The Route 66 Sprint Series will visit the US Air Motorsports Raceway for the first time on June 12-14 (Photo: Route66kartracing.com)

With a month off, the 15th season of the Route 66 Sprint Series is ready to resume with a trip north to the US Air Motorsports Raceway for the first time in its history. The opening event at the Mid-State Kart Club facility welcomed over 270 entries in April, and another large turnout is expected in Shawano, Wisconsin for the second race weekend of the season on June 12-14, presented by Praga North America. The US Air Motorsports Raceway was built in the early 2000s, welcoming a number of premier events during its time. The Route 66 event is the opening double-header weekend, that features the United States Pro Kart Series making its debut at the facility.

The regional series offers everything from Kid Kart to TaG, utilizing powerplants from Yamaha, IAME and Vortex. New for 2015 is the addition of the Micro Rok category for drivers 7-10 years old, and is the first step in the Rok Cup USA program. The class was well received at the opening event in Springfield, and with the USPKS program competing on the following weekend, a Mini Rok category has been added for the Route 66 Shawano weekend. A number of drivers from the area and outside the Route 66 region are expected to complete the double, and adding the Mini Rok class gives many of those racers who have never seen the Shawano circuit a chance to get in extra race time. The entry total for the Route 66 weekend is already at the 250 mark, with more expected to register before the June 7 pre-entry deadline and of course plenty during at-track registration.

The Mid-State Kart Club event got the championship chases underway with 10 rounds of racing to decide the 2015 Route 66 Sprint Series champions. The RLV Yamaha 100 Senior division was swept by young driver Brandon Lemke. The Wisconsin driver will attempt to defend his home state turf against a strong field, with already 24 driver registered to compete. All three podium finishers from the two rounds of racing in Springfield are set to battle in Shawano. Brooks Davis was top-three both days, including runner-up on Sunday to put himself as the lead challenger in the standings. Killian Keaveny was second on Saturday, while Eric Bartsch was third Sunday, all within 100 points of Lemke.

Two drivers stood atop of the Franklin Motorsports Leopard Senior category podiums at the opening event. Michael Geringer made a one-off start to win Saturday, while Colton Ramsey secured the victory Sunday. The driver leading the standings however is Kindra Hurlbert, as she ran runner-up in both main events. Her lead is just 20 points over Ramsey, with podium finishers Brandon Collins and Anthony Granata trailing in the standings.

Michael Paterno made his Woltjer Racing Engines Yamaha 100 Junior debut in Springfield, and conquered by winning both feature races against a 20-kart field. The early success has Paterno leading the standings by 50 points over Dillon Schwanbeck, with Spike Kohlbecker and Stephen Dial giving chase. Another large field of drivers is expected in Shawano. Alex Bertagnoli and Emily Hurlbert split the wins in the CKT Racing Engines Leopard Junior division at the opener in April. Hurlbert won Saturday with Bertagnoli scoring his first Junior victory. Moving to Shawano, Bertagnoli will own the lead in the standings as Hurlbert is advancing up to the Senior ranks. That puts Porter Weisensel into the lead challenger role, coming off two third-place finishes.

The Express Karts & Parts Komet category puts drivers 13-years of age and older combined, with young driver Stephen Dial earning both victories. Roman Padans and Ryan Weyer each finished second and third behind Dial, with the class set to welcome a larger field in Shawano. Sam Mayer won three races in Springfield, including both in the Switch Racing Engines Yamaha Cadet class. Mayer beat out Taylor Mass on Saturday and Kyle West Sunday. Parker Abed was third both days, and holds the second spot in the standings. Kyle Thome split the wins with Mayer in the Haddock LTD/Comet Kart Sales Komet Cadet class. They enter Shawano tied in the championship lead with James Lynch and Aidan Harrington trailing.

The KartLift Yamaha 100 Rookie division went over the 20 driver mark in Springfield and scheduled to do the same Shawano. Ben Chejfec and Aidan Hinds split the wins at the opening event, entering the upcoming weekend as the point leaders. Lucas Smalec and Nick Snell each scored a runner-up result, and trail in the standings. Adam Brickley won both features in the Hollywood Crane Service Kid Kart division. Jacob Ewing and Sofia D’Arrigo ran second and third behind Brickley, with another fun and exciting group ready to compete again. Keegan Bosch and Aidan Hinds each earned a victory in the Tony Kart Micro Rok category. Both were runner-up to each other, and are locked up in the standings with Camrin Cass and Conner Churchill tied for third.

Pre-registration for the June 12-14 weekend at US Air Motorsports Raceway ends Sunday, June 7 at Midnight CDT. At-track registration begins Thursday, June 11 along with entry check-in and packet pickup. Competitors are also asked to fill out and turn in their pit request forms online prior to the event. Keaveny Family Drug Stores is sponsoring a Saturday Evening Cookout for all those in attendance. For more information on the Route 66 Sprint Series, head to route66kartracing.com.

Route 66 Sprint Series would like to thank the following companies for their support; L&T Clutches, MG Tires, Vortex Engines, Schwanbeck Racing, PKTAxles.com, IAME USA East, KartSport North America, Haddock LTD, MTEC, Target Distributing, Innovative Performance, Look Trailers, and Wings Etc Restaurant.

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