The first major event of the season was a record-setting weekend as the 2025 Cup Karts North America Winter Nationals was held on January 2-4 at the 103rd Street Sports Complex. Briggs & Stratton racers rang in the New Year with a trip to the historic Jacksonville, Florida karting circuit in a special Thursday through Saturday event. The fourth edition of the CKNA Winter Nationals hosted by the CKNA South program welcomed a record-setting 247 entries over the nine Briggs 206 divisions. Following full day of practice on Thursday, qualifying and three rounds of heat races on Friday – including running under the lights. Those heat races set the grids for the main events on Saturday.

Senior Medium podium

For a second straight year, Colin Warren (VLR) took the victory in the headline Senior Medium division, featuring 36 drivers. 2023 winner Owen Lloyd (MGM) set the fast time in qualifying with a 41.586 lap to edge out Warren by 83 thousandths. The Odd qualifiers were split into a heat group with the Even qualifiers split into the other heat group. Christopher McKeithan (Coyote) went on to win two of the Odd heats before Lloyd picked up the third round win. Warren took the win in the opening two heats for the Even group before Caleb Gafrarar (MGM) landed in P1 for Heat #3. The four different heat winners were joined at the front of the field for the main event by Colin Aitken (MGM). Lloyd jumped to the front before Warren grabbed the lead on lap 9. He showed the way until two laps to go when the battle for the victory began. Gafrarar took the lead at the white flag but Warren was able to secure the victory on the final lap. It was the third Winter Nationals victory for Warren, adding to his 2023 victory in Senior Light. Gafrarar settled for second as McKeithan won the battle for third over Lloyd and Aitken. The top-five was all American chassis manufacturers.

Senior Light podium

The Senior Light division, welcoming 41 drivers on the weekend, saw a fourth different winner in four editions of the Winter Nationals. 2023 winner Colin Warren (VLR) set fast time in qualifying with a 41.099-lap to edge out Senior rookie Isaac Malcuit (Birelart) by 58 thousandths. Third place qualifier Christopher Wakefield (Coyote) was able to win all three of his heat races while three different drivers won the Even heats, including Malcuit, Christopher McKeithan (Coyote) and Dalton Hanes (Sodi Kart). Wakefield led the field to the green flag in the main event but fell down outside the top-five and eventually out of the top-10. It was McKeithan taking the lead early before Hanes took the lead over the opening laps. McKeithan grabbed the lead back on lap eight and led the remainder of the race to hold off Owen Lloyd (MGM) at the line by 93 thousandths. It is the career first Winter Nationals victory for McKeithan. Warren drove to third ahead of Hanes with Malcuit completing the top-five.

Senior Heavy podium

For a second straight year, Owen Lloyd (MGM) claimed the victory in the Senior Heavy division. Lloyd led the way in qualifying over the 31 driver field with a 42.081 lap to clear Noah Rivers by nearly two tenths. Winning all three heat races, Lloyd was looking to sweep the category heading into the main event. After leading the first 14 laps, Colin Aitken (MGM) stole the lead with four laps remaining. Aitken led three laps before Lloyd was able to retake the lead on the last lap, winning his second straight, fourth overall at the Winter Nationals dating back to his Junior win in 2022. Aitken was credited with fast lap of the race, placing second while William Lessig (MGM) won the battle for third over Bryce Frank (MGM) and Logan Stephens (Eagle).

Junior podium

The Junior field was the largest of the event at 44 drivers battling. It was Carter Barkis (Coyote) who led the way in the qualifying session, laying down a 42.410 lap to earn fast time. The top-four were separated by 95 thousandths with Hudson Jack Urlin (Kubica), Derek Wargo (CompKart) and Myer Lewis (Coyote). The Junior class was broken up for the heat races as well with five drivers taking a win. Barkis and Urlin won the opening round while Sawyer Chambers (Intrepid) and Nathan Dupuis (Sodi Kart) – who qualified 13th and 16th – worked their way up to wins in the second round of heat races. Adriano Yannuzzi became the fifth different heat winner in Odd Heat #3 while Dupuis was the only driver to double up in the heat win column. After Chambers led the opening lap of the 18-lap Final, Barkis took control of the field. He led until lap 10 when Wargo assumed the lead. It was Wargo who lead the rest of the distance, going on to claim his first CKNA Winter Nationals victory. William Richard (VLR) drove up to second ahead of Jack Fieber (Birelart). Yannuzzi (Coyote) ended up fourth with Leland Anderson in the fifth position. Barkis – who earned fast lap of the race – was second at the line, however, was penalized six positions for contact with Chambers, who finished seventh.

