eKartingNews.com is proud to present our Preview Series for the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 28. Leading up to the on-track action of the 2025 edition of the marquee SKUSA event, EKN will preview each of the nine categories that will compete on the temporary circuit located outside the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas from November 12-16.

Trackside coverage is set to begin on Tuesday, November 11 as the EKN crew sets up our SuperNationals 28 home, roaming the LVMS grounds with Paddock Insider and social media content. Coverage continues into Wednesday as karts hit the track for the first time. EKN Live begins on Thursday, November 13 as qualifying is conducted for both the morning classes and the afternoon divisions. Listen LIVE to the heat races throughout Friday, November 14 and into Situation Saturday, November 15, including the five Last Chance Qualifiers held on the day. That sets everything up for SuperSunday, with the main events for SuperNationals 28 audio streamed live on eKartingNews.com/live and eKartingNews.com/radio.

Complete coverage of the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 28 can be found at the EKN EVENT PAGE.

Pro Shifter

Daniel Vasile enters SuperNationals 28 as defending winner in Pro Shifter (Photo: CanadianKartingNews.com)

It’s the big one. The race everyone in the paddock will be watching from the stands and along the fences on SuperSunday. What began as the S1 division where Alex Barron, Darren Elliott, Memo Gidley, and Scott Speed claimed the first four victories morphed into the Super Pro division. By 2007, the class grabbed international attention with the victory by Italian Marco Ardigo, bringing new winners in Jonathan Thonon, Bas Lammers, Anthony Abbasse, and Paolo de Conto. A total of 10 different countries has been represented on the top step of the podium in the headline shifterkart division at the SKUSA SuperNationals over the past 27 editions.

The dramatic finish to SuperNationals 27 saw Romanian Daniel Vasile (Italkart Factory Racing) earn his first SuperNationals triumph, becoming the 19th different winner over the 27-year span. Vasile will make his third start at the SuperNationals next week, seeking to become the third driver to earn back-to-back victories in the category. Vasile was 11th in the FIA Karting World Championships this year.

Eight of the top-10 from last year’s event are returning, including a total of 45 filling up the 83-driver field that competed in SuperNationals 27. 2022 winner Pedro Hiltbrand (PSL / Birelart) was close to capturing his second victory at the SuperNationals. The 2016 FIA Karting World Champion in OK category has finished in the top-eight over the last three years, finishing sixth in this year’s FIA Karting KZ World Championships. German driver Emilien Denner was an amazing story last year, flying in late when a ride with Velocity Racing / Sodi Kart opened up. He drove his way to an impressive third place finish, a second podium finish in his third SuperNationals start. This year, he is part of the Goodwood Kartways / Formula K squad returning to the SuperNationals.

Senna Van Walstijn enters this year’s SuperNationals as World Champion (Photo: FIA Karting)

All eyes will be on reigning FIA Karting World Champion Senna Van Walstijn (Velocity / Sodi Kart). The top qualifier from a year ago, SuperSunday did not end as he hoped. The Dutch driver comes in with more attention, earning the world title in Italy this October, and will be making only his second start at the SuperNationals. The top finishing USA driver last year was AJ Myers (Magik Kart USA), coming from 20th on the grid to fifth. Since finishing fifth in 2014, Myers has recorded five additional podium finishes, however, never on the top spot. Three of the last four editions have seen Myers claim a podium result. Myers was the top finishing USA driver at the world championships, placing 19th after finishing second in the SKUSA Pro Tour standings. Italian Cristian Domenico Bertuca (PSL / Birelart) will be making his fifth start at the SuperNationals. After two years in single speed action, the 2022 FIA Karting KZ2 world champion looks to improve his career best sixth place result last year. Bertuca finished seventh at the World Championships this year.

SuperNationals 27 was a memorable one for Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts). The driver from USA claimed a record-setting fifth SuperNationals triumph, claiming his first in Master Shifter. Musgrave followed that up with seventh in Pro Shifter later in the day. This year, he comes in after claiming his first career SKUSA Pro Tour championship after 12 years of racing at the headline category. He is one of five racing both divisions as he seeks a sixth and possible seventh victory at the SuperNationals. Australian Sam Dicker rounds out the top-10 from last year as he recorded his best career finish in three starts. He will be moving over to the Italkart Factory Racing operation after racing with Kart Republic a year ago.

