(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 2026 Superkarts! USA Pro Tour WinterNationals at the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona.

SKUSA Returns to Tucson

The 10th edition of the SKUSA Pro Tour WinterNationals marks the event’s first visit to the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona. This is, however, the organization’s third trip to the venue as it previously hosted the 2011 and 2013 SKUSA Pro Tour SpringNationals in those years to kick off the championship program. The track itself has not changed since that time, with the newly-paved paddock the only real difference for the facility. A secondary paddock has been set up along the long back straight to help make room for the over 250 entries at the event. The totals at the last two times the SpringNationals were held here were 164 and 226, respectively. Certainly, tent space requirements were much more smaller than what the teams utilize here today, with plenty of room in certain areas of the paddock to fit in some of the smaller tents that are in the secondary paddock this year.

Looking back at the 2013 SKUSA Pro Tour SpringNationals here in Tucson, 12 drivers from that weekend are here this year either racing or in a different role as part of the 2026 SKUSA Pro Tour WinterNationals. Below is a list of those racers and the class they competed in back in 2013:

Scott Falcone leading the TaG Master field in 2013 (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Jake Craig (TaG Senior)
Matt Johnson (TaG Senior)
Bailey Murphy (TaG Senior)
Phil DeLaO (TaG Senior)
Billy Musgrave (S1)
Micah Hendricks (S2)
Dalton Egger (S2)
Trevor McAlister (S4)
Scott Falcone (TaG Master)
Steve Wiener (TaG Master)
Sonny Cervelli (TaG Junior)
Oliver Calvo (TaG Cadet)

Craig is back to competing in karts after stepping away in 2021. He made his return at Challenge of the Americas and was signed on by Axis Kartsport for this weekend. Axis is owned by then racer Matt Johnson as they now go from rivals to partners 13 years later. Johnson had the better results then, placing third and fourth.

Murphy remembers more the 2011 weekend as he finished on the podium in TaG Junior. The pace was not there in 2013 for TaG Senior, as the Arizona driver is making his KA100 Master class debut this weekend. DeLaO is also making his KA100 Master debut here this weekend after racing a couple years in the elder statesman category at other events. The Arizona racer was a runner-up in 2013, coming in as the 2012 SKUSA Pro Tour champion. He remembers the engine controversy that saw the Rotax with a quicker pace than all the other engines. It was his last full year racing in karting before returning a decade later.

Musgrave was racing for the first time in the S1 category, or the ‘Pro’ division for the Stock Moto package in 2013. He remembers racing Fritz Leesmann, Sabre Cook, Joey Wimsett and others for the first time. Billy finished fourth and seventh that weekend. For Falcone, he remains in the same Master class after 13 years. He won the Saturday main event and that helped him to go on to win his only SKUSA Pro Tour championship of his career.

Now IndyCar driver Patricio O’Ward was racing S5 here 13 years ago (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Dalton Egger is on the other side of the fence as a SKUSA official in the video marshalling room. Dalton told EKN that he doesn’t remember much from that weekend or that year after suffering a concussion at the SuperNationals that November. Egger was racing under the VemmeKart banner. Another one to be on the other side of the fence is Sonny Cervelli – now the team manager at GFC Karting. The 2011 event was more memorable for him as it was his first SKUSA Pro Tour event and one of his only podium finishes of his career racing with the Kartel Motorsports – which was co-owned by Joey Hand. Joey’s son Chase is racing under GFC this weekend.

Oliver Calvo was the lone TaG Cadet driver that year who is racing here in 2026. It was his first SKUSA Pro Tour weekend and his first time flipping. He managed a seventh on Sunday despite the flip on Saturday with his new helmet. Fast forward 13 years and he’s debuting his new Calvo Driver Development program. Calvo is racing in Pro X30 along with two other drivers under the tent.

Among those in the 2013 event were two future IndyCar drivers. Patricio O’Ward was racing in the S5 Junior Stock Moto category with the now McLaren driver finishing a best third on Sunday, carrying the SKUSA #2 plate from 2012. Juncos Hollinger Racing driver Sting Ray Robb was in the TaG Cadet division and had one podium finish of third. Robb would go up the karting and motorsports ladder to now be racing in IndyCar.

On Track Promotions – Friday Pictures
On Track Promotions – Saturday Pictures
On Track Promotions – Sunday Pictures

Kremers to Maranello

Marijn Kremers making his debut on the Maranello with Carblos Racing Engines squad (Photo: EKN)

One of the big news items under the ‘Silly Season’ category is two-time SKUSA Pro Tour champion Marijn Kremers moving to the Maranello USA / Carblos Racing Engines program. The 2019 FIA Karting KZ World Champion was with Birelart and has spent the last two seasons with Tony Kart factory team. Now for 2026, the Dutch driver has signed on for the SKUSA Pro Tour and SKUSA SuperNationals. Outside of those events, there may be other races with the team here in the US. Kremers will continue to coach drivers here, and across the globe, and still in good relationship with Rolison Performance Group should they need a coach. He has been in a kart already in 2026, racing in Asia and Costa Rica, but this is his first time in a KZ machine this season. Kremers’ told EKN that the Maranello chassis suits his driving style and he’s enjoying the Carblos power under him now. Hopes are high for the new partnership.

No Pushback Bumper Returns to SKUSA

The PKT Pushback Bumper Stop Blocks on the OTK chassis under Brandon Jarsocrak Racing (Photo: EKN)

The 2026 WinterNationals marks the first time since 2017 that pushback bumpers will not be required in the Pro X30, X30 Junior and KA100 Master divisions. Pro Shifter already had the system removed from its class structure years ago, however theses are the first three single speed classes to move in that direction. Roaming the grid and paddock, it is a mix of three options. Drivers are keeping the pushback bumper system on while others are adding a block, one option the Precision Karting Technologies Pushback Bumper Stop Blocks. The third option is the removal of the PBB system and going straight up to the nose on the nerf bumper bars. Speaking with some of the teams on the OTK, removing the PBB mount brings the nose closer to the front tires. Leaving it alone with the PBB, still provides an opportunity for the system to engauge, and cause damage under the nose for dragging. Looking at other chassis bodywork, there is plenty of space to remove the PBB system and still have room for the front tires. The true test for all of this is when the karts hit the track for racing action on Saturday and Sunday to dictate the aggressiveness of the drivers at the starts and throughout the laps, and of course which system racers prefer.

Share on Facebook

Tweet