The 2023 Superkarts! USA Pro Tour is set to begin this weekend with the organization’s first trip to the Orlando Kart Center on March 31-April 2. The Orlando, Florida facility has been the unofficial home for many national teams and competitors over the last month, with the 2023 SKUSA WinterNationals as the final event of a busy winter season. The 14th season of the SKUSA Pro Tour hosts the first two rounds of the championship program in Orlando, with a warm weekend expected for the over 200 entries set to battle in the nine categories.

The Orlando Kart Center was developed in 2009, situated a few miles from the Orlando International Airport. It has hosted several major events, with the 2023 SKUSA WinterNationals the first event for the Superkarts! USA organization ever at the facility. The circuit measures out to 8/10-mile and will be contested in the clockwise direction.

Ryan Norberg begins his quest for a sixth SKUSA Pro Tour title in X30 Senior (Photo: EKN)

Five-time and defending champion in X30 Senior Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic) is beginning his drive for a sixth SKUSA Pro Tour title to set a new series record. Norberg is among the favorites going into the weekend, thanks to Orlando being his home racetrack. One of the few drivers that has been able to beat Norberg over the last year is British driver Joe Turney – a factory pilot for Kart Republic. Turney secured the 2023 SKUSA Winter Series championship off two victories in four rounds and last weekend won at the FIA Karting European Championship event in Spain. Austin Garrison (SCR / Redspeed) is no stranger to the Orlando facility and was among the three different winners at the SKUSA Winter Series. Defending FIA Karting World Champion Matheus Morgatto (PSL / Birel ART) is one to watch as a possible contender as well, with the Brazilian calling Florida his second home. Senior rookie Brandon Carr (RPM / Tony Kart) and Pauly Massimino (SCR / Redspeed) were among the contenders at the recent USPKS event along with rookie Ayden Ingratta (SCR / Redspeed), Hayden Jones (Trinity / Kart Republic) and Tyler McIntyre (MottazSport / Parolin).

This weekend will be the first time we have seen defending KA100 Senior champion Jeremy Fletcher behind the wheel of a kart in 2023. It will also be his debut weekend racing for PSL Karting / Birel ART, after running as a longtime OTK pilot throughout his career. He will be taking on the top-three from the SKUSA Winter Series program – champion Peyton Phillips (RPM / Tony Kart) coming off victory at the Texas Sprint Racing Series opener last weekend, Collin Lloyd (T1D / Magik Kart) and Aiden Levy (MPR / Alonso Kart). Others to watch include Finnegan Bayliff (Trinity / Kart Republic), Josh Campbell (RPM / Tony Kart) and Frankie Mossman (SCR / CRG).

2022 SKUSA Pro Tour Pro Shifter champion Marijn Kremers begins his title defense in Orlando (Photo: Studio52.us)

All three Senior divisions feature the defending champion returning to open up the 2023. That includes Pro Shifter champion Marijn Kremers (PSL / Birel ART). The former FIA Karting World KZ Champion is looking to defend the crown. Three former champions are in the hunt to dethrone Kremers, including Kyle Wick (GFC Karting), AJ Myers (Magik Kart USA) and Danny Formal (RPG / Kosmic) – coming off the inaugural race win at Orlando for the new USPKS Pro Shifter class. Hunter Pickett (PSL / Birel ART), Giorgio Carrara (IM / Lenzo), and Jacob Gulick (GFC Karting) are the next tier of drivers looking to contend on the weekend. The field is very international with six different nations represented in the 16-driver field, including Kiwi Jay Urwin joining PSL Karting / Birel ART while Brazilian and former F1 driver Antonino Pizzonia Jr. (Orsolon / Birel ART) is moving up to the Pro Shifter ranks after winning the SKUSA SuperNationals 25 in Master Shifter.

