Morning Coffee: An Unforgettable SuperNats Experience

One taste leaves our Editor-in-Chief wanting more

Nov 28, 2022
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

As we pushed down from the Rolison Performance Group tent to the fuel farm for the first practice session on Wednesday, the realization washed over me. This was actually happening. With three months of gym time and a ‘clean-ish’ eating program prepping me to be as ready as I could be, I about to participate […]

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Morning Coffee: Double Duty at SuperNationals 25

Time to check off THE bucket list race

Aug 03, 2022
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

In November, I’ll attend and work my 25th Superkarts! USA SuperNationals. During the first two years of the event, I helped out on the microphone, before taking over the show fully in 1999. For over two decades, I’ve had the honor of calling the action of the greatest karting event in the world. As I’ve […]

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Morning Coffee: Back on the Road

The sport’s biggest event heads to its fifth location in 24 years

Nov 29, 2021
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

Just over a year ago, I wrote a column lamenting the fact that I was going to miss my ‘Karting Christmas’. In the fall of 2020, the COVID pandemic was still aggressively rearing its ugly head and it had decimated the tourism industry in Las Vegas, the 23-year home of the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals. SKUSA […]

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Morning Coffee: A November Without Christmas

23 years of SuperNationals excitement put on hold

Nov 18, 2020
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

I can’t say that I was surprised when Superkarts! USA made the announcement that they were canceling this year’s SuperNationals. Las Vegas was quickly hit hard with cancellations and closures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, so I think we all expected that it was a possibility. That said, it was still tough to swallow […]

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Morning Coffee: Planning for the Return to Competition

Club karting will be the initial re-opening for the sport

Apr 23, 2020
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

Each day, a vast majority of us peruse news websites and watch TV for updates on the daily coronavirus case numbers, and their increase or decrease, to gauge the current situation and the overall picture. We’re all hoping to see an ongoing trend of decline and, in a few states, this appears to be the […]

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Morning Coffee – Support Karting

It’s time to return the favor

Apr 02, 2020
Written by Rob Howden | 1 Comment

I can tell that everyone in the karting world is itching to get back out to the racetrack because whatever we’re producing in terms of content is being absolutely gobbled up. Our traffic numbers are through the roof and our social media has been hopping. We have more EKN Radio Network podcast guests being lined […]

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Jan 07, 2020
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

When I bought eKartingNews in 2004 to add it to our line-up of print publications, the website had just 12 advertisers. The site was new and still finding its footing. Within my company’s publishing family, we were able to make the site thrive and it eventually became the cornerstone of everything we do. It’s been […]

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Morning Coffee: SKUSA SuperNationals XXIII

Post-race thoughts from the EKN Tower

Nov 27, 2019
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

I’ve either been part of the announcing team or the sole official voice of the SKUSA SuperNationals for all 23 of the editions now. It’s an honor that I don’t take lightly and I prepare with this thought in mind. The five-day long event is my favorite of the year, tied with the one and […]

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Morning Coffee: Being Part of Something Special

A few thoughts on the 2019 CKNA Grand Nationals

Oct 22, 2019
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

It’s been a couple of weeks since we returned home from the Cup Karts North America Grand Nationals 3 in New Castle, and to be honest, it’s all been a bit of a blur.  The event capped a run of 11 races over 13 weekends for me and to say that I was burnt out […]

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Morning Coffee – A New Brickyard Experience

Initial thoughts after a memorable IMS weekend

Jul 10, 2019
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

It’s a trip I’d take any day. The drive from the I-465 exit east on Crawfordsville Road toward the corner of 16th and Georgetown in Speedway, IN has the same effect on me as it did the very first time I made that journey numerous years ago. Every time I roll down that road, my […]

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Morning Coffee: WKA Hall of Famer Keith Freber

