Senior Medium Saturday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

The final two rounds of the 2026 Cup Karts North America East Division were held over the August 29-30 weekend at the New Jersey Motorsports Park. The Millville, New Jersey facility hosted Round Five and Round Six, welcoming the second largest attendance of the season. With the last two rounds of the championship contested for the eight Briggs & Stratton categories, four drivers were able to leave NJMP with a double win weekend.

Brady Atwood was able to leave New Jersey Motorsports Park with two wins in two different categories. The first came in Senior Medium on Saturday. He qualified second behind Rian Kerl, who earned the RLV Fastest Qualifier award to begin the Round Five action. Jake Heavlow however had the pace throughout the two heat races, earning the win in both. Atwood was fourth in both motos prior to the Feature race. Heavlow led the first 14 laps with John Price and Atwood on the bumper. The final lap saw Atwood go from third to first, reaching the checkered flag first ahead by two tenths for the victory. Price held second while Heavlow fell to third. Kerl was the RLV Fastest Qualifier award winner to begin the Sunday action, edging out Clay O’Brien by 59 thousandths. Atwood was fourth in the session, working his way to the top spot in the lone heat race. It was Atwood leading the first 14 laps until Price challenged for the lead, taking the white flag. The race was decided on the final lap once again, this time with O’Brien securing the victory, his first on the season, by holding off Price at the line by 79 thousandths. TJ Gillen was able to slide into third late to complete the podium.

Senior Heavy Saturday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

Atwood was also competing in the Senior Heavy division, and began the Saturday round with the RLV Fastest Qualifier award, posting a 41.175 lap. It was Jake Heavlow, however, that stepped up when the racing began. He drove up from sixth to first in the opening heat race and led all 10 laps of the second heat. Heavlow went wire-to-wire in the 14-lap Feature, pulling out to a three-second advantage over Atwood and Cooper Van Horne. Sunday’s action was all Atwood. Securing a second RLV Fastest Qualifier award on the weekend, Atwood won the heat race and led all 16 laps in the Feature for a fourth victory on the season. Van Horne was second with Fotios Tsakonas placing third.

Legends Saturday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

It was a near perfect weekend for Tim Stiefel in Legends, leaving with two wins on the weekend. Saturday was a sweep, including the RLV Fastest Qualifier award, two heat wins and grabbing the victory in the Feature. Eric King kept it close, leading the first half of the race but came up 43 thousandths short at the checkered flag. Michael Gaulin completed the podium in third. King broke the perfect weekend for Stiefel, securing the Sunday RLV Fastest Qualifier award by over three tenths. Stiefel, however, jumped up to the top spot in the heat race and led all 16 laps in the Feature to complete the six-win season. King was this time 91 thousandths short of stealing the top spot while Bryan Furey was third on the podium.

Sportsman Saturday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

The action in Sportsman was also a near sweep of the weekend in the two-win performance by Jacob Gibbons. A time of 41.227 earned Gibbons the RLV Fastest Qualifier award for Saturday before he went on to win the opening heat race. He came up 41 thousandths short at the line in Heat Two as John Dwyer grabbed the win. Dwyer and Gibbons were joined by two-time race winner Kyle Cameron battling for the lead. All three took a turn at the point before Gibbons secured the spot on lap seven. From there, Gibbons led the rest of the distance to earn his first season victory. Cameron was second, recording fast lap of the race, with Dwyer in third. Gibbons swept the action on Sunday, securing the RLV Fastest Qualifier award, edging out Cameron by 27 thousandths. The advantage was three tenths in the heat race with Gibbons taking the win while it was Dwyer challenging in the Feature. Both Gibbons and Dwyer took turns leading during the 16-lap main event. Gibbons locked up the position on lap 14, holding on to secure the victory over Dwyer with Cameron in third.

Kid Kart Saturday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

Eli Haggard was the fourth different double winner on the weekend with a two-win performance for his first season wins in Kid Kart. Remington Davis scored the RLV Fastest Qualifier award before Round One winner Hudson Hendler went on to win the two heat