Pauly Massimino secured his first win in X30 Pro in one of the best races of the season (Photo: EKN)

The United States Pro Kart Series – the official IAME Series USA East – presented by MG Tires closed out the 2025 Wisconsin Grand Prix on Sunday. The main events were held on the day around the Briggs & Stratton Motorplex at Road America as the heat increased around Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Following warm-up, the seven main events were contested and completed by 1pm with the podium ceremonies celebrating the seven first time winners on the season, including an epic battle in X30 Pro with Brandon Jarsocrak Racing driver Pauly Massimino taking top honors.

The action began early in the Rolison Performance Group X30 Pro main event of 22 laps. Top qualifier and three-time heat race winner Ryan Norberg (RPG / Kosmic) led the field to the green flag but Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Racing Kart) attacked early, taking the lead on lap two. This triggered more movement as eventually Zachary Claman DeMelo (Velocity / Sodi Kart) was up from eighth to the lead after lots of shuffling. As he moved to the lead, Joe Turney (JHDD / Alonso Kart) went to second. Two laps later it was Turney at the point and defending champion Austin Garrison (SCR / CS55) into second. When ZCD went to the lead, Massimino was dropped back to the sixth spot. With fast laps of the race, Massimino knifed his way back up into second by the halfway point and set his sights on Turney. He inched closer with each lap, making his move on lap 19. From there, Massimino held off the advances of the former two-time USPKS winner. At the line, Massimino celebrated his first USPKS X30 Pro victory by over three tenths ahead of Turney. The final few laps were wild behind him as Alan Isambard (RRC / LN Racing Kart) held the spot at the white flag but was shuffled back early on in the final lap. Eventually he and Garrison made contact, ending both their drives for the podium. DeMelo crossed the line in the third spot, but was penalized three positions for contact. This promoted championship leader Norberg to third, Senior rookie Davin Roberts (RPM / Tony Kart) to fourth and Hayden Jones (RPG / Kosmic) to fifth.

Jake Drew came away with his first career win in KA100 Senior (Photo: EKN)

A handful of veterans and top drivers in the country battled in the 22-lap Brandon Jarsocrak Racing KA100 Senior main event. British driver Joe Turney (JHDD / Alonso Kart) led field to the green flag but it was Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Racing Kart) and Caden McQueen (Velocity / Sodi Kart) who led early. Lap four, Jake Drew (FW / GFC) and Keagan Kaminski (FW / GFC) went to the front of the field. Drew led for four laps before Kaminski took over. Contact between Drew and Brandon Lemke (SCR / CS55) allowed for Kaminski to pull out to an advantage over the group fight for second. Eventually Drew led that group back up to Kaminski, taking over the lead on lap 16. Kaminski would get shuffled back with Lemke up to second and eventually into the top spot with two laps remaining. Coming to the white flag, Drew was able to work past for the lead and they battle behind him for second. This allowed Drew to run away to the checkered flag to claim his first career win in USPKS competition. Kaminski was able to return back into the second spot on the final lap, for a Formula Works / GFC 1-2. Lemke settled for third with Massimino fourth and top qualifier Eli Warren (HDD / Redspeed) in fifth. Turney was promoted to sixth after penalties while McQueen ended up classified in seventh, recording fast lap of the race.

Travis Pettit won at the line to claim his first victory in KA100 Junior (Photo: EKN)

The BBS Race Engines KA100 Junior category welcomed its third different winner of the season. The front pack was made up of four early and grew to six drivers, all led by Max Weiland (Magik Kart USA). Travis Pettit (SCR / CS55) led the first lap after starting third and fell back to fourth at one time. Pettit eventually worked back up into the second spot and took back the lead on lap 16. Weiland slipped down the order as the group worked around him after he lost the lead. This put Nathan Dupuis (Nash / EOS) into the second spot. Schad was in the third spot until lap 20 when he and Acen Dramaliev (Tecno Kart USA) made contact in the esses. This allowed Pettit and Dupuis to get away in the final two laps. On the last lap, Dupuis was able to slip by through the double left at the bottom of the hill. As they came through the final corner, Pettit was able to pull off the over / under move, reaching the checkered flag first by 45 thousandths. The victory is the first career for Pettit in the KA100 Junior category. Dupuis however was removed from the results, not passing post-race tech inspection. This promoted Benym Abernathy (HDD / Tony Kart) up to the runner-up spot for his best series finish. Weiland ended up third with John Antonino (MPG / Kart Republic) advancing from 16th to fourth, while Daytona winner Theo Salomao (Orsolon / Tony Kart) following through from 17th to finish fifth.

Hometown hero Brady Schad scored the win in X30 Junior (Photo: EKN)

The 22-driver pack was close early on in the Speed Concepts Racing X30 Junior main event. Polesitter Brady Schad (RPG / Kosmic) led the opening lap before Lucas Palacio (JHDD / Kart Republic) took over after starting third. Schad returned back to the lead on lap five and eventually led a three-driver lead pack including Palacio and top qualifier Sarah Bradley (SCR / Sodi Kart). Bradley took over second on lap 13 and slipped into the lead on lap 19. Schad fought back the following circuit, bringing Palacio with him. This allowed Schad enough of a gap over the last two laps, securing his first USPKS victory by 1.4 seconds. Palacio settled for second with Bradley in third. Nathan Golseth (RPM / Tony Kart) advanced from 13th up to fourth with fast laps of the race while Max Weiland (Magik Kart USA) added another top-five finish on the weekend.

Carlos Calderon makes it three different winners on the year in KA100 Masters (Photo: EKN)

The Nash Motorsportz KA100 Masters class welcomed a third different winner on the season as well. 2024 winner Adam Crepin (Franklin / Gillard) led the field to the green flag after his two heat race wins on Saturday with Carlos Calderon (SCR / CS55) moving up to second early. Calderon took over the lead on lap three while Crepin fell back to third a few laps later with Stone moving up to second. Lap nine, Stone put himself into the lead for the first time but only showed the pace for three laps before Calderon got a run on him to retake the top spot. The three ran nose to tail until Crepin jumped into the second spot on lap 19. This gave Calderon a good advantage to hold over the final three laps. Crepin closed some, but not enough to make a move as Calderon secured his first series victory. Stone settled for third with Eric Schumacher (Franklin / Exprit) in fourth and Scott Falcone (Orsolon / Pantano) in fifth.

Santiago Orioli was the comeback kid in Mini Swift, claiming his first win of the season (Photo: EKN)

The race for the win in the Sodi Kart USA Mini Swift division came down to just three drivers. Polesitter Maxwell Macha (Parolin Motorsport USA) battled with front row starter Cameron Johnson (Franklin / Merlin) early on, including Daytona winner Jayden Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart). At the start, P3 starter Santiago Orioli (MPG / Kart Republic) was off the track in the opening corners, dropping down to 13th at the end of the first lap. By lap eight, Orioli was up 10 spots to third, joining Francisco and Jake Manalio (RPM / Nitro Kart) at the front. The three were able to get away from the rest of the field by the halfway point. Orioli continued moving forward, taking over second lap 14 after setting fast lap of the race and then into the lead on lap 18. From there, Orioli was able to fend off a late charge by Francisco, including a drag race to the checkered flag. At the line, it was Orioli by 96 thousandths of a second for his first win of the season. Manalio was a close third, earning his best finish of the season. Macha won the battle for fourth over Johnson.

A late charge by Lenox Lockhart put him at the top of the podium in Micro Swift (Photo: EKN)

Starting the main event off on the day was the Team Ferris Racing Micro Swift. It was a great 20-lap battle that at one time featured a lead pack of six drivers. Lenox Lockhart (Velocity / Sodi Kart) was able to jump into the lead on the opening circuit after starting third. By lap four, Canadian Leo Simone (JHDD / Kart Republic) and Hudson Howard (JHDD / Kart Republic) took over the top two spots. Howard had his turn at the point on lap nine and stayed there until Simone retook the position with three laps to go. As that happened, Lockhart – who was back in sixth at the halfway point – moved up into the second spot behind Simone. Lap 18, Lockhart quickly made his move for the lead. That would be the winning move as Lockhart went unchallenged for his first USPKS victory. Simone came across the line in second with Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) improving from seventh on the grid to third. Mason Brody (Nash / Energy) gained five spots, up to fourth from ninth while polesitter Slate Harrell (RPM / Nitro Kart) completed the top-five.

The fourth and final event of the 2025 United States Pro Kart Series will take the program to the New Castle Motorsports Park hosting the Indiana Grand Prix on August 15-17.

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