Two heat race wins puts Senior rookie John Antonino on the pole position for X30 Pro (Photo: EKN)

The 2026 United States Pro Kart Series Indiana Grand Prix completed the first day of racing action at the New Castle Motorsports Park. The weather forecast for the New Castle, Indiana circuit was overcast morning with a chance of rain heading into the evening hours. The sun shined through the clouds throughout the day with the rain finally coming as the Super Heat races were completing. All eight race groups completed two rounds of heat races and the Super Heat to set the grids for the main events on Sunday.

Senior rookie John Antonino (MPG / Kart Republic), making his X30 Pro presented by Rolison Performance Group debut this weekend made a statement over the opening day. Antonino second in the wet on Friday and went on to win the two heat races. The first contact between top qualifier Jake Drew (RPG / Kosmic), Davin Roberts (RPM / Tony Kart) and Blake Nash (Nash / EOS). Antonino went on to win the second heat races over Drew and Round One winner Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Kart). The Super Heat saw Senior rookie Max Weiland (MPG / Kart Republic) work with Antonino to push away from the rest of the field until the rain came and ended the race just after the halfway point. Weiland and Antonino were 1-2 with Drew in third. The results put Antonino and Weiland on the front row of the Final with veterans Massimino and Drew in the second row.

Round One Pro Shifter winner Adrien Renaudin uses the Super Heat win to claim pole position for the Final (Photo: EKN)

The different drivers came out of the Pro Shifter presented by Velocity Racing with wins on the day. Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts) took the win in the opening heat race and was the provisional winner until coming across the scales in Heat Two underweight. This gave top qualifier Markus Kajak (McCrone / Formula K) as the winner. Prior to the Super Heat, rain hit the track and the grid was provided time to change over to rain setups. EKN Driver Rankings #1 Adrien Renaudin (Carblos / Sodikart) took control to grab the win by more than eight seconds. Renaudin will start the Final from the pole position with Kajak on the outside of the front row. Musgrave starts fourth due to the DQ in Heat Two, with Justin White (Carblos / Maranello) on the inside of row two.

Pauly Massimino swept his portion of the day in KA100 Senior (Photo: EKN)

It was a BJR sweep of the KA100 Senior presented by Brandon Jarsocrak Racing. Round One winner Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Kart) won both of his heat races while James Overbeck (BJR / Tony Kart) was the top finisher in the other two heat races. The opening heat was taken away due to a pushback bumper penalty, moving Mateo Rubio-Luengo (BJR / LN Kart) into the top spot. Massimino took the win in the opening Super Heat ahead of Chace Gassiot-Lee (RRC / LN Kart) and top qualifier Sebastian Garzon (Orsolon / Tony Kart) while Overbeck took the other victory in front of Alan Isambard (RRC / LN Kart) and Max Weiland (MPG / Kart Republic). Massimino and Overbeck will make up the front row for the Final with Gassiot-Lee and Garzon in row two. AJ Myers (MPG / Kart Republic) was in the hunt all day and will go from row three alongside Isaac Malcuit (MDR / LN Kart).

Lucas Palacio gains the pole position for X30 Junior thanks to his Super Heat win (Photo: EKN)

Multiple drivers led the way in the X30 Junior presented by Speed Concepts Racing on the day. Tristan Murphy (RPM / Tony Kart) was able to escape with the win in the opening heat race before Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Kart) came out with the top spot in the second heat. It was nearly the entire field together in the end of the Super Heat after multiple drivers led over the 13 laps with Lucas Palacio (RPG / Kosmic) coming away with the win. His results over the three races helped to put him on the pole position for the Final with Sammut on the outside of the front row. Nico Kotowski (TKG / Birelart) and Murphy go from row two with top qualifier Travis Pettit (BJR / LN Kart) and Jaxon Porter (SCR / CS55) in row three.

