Ayden Ingratta holds the lead in Senior MAX going into Sunday (Photo: EKN)

The opening day of racing took place Saturday for the 2026 RMC Trophy Final at the New Castle Motorsports Park. Weather was the story as the day began with heavy rain, delaying the start of warm-up by 30 minutes. Ready racing all day as qualifying was conducted under wet conditions with the New Castle, Indiana circuit drying, with the third heat race on the day moving to dry Evinco tires. The rest of the day was dry, with the RMC officials pushing the day forward to get in the action before the storms rolled in once again in the early evening hours. In total, all seven categories completed the four sessions on the day, with the two rounds of heat races setting the grids for the Super Heat race Sunday morning. The combined points will then set the main event starting spots.

Senior MAX was the final class in the order on the day with 34 drivers, beginning with a wet track for qualifying. Canadian Ayden Ingratta (REM / Kosmic) was the quickest in the session as the RMC America’s Trophy champion posted a 1:28.506 to lead the way. Last year’s Junior MAX winner Isaac Malcuit (MDR / LN Kart) was only 79 thousandths off in the session with four time race winner Oliver Hodgson (Factory Karts) in the third spot. Ingratta and Malcuit went on to split the heat races, finishing 1-2. Malcuit drove to the win in the opening heat, winning by six tenths ahead of Ingratta with Hodgson in third. The second heat was Ingratta coming through with the top spot ahead of Malcuit as Hodgson was once again in third. Ingratta with the better qualifying result starts the Super Heat from pole position with Malcuit on the outside of the front row. Hodgson starts third with Blake Nash (Factory Karts) going from P4, improving from 13th in qualifying to fourth and sixth in the heat races. Canadian Antoine Lemieux (Firano / Tony Kart) starts from fifth with Mason Kuhn (TKG / Birelart) in sixth.

Nicolas Orbezo has a sweep over the first day of action in Junior MAX (Photo: EKN)

RMC America’s Trophy Junior MAX champion Nicolas Orbezo (IRM / Tony Kart) was able to sweep the action on the day. Orbezo put in a 1:28.735 to set the pace in the wet qualifying session, clearing the 34 driver field by over three tenths. Orbezo was able to hold off second place qualifier Enzo DiGennaro (RPM / Parolin) by 55 thousandths at the line. DiGennaro however was removed for a non-compliant clutch, moving Alex Chandler (IRM / Tony Kart) to second and Darren Kidd (MPG / Kart Republic) to third. DiGennaro went on to get the better of Orbezo in the second heat on the track, however, was removed from the results for a non-compliant carburetor. This moved Orbezo to the top spot ahead Kidd and Chandler. Orbezo retains the pole position for the Super Heat with teammate Chandler starting on the outside. Kidd and Canadian Olivier Chasse (Prime / Redspeed) start from row two with Yutaka Sonoda (RPM / Tony Kart) and Clayton Stiles (IRM / Tony Kart) in row three. DiGennaro will start from 34th, hoping to make up points and ground for a grid position for the Final.

John Bonanno won in the wet and the dry on Saturday in Masters MAX (Photo: EKN)

While only eight drivers, it was a competitive day in the Masters MAX division. Former Team USA member Christopher Mann (REM / LN Kart) cleared the field in qualifying by three tenths with a time of 1:30.475. Mann however pulled off before the green flag with a mechanical issue. This left last year’s race winner John Bonanno (Fulkrum / Factory Kart) and Scott Roberts (SCR / CS55) to battle for the win. A slight mistake cost Roberts a chance at the win as Bonanno crossed the line in first. The second heat was Mann leading early before Bonanno took control. He went on to win with Mundy Loyer (Evolution / EOS) up to second, Billy Cleavelin (REM / LN Kart) up to third and Mann back to fourth. The top four were all within two tenths with their fast time. Bonanno and Loyer start the Super Heat from the front row with Roberts and Cleavelin going from row two. Mann will start from P8 with his DNS.

