The 2025 Superkarts! USA Winter Series opener kicks off the new season for EKN Trackside coverage, heading to the Orlando Kart Center over the January 10-12 weekend. This marks the first trip to the 8/10-mile for the winter championship, the third visit for the organization after hosting the past two SKUSA Pro Tour WinterNationals at the Orlando, Florida facility. It will be a record setting event with the first ever race weekend for the series to surpass the 300-entry mark, going into the practice day with 308 over the nine categories.

The format for the opening weekend of the 2025 SKUSA Winter Series featured unofficial practice on Wednesday and Thursday with Friday hosting five official sessions for testing. Round 1 is set for Saturday, including qualifying, Prefinal and Final. Round 2 is a repeat format on Sunday. The KA100 Junior division was expanded past the cap and will run a split Prefinal with the top 22 finishers from each moving into the Final. The rest of the field will be moved into the B-Main.

For the first time since 2021, the title in the Pro X30 presented by Rolison Performance Group stayed in the USA with Alessandro de Tullio earning his first championship. Before that, British driver Joe Turney and Brazilian Matheus Morgatto claimed the titles. With de Tullio advancing to cars in 2025, the championship is open for the taking. Turney is set for a return back to the USA, coming off a double-win SuperSunday at the SKUSA SuperNationals 27 in both Pro X30 and KA100 Senior. He joins the relaunch of Jay Howard Driver Development karting operation as one of the Kart Republic race teams in 2025. Fellow Brit and 2024 SummerNationals winner Kai Hunter (RPG / Kosmic) returns back to the USA as well, making his first start at the SKUSA Winter Series. Brazilians Olin Galli (CRG Nordam) and Diego Ramos (PSL / Birelart) – the #3 plate for 2025 – adds to the international 10 international drivers in the field. Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Racing Kart) is among the top USA contingent, holding the SKUSA #5 plate from last year and eighth at the SKUSA Winter Series. Steven Miller (Nash / EOS) and Jakub Kolar (Vice / Kart Republic) are looking to continue off the momentum of their second half of 2024. The crop of first year Pro X30 drivers include KA transfers James Overbeck (BJR / LN Racing Kart) and Collin Lloyd (SCR / Kart Republic). Overbeck is the 2024 SKUSA Pro Tour champion while Lloyd was a race winner over the last two years. Rookies include Chace Gassiot-Lee (Nash / EOS) and Jensen Burnett (REM / Kosmic).

Matheus Morgatto (PSL / Birelart), 2024 Pro Shifter presented by PSL Karting champion, is back to defend his crown. Two wins and two runner-up results began the Brazilian’s run to the EKN Driver of the Year in the Shifterkart division. The 2024 SKUSA Pro Tour champion is the only driver in the field from the top-10 of last year’s standings. Gavin Bayliff, who was just outside the top-10, returns in 2025 in new colors with the new TKG Birelart USA outfit, running as a teammate to Morgatto. A total of six drivers will be on Birelart on the weekend, including new shifterkart drivers Lucas Deslongchamps and Ashton Henckel under the PSL tent. Vincenzo Sarracino (Maranello USA) and Justin White (Maranello USA) will be among the contenders along with 2022 series champion Alan Isambard (Velocity / Sodi Kart).

Matheus Morgatto seeks to defend his Pro Shifter title (Photo: EKN)

The KA100 Senior presented by AKT Racing Team features a sold-out 46 driver field on the weekend, absent last year’s champion Alessandro de Tullio. British driver Kai Hunter (RPG / Kosmic) will run double duty on the weekend, coming in as the KA100 Senior winner at the IAME USA Grand National Championship in September. Among the contenders heading into the weekend include SKUSA Pro Tour winner Finnegan Bayliff (TKG Birelart USA), USPKS race winner Mick Gabriel (AEM / Kosmic), Blake Nash (Nash / EOS), Frankie Mossman (JHDD / Kart Republic), Stephen Eisert (SpeedSense / Exprit) and SKUSA #3 plate holder Henry Wheeler (PSL / Birelart). Two-time SKUSA SuperNationals 27 Junior winner Sebastian Garzon (Orsolon / Tony Kart) is making his Senior debut, as is Canadian Ty Fisher (Racelab / TB Kart).

