(Photo: EKN)

EKN’s Paddock Insider is part of our Trackside coverage, bringing you notes, updates and breaking news as it happens. The article will feature notes from trackside at the Challenge of the Americas at the Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California. This is insider info will not be seen anywhere else. Be sure to follow the EKN Social Media channels – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram for more coverage throughout the weekend.

New Look to Sonoma Raceway

Updated paddock area for the Sonoma Raceway (Photo: EKN)

Following last year’s Challenge of the Americas finale in April 2023, Sonoma Raceway began updates to the karting paddock and facility. The paddock is now completely paved along with landscaping done along the northern part of the pit lane, which has reduced some space to park trailers. A remodeled scoring building, which is still one of the biggest in karting for North America. The former kart shop was demolished with a new deck area constructed, including a permanent podium location. Outside the school building, they set up a new picnic table area with shade for families to watch from pit lane. No bathrooms were constructed, so that’s about the only negatives.

Return of GFC Shifter Contingent

Many GFC drivers are back in the Shifter category this weekend (Photo: EKN)

Missing from the Tucson 2 weekend in March was the large shfiterkart contingent from GFC Karting. Many of the drivers were testing in Orlando for the SKUSA Pro Tour WinterNationals. Among them was Round Two winner Kyle Wick, last year’s champion Jacob Gulick and former Challenge champion Hunter Pickett. All three are back to battle for wins at Sonoma, where Pickett has won the five of the last six Challenge main events here. In addition to the Formula Works drivers returning under the tent, GFC is welcoming Turner Brown for a one-off race here at his home track. He’s driven the chassis a few times during the winter months – providing him with a chance to drive something different from an OTK that he typically races. Also back is Chase Hand in the KA100 Senior category – where he was a winner in 2023.

Cameron Back in Karts after USF Juniors Debut

Christian Cameron made his USF Juniors debut last weekend at NOLA Motorsports (Photo: Gavin Baker)

It’s been just five days since former Challenge of the Americas 100cc Junior champion Christian Cameron made his debut in the USF Juniors program at NOLA Motorsports Park, and he’s back at his home track of Sonoma Raceway for take in the COTA finale. The 14-year-old was impressive in his debut in the first level of the USF Pro Championships Presented by Continental Tire, finishing 13th out of 26 in the first two races of the tripleheader, and a super strong 10th in the third race. This consistency has put him in a tie for 11th in the standings, just two points outside the top-10. Cameron is running with the VRD Racing team with support from veteran engineer Kent Stacy. Christian is competing in the 100cc Junior category again this weekend, battling with the 26 other drivers on the grid. While the multi-time ROK Sonoma club champion’s focus for 2024 is the USF Juniors program, he told EKN that he may run some club and national karting events this year.

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