The season finale for the 2022 United States Pro Kart Series is set for this weekend, wrapping up the historic 10th season of the championship program. The Heartland Grand Prix will be contested on September 15-18 at the New Castle Motorsports Park in New Castle, Indiana. For a 10th time, the series will visit the hub of karting in the Midwest, with the finale returning to New Castle for the first time since 2019. Another event over the 200-mark for the USPKS, making it a second straight year with an average above the double century bar. A perfect weekend of weather is forecasted for the seventh and eight rounds of the 2022 program.

The New Castle Motorsports Park was constructed at the end of the 2003 and began hosting events in 2004. While the facility has grown over that time, providing an endless amount of track layouts, USPKS has selected the original ‘National’ circuit for the 2022 series finale. The 1-mile course has 17 turns, and with the finish line at the end of the ‘Pond Straight’, it provides some amazing photo finishes in every category.

The format for the USPKS finale weekend at New Castle continues from the change made for the Road America weekend, reverting to the original structure prior to the start of the 2022 season. Thursday and Friday will be practice only, with Fast Friday hosting five sessions. Qualifying is now moved to their respective days with Round Seven on Saturday hosting warm-up, qualifying, Prefinals, Last Chance Qualifiers and Finals. Sunday for Round Eight will have the same format with the KA100 Senior class the only scheduled to run split Prefinals and an LCQ.

Sunday evening will be the year-end awards ceremony with the top-five in each of the seven IAME categories recognized for the 2022 United States Pro Kart Series. The series is set to award nearly $99,000 in prizes, championship rings and trophies for the top-five drivers in each class. For each division, the champion will have the first selection of three top prizes before second-place driver has his selection. Third place will be handed what is left, with fourth and fifth place prizes already locked in.

X30 Pro:
Top 3 ($2,500 cash; USPKS Winner’s Circle; IAME X30), 4th-$750+entry; 5th-$500+entry

X30 Junior:
Top 3 ($2,500 cash; USPKS Winner’s Circle; IAME X30), 4th-$750+entry; 5th-$500+entry

X30 Master:
Top 3 ($1,500 check; USPKS Winner’s Circle; IAME X30), 4th-$750+entry; 5th-$500+entry

KA100 Senior:
Top 3 (USPKS Winner’s Circle; IAME KA, Season Entry), 4th-$750+entry; 5th-$500+entry

KA100 Junior:
Top 3 (USPKS Winner’s Circle; IAME KA, Season Entry), 4th-$750+entry; 5th-$500+entry

Mini Swift:
Top 3 ($2,500 check; USPKS Winner’s Circle; IAME Swift), 4th-$750+entry; 5th-$500+entry

Micro Swift:
Top 3 (USPKS Winner’s Circle; IAME Swift, Season Entry), 4th-$750+entry; 5th-$500+entry

Ryan Norberg looks to continue his win streak in X30 Pro (Photo: EKN)

The headline entering the weekend, aside from the championship being decided, is the winning streak for 2021 X30 Pro champion Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic). Norberg has won all six main events of the 2022 USPKS program in X30 Pro, including double win weekends at Orlando, GoPro, and Road America. The championship is not 100% locked up, needing a few points on the weekend to claim a second straight championship. The fight for second is tight as new teammates Cameron Weinberg (SCR / CRG) and Pauly Massimino (SCR / CRG) are sitting second and third. Hayden Jones (RPG / Kosmic) and Jack Jeffers (SCR / CRG) are close along with Paul Bocuse (RPG / Kosmic) and Marijn Kremers (PSL / Birel ART). With it being the finally, you can believe drivers will be all-in for victories and not worried about the championship.

The fight for the title in the KA100 Senior division is the tightest battle of the series going into the finale weekend, including three drivers within 45 points. Leading the way is Round Three winner Jeremy Fletcher (RPM / Tony Kart) with a seven-point advantage over two-time winner Brandon Lemke (FMS / Merlin) and fellow two-time winner Alex Stanfield (GWR / Tony Kart). Chase Hand (RPG / Kosmic) has an outside chance, sitting fourth with Aiden Levy (TKG / Alonso Kart) in fifth. With a field of 55 drivers, there will be a number of those that could play a factor in how the championship unfolds over the weekend.

