Dalton Hanes takes the X30 Senior victory at the IAME USA Grand National Championship (Photo: Luis Diaz - luisdiazphoto.com)

The third edition of the IAME USA Grand National Championship was held on July 13-16 at the Trackhouse Motorplex in Mooresville, North Carolina – hosted by IAME USA East and MG Tires USA. The unique one-off event featured big prize money, racing under the lights and special shootout events over the four days of competition. The 192 entries competed in the seven IAME categories for a piece of the cash prizes on the line across the board, including the special IAME trophies to those finishing on the steps.

The format for the IAME USA Grand National Championship saw a full day of practice on Thursday. It was cut short at the end of the day with a thunderstorm rolling in, with lightning shutting down the facility for the remainder of the night. The remaining practice sessions rolled into Friday. It was then a warm-up, qualifying and opening round of heat races for the seven classes before the KA100 Shootout presented by CNC Performance Engineering was held alongside the Fast Five Shootout for Micro, Mini and KA100 Junior. Warm-up, Heat 2 and Heat 3 action was held on Saturday, however, on a different layout from the National course – the ‘Switchback’ layout. Following that was the X30 Senior Shootout presented by MG Tires, including the Fast Five Shootout for KA100 Master and X30 Junior under the lights. Rain returned Saturday afternoon, delaying some of the action for lightning and putting a few of the final heat races under wet conditions, including a return of precipitation coming later in the Shootouts. Prefinals opened the action on Sunday. It was those results and points gained in the heat races that set the grid for the Finals to decide this year’s winners of the IAME USA Grand National Championship.

The X30 Senior field was stacked with 28 drivers with a familiar name at the front early. British driver Joe Turney (CDR / Kart Republic) made his event debut, starting strong with fast time in qualifying with a 47.646 lap. The opening heat was a battle with recent USPKS winner Austin Garrison (SCR / Redspeed), Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Racing Kart) and Alessandro de Tullio (IM / Kart Republic). Turney triumphed with the win and repeated the next day in Heat #2. In Heat #3, Garrison was the one taking the checkered flag first, earning an outside front row spot for the start of the Prefinal. Turney led the early portion of the Prefinal until Garrison took control for the race win and pole position for the Final.

X30 Senior podium (Photo: Luis Diaz – luisdiazphoto.com)

Garrison led early until Massmino and Dalton Hanes (KSNA / Alonso Kart) charged to the front. Hanes established himself as the leader on lap seven, and from there led the majority of the race. He and Turney were able to push away from the rest of the field, deciding the race in the closing laps. They shuffled for the lead with two laps to go, continuing into the final circuit. Hanes retook the top spot with a bold move into turn six, followed by Turney making an attempt on the exit of the hairpin. They went side by side into turn nine with contact made as they both went to the apex. Turney got the worst of it on the outside, pushing wide to the grass while Hanes continued, unchallenged to the checkered flag for the victory and the $5,000 payday. Massimino slipped by Turney for second in the final corner with Justin Adakonis (BJR / LN Racing Kart) fourth and de Tullio in fifth. Last year’s winner Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic) was sixth in the final order.

“It was a chess match of a race throughout the whole event,” Hanes told EKN. “I was trying my hardest to save the tires and the Final was no different. I got an early lead after starting 7th and never looked back till the last five laps focusing on tire management such as breaking early and driving as smooth as possible. It absolutely helped me to be in the lead due to arrow-wash in turn 9. The last three laps were an absolute battle as everyone saw me and Joe gave each other within an inch of space. He got by in turn 1 after I made a mistake, and I knew he was going to attempt to brake early in turn 6 to get the best run possible for the hairpin. Knowing that information there was only one corner left for me to pass. I made the pass work and covered off the rest of the lap simple as that. Joe is in the top three in the world, that’s a fact, and I am honored to have raced him. Truly an amazing race!”

