Pauly Massimino won for a second time on the season in X30 Pro (Photo: EKN)

The 2026 United States Pro Kart Series Ohio Grand Prix came to a close on Sunday at the Motorsports Country Club of Cincinnati with the main events contest on the Batavia, Ohio circuit. Overcast skies began the day before they cleared out to provide a bright, sunshine day with high humidity as the nine Finals were held and they were all completed before 2pm local time. Many went down to the wire, including the X30 Pro race that saw Brandon Jarsocrak Racing’s Pauly Massimino earn a second victory in three rounds.

Starting from the pole position, Massimino led the 19-driver X30 Pro presented by Rolison Performance Group field to the green flag to begin the 22-lap Final. He led the first five laps until Jake Drew (RPG / Kosmic) charged back from dropping to fifth on the opening circuit after starting on the outside of the front row. Drew led the next 11 laps with Massimino on his bumper. They gained a good advantage over the fight for third until lap 17 when Massimino pulled the trigger to return to the point. As they exchanged for the lead multiple times, this brought in the second group to make a larger pack. Massimino got around Drew for the lead on lap 20 and John Antonino (MPG / Kart Republic) worked past Drew for second as they took the white flag. Antonino pressured Massimino but it wasn’t until the final run to the line when he pulled alongside. At the checkered, Massimino took the victory by 96 thousandths. Drew was shuffled back to seventh at the line with Davin Roberts (RPM / Tony Kart), Alan Isambard (RRC / LN Kart) and Donovan Bonilla (RPG / Kosmic) getting past. Bonilla suffered a six-second pushback bumper penalty and Max Weiland (MPG / Kart Republic) three-second avoidable contact penalty. This put Drew up to fifth, salvaging some points toward the championship.

Wire-to-wire victory for Gavin Bayliff in Pro Shifter (Photo: EKN)

Pro Shifter presented by Velocity Racing was a wire-to-wire performance for Gavin Bayliff (TKG / Birelart). Racing in his own backyard, Bayliff grabbed the holeshot over pole sitter Adrien Renaudin (Carblos / Sodikart). He established a few kart lengths lead over the Frenchman while Markus Kajak (McCrone / Formula K) came up to challenge for second. Kajak took the spot on lap 10 but was unable to cut into Bayliff’s lead despite recording the fast lap of the race. Bayliff went on to secure his first USPKS victory of the season by over two seconds. Kajak settled for runner-up in his second start of the season while Renaudin was third to earn a third straight podium finish. Justin White (Carblos / Maranello) was fourth with Matteo Papis (TKG / Birelart) in fifth.

James Overbeck became third different winner on the season in KA100 Senior (Photo: EKN)

The race in KA100 Senior presented by Brandon Jarsocrak Racing was a unique walk away by the victor. Pole sitter Caden McQueen (Velocity / Sodikart) led the opening lap before James Overbeck (BJR / Tony Kart) took control. McQueen began to slip down the order, eventually out of the top 10 and then out of the race with broken engine reed. Meanwhile, the early shuffling for second that include Edgar Rodriguez (BJR / LN Kart) and Shane Ready (HDD / Tony Kart) allowed Overbeck to get away. His lead went to a quick two-second advantage and he extended it over the 20 laps, taking his first USPKS victory of the season by 3.5 seconds. NCMP winner Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Kart) won the battle for second over Isaac Malcuit (Orsolon / Tony Kart) with Rodriguez fourth and Bonilla up to fifth.

KA100 Junior welcomed its third different winner on the year in Lucas Palacio (Photo: EKN)

KA100 Junior presented by BBS Race Engines welcomed a third different winner on the season. Round One victor Travis Pettit (BJR / LN Kart) was able to pace the field with a long lead pack behind him. He led the first 15 circuits of the 20-lap Final before Nico Kotowski (TKG / Birelart) muscled his way by dropping Pettit back to ninth. Lucas Palacio (RPG / Kosmic) went to the lead the following circuit and went full defensive line the rest of the way. This bunched up the pack even more as Palacio led the group to the checkered flag for his first victory of the season. It was close at the line, only 41 thousandths as it was Pettit there in second having climbed back up through the pack in four laps. Kotowski was third with Tristan Murphy (RPM / Tony Kart) in fourth while Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Kart) was fifth at the line. Kotowski suffered a three-second pushback bumper penalty, dropping him to 14th and moving Murphy to third, Sammut to fourth with fast lap of the race and Braydon Wagner (RPG / Kosmic) into fifth.