Eight of the top-nine drivers from last year’s X30 Junior championship standings are not returning, making this a year for new drivers to shine in the class. Thus far, the spotlight has been on the SuperNationals 25 winner Ernesto Rivera (RPG / Kosmic). Winning three of the four main events in SKUSA Winter Series, Rivera will be gunning for his first SKUSA Pro Tour victory on the weekend. The entire 18-driver field has never won at the SKUSA Pro Tour level in the category. Max Taylor (RPG / Kosmic) is the top returning driver, finishing third in last year’s title chase. He will be among the top contenders along with Steven Miller (CDR / Kart Republic), Oliver Wheldon (JC / LN Racing Kart), Leonardo Escorpioni (Zanella / Tony Kart) and Christian Cameron (PSL / Birel ART).

SuperNationals winner Ernesto Rivera among the favorites in the Junior ranks (Photo: EKN)

The same figures are those who will be fighting for the victories in the KA100 Junior on the weekend. The only returning driver from the top-10 in last year’s standings is Steven Miller (CDR / Kart Republic) – this year’s SKUSA Winter Series champion. Leonardo Escorpioni (Zanella / Tony Kart) is the only other winner from the Winter Series in the field. Ernesto Rivera (RPG / Kosmic) is coming off victory at the USPKS and Florida Winter Tour events at Orlando in the last three weeks. Wheldon (JC / LN Racing Kart), Taylor (RPG / Kosmic), Enzo Vidmontiene (MottazSport / Parolin) along with Alexander Gonzalez (Nash / EOS) and Keagan Kaminski (GFC Karting) are those who will be in contention as well as others.

The KA100 Master category is returning to the SKUSA Pro Tour in 2023 after a brief stint in 2020 at the SKUSA Summer Festival program. Mike Rolison (RPG / Kosmic) is the favorite heading into the weekend coming off victory at the USPKS weekend in Orlando. Diego Rodriguez (Alessandro / CRG) finished the SKUSA Winter Series standings in fourth while Luis Quinones (LFB / Tony Kart) and Tom Gerstner (Checkered / Magik Kart) also competed this winter in the new category.

Robert Fiege (VTM / TB Kart) enters this weekend as the defending champion in the Master Shifter category. Fiege returns along with two-time race winner in 2022 Michael Guasch (Magik Kart USA). Daniel Diboz (IM / Lenzo), Farshad Bagheri (TB Kart USA) and Morne Van Taak (VTM / TB Kart) are expected to be among the contenders on the weekend.

2022 Mini Swift vice-champion Lucas Palacio enters the weekend among the favorites (Photo: EKN)

The largest category of the weekend is Mini Swift at 41 drivers. No former SKUSA Pro Tour winners are in the field, however, Lucas Palacio (Trinity / Kart Republic) is coming in with four wins already on the season. A three-time winner at SKUSA Winter Series along with the USPKS weekend in Orlando, Palacio is among the favorites along with finishing second last year in the series championship. SuperNationals 25 winner Michael McGaughy (RPM / Parolin) is the only other top driver returning from last year, finishing seventh in the 2022 standings and coming off a third-place finish at the SKUSA Winter Series. Kai Johnson (PSA / Benik) and Ashton Woon (Supertune / Parolin) finished the winter program third and fourth. Many of last year’s top Micro drivers will make their SKUSA Pro Tour debut in the category, including Rocco Simone (MottazSport / Parolin), Troy Ferguson (Team Benik) and Royce Vega (Team Benik) along with 2023 SKUSA Winter Series Micro champion Antonio Pizzonia Neto (Orsolon / Parolin).

The Micro Swift category features a number of newer names to the category at the SKUSA Pro Tour. Luke Giglio (RPM / Parolin) is the only returning driver in the top-10 of last year’s championship. Maxwell Macha (SLA / Kart Republic) is the top driver in the field from the SKUSA Winter Series championship, finishing second with one victory. Colton Schniegenberg (GWR / Energy), Santiago Diaz de la Vega Torres (Alessandros / CRG) and Josh Bergman (Piquet / Sodikart) could be a factor on the weekend.

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 final practice session on Friday.

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 KA100 Master Entry List

Provisional Master Shifter Entry List

Provisional Mini Swift Entry List

Provisional Micro Swift Entry List

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