British driver Joe Turney won the $3,000 payday in KA100 Senior (Photo: Luis Diaz – luisdiazphoto.com)

The KA100 Senior division was the largest of the weekend featuring 58 drivers. The qualifying and heat races were split up for the class, led in qualifying by Aiden Levy (Team Tarp / Kart Republic) with a 49.906 lap. The fast five were all within 95 thousandths, including Brandon Lemke (HDD / Exprit), AJ Myers (Magik Kart USA), Westin Workman (Timmy Tech / CompKart) and Braden Eves (MPG / Kart Republic). Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Racing Kart), who qualified 12th overall, found his way to the win in the AvsD heat race. Lemke took top honors in BvsC. Levy went on to win AvsC and AvsB races while Joe Turney (CDR / Kart Republic) – making his KA debut – won BvsD and CvsD races. The field was then split into two groups for the Prefinals, won by Levy and Lemke.

With the combination of heat points and the Prefinals, Levy and Lemke filled up the front row ahead of Danny Formal (RPG / Kosmic) and Brent Crews (RPM / Tony Kart) in row two. Starting back in the ninth spot was Turney, who had a bad result in his opening heat race. Into the top-five early, Turney worked his way to the front by lap 11 of the 22-lap main event. It was he, Formal and Crews that battled lap after lap. Their fighting kept others close in tight until the final lap. Turney was leading with Formal second, who was trying to fight off Crews. They made contact on the exit of turn four, sending Formal around and out of the race. This allowed Turney to run unchallenged to the checkered flag, securing the $3,000 payday with the victory. Crews settled for second with Levy slipping down to third. Lemke and Austin Garrison (SCR / Redspeed) – who posted fast lap of the race – completed the top-five.

“It was a great win,” stated Turney. “It was super close racing throughout the weekend, and we were able to pull out the victory in KA. The X30 was a tough final between me and Hanes. In the end, a 1 versus 1 battle on the last lap and he schooled me in turn 6. Overall, it was a great weekend and left with over $8,000.”

X30 Junior podium (Photo: Luis Diaz – luisdiazphoto.com)

Twenty drivers filled up the grid for the X30 Junior category that featured a near sweep for the $3,000 winning check. Qualifying was a close session with eight drivers clocking in a time within two tenths of the fast lap posted. That honor went to Steven Miller (CDR / Kart Republic) with a 49.055 lap. Sitting seventh in the order was Ernesto Rivera (RPG / Kosmic). It was Rivera who shined in the heat races, winning the first two over Miller with Teddy Musella running second in the third heat. Rivera started the Prefinal on the pole position but was pushed back to fourth at one point. He quickly made his way back to the front and took the win in the end over Miller. It was a four-driver lead pack at the front including Rivera, Miller, Jackson Wolny (RPG / Kosmic) and Keelan Harvick (RPG / Kosmic) – making his Junior debut. Harvick was the only driver to take the lead from Rivera in the 22-lap race, leading on lap eight. Rivera returned to the point and led the remainder of the way to secure the victory. Miller had fast lap of the race to place runner-up with Wolny, Harvick and Carter McMurray (Timmy Tech / CompKart) completing the top-five.

It was nearly an extra $5,000 payday in both Senior and Junior competition. Turney nearly completed the X30 and KA double in Senior, while Rivera and Miller were fighting for the double in Junior competition.

Steven Miller drove to victory in KA100 Junior (Photo: Luis Diaz – luisdiazphoto.com)

Several drivers were in contention in the KA100 Junior class that saw 41 drivers compete for the top spot. Mason Walters (BJR / LN Racing Kart) set fast time in qualifying with a 50.530 lap to edge out Austin Olds (MPG / Kart Republic), Isaac Malcuit (MMR / Gillard), Rivera and Miller. Walters went on to win Heat #1 ahead of Miller but Rivera took to the ‘Switchback’ layout better, winning the final two heats. Miller’s consistency gave him the pole position in the Prefinal with Rivera on the outside of the front row. The two swapped the lead several times before Miller secured the spot and win on the final circuit. They were joined by Walters at the front of the field in the Final. Rivera led most of the 22-lap Final until getting shuffled back to third on lap 18. Walters took control and led before Miller claimed the spot as the white flag waved. The Florida driver held on through the final circuit to claim the victory by four tenths at the line. Rivera ended up second with Walters in third. Oliver Wheldon (JC / LN Racing Kart) won the battle for fourth ahead of Chase Buscaglia (GWR / Gillard).