Nico Kotowski swept the day in KA100 Junior (Photo: EKN)

Nico Kotowski (TKG / Birelart) had a sweep of the day in KA100 Junior presented by BBS Race Engines. After qualifying second on Friday, Kotowski went on to win both heat races and the Super Heat to claim the pole position for the Final on Sunday. Top qualifier Travis Pettit (BJR / LN Kart) slipped back a few spots in the heat races but ran second in the Super Heat and will join Kotowski on the front row. Colton Schniegenberg (RPM / Tony Kart) improved his position from qualifying one spot, starting third in the Final with third place result in Super Heat. Santiago Orioli (OKP / EOS) was 21st in qualifying and worked his way up in both heat races and was fourth in the Super Heat. He will join Schniegenberg in row two wile Callen Berghoefer (BJR / LN Kart) and Benja Fernandez (MPG / Kart Republic) go from row three.

Trackhouse winner Mike Rolison will lead the KA100 Master field to the green flag (Photo: EKN)

KA100 Master presented by Nash Motorsportz saw two drivers at the front all day. Trackhouse winner Mike Rolison (RPG / Kosmic) won the opening heat and the Super Heat to secure the pole position for the Final. Mario Barrios (RPG / Kosmic), making his first start of the season, won the second heat and was second to Rolison in the Super Heat. They make up the front row with Scott Falcone (Orsolon / Tony Kart) improving to third for the Final grid with top qualifier Adam Crepin (FMS / Gillard) now starting fourth. Scot Carapellatti (CR / Kosmic) and Paul Elefonte (RRC / LN Kart) will start from the third row. Brian Chatfield (Carblos / Maranello) leads the way after the opening day of racing in Shifter Master presented by Orsolon Racing. His Super Heat win beat out two-time heat winner Bradley Danoff (Carblos / Maranello) for the pole position with Dominic Moceri (TB Kart) and Dan Chandler (Tony Kart) starting from row two on Sunday.

Heat Two winner Brody Stoffle earned the pole position for Mini Swift (Photo: EKN)

Three different drivers came away with the top spot on the day in Mini Swift presented by Parolin Motorsport USA. Lucas Tarango (RPM / Nitro Kart) came away with the opening heat race win after qualifying third on Friday. Tarango was unable to take the green as he lost the chain prior to the start of the second heat. That race was led by Brody Stoffle (RPM / Nitro Kart) at the checkered flag. In the Super Heat, Slate Harrell (MPG / Alonso Kart) came away with the top spot over Stoffle and Mason Brody (SCR / Nitro Kart). Stoffle secured the pole position for the main event with Brody alongside on the front row. Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) and Harrell go from row two while Liam Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) and top qualifier Aidan Go (Parolin Motorsport USA) take the green flag from the third row.

Perfect score after two days of action for Tristan Francisco in Micro Swift (Photo: EKN)

The day ended in a sweep for Tristan Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) in Micro Swift presented by Team Ferris Racing. The top qualifier held off Tre Sanders (RPM / Nitro Kart) in the opening heat race before hold off Jack Kotowski (TKG / Birelart) in the second heat. Those two were able to get away in the Super Heat with Kotowski winning the race to the line but was penalized three positions for contact coming to the checkered flag. This gave the win to Francisco as he locked up the pole position. Kotowski will go from the second spot on the grid with Bryson Barnett (CompKart) having a solid day to start third in the Final alongside Braxton Shiflett (Parolin Motorsport USA) in row two. Dusty Strayer (SCR / Nitro Kart) and Charlie Skrzypkowski (Parolin Motorsport USA) start from row three. Beau Wyatt (Team Benik), Sanders and Franco Schiavo (CRG) were among those involved in contact at the start of the Super Heat. Their starting positions were hurt by the bad result and will start from 17th, 11th and 15th respectively.

The busy and long day of heat racing action is complete for the 2026 United States Pro Kart Series Indiana Grand Prix. All that remains is the final day of action on Sunday with the lone B Main race for KA100 Senior and the eight Finals to be run to decided this year’s winners from the New Castle Motorsports Park.

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