The second half of the 2023 United States Pro Kart Series is continuing with the program set to make its first visit to the Motorsports County Club of Cincinnati Kart Plex. The first ever Ohio Grand Prix will take place over August 24-27 weekend with Round Four action contested at the Batavia, Ohio facility. Championship battles continue in the eight categories that will welcome nearly 230 pre-entries.

The Motorsports Country Club of Cincinnati 
(Photo: MCC)

The MCC of Cincinnati Kart Plex opened in 2007 as a true motorsports country club. The facility transitioned in recent years to begin a club series and welcome traveling regional and national programs. The Bayliff family and their partners took over the facility in 2020 and have put in a lot of effort into making it one of the premier facilities in Midwest region. The circuit was repaved and expanded to 0.95-mile in length, featuring 16 turns.

Four practice sessions will be held on Friday before diving into qualifying to close out the day. Three rounds of heat races will be contested, including the A-B-C-D format for the KA100 Junior and KA100 Senior categories. Heat points will be calculated at the end of Saturday to set the grids for the main events, with the top-42 transferring in the two KA divisions. The remainder move to the Last Chance Qualifier, as the top-six finishers transfer to feature race. All main events, along with the LCQ races, will be held on Sunday. The championship format features a best four of five rounds counted toward the final point standings, with points available through qualifying, all heat races and the main events.

One of the tightest championship battles is in the headline Franklin Motorsports X30 Pro division. Despite having three different winners over the season, none are leading the championship as Diego Ramos (PSL / Birel ART) has used consistency over the first three rounds to be the championship leader by 31 points over Senior rookie Brandon Carr (RPM / Tony Kart). Ramos has a best finish of third at New Castle while Carr was runner-up at Speedsportz. The top-five in the championship do not include any of the 2023 winners either. Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Racing Kart) is third with defending champion Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic) sitting fourth ahead of Senior rookie Helio Meza (IRM / Tony Kart). Speedsportz winner Joe Turney (CDR / Kart Republic) is seventh while New Castle winner Austin Garrison (SCR / Redspeed) sits 12th – both returning for a chance to become the first two-time winner in 2023.

Diego Ramos leads the X30 Pro championship standings after three rounds (Photo: EKN)

Three different drivers have also won this season in the Mike Doty Racing KA100 Senior class. None are leading the championship with Peyton Phillips (Hi5 / Redspeed) leading the championship by 116 points over Braden Eves (MPG / Kart Republic). Phillips and Eves were second and third at Speedsportz, which were their best finishes on the year. Third in the championship is new SKUSA title winner Aiden Levy (CDR / Kart Republic), who will not be in Ohio due to starting college. Josh Campbell (RPM / Tony Kart) has two top-seven results to sit fourth while Speedsportz winner Helio Meza (IRM / Tony Kart) is fifth, back by only 158 points. The opportunity for a fourth different driver to win this year is possible in Ohio with a stacked field of 38 drivers.

The championship in the SRP Engines Pro Shifter category is down to just two. Speedsportz winner AJ Myers (Magik Kart USA) leads 2019 FIA Karting KZ World Champion Marijn Kremers (PSL / Birel ART) by 89 points. Hunter Pickett (PSL / Birel ART) and Giorgio Carrara (IM / Lenzo Kart) are not scheduled to compete on the weekend, sitting third and fourth in the championship. Tahlon Yockel (Magik Kart USA) has the opportunity to move up from fifth in the championship standings and compete for a first podium result on the season. Gavin Bayliff (TKG / Kart Republic) will look to use home track knowledge to contend along with Alan Isambard (Piquet / Sodi Kart) making his USPKS debut on the year. The class features eight drivers from outside the USA, including six Canadians and Joseph Charlton (URace / Energy) making his USPKS debut from the UK.