KA100 Masters podium (Photo: Luis Diaz – luisdiazphoto.com)

The nine-driver KA100 Master class was a near sweep as well. Former Stars of Karting and IKF star Dusty Davis returned behind the wheel to claim the victory. The only session he did not finish in the P1 position was in qualifying as Billy Workman posted a 51.092 lap to claim the top spot, edging out Martin Stone by 10 thousandths. Davis was third in the session, but drove to wins in all three heat races, including the shortened Heat #3 due to rain. He went wire-to-wire in the Prefinal for the win, however, the Final was fight. Davis led the first 13 laps before Stone took the lead for two laps. Davis returned to the point and from there was able to inch away to a 1.9 second margin of victory. Ryan Casner was the hard charger of the race, coming from seventh to end up second, recording fast lap of the race. Workman ended up third ahead of Byron Daley and John Bonanno.

Cameron Marsha (l) edged out the field for the victory in Mini Swift (Photo: Luis Diaz – luisdiazphoto.com)

It was a breakthrough performance for Cameron Marsha (RPM / Nitro Kart) in the Mini Swift class. Twenty-two drivers took to qualifying led by local driver Maverick White with a 53.409 lap time. Lucas Palacio (TKG / Kart Republic), who ended up fifth in the session, came away with the win in Heat #1 before Aston Woon (Supertune / Parolin) and Marsha each grabbed a heat race win on the ‘Switchback’ layout. Marsha was able to secure the pole position for the Prefinal with Palacio on the outside of the front row. Marsha was shuffled down to sixth early in the race but fought back forward, taking the lead on the final lap for the race win to keep the pole position for the Final. Four drivers made up the lead group with Marsha, Palacio, Woon and Travis Pettit (TKG / Kart Republic). Pettit led the middle portion of the race after Marsha led early. Palacio took the lead on lap 16 and led the group to the white flag. On the final circuit, Marsha was able to go from third to first, inching out Pettit at the line for the victory by five thousandths. Palacio was third with Woon fourth, all crossing the line within 99 thousandths. Troy Ferguson (Team Benik) won the battle for fifth.

Micro Swift podium (Photo: Luis Diaz – luisdiazphoto.com)

Parker Ives (RPM / Nitro Kart) continues his reign in the Micro Swift class, adding victory at the IAME USA Grand National Championship. It was a near sweep of the event as Cade Wolfe put in a 54.413 lap to clear Ives by 49 thousandths during qualifying. Ives came back to win all three heat races before going on to win the Prefinal. After leading the opening lap of the Final, Ives fell to third as Maxwell Macha (SLA / Sodi Kart) and Wolfe each took their turn at the lead. Ives returned to the point on lap 10, leading the remainder of the 20-lap race to claim victory. Macha beat out Wolfe for the runner-up spot with Zayne Burgess and Gavin Dakay completing the top-five.

KA100 Senior Shootout victory went to Danny Formal after a last lap battle (Photo: Luis Diaz – luisdiazphoto.com)

The MG Tires X30 Senior Shootout was greeted with a thunderstorm that rolled through Saturday evening. After a break for lightning, the race took place under wet conditions on the ‘Switchback Reverse’ layout. British driver Joe Turney (CDR / Kart Republic) took control early and drove away to the victory, claiming the $5,000 check for victory. Austin Garrison (SCR / Redspeed) won the battle for second over Justin Adakonis (BJR / LN Racing Kart). Brandon Carr (RPM / Tony Kart) and Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Racing Kart) rounded out the top-five. Friday evening was the CNC Performance Engineering on the ‘Short Course’ layout. A last lap battle between Danny Formal (RPG / Kosmic) and Dalton Hanes (Kart Republic) ended with contact. Hanes got the worst of the contact, pushing wide at turn nine, allowing Formal to drive to the checkered flag unchallenged for the $4,000 check. Hanes held on for second with Joe Turney (CDR / Kart Republic) in third. Aiden Levy (Team Tarp / Kart Republic) and Austin Garrison (SCR / Redspeed) were fourth and fifth. The Fast Five races for the remaining classes were won by Ernesto Rivera (X30 Junior), Enzo Vidmontiene (KA100 Junior), Dusty Davis (KA100 Master), Travis Pettit (Mini Swift) and Parker Ives (Micro Swift). Each winner in the Fast Five race took home $500.

Plans are in the works for the 2024 edition of the IAME USA Grand National Championship with MG Tires and IAME USA East with a date to be announced at a later time.

Share on Facebook

Tweet