Two runner-up results has Hudson Howard at the top of the points in Mini MAX (Photo: EKN)

British driver Charlie Page (Prime / Redspeed) led the 15 driver field in Mini MAX qualifying with a time of 1:31.812. He was shuffled back at the start of the opening heat race as Teddy Murphy came up from sixth after a fast start into turn one. Murphy grabbed the win with Page back up to second, only to suffer a six-second penalty for pushback bumper. Hudson Howard (MPG / Alonso Kart) was promoted to second with Aidan Go (Parolin USA) to third. Page drove to the race win in Heat Two with Howard once again in second as Slate Harrell (MPG / Alonso Kart) drove up to third from eight. Howard with his two runner-up results starts the Super Heat from the pole position with Murphy going from outside front row. Page and Go start in row two while Harrell and Arthur Pharoah (Premier / Tony Kart) in row three.

Two heat race wins for Tre Sanders in Micro MAX (Photo: EKN)

Micro MAX racing was led by Tre Sanders (RPM / Nitro Kart) on the day. Dusty Strayer (SCR / Nitro Kart) set the pace in qualifying with a 1:33.966 lap. Sanders was second in the session, jumping out to the lead and the win in the opening heat race ahead of Tristan Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) and RMC America’s Trophy champion Alessio Tosti (MPG / Kart Republic). Sanders went on to win the second heat race, holding off Grant Heckman (FWD / EKS) in the end with Francisco in third. Sanders and Francisco make up the Super Heat front row with Strayer and Ario Gamble (Prime / Redspeed) going from row two. Tosti and Chase Zolman (RPM / Nitro Kart) start from row three.

Theo Kekati is holding the point lead after day one in FZ125 Senior (Photo: EKN)

The FZ Shifter program, making its first start at the RMC Trophy Final, had great racing all day in the three categories. RMC America’s Trophy champion Gage Korn (Maranello) was able to set fast time of 1:28.389 in the wet, clearing the field by over eight tenths. A quick wave of the green flag caught Korn off guard as the opening heat began, with the majority of the field making the move to dry Evinco tires. Theo Kekati (Factory Karts) took advantage to go from outside the front row to the race win ahead of Owen Gaccione (Factory Karts) as Korn fought back to third. Korn was able to power away to the win in the second heat, driving away to a four-second advantage after eight laps. Kekati was second with Dylan North (Factory Karts) in third. Kekati will start from the pole position for the Super Heat with Korn now on the outside of the front row. North and John Crow (RS Kart) go from row two with Gaccione and Mason Mitchell (Factory Kart) in row three.

Christopher Youtsey holds the advantage after Saturday in FZ85 Junior (Photo: EKN)

Two drivers led the way on the day in FZ85 Junior. Christopher Youtsey (Factory Kart), making his first ever start in a shifterkart, showed the way in qualifying around his home track with a lap of 1:33.020. Youtsey was able to grab the win in Heat One as the field was on wet tires with a drying track, holding off RMC America’s Trophy champion Brandon Ng (Factory Kart). Ng had the advantage in Heat Two, driving away to a 1.9-second win over Youtsey. Youtsey holds the pole position for the Super Heat with Ng moving up to the front row. Wyatt Kroeger (Factory Kart) and Liet Simonelic (Factory Kart) go from row two with Eli Furnish (Factory Kart) and RJ Brown (Factory Kart) in row three.

Two heat races wins on the day for Slate Harrell in FZ65 Mini (Photo: EKN)

The FZ65 Mini class, making its national debut as part of the RMC program, welcomed Chase Thixton as the inaugural top qualifier. The Cadet drivers took on the wet track for qualifying with Thixton recording a lap of 1:31.565 with Slate Harrell in second. Harrell was the top driver when racing began on the dry track, winning Heat One by over two seconds ahead of Thixton before winning Heat Two by over three seconds. Harrell and Thixton start the Super Heat from row one with Ryan Crow and Asher Biezonsky in row two. Cole Harris and Liam Fohr make up row three.

The final day of action is set for Sunday, featuring warm up and Super Heat. The results from that race will be combined with the heat points to set the grid for the seven main events to run in the afternoon.

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