Texan Peyton Phillips has the advantage thus far in the KA100 Senior championship chase (Photo: EKN)

The Rolison Performance Group X30 Junior championship could be clinched this weekend as three-time winner Ernesto Rivera (RPG / Kosmic) looks to add a fourth in Ohio. Rivera leads the championship by 465 points over Enzo Vidmontiene (MottazSport / Kart Republic). Steven Miller – making the move to Nash Motorsportz / EOS this weekend – Jackson Wolny (RPG / Kosmic), and Oliver Wheldon (JC / LN Racing Kart) are among those looking to stop the Rivera win streak, along with the USPKS X30 Junior debut of Keelan Harvick (RPG / Kosmic). Speed Concepts Racing teammates Sarah Bradley (Redspeed) and Turner Brown (Redspeed) finished 1-2 at last weekend’s club race at MCC.

It is a similar scenario for the championship chase in the BBS Race Engines KA100 Junior category. Ernesto Rivera (RPG / Kosmic) grabbed two wins to start off the season and leads the championship by 431 points over Steven Miller (Nash / EOS). Landon Skinner (Speedsportz / Redspeed), Austin Olds (MPG / Kart Republic) and Diego Guiot (IRM / Tony Kart) make up the top-five in the standings. The class is the largest heading into the weekend, featuring 54 drivers set to battle. Among those that could contend are Ohio’s Issac Malcuit (Gillard), SKUSA winner Diego Ardiles (RPG / Kosmic), and Keelan Harvick (RPG / Kosmic) making his class debut.

Ernesto Rivera leads both X30 Junior and KA100 Junior standings (Photo: EKN)

The Speed Concepts Racing KA100 Masters class is set to feature 19 drivers in Ohio. Mike Rolison (RPG / Kosmic) is attempting to extend his championship lead of 282 points, thanks to two wins to start the season. Niki Coello (FMS / Merlin) is second ahead of Mario Barrios (RPG / Kosmic) with former series champion Scott Kopp (FMS / Merlin) in fourth. The weekend will feature some season debuts by Jamie Sieracki (FMS / Merlin), TJ Nevels (FMS / Merlin), SKUSA winner Clay Settles, and Brett Harrelson (Nash / EOS). New Castle winner Laurentiu Mardan (Tecno Kart USA) will attempt for a second straight in Ohio.

Two-time race winner Lucas Palacio (TKG / Kart Republic) leads the DNJ International Services Mini Swift standings heading into the penultimate event. The advantage is 160 points over New Castle winner Michael McGaughy (RPM / Parolin) – who won the MCC club race last weekend. Travis Pettit (TKG / Kart Republic) is coming off his first SKUSA win last month, sitting third in points ahead of last year’s Micro Swift champion Ashton Woon (Supertune / Parolin). Royce Vega (Team Benik), Rocco Simone (MottazSport / Parolin), Cameron Marsha (RPM / Nitro Kart), Kai Mars (TKG / Kart Republic) and Max Cristea (MottazSport / Parolin) are among those who could contend for victory and podiums on the weekend.

Two wins has Lucas Palacio at the top of the Mini Swift standings (Photo: EKN)

Parker Ives (RPM / Nitro Kart) is set on extending his win streak in Team Ferris Racing Micro Swift category. The championship lead for Ives is only 168 points as Maxwell Macha (SLA / Sodi Kart) has kept pace over the three rounds. Aston Wyatt (Speedsportz / Birel ART), Alex Chandler (IRM / Tony Kart) and Colton Schniegenberg (GWR / Energy) are inside the top-five of the championship standings. Josh Bergman (Piquet / Sodi Kart), Juan Diego Garciarce (Orsolon / Parolin), Zayen Burgess (Piquet / Sodi Kart) and Liam Nachawati (Parolin USA) are drivers to watch contend 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 qualifying on Friday. 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 Pro Shifter Entry List

Provisional X30 Junior Entry List

Provisional KA100 Junior Entry List

Provisional KA100 Masters Entry List

Provisional Mini Swift Entry List

Provisional Micro Swift Entry List

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