the championship leader with four solid results over the first four rounds, leading Ken Schilling (HMG / GP) by 153 points. Two-time winner Vincent Cossard (PSL / Birel ART) is not on the entry list, however, two-time Utah winner Michael Guasch (RWR / CRG) is. Also on the class roster is former SKUSA champion John Crow (Factory Kart), who now calls NCMP home.

Three wins over the first four rounds puts Jack Iliffe (IRM / Parolin) in control of the Mini Swift championship chase. Iliffe enters the final two rounds with a 185-point advantage over Gage Bailey (IRM / Benik). Asher Ochstein (Supertune / Tony Kart) sits third with Lucas Palacio (TKG / Kart Republic) moving up to fourth with Carson Weinberg (SCR / CRG) not attending the SummerNationals. Round Two winner Tyler Roberts (IRM / Parolin) finds himself fifth, needing a lot of help to move up into the fight for the championship podium with 31 entries set for this weekend.

Two drivers will decide this year’s Micro Swift championship with Troy Ferguson (Benik) and Rocco Simone (Parolin USA) coming in tied for the point lead. Each driver has secured two wins, with Ferguson sweeping NOLA and Simone taking both wins in Utah. The fight for the third step of the championship podium will be between Royce Vega (Benik), Jackson Gibson (RPG / Kosmic) and Nicolas Orbezo (IRM / Tony Kart) with 24 drivers filling out the field on the weekend.

Be sure to follow EKN all weekend long for the daily coverage, including race reports on the site along with updates, top-10 results, photos, videos and more on the EKN Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts on social media.

Provisional X30 Senior Entry List

Provisional KA100 Senior Entry List

Provisional Pro Shifter Entry List

Provisional X30 Junior Entry List

Provisional KA100 Junior Entry List

Provisional Master Shifter Entry List

Provisional Mini Swift Entry List

Provisional Micro Swift Entry List

Share on Facebook

Tweet