The Cup Karts North America Grand Nationals 9 is set for this weekend at the New Castle Motorsports Park. The New Castle, Indiana facility is set to welcome over 530 entries over September 25-28 in what will be the largest karting event in North America and around the world. Nine Briggs & Stratton 206 categories will take on the near 1-mile circuit with roughly 500 drivers seeking to etch their names in history with a victory at the CKNA Grand Nationals 9.

The event begins on Thursday, September 25 with practice all day, providing four sessions for each category. The larger divisions – Senior Medium, Senior Light, and Junior – are broken up into two groups each all weekend long. Friday, September 26 begins with a warm up and ‘Happy Hour’ session before qualifying. The opening round of heat races will complete Friday action. Saturday hosts a full slate of racing with Heat 2 and Heat 3 contested. All races are set for eight laps each, and each heat is progressive, meaning drivers will start the next round where they finished in the previous session. When all three heat races are completed, points will be tabulated with the highest point total earning the main event pole position. The top-56 in Senior Light, Senior Medium and Junior transfer automatically. The top four from the LCQ races run on Sunday morning move on to the Finals Sunday afternoon – making those fields for the main events at 60 drivers taking the green flag.

For a second straight year, the CKNA Grand Nationals will welcome night racing. Friday and Saturday will split up the categories into groups. – Cadet, Senior Medium, Kid Kart Masters and Sportsman will run in the morning sessions on Friday before moving to the afternoon period on Saturday. Junior, Senior Heavy, Legends, and Senior Light will compete Friday afternoon and return Saturday morning.

Howden returns for CKNA GN9 with Precision Performance Karting on the Coyote Zenith chassis (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

The Briggs & Stratton ‘Outta the Box’ Challenge returns for Cup Karts North America Grand Nationals 9. During the Saturday evening BBQ, teams will first be timed in the 20-minute ‘Buildoff’ of mounting a new engine to a kart out of the box. The teams will then go through scrutineering before hitting the track for a 10-minute session. Following a 10-minute pit session, the main event will be run at 8pm.

The track layout for the CKNA Grand Nationals 9 returns back to the same track run in four previous editions – the ‘National’ track with the Monza corner included – Track 43. Several prizes will be handed out to competitors throughout the weekend. Over $25,000 in prizes will be raffled off during the event, with Thursday hosting the CKNA Divisional Awards handed out. CKNA will once again be providing live coverage of the GN9, working with Kart Chaser.

eKartingNews.com will be trackside throughout the event with Managing Editor David Cole providing full trackside coverage. Cole will oversee the social media, daily reports and top-10 updates during the event, along with streaming the live audio on the EKN Live page (www.ekartingnews.com/live) and on the EKN Radio Network (www.ekartingnews.com/radio) EKN Publisher Rob Howden returns back behind the wheel to compete once again. Howden joins Precision Performance Karting / Brandon Jarsocrak Racing / Coyote to compete in Legends category.

Colin Warren (l) comes in as a three-time CKNA Grand Nationals winner in Senior Medium (Photo: Cody Schindel – CKN)

The headline division of Senior Medium is sporting a record setting 105 entries heading into the weekend. Defending three-time winner Colin Warren (TS Racing / VLR) comes in with eight total wins over the eight editions of the CKNA Grand Nationals. He and 2023 winner Christopher McKeithan (PPK / Coyote) are the only former class winners in the field. All four divisional champions – Owen Lloyd (SGK / MGM) from the South, Brady Eickhoff (Coyote) from the East, Nick Ksobiech (TS Racing / VLR) in the North and Jason Rothman (K&P / Awesome Kart) from Canada. Of the top 10 finishers from last year, seven drivers are returning including Warren, Henry Wheeler (Stehle Motorsports / Birelart), Lloyd, Ian Quinn (Stehle Motorsports / Birelart), Will Loller (PPK / Coyote), Jerry Fandrey (FDR / TB Kart) and Adam Maxwell (A-Maxx / Coyote). Among the big names from 2-cycle racing in the field includes former SKUSA Pro Tour champion Kyle Wick (Wicked Racing / GFC).