Max Garcia leads both Junior championships heading into New Castle (Photo: EKN)

Max Garcia is leading the championship in both Junior categories entering the series final weekend. Garcia (MPG / WPK) leads by 63 points in the X30 Junior standings over two-time winner Caleb Gafrarar (RPG / Kosmic) with fellow two-time winner Ayden Ingratta (SCR / CRG) back by 89 points in third. The drop race puts Gafrarar and Ingratta ahead of Garcia, who has not won yet in 2022. Christian Miles (MDR / LN) sits fourth, however, is moving up to Senior ranks this weekend. That brings Teddy Musella (RPG / Kosmic) into the lead role for the fourth spot in the championship standings with a host of others fighting for the final two spots of the championship podium. A total of 25 drivers are slated to compete on the weekend.

Garcia has a lead of 81 points in the KA100 Junior class, thanks to his two wins on the season. Parker DeLong (RPM / Tony Kart) sits second and has not won in 2022 and is set to make his final Junior start of his career having already moved up to Senior in other programs. Round Three winner Helio Meza (IRM / Tony Kart) and teammate Cooper Shipman are third and fourth in the standings while two-time winner Caleb Gafrarar (RPG / Kosmic) is fifth. With 47 drivers in the field at New Castle, anything can happen in the championship chase.

Mario Barrios is seeking his first USPKS title in X30 Masters (Photo: EKN)

The X30 Masters field is not the largest, at only 14 drivers, however the championship chase could go down to the wire as it did in 2021. Mario Barrios (RPG / Kosmic) lost out on last year’s title due to a second-tier tie breaker. He enters the finale weekend leading the championship by 44 points over three-time winner Danillo Ramalho – not on the entry list but racing. Scott Roberts (SCR / Redspeed) sits third in the standings ahead of two-time defending champion Scott Kopp (FMS / Exprit), back of Barrios by 133 points. Round Four winner Renato Jader David (Orsolon / Tony Kart) is making his second start of the season at New Castle and could be a factor in how the championship unfolds over the last two rounds.

The Mini Swift championship is in the hands of Keelan Harvick (Harvick / Parolin). The 2021 Micro Swift champion is set to earn a second straight title in USPKS competition, leading the standings by 190 points riding on four straight victories. Carson Weinberg (SCR / CRG) is the top challenger, sitting second with Round Two winner Tyler Roberts (IRM / Parolin) in third. Asher Ochstein (Supertune / Tony Kart) is fourth in the standings, however, will not be competing in New Castle. That will allow Lucas Palacio (TKG / Kart Republic) and Round One winner Salvador della Vecchia (AKT / Energy) the opportunity to finish out the season in the top-five.

Keelan Harvick could add a second USPKS title this weekend in as many years (Photo: EKN)

Three wins on the season allows Ashton Woon (Nitro Kart) to enter the series final in the Micro Swift category with some comfort. He will head to New Castle with a 209-point advantage in the championship chase ahead of Jackson Gibson (RPG / Kosmic), who has not won in 2022. Round Two winner Rocco Simone (Parolin USA) will be closer in the standings with USPKS announcing the reversal of his DQ at Road America with a statement in cooperation with IAME after finding non-compliant parts for the airbox being distributed. It could allow Simone to challenge Woon for the title based on the results of this weekend. Benja Fernandez (TKG / Kart Republic) is fourth, however, will not be at New Castle. That will allow Marco Sammut (MDR / LN) and Royce Vega (Benik) to battle for the final two positions on the championship podium.

Follow the coverage all weekend long on the EKN Social Media accounts for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for news, updates, photos, videos and more, including the top-10 results after each session beginning with the final Fast Friday laps. Listen to the racing action by heading to the EKN Live page or tune in on the EKN Radio Network.

Provisional X30 Pro Entry List

Provisional KA100 Senior Entry List

Provisional X30 Junior Entry List

Provisional KA100 Junior Entry List

Provisional X30 Masters Entry List

Provisional Mini Swift Entry List

Provisional Micro Swift Entry List

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