Ryan Norberg has been perfect after two days in the X30 Pro division (Photo: EKN)

The inaugural United States Pro Kart Series – the official IAME Series USA East – presented by MG Tires Daytona Super Grand Prix hit the track for its first day of racing action on Saturday. Another warm day in Daytona Beach, Florida for the three rounds of heat races on the schedule. Aside from the tough 0.55-mile course and the level of competition, strong winds all day brought lots of dust and dirt over the track and throughout the paddock. The USPKS staff and competitors muscled through the busy day, setting the grids for the seven main events on Sunday.

Three-time USPKS champion Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic) kept his perfect score going through Saturday with three heat wins in the Rolison Performance Group X30 Pro category. The top qualifier led every lap of the 12-lap heats to retain the pole position for the main event on Sunday with many of the top challengers in 2024 watching from the sidelines working as driver coaches throughout the paddock. Frankie Mossman (JHDD / Kart Republic) was runner-up in the opening heat race before P2 in qualifying Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Racing Kart) was able to keep the runner-up spot over the final two heat races. Massimino will retain the outside pole position start of the Final as Mossman holds third with finishes of fourth and third in the other two heats. Jakub Kolar (Vice / Kart Republic) improves to fourth after three top-four finishes, dropping Quinten McPherson (RPG / Kosmic) back to fifth for the start of the Final on Sunday. Finnegan Bayliff (TKG / Birelart) and Caden McQueen (Energy Corse Americas) each put in a top five run on the day. Bayliff starts sixth while McQueen goes from P13 after a DNF in Heat #1 and getting run over during the opening lap of Heat #2. A hand injury was the result, however, the British driver continued on through the day for his best result while battling the pain.

Pauly Massimino will lead the KA100 Senior field to the green flag on Sunday (Photo: EKN)

Both Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Racing Kart) and James Overbeck (BJR / LN Racing Kart) grabbed two heat wins on the day in the Brandon Jarsocrak Racing KA100 Senior division. Massimino struck first in the AvsB heat while Ty Fisher (Racelab / TB Kart) won the second heat of the opening round. Sebastain Garzon (Orsolon / Tony Kart) took a win in the AvsC heat while Overbeck notched his first on the day to close out round two. Massimino and Overbeck swept the third round of heat races, and will go from the front row for the Sunday main event. Christian Miles (MDR / LN Racing Kart) had two runner-up finishes after sixth in the opening round to start from inside row two alongside top qualifier Brandon Lemke (SCR / CS55). Lemke finished second, third and sixth in his three heat races on the day. Garzon and fellow Senior rookie Enzo Vidmontiene (SLA / Kart Republic) make up row three on Sunday.

Theo Salomao earned the pole position for both X30 Junior and KA100 Junior (Photo: EKN)

Theo Salomao (Orsolon / Tony Kart) has made an impression for his first start in the Speed Concepts Racing X30 Junior division. Qualifying third, Salomao finished second in the opening heat before grabbing the final two races wins to assume the pole position for the Final. Top qualifier Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic) won the opening battle before finishing third and second in the final two. He moves to the outside of the front row tomorrow while Ashton Woon (SCR / CS55) stays inside the top three. Woon had a solid opening two heats, placing third and then beating Vanchev for second in Heat #2. A pushback bumper penalty dropped him out of the top five in the final heat, starting third in the Final. Canadian Nathan Dupuis (Nash / EOS) had two top five results before a five position penalty for contact in the final heat dropped him to 10th. It still keeps him in row two while fellow Canadians Edward Kennedy (Energy Corse Americas) and Cole Medeiros (RPG / Kosmic) make up row three, each with a best finish on the day of fourth.

There are a total of two pole positions for Theo Salomao (Orsolon / Tony Kart) for the main events on Sunday. The top qualifier in BBS Race Engines KA100 Junior won all three of his heat races on the day to maintain the top spot. All three races were unchallenged, making him the driver to beat tomorrow. Brady Schad (RPG / Kosmic), Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic) and Isaac Malcuit (MDR / LN Racing Kart) were the other three winners in the ABCD format for the category. Malcuit, with other results of fourth and second, will start from the outside of the front row while Travis Pettit (TB Kart USA) and Nathan Dupuis (Nash / EOS) fill up row two. Pettit had three top five results while Dupuis had three top six results. Each had a best result of second on the day. Schad and Luis Fer Nunez (Orsolon / Tony Kart) had similar results to improve up to start the Final from row three.

Martin Stone grabbed two heat wins in KA100 Masters (Photo: EKN)

Two wins on the day promotes Martin Stone (RPG / Kosmic) to the pole position for the Nash Motorsportz KA100 Masters class. Top qualifier Renato Jader David (Orsolon / Tony Kart) was able to win the opening but finished second in Heat #2. An engine change for Heat #3 put him at the back of the 13 driver field for the race, knifing his way to the runner-up spot at the checkered flag. RJD moves to the outside of row one for the Final while Paul Elefonte (RRC / LN Racing Kart) and Randy Klimek (HDD / Tony Kart) go from row two. Elefonte had a best result of third while Klimek put in a best finish of fifth on the day. Brandt Estes (IZUP / LN Racing Kart) and Scott Falcone (Orsolon / Kart Republic) start from row three. Falcone led one of the heat races until getting shuffled back while Estes had a best finish of fourth on the day.

Enzo DiGennaro ripped off three heat wins in Mini Swift (Photo: EKN)

A sweep of the heat races puts Enzo DiGennaro (Parolin Motorsport USA) to the pole position in the Velocity Racing by Sodi USA Mini Swift class. DiGennaro qualified third but worked up to the top spot in all three heat races. Holden Myers (TimmyTech / CompKart) was second in the opening two heats before top qualifier Liam Nachawati (JHDD / Kart Republic) finished runner-up. A P5 in the opening heat was followed by a DNF during the first lap for Nachawati. He falls down to start the Final in tenth. Myers finished fifth in the final heat, and will go from the outside front row spot. Maxwell Macha (Velocity / Sodi Kart) and Parker Ives (RPM / Nitro Kart) make up row two. Macha was top four all day while Ives had a best result of third in the final moto. Mini rookies Jayden Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) and Lawrence Peremen (BJR / LN Racing Kart) start from row three. The Canadian had a P10 in the second heat after an issue at the start while Peremen was 7, 6, 7 on the day.

Marcelo Flores used consistency on the day to claim the pole position in Micro Swift (Photo: EKN)

Two drivers came away with heat wins in the Team Ferris Racing Micro Swift class. Leo Simone (JHDD / Kart Republic) qualified third but worked up to the top spot over the opening two heat races. Contact in the third heat dropped him all the way down the order, eventually finishing 25th. That puts him seventh on the grid for the Final. Lenox Lockhart (Velocity / Sodi Kart) came out as the winner in the third heat race, but will start from second on Sunday. Marcelo Flores (JHDD / Kart Republic) earns the pole position with results of third, third and second. Hudson Howard (JHDD / Kart Republic) and Slate Harrell (RPM / Nitro Kart) make up row two. Both had a best finish on the day of P2. Andrew Anastasio (ARRA / Birelart) and top qualifier Alvaro Medeiros (Orsolon / Tony Kart) will go from row three. Medeiros slipped back to 10th, seventh and fifth in the heat races while Anastasio improved from qualifying 13th, earning a best finish of third.

The final day of action for the USPKS Daytona Super Grand Prix is set for Sunday, as the schedule has shifted due to impending weather and strong winds in the area. Warm-up is slated to begin at 8am EDT with main events to follow directly after, ready racing, with the full distances scheduled for all seven Finals.

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