It’s been many years since a new karting facility was built in Southern California, and it’s impossible to argue what the closing of CalSpeed Karting at Auto Club Speedway did to the racing scene in a region that has always been a hotbed for the sport. When the K1 Circuit project was initially announced, many were skeptical that it would come to fruition, but those fears were put to bed on the August 23-25 weekend when Superkarts! USA held the first competition event at the beautiful facility. The facility is not yet officially open, so the fourth and fifth rounds of the California ProKart Challenge were officially a ‘private event’ and the feedback of the circuit is nothing short of phenomenal. SKUSA will return to the venue on the September 28-29 to cap their regional program, and another packed house is expected.

California ProKart Challenge inaugural visit to the K1 Circuit in August (Photo: Spencer Russell – photosbysmr1)

The 1.1-mile configurable circuit was designed by Rocky Moran, Jr., the former co-owner and designer of the famed Moran Raceway, which was another important component of SoCal’s karting scene in its day until closing in 2006. The K1 track features a straightaway that’s approximately 900 feet in length with a universal width of 28 feet, and up to 6% of elevation change. Over 160 drivers took on the challenge over that August weekend and, by all accounts, SoCal has a new hub for karting on which to re-establish the sport.

“The track is amazing – another incredible Rocky Moran design – and is going to be huge for the karting industry in Southern California,” offered Superkarts! USA’s Tom Kutscher, who launched the ProKart Challenge at Moran back in the mid-2000s. “This is the biggest thing that I’ve seen in SoCal karting since I’ve been around and it really reminds me of what Moran Raceway did for the sport. Our first event at K1 was a massive success and it’s exciting to already have a wave of entries for the next one – we received 20 entries in the first night of registration in KA100 Senior for this coming race. The track is bringing veterans out of the woodwork and it’s fueled an excitement I haven’t felt in a long time. The interest is bustling for kart sales, especially in the shifterkart area, which is awesome. K1 is a badass track for shifters.”

EKN spoke with Factory Kart’s Billy Musgrave about the K1 Circuit, asking for feedback and insight both as a driver and a manufacturer, and he echoed Kutscher’s comments.

Billy Musgrave attacking the K1 Circuit (Photo: Spencer Russell – photosbysmr1)

“As a driver, the K1 Circuit was the most fun I’ve ever had in a kart,” Musgrave told EKN. “It’s high-speed and elevation are matched only by Atlanta Motorsports Park, but where K1 shines is that each section of the track is completely unique and still incredibly technical. It was a pleasure being able to win on Sunday, especially with the largest shifter kart field we’ve seen in Southern California in over five years.”

“As a manufacturer, we are so excited to finally see karts on track at K1, and even though it’s been a painfully long two years, we can safely say it was worth the wait,” Musgrave continued.  “Undoubtedly the track is built with shifter karts in mind, and I think we’ll see a true revival in shifter kart racing over the coming months as more and more people get on track.”

SKUSA will return to the K1 Circuit for the sixth round of the 2024 California ProKart Challenge series on September 28-29, and registration is now open. The track will most certainly be at the core of SKUSA California ProKart Challenge schedule next season and will be a big part of the Tri-C Karters program as well. In March of 2025, the track will also play host to the second event for Challenge of the Americas program, which is lined up to emerge as the West Coast’s ‘national series’ program next season.

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