Tristan Murphy claimed his first USPKS victory on the year in X30 Junior (Photo: EKN)

The X30 Junior presented by Speed Concepts Racing was no different in everyone went defensive during the 20-lap race. Lucas Palacio (RPG / Kosmic) was the first to lead the pack of 18 drivers with Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Kart) able to get through for one lap before Travis Pettit (BJR / LN Kart) took control. Palacio was second before lap nine when contact between he and Nathan Golseth (SCR / CS55) dropped him down to ninth. Pettit kept the low line going until Nico Kotowski (TKG / Birelart) was able to find a way past for the lead. Meanwhile, Palacio knifed his way forward, getting back up to second by Kotowski took the lead. They ran 1-2 until more shuffling took place. Then on lap 18, the two entered turn one with Kotowski looking for a way past on the inside, jumping the curb and sending both off into the grass. This gave Tristan Murphy (RPM / Tony Kart) the lead and a sizable advantage over the last two laps to secure his first victory of the season. Braydon Wagner (RPG / Kosmic) was second with Golseth able to come back from tail of the field to third over 11 laps. Pettit was fourth at the line with Wynn Godschalk (MPG / Kart Republic) fifth in his Junior debut.

Renato Jader David won in his first start of 2026 in KA100 Masters (Photo: EKN)

A busy 20 laps for the KA100 Masters presented by Nash Motorsportz. Andy Kutscher (Redspeed) led the field to the green flag with Renato Jader David (Orsolon / Tony Kart) striking quickly. As they were completing the opening lap, RJD got a run by Kutscher and went wide entering the front straight. Kutscher went off track to avoid making contact, spinning in front of the field. Thankfully everyone avoided him as he gathered himself back but was down in 11th. RJD led the first seven laps until Mike Rolison (RPG / Kosmic) put on the challenge. They exchanged the lead multiple times with Enrique Baca (BJR / LN Kart) right there. As they fought, Scott Falcone (Orsolon / Tony Kart) was closing in. Just as he caught the group, contact was made fighting for position with Baca. Falcone retired from the damage while Baca slipped to fourth as Kutscher had already caught up to the pack. A few laps later, Rolison suffered a broken reed. He continued on but his pace was well off, dropping to sixth by the checkered flag. Up front, RJD went on to by three seconds in his first time back in a kart since November. Kutscher took second in a great drive back from his spin on lap one while Baca was third. Todd Shambo (BJR / LN Kart) and Scot Carapellatti (Kosmic) made up the top five overall. Kutscher was the top Super Masters presented by TKG Birelart USA over Shambo and Carapellatti. Larry Pegram (TKG / Birelart) drove a wire-to-wire performance in the 15-lap Shifter Super Master presented by Maranello Kart USA, beating out Bradley Danoff (Carblos / Maranello) who was third overall in the race group. Yevhenii Panenko (KartFreedom / CKR) was the lone entry in Shifter Masters presented by Orsolon Racing, finishing second on track.

Mason Brody held on at the line to win Mini Swift in a photo finish (Photo: EKN)

A two driver breakaway became a battle of four to claim the win in Mini Swift presented by Parolin Motorsport USA. After some battling with the pack over the first seven laps, Aidan Go (Parolin Motorsport USA) and Mason Brody (SCR / Nitro Kart) were able to break away from the field. Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik), who led the first five laps, was back to seventh at one point but put himself into fourth trailing the top two and Jake Manalio (RPM / Nitro Kart). He ran down Manalio and was able to reel in the two leaders by the final two laps despite their running nose to tail. He brought Manalio with him to make it a four driver battle over the final two circuits. On the final circuit, Westbrook was shuffled back to fourth and coming to the line, Brody was flanked on both sides by Go and Manalio. The three wide finish ended with Brody reaching the checkered first by three thousandths ahead of Go with Manalio only 32 thousandths off in third. Westbrook, recording fast lap of the race, settled for fourth with Slate Harrell (MPG / Alonso Kart) running alone in fifth.

Two straight Micro Swift wins for Tristan Francisco (Photo: EKN)

Micro Swift presented by Team Ferris Racing was the first class on the track for the main events. It was an exciting 18-lap run, featuring eight different lead changes. Dusty Strayer (SCR / Nitro Kart) led the opening lap before Braxton Shiflett (Parolin Motorsport USA) took a turn. Tristan Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) came up from fifth on the opening lap to the lead by lap four, joined at the front by Jack Kotowski (TKG / Birelart). Kotowski led for one lap but Francisco led the majority of the middle portion of the race. Kotowski struck back lap 15, and the two exchanged the lead over the course of the final three laps. At the line, Francisco took the victory by nine thousandths of a second over Kotowski. Shiflett was third, holding off Strayer at the line with Liam Compitiello (RPM / Nitro Kart) right there in fifth.

The third round of the championship is complete for the USPKS program and now the focus turns to the season finale, set for September 18-20 as the Lorain Ohio Kartplex will host the first-ever Lake Erie Grand Prix at the Lorain, Ohio facility just outside the Cleveland metro area.

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