Legends podium

The 24-driver Legends class was a sweep at the event, completed by Ron Klys (Coyote). Klys set fast time in qualifying with a 42.338 lap before going on to win all three heat races. In the 18-lap Final, Klys led all 18 laps to claim his first career CKNA Winter Nationals victory. James Inscoe (Coyote) was second ahead of Tim Hannen (OTK). Canadian and last year’s winner Eli Yanko (Tony Kart) was fourth with Doug Cook (Coyote) in fifth.

Masters podium

Later in the day, Klys became the second driver to win Legends and Masters division in the same CKNA Winter Nationals. Three-time defending Masters champion and five-time overall winner Todd Baron (Birelart) set the fast time in qualifying with a 42.264 lap, edging out former CKNA Winter Nationals winner Sean Meier (Coyote) by 74 thousandths. Meier emerged as the top contender through the heat races, winning all three. Baron was able to grab the lead for the first three laps of the Final before Meier took the lead. He led until lap 16 when Brad Davis (MGM) challenged for the top spot. Davis led at the white flag, however, on the final circuit the two made contact, ending their race in the barriers. This handed the lead and the victory to Klys. James Inscoe (Coyote) was a close second with Wade Lynn (Coyote) in third, recording fast lap of the race. Yanko was fourth with Jamie Bradford (MGM) fifth after he was penalized one position for passing under yellow.

Sportsman podium

The 13-driver Sportsman class welcomed a fourth different winner in four editions of the CKNA Winter Nationals. The 2025 edition began with Ryder Thompson (Nitro Kart) at the top of the order in qualifying, posting a 42.798 lap. Third-place qualifier and CKNA Grand Nationals 8 winner Daniel Draganov (NEWGEN) went on to win the opening two heat races while Thompson returned to the front in Heat #3. Four different drivers led over the 18-lap Final, including Thompson, Draganov, Parker Stewart (Coyote) and Cooper Mull (Birelart). By lap 10, Thompson returned to the point, leading the rest of the distance to claim his first CKNA Winter Nationals victory. Stewart was only 88 thousandths back at the line with Draganov winning the battle for third over Mull and Tori Daniels (TB Kart) – who was credited with the fast lap of the race.

Cadet podium

The Cadet class had 14 drivers in the field for the CKNA Winter Nationals. Hayden Lawson (Parolin) cleared the field by over four tenths in qualifying with a 42.802 lap. Lawson won the opening heat race with Yousef Adi (Birelart) and Reuben Greer (Magik Kart) taking the top spot in the other two races. Greer and Adi swapped the lead early on until lap five. Greer secured the top spot and led the remainder of the race to claim his first CKNA Winter Nationals victory. Adi was second with Lawson a close third. Michael Patrick set fast lap of the final, placing fourth with Jackson Brewster in fifth.

Kid Kart podium

It was a record-setting 20-driver field in the Kid Kart class at the CKNA Winter Nationals. Skylin Mangrum (Nitro Kart) was top qualifier with a 53.052 lap, edging out Grant Heckman (VLR) by 51 thousandths. Heckman went on to win all three heat races before going wire-to-wire in the Final for his first CKNA Winter Nationals victory. Maddox Nieves (Tony Kart) was second in the order ahead of Mangrum. William Heckman (VLR) was fourth with Matteo Romeo (Birelart) recording the fast lap of the race in a fifth-place effort.

The CKNA South divisional is set to return to action on March 28-30 at the Carolina Motorsports Park in Kershaw, South Carolina for Round Two and Three of the championship. The next major event is the CKNA Spring Nationals, slated for March 7-9 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.

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