Keagan Kaminski scored the victory in his 100cc Senior debut (Photo: EKN)

The 2024 Challenge of the Americas is underway after the first round of racing was contested on Saturday at the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona. A wild day for official practice on Friday featured on and off rain, including hail, to disrupt the on-track activities. With a damp track this morning, the circuit was fully dry by qualifying time and remained that way with sunny skies. All six categories completed the opening round of competition with five of the drivers earning their first series victory.

Among the new first time winners was Senior rookie Keagan Kaminski (FW / GFC) in the Forward Direction Motorsports 100cc Senior category. After qualifying 13th, Kaminski worked his way forward and ended up second after race leaders Ryan Persing (Nash / EOS) and Kane Martin (Nash / EOS) made contact on the final lap. This allowed Josh Campbell (RPM / LN Racing Kart) to slip past for the race win and Kaminski up to second. Starting on the front row, Kaminski was able to jump out to the lead and led the first nine laps before Parker DeLong (Ruthless / Tony Kart) took the spot for two laps. Kaminski reclaimed the spot and was able to power away with heavy fighting behind him. After 20 laps, Kaminski took his first victory by nearly two-seconds. Martin won the battle for second with Izaac Gutierrez (FW / GFC) up one spot to third for his first COTA podium. Campbell fell to fourth as Dylan Archer (FDM / Pantano) completed the top-five.

Dominating performance for Daniel Vasile in Senior Shifter (Photo: EKN)

Romanian driver Daniel Vasile (IM / Italkart) made his Challenge debut a dominant one, sweeping the action on the day in Senior Shifter presented by SwedeTech Racing Engines. Vasile set fast time in qualifying with a 48.333-lap to clear the field by over three tenths. He led all 14 laps of the Prefinal with Dutch driver Bas Lammers (IM / Italkart) moving up to second ahead of Kyle Wick (GFC Karting). Vasile was untouched in the Final, leading all 20 laps without a challenge, taking the checkered flag 2.5 seconds ahead of Lammers. Wick ran solo in third while Jacob Gulick (GFC Karting) rebounded from a penalty in qualifying that put him at the tail of the 17 driver field for the Prefinal. He drove up to fifth and gained one spot in the Final, placing ahead of Hunter Pickett (GFC Karting).

Nico Sarphati was named winner in 100cc Junior (Photo: EKN)

The 30-driver field in 100cc Junior presented by Nash Motorsportz put in exciting sessions on the day with the winner decided following the checkered flag. David Ybarra (PWR / CRG) set fast time in qualifying despite being involved in an accident toward the end of his session. A 52.786 was good enough for the top spot edging out Payton Westcott (EOS) by 95 thousandths. Ybarra fell back early and kept there as Westcott and Nico Sarphati (FW / GFC) showed the way. Westcott took the win on the track, but was given a penalty to end up fourth with Sarphati a penalty for contact, dropping him to 13th on the grid for the Final. Archer Eversman (FDM / Pantano) was credited with the Prefinal win and led the field to the green flag. A big group of drivers fought for the top spot during the first half of the 20-lap Final. Eversman, Jaxon Young (FW / GFC) and Alexander Gonzalez (Nash / EOS) also led until Sarphati advanced his way to the lead by lap 11. He along with Gonzalez and Ybarra were at the front and as the laps faded, the fight heated up. It ended up becoming a dual between Sarphati and Ybarra. The two came out of the final corner side by side, racing to the line. Ybarra was able to edge out Sarphati by 17 thousandths at the line, however, a penalty for contact took the victory away and put him fourth. Sarphati took the top step of the podium for his first victory in the class. Zoquan Holbrook (SpeedSense / Exprit) came out with the runner-up result, earning his first Challenge podium as did Johnie Stamps (FW / GFC) in third. Eversman ended up fifth, one spot back of Ybarra.

KC Cook goes from head flagman to race winner in 100cc Masters (Photo: EKN)

It was almost a sweep on the day in the Ruthless Karting 100cc Masters class. Greg Welch (FDM / Pantano) cleared the 12-driver field by over two tenths in qualifying and ran away for the Prefinal win. KC Cook (MMK / Tony Kart) – who started 12th in the Prefinal and ended up third – was among those challenge Welch in the 20-lap Final, along with Matthew Ostiguy (DMG / Kosmic). Welch was able to hold them off the entire distance for the provisional victory. He would however not make it out of tech with a cylinder modification. This promoted Cook to the top step of the podium for his first series victory. Ostiguy ended up second with former series champion Paul Bonilla (PGR / LN Racing Kart) landing on the podium in third. Alexander Gutierrez (ASG / LN Racing Kart) and Travis Irving (FW / GFC) rounded out the top-five.

Wire-to-wire victory for Cody Hodgson in Masters Shifter (Photo: EKN)

The Ron White Racing Masters Shifter class was a fight between two drivers. Bud Grossenbacher (TB Kart) was able to edge out Cody Hodgson (Aluminos) by 53 thousandths in qualifying. The two were ahead of the rest of the 12-driver field in the Prefinal. Grossenbacher crossed the line first but was penalized for a rear bumper detaching, thus putting him 11th on the grid for the Final. Hodgson was credited with the Prefinal win, and used the pole position in the main event to grab the holeshot victory. Derek Wang (BBR / LN Racing Kart) was spun around in the second corner after the start, giving Hodgson a big gap over the field on the opening circuit. Grossenbacher was quick at knifing through the field and was into second after the opening lap. Despite Grossenbacher posting the fast lap of the race, Hodgson was able to hold on to take his first Challenge victory by just over one-second. Joey Guyon (Overdrive / Ventesimo) rounded out the podium with Douglas Brandt (Factory Kart) fourth and Michael Faker (Birel ART) fifth.

Defending class champion Braydon Wagner opens the season with victory in 60cc Cadet (Photo: EKN)

The only driver to win on the day that had already won in their respective class was Braydon Wagner (FW / GFC) in the The Karting Collective 60cc Cadet. Wagner was seventh after qualifying as Drew Jensen (Sanner / Parolin) set fast time in the session. In the Prefinal, Wagner found the speed and drove his way to the front, taking the win. Wagner and Jensen were able to break away from the 13-driver field. Jensen took the lead for one lap at the halfway point, however, Wagner took over and pulled away. He ended up with five-second advantage at the checkered flag to begin his title defense with a victory. Aidan Go (SpeedSense / Exprit) won the battle for second with Jensen holding onto third ahead of Nathan Ramirez (Parolin) and Lucas Tarango (Ruthless / Nitro Kart) in fifth.

The second round of the 2024 Challenge of the Americas will be contested on Sunday, wrapping up the opening weekend for the 17th season of the west coast winter championship.

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