A nearly sold-out 38 drivers will contest the X30 Junior presented by Speed Concepts Racing category. The championship slot is open with defending title winner Diego Ardiles not competing. Among the more experienced drivers in the field with wins and podium finishes include Sarah Bradley (SCR / Sodi Kart), Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic), Max Weiland (Magik Kart USA) and Travis Pettit (TB Kart USA). Brazilian driver Augustus Toniolo (RPG / Kosmic) returns back to the USA as does USA drivers Lucas Palacio (JHDD / Kart Republic) and Alessandro Truchot (Parolin Motorsport USA). Both competed in Europe in the Mini division for much of the 2024 season. This will be Palacio’s Junior debut while Truchot advanced up at the SuperNationals. Other Junior rookies includes 10-year-old Rocco Simone (JHDD / Kart Republic) and Jaxon Porter (RPG / Kosmic).

The largest category of the weekend will be KA100 Junior presented by Orsolon Racing at 64 drivers. 2024 champion Sebastian Garzon has moved up to Senior, allowing for seventh different champion in the seven years of the class at the SKUSA Winter Series. Several drivers are tapped as contenders entering the weekend despite the top-six of last year’s championship not in the field. Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic) is the top returning driver along with Max Cristea (JHDD / Kart Republic). Toniolo along with Pettit and Weiland are among the many double duty drivers. Isaac Malcuit (PSL / Birelart) and Tristan Murphy (RPM / Tony Kart) are among the contenders as well. The field features several drivers making their Junior debut, including Mini Swift Pro Tour champion Ashton Woon (SCR / CS55), Alessandro Truchot (Parolin Motorsport USA), Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Racing Kart), Nico Kotowski (TKG Birelart USA), and JohnJohn McLellan (Nash / EOS). The key for all drivers will be to get through the Prefinals cleanly to be part of the 44-driver field in the main event, avoiding the B-Main.

Defending SKUSA Winter Series champion Royce Vega is among the sold out field (Photo: EKN)

Entries are a bit down in the KA100 Master presented by AM Racing Team, however, the 13-driver field is a strong contingent. Multi-time Texas Sprint Racing Series champion Miguel Mier (Orsolon / Tony Kart) and USPKS defending champion Niki Coello (FMS / Merlin) are regular contenders. Former Atlantic and Indy Lights champion Raphael Matos (Velocity / Sodi Kart) is set to make his SKUSA Winter Series debut in the class while former SKUSA Pro Tour champion Scott Falcone (Orsolon / Tony Kart) also returns. Franco Crivelli (Inter MS / Tony Kart) was a podium finisher at the SuperNationals in 2023, set for his series debut.

Five drivers will compete in the Master Shifter presented by Velocity Racing by Sodi USA. 2024 champion Skitchy Barnes (Maranello USA) is set to defend his crown against three Florida drivers, including Farshad Bagehri (TB Kart USA), Rene Martinelli (TB Kart USA) and Luis Quinones (LFB / Birelart). DRT Racing Team driver Tyler Guilbeault is set to make his Master Shifter debut.

The Mini Swift presented by Benik Kart is also welcoming a defending series champion. Royce Vega (Benik) is back to defend his crown, coming in as one of the more experienced drivers in the field that includes a number of drivers returning in the category as well. That includes Enzo DiGennaro (Parolin Motorsport USA), SuperNationals winner Benja Fernandez (SLA / Kart Republic), Kai Johnson (AKW / Sodi Kart), Maxwell Mach (SLA / Kart Republic), Liam Nachawati (Parolin USA) and Aston Wyatt (Speedsportz / Birelart). Several drivers are making the jump up from Micro Swift, led by SKUSA Pro Tour and SuperNationals winner Zayne Burgess (Velocity / Sodi Kart). Top Micro drivers in 2024 advancing include Wynn Godschalk (Benik), Cameron Johnson (FMS / Merlin), Santiago Orioli (OKP / Kart Republic) and Lawrence Peremen (BJR / LN Racing Kart).

Micro Swift presented by Energy Corse Americas is sold out at 45 drivers competing on the weekend. The several drivers graduating to Mini has opened the door for new names to be at the front of the field, which features over half under the age of nine-years old. Zev Godschalk (Benik), Hudson Howard (JHDD / Kart Republic), SKUSA Winter Series race winner Danny O’Gara (MPG / Kart Republic), Leo Simone (JHDD / Kart Republic) and Dutch Westbrook (Benik) are among the more experienced drivers in the Micro field.

Be sure to follow EKN Trackside coverage all weekend long on the website, and of course on Social Media at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Listen to the live action on Saturday and Sunday from Homestead on the EKN Radio Network and at ekartingnews.com/live.

Pro X30 Provisional Entry List

Pro Shifter Provisional Entry List

KA100 Senior Provisional Entry List

X30 Junior Provisional Entry List

KA100 Junior Provisional Entry List

KA100 Master Provisional Entry List

Master Shifter Provisional Entry List

Mini Swift Provisional Entry List

Micro Swift Provisional Entry List

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