The fifth year of the Rotax RMC Winter Trophy is set to begin with the opening two rounds of the championship program at the Speedsportz Racing Park. The New Caney, Texas facility will host the program for the first time after the first four editions held at the Orlando Kart Center. 2026 also marks the first year for Race Rotax to be the event organizer after its parent company Karting Solutions Group took over  Rotax operations in the United States beginning in December 2025.

Speedsportz Racing Park

The Speedsportz Racing Park will be the site for all four rounds of the Rotax RMC Winter Trophy in back-to-back weekends in the Lone Star State. The opening weekend will consist of six unofficial practice sessions contested on Thursday before four rounds of official practice Friday. That afternoon, the qualifying sessions for Saturday and Sunday action will be contested to close out Friday. Saturday and Sunday – Round One and Round Two – will host a warm-up, Prefinal and Final sessions to complete the opening weekend of the Rotax RMC Winter Trophy.

The two weekends and four rounds of racing set the stage for a ‘best three of four’ championship format, with the driver able to drop the worst round of the four rounds contested at Speedsportz. On the line for the champions in the six categories is a ticket to the 2026 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, scheduled for November 21-28 at the Kartodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, Portugal.

Of the 116 pre-entries, the largest category is Senior MAX at 28 drivers. Among the favorites is four-time RMC Trophy Final winner Oliver Hodgson (Factory Karts). The 2013 Rotax Grand Finals winner is coming off victory in his Factory Karts debut at Speedsportz for the opening round of the SKUSA Winter Series. 2024 RMC Winter Trophy champion Diego Ramos (PSL / Birelart) is back for a chance at battling for the Rotax Grand Finals ticket. Half the entries are from Canada, including Ayden Ingratta (REM / Kosmic), Timothy Pernod (PSL / Birelart), William Gouthillier (REM / Kosmic) and Arnaud Sabourin (Prime / Tony Kart). The field is filled with Senior rookies, including 2025 RMC Trophy Final winner Isaac Malcuit (MDR / LN Kart), Alexis Baillargeon (Platto / CS55), Rayan Ghandour (REM / Kosmic), Jeremy St-cyr (PSL / Birelart) and Derek Wargo (McCrone / CompKart).

Oliver Hodgson will make his Rotax debut aboard the Factory Karts chassis (Photo: EKN)

The DD2 category is the quickest division in Rotax Max Challenge competition. A total of 12 drivers will battle in the two-speed machines around the Speedsportz circuit. Defending RMC Winter Trophy champion Matthew Taskinen (Kart CRG USA) is back to defend his title and return to the Rotax Grand Finals as part of Team Canada. The majority of the field is from Canada with nine drivers from north of the border, including RMC USA West winner Gianluca Savaglio (REM / Kosmic) and Lucas Pernod (PSL / Birelart). Alexis Baillargeon (Platto / CS55) and Arnaud Sabourin (Prime / Tony Kart) are racing both DD2 and Senior MAX on the weekend. Leading the USA contingent is SKUSA Pro Tour champion and six-time SKUSA SuperNationals winner Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts), making his DD2 debut. Joining him at Factory Karts is Theo Kekati, now a USA resident from the UAE.

A total of 26 drivers will battle in the Junior MAX division, with seven different nations represented. Leading the USA contingent is RMC Winter Trophy Mini Max champion from 2025 Enzo DiGennaro (Premier / Parolin). Canada has the most drivers at 11 in the Junior MAX field. Nicholas Lorusso (Premier / OTK) was part of Team Canada last year in the Mini MAX category, making his Junior debut at Speedsportz.

It is an international field for the 13 drivers in Masters MAX. Five are from the USA, led by veteran karter Billy Musgrave (REM / OTK) – a former member of Team USA and 2025 Team USA member Christopher Mann (REM / OTK). 2025 Team Canada member Noel Dowler (RPM / Redspeed) is among the five Canadians in the field, including Rotax veterans Michel Legrand (PSL / Birelart) and Dominic Legrand (PSL / Birelart). Henry Taleb (HRT / Tony Kart) from Ecuador is a former Rotax Grand Finals competitor seeking the DD2 Masters ticket for the RMC Winter Trophy championship.

Enzo DiGennaro is making the jump from Mini MAX to Junior MAX in 2026

A solid group of talent is competing in the Mini MAX division at 16 drivers representing three countries – USA, Canada and Great Britian. The USA contingent features Hudson Howard (JHDD / Kart Republic) and Mason Brody (RPM / Nitro Kart) who showed well at the SKUSA Winter Series event at Speedsportz along with Texas driver Kimo Ahmad (IRM / Benik). 2025 Team Canada member and RMC USA West race winner Matteo Pai (Prime / Birelart) along with Yousef Adi (JHDD / Kart Republic) and Joshua Wheeler (RPM / Nitro Kart) represent Canada contingent. James Roots (Prime Powersports) is the lone driver from outside North America in the field.

The third largest field of the event is the Micro MAX division at 21 drivers representing four different countries. 2025 RMC Trophy Final winner Jack Kotowski (TKG / Birelart) is coming in with a three race win streak to start off 2026 with Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) and Tre Sanders (Nash / Energy) are among the top drivers representing USA. Tristan Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) is among the four drivers from Canada. Arthur Rhodes (RCE) and Freddie Baker (RCE) are from Great Britain with three drivers from Mexico, including Max Santana (Team Benik).

Be sure to follow Race Rotax on social media for updates throughout the weekend, along with a post-race report on EKN on Monday. EKN will be trackside for the final weekend, January 30-February 1, at Speedsportz for Round Three and Round Four when the champions in the six categories will be crown.

Provisional Senior MAX Entry List

Provisional DD2 Entry List

Provisional Masters MAX Entry List

Provisional Junior MAX Entry List

Provisional Mini MAX Entry List

Provisional Micro MAX Entry List

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