SKUSA Pro Tour champion Billy Musgrave looks to add to his five SuperNationals wins (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

There are a total of six world champions in the field, from either shifterkart or single-speed divisions. Along with Hiltbrand, Bertuca, and Van Walstijn, in the field is also Matheus Morgatto, Viktor Gustafsson and Giuseppe Palomba. Morgatto made news in October when he announced his departure from PSL / Birelart, moving over to Velocity / Sodi Kart. The 2022 FIA Karting OK World Champion was the 2024 SKUSA Pro Tour champion and drove his way from ninth and attempted a move for the lead late in the race, making contact with Markus Kajak to end both their races. Gustafsson (Kart CRG USA) claimed his world title in 2022 and finished 13 in his first SuperNationals start last year. The Swedish driver finished second in this year’s world championship. 2024 world title winner Giuseppe Palomba was scheduled to compete at the SuperNationals last year with Velocity / Sodi Kart; however, travel issues kept the Italian from arriving in Las Vegas. Now after suffering a disappointing DNF defending his world championship, the now Maranello driver will make his SuperNationals debut.

The top 11 drivers from the SKUSA Pro Tour championship standings help to make this one of the deepest fields in SuperNationals history. Canadian Josh Conquer (Maranello USA) will carry the #3 plate after finishing third in SKUSA’s national series. The SpringNationals winner is making his first SuperNationals start since 2023, where he finished 29th. Former SKUSA Pro Tour champion Kyle Wick (GFC Karting) remains the #4 plate. Wick has a career-best finish of fifth at the SuperNationals in 2018. Kiwi driver Jay Urwin (PSL / Birelart) was laps away from claiming his first SKUSA Pro Tour championships, only to end on the sideline and fall to sixth in the standings. He has three starts at the SuperNationals with a best finish of 10th in 2023.

Gavin Bayliff is one of two SKUSA Pro Tour winners in the field (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Gavin Bayliff (TKG Birelart USA) is two of the three SKUSA Pro Tour winners at the SuperNationals. The #7 plate and winner at the WinterNationals finished 26th a year ago in his second start. French driver Corentin Rousseau (Catalyst / Italkart) was laps away from the victory at the SpringNationals. The #8 SKUSA plate will make a second start at the SuperNationals after placing 21st a year ago. Charlie Stines (Factory Fury / GP Kart) was among the most improved drivers of 2025, earning the top qualifier spot at the WinterNationals and finishing ninth in the SKUSA Pro Tour standings. Stines will be making his third SuperNationals start. Jacob Gulick (GFC Karting) is coming off a victory at the ROK Vegas event, setting the #10 plate up for a run to improve on his 23rd place finish at the SuperNationals a year ago.

French driver Adrien Renaudin (Velocity / Sodi Kart) finished 11th in the SKUSA Pro Tour with a best finish of fourth at the SpringNationals. Renaudin spent the season in the USA, but also finished 12th at the world championships.

FIA Karting European KZ champion Matteo Spirgel helps to make this year’s field among the deepest in SuperNationals history (Photo: FIA Karting)

Of the international drivers, ones to watch include the remaining members of the Goodwood Kartways / Formula K squad – David Trefilov and Markus Kajak. Trefilov will be making a fourth straight start at the SuperNationals with a best finish of seventh in 2022. Estonian driver Markus Kajak was laps away from victory one year ago at SuperNationals 27. Kajak returns for redemption with a different team, coming off a podium result at the WSK Final Cup event in Italy. FIA Karting European Champion Matteo Spirgel (Velocity / Sodi Kart) is set to make his SuperNationals debut. The French driver won the KZ2 Euro title in 2024 and followed that with P1 in the KZ Euro championship. Spirgel finished 10th at this year’s World Championships. Add in Elie Golstein (TB Kart) from Belgium who has raced in both Pro Shifter and Pro X30 at the SuperNationals.

Among the multiple rookies in the field are multi-time Team USA driver Gage Korn (Maranello USA), double SKUSA Pro Tour Junior champion Diego Ardiles (PSL / Birelart), Truly Adams (Factory Karts), Canadian Lucas Deslongchamps (PSL / Birelart), and Mexico driver Ivanna Richards (HRI / Birelart).

SuperNats Stats

3 – Former winners in the field

5 – Drivers running both Pro Shifter and Master Shifter

6 – Former world champions in the field (Shifter and Single Speed)

15 – Different countries represented in the field

38 – Drivers returning from last year

45 – Drivers from outside the USA

Provisional Entry List – Pro Shifter

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