(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 2025 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.

No Other Place Like Sonoma

The Challenge of the Americas returns to Sonoma Raceway for the 14th time. The inaugural season in 2008 of the Challenge came to Sonoma, California, and for many years, was the site of the series finale. With the program expanding to four events in 2025, this weekend marks the start of the second half of the championship chase. The facility received upgrades around the paddock last year with new pavement and landscaping. The circuit however remains the same, including the surface. The tic-tac-toe remains rough, including the helipad section. This weekend is the ‘National’ layout in the clockwise direction, which produces amazing racing year after year. It also marks the first time for an event utilizing the Shinko Racing Kart Tires, which is something we’ll be following in terms of feedback for this specific circuit.

FTK Offering Test Rides in Motori Seven KZ80

The new Motori Seven KZ80 engine (Photo: EKN)

A new engine package has hit the USA market, aimed at shifterkart driver development. The Motori Seven KZ80 is the first purpose-built 80cc shifter engine specifically designed for Junior and Senior shifterkart racing. Motori Seven USA based in Indiana is the official distributor of the engine platform. Andy Seesemann at Full Throttle Karting brought a GFC SS31 TaG chassis with a KZ80 for test rides here at Sonoma. The engine platform is designed for karts without front brakes, and utilizes a paddle shifter rather than a bump shifter system found on shifterkart chassis.

Among those to take out the kart were Joey Hand, Kyle Wick, and Nathan Dupuis. Hand, a veteran of 80cc shifterkart, IMSA, and NASCAR competition, told EKN it is a great base platform engine wise, with a need for development to provide a little bit more torque out of the engine. The no front brakes and paddle shifter were a great focus. Speaking to Dupuis, he has experience driving and racing the new FZ85 package developed by Factory Karts. He told EKN the big difference was not being able to charge deep into the corner without the front brakes. The speed was very similar to what the FZ85 produces. Wick said the package is great to use for those not looking to upgrade to a full shifter package, including chassis. You can take a TaG kart and go shifterkart racing. The pace was similar to a KA100 Senior, with a little bit more speed.

Karters Racing on Big Track in Sonoma at Trans Am Racing Series

Multiple former karters racing at the Trans Am Racing Series this weekend in Sonoma (Photo: EKN)

One of the great added bonuses of coming to Sonoma Raceway for a karting event is seeing what’s racing down the hill on the iconic main track. This weekend, the Trans Am Racing Series is competing at Sonoma Raceway, running events for their National and West programs. Among the teams in the garage area is Nitro Motorsports, the parent company of Nitro Kart, owned by former SKUSA Pro Tour champion Nick Tucker. Included in his stable of Trans Am drivers are former karters Brent Crews, Thomas Annunziata, Gian Buffomante, Sam Corry, and Julian DaCosta, who have all made the transition from karts to cars. Nitro Motorsports also manages a Toyota GR Cup team that is running at Circuit of the Americas this weekend. In addition to their growing car racing program, exciting news emerged last week that Nitro Motorsports has added a new venture after acquiring the Venturini Motorsports ARCA Menards Series team, which is competing this weekend at Talladega Speedway. Speaking with Tucker, it’s been a wild decade, going from a kart driver to now a motorsports team owner. The logistics have been tough, but he’s been lucky to be able to hire the right people for the right positions to help things run smoothly for all programs. He’s excited about working with those coming from the karting ranks and continues to look at the driver development program of taking drivers from the Nitro Kart program into his car racing divisions.

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