The Senior Light category has dipped in entries, still sporting an amazing 86 drivers to battle with only the top 60 going to the main event. Two-time defending champion James Overbeck is moving from the Light class to Heavy, thus opening the door for another to join Colin Warren (TS Racing / VLR) as a class winner. The Florida driver won in 2020 and is the only other former winner in the field. Wheeler (Stehle Motorsports / Birelart) and Lloyd (SGK / MGM) are divisional winners in this class as well from the East and the South. North champion Cale Zimmermann (TS Racing / VLR) is also in the field with Canadian champion Brandon Stephens not entered. A notable entry includes Brazilian driver Diego Ramos (PSL / Birelart) – who is the 2025 SKUSA Pro Tour KA100 Senior champion and sits third in the EKN TaG Driver Rankings presented by Stilo USA.

2024 CKNA Grand Nationals Senior Heavy winner Owen Lloyd won all three divisional championships in the South (Photo: Rocket Gear Media)

The Senior Heavy category features 59 drivers entered, featuring the past three winners. Last year’s winner Owen Lloyd (SGK / MGM) comes in having won all three Senior class championships at the CKNA South program, earning his first CKNA Grand Nationals win in 2024. Chris Carroll (Coyote Motorsports) and Eric Fagan (BBR / Tony Kart) are in the field, winning in 2023 and 2022. The other three divisional champions are in the field, including Brady Atwood (MGM) from the East, Matt Lyda (S&W / MGM) from the North and Canada champion Jason Rothman (K&P / Coyote). Former two-time Light champion James Overbeck (PPK / Coyote) is moving to the Heavy category with GN8 Masters winner Marc Stehle also in the field. Eight of the top 10 from last year are in the field, including Lloyd, Sean Meier (Coyote Motorsports), Fagan, Logan Stephens (Stephens Motorsports / Comet Eagle), Randall Potter (RRD / Coyote), Eli Fox (BA Racing / MGM), Nick Ksobiech (TS Racing / VLR), and Bryce Frank (ARRA / MGM).

The Junior category has seen nine different drivers over the eight editions of the CKNA Grand Nationals (two Finals in 2017). GN9 will welcome a 10th different winner with last year’s winner Cade Jaeger moving up to the Senior ranks. All four divisional champions are in the field of 87 drivers – including Carter Barkis (CompKart) in the South, Nathan Dupuis (NDM / Sodi Kart) from the East, Sam Tutwiler (Stehle Motorsports / Birelart) in the North and Canada champion Hudson Jack Urlin (Stehle Motorsports / Kubica). Urlin has the best finish of the four drivers from last year placing 11th. Holden Harder (Stehle Motorsports / Birelart) is the top returning driver, placing sixth. Anthony Louis (LowKey Racing / Sodi Kart), Christopher Youtsey (Stehle Motorsports / Birelart), and Jacob Schaible (PPK / Coyote) are top 10 finishers returning.

Marc Stehle seeks a third straight in Masters (Photo: Nate Dean – EKN)

Another stacked field will contest the Masters class, featuring 43 drivers. The last three winners are returning, including two-time defending winner Marc Stehle (Stehle Motorsports / Birelart). 2022 winner Eric Fagan (BBR / Tony Kart) and 2021 victor Michael Dittmer will both look to add their second CKNA Grand Nationals win. Seven of the top 10 drivers from last year are returning including Jamie Bradford (BA Racing / MGM), Sean Meier (Coyote Motorsports), David Galownia (Stehle Motorsports / Birelart), Chris Carroll (Coyote Motorsports), East champion John Price and Ronald Swift. The three other divisional champions are in the field, including JD Gunn (LSR Motorsports / CRG) from the North, Canada champion Eric Lessard (RLR / Intrepid) and Ryan Spierowski (Happy Kart Racing).

A total of 45 drivers will compete in the Legends class, reserved for 50 and older pilots. Ryan Cassity (Coyote Motorsports) and Todd Baron (Gold Kart) are the only two winners since the class was introduced in 2021. Baron took the inaugural victory before Cassity has ripped off three straight at the Grand Nationals. Both are in the field with Cassity as the North divisional champion. South champ Ron Klys (KBR / Coyote), East title winner Jeff Chalmers (MGM) and Canada champion Eli Yanko (YPM / YPM Rocket) are also in the field. The top nine finishers from last year are returning, including Todd Bolton (Coyote Motorsports), Tim Shutt (Timmy Tech / CompKart), Corey Flint (MGM), Jeff Scott (Birelart), Baron, JD Gunn (LSR Motorsports / CRG), Rod Clinard (GRC / CRG), and Yanko. EKN’s own Rob Howden (PPK / Coyote) is set to make his fifth start at the Grand Nationals, fourth straight in the Legends class having landed on the podium in 2022.