My personal take on Keith’s impact on the sport and my own career

Jun 18, 2019
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

Just over a week ago, at the second edition of the Quincy Grand Prix revival, the World Karting Association honored a pair of very deserving gentlemen with induction into the WKA Hall of Fame. Quincy event promoter Terry Traeder and third-generation Margay Racing owner Keith Freber were put into the national spotlight by former WKA […]

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Morning Coffee: The Much-Maligned ‘Boat Anchor’

A different take on the evolution of engine platforms

May 09, 2019
Written by Rob Howden | 4 Comment

Negativity is a dangerous thing in any community, whether it’s a sport or a club or just a hobby. The other day, I was taking in some of the chatter on the social media platforms surrounding the topic of the evolving engine formulas in the sport.  The introduction of the IAME KA100 powerplant has injected […]

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Morning Coffee: Dual Weekend Double Double

Schedule conflicts will send EKN staff to four races over two weekends

Mar 27, 2019
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

Every year, as the new racing schedules start landing in our email inboxes at EKN, David Cole and I begin assembling both our personal travel schedules and our plans for the coming year’s EKN Trackside Live Tour. More than any other season, this year’s schedule was hit with date conflicts, which we knew would make […]

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Morning Coffee: January 7, 2019

Positivity and Social Media in Karting

Jan 07, 2019
Written by Rob Howden | 3 Comment

Seeing as it’s been only a week since New Year’s Eve, I’m going to go out on a limb and state that most people are still in a pretty positive mindset and that a majority of your NYE resolutions are still being chased with full commitment. This stream of positivity is an annual mindset shift […]

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Morning Coffee: Changing the Culture of Racecraft

It’s time to hold everyone to a higher standard

Mar 20, 2018
Written by Rob Howden | 3 Comment

Like so many of those enthusiasts who raced karts in the 80s and 90s, I smile widely when I think back to my first years in the sport. I think that it was simpler then.  I loved getting up at 4:30 am to drive an hour to my club track to make sure I had […]

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Morning Coffee: Jake Craig – Mazda Road to Indy Shootout

Californian represents karting community with talent and class

Dec 12, 2017
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

“You absolutely couldn’t have sent us a better candidate. Jake was polished, a gentleman, and extremely fast. I really hope he gets a bit more seat time, because if he does and he wants to pursue racing as a full-time gig, there’s no doubt he’ll be successful.” This tremendous feedback was part of a text […]

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Morning Coffee: Reflecting on SuperNationals 21

Emotional winners, an incredible track and a live video stream highlight sport's biggest event

Nov 27, 2017
Written by Rob Howden | No Comments

We’re now a week on from the 21st running of the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals in Las Vegas, and everyone has returned home. They’ve enjoyed Thanksgiving with family and friends, and they’ve ‘rested up’ through the weekend. During this time, I’ve personally been reflecting on the event itself, going over some of the happenings and experiences […]

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Nov 14, 2017
Written by Rob Howden | 2 Comment

Over the last 20 years, the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals has cemented its position as the official cap to the national racing season in North America. When it comes to the event’s importance in our sport, one cannot argue against the fact that the race is unparalleled in terms of sheer size and longevity.  The event […]

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Morning Coffee: Sprint Karting on Dirt in SoCal?

The intriguing experience of dirt road course competition

Jun 26, 2017
Written by Rob Howden | 2 Comment

I’m a big fan of karting, in general, meaning all its unique disciplines. I’ve raced four-cycle and two-cycle, I’ve driven in street races like Rock Island and Quincy in the Park, and on big car tracks like Mid-Ohio.  I’ve competed in the Florida Winter Tour in a 125cc shifter and driven on the dirt in […]

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Jun 06, 2017
Written by Rob Howden | 16 Comment

I’m often asked about running a company like eKartingNews.com, and what we do to fill our days at the desk. This isn’t the time to list the endless work that keeps me in my office for 10-12 hours a day between races, but suffice it to say that motorsports journalism is perceived through the end […]

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