Ryan Cassity is going for fourth straight in Legends (Photo: Nate Dean – EKN)

Daniel Draganov (Nitro Kart) has the opportunity to join Ayrton Grim as a two-time winner in the Sportsman category. The 2024 winner returns to defend his crown, coming in as the North division champion. East champion Kegan Irwin (KartEparts / Birelart) and Ryder Thompson (KBR / Nitro Kart) from the South are the other two divisional champions in the field. Five of the top 10 are returning including Draganov, Tanner Barsch (MSL Racing / CRG), Lanie Thigpen (CompKart), Irwin, and Aston Wyatt (Nitro Kart). Former Cadet champion Conner Lypka (Timmy Tech / CompKart) and 2021 Kid Kart winner Camdon Clay (Nitro Kart) are also in the field.

The 49 drivers in the Cadet division are seeking to become the third different winner over the first three years of the category, which was introduced in 2023. Hudson Howard (JHDD / Kart Republic) is the top returning driver, finishing third last year. Austin Taylor (MPG / Kart Republic) and Slate Harrell (Nitro Kart) also finished on the podium last year, making up the three drivers from the top 10 returning. Grant Heckman (HBR / VLR), Anderson Hemphill, and Brent Mendoza (Birelart) are the three divisional champions in the field coming from the North, South and East programs. The 2024 Kid Kart winner Spencer Hite (Nitro Kart) is making his Cadet debut at the Grand Nationals.

Another field over 20 drivers is set to battle in the Kid Kart division. All four divisional champions are in the field, including Kyrie Dozet (K3 / Tony Kart) – Canada, William Heckman (HBR / VLR) – North, Sophia Mendoza (Ricciardo Kart) – East, and Maddox Nieves (KBR / Tony Kart) – South. Dozet is the top returning driver finishing sixth last year.

Be sure to follow all the EKN Social Media outlets for updates, photos, videos and more from the Cup Karts North America Grand Nationals 9.

Fun Stats by Race Select

• Record-Breaking Sales: Fastest-selling event in RaceSelect history—at one stretch we were getting more than 1 entry per second.
• Massive Interest Surge: Over 10,000 visitors hit the entry list page in the first few days, more than ever before.
• Team Diversity: 120 unique teams competing.
• Average Team Size: 3.5 drivers per team overall.
• Adjusted Team Average: Drops to 2.4 drivers per team when excluding big players like Precision Performance Karting and Stehle Motorsports.
• Solo Racers Rule: Privateers make up over 25% of the field—dwarfing other teams as lone wolves.
• Dominant Duos: Stehle Motorsports and Precision Performance Karting combined represent nearly 20% of all entries.
• Age Span Extreme: Oldest driver born in 1952 (age ~73).
• Youth Injection: Youngest driver born in 2020 (age ~5).
• Overall Age Average: Drivers average 22 years old this year.
• Season-Wide Participation: Over 1,000 unique drivers raced in CKNA events
• throughout the year.
• Rookie Wave: 25% of the field are first-timers at a CKNA race.
• Epic Road Trip Champs: The GFC boys from Selah, Washington, have the longest drive to the event.
• Total Travel Miles: All racers combined would log 353,000 miles for round trips if they drive—that’s like circling Earth 14 times!
• Insane Drive Time: Equivalent to over 6,000 hours straight in a 206 kart.
• Road Trip: 6000 hours? If you started driving at Winter Nationals, you’d just barely arrive in time for Grands!

Provisional Senior Medium Entry List

Provisional Senior Light Entry List

Provisional Senior Heavy Entry List

Provisional Junior Entry List

Provisional Masters Entry List

Provisional Legends Entry List

Provisional Sportsman Entry List

Provisional Cadet Entry List

Provisional Kid Kart Entry List

Share on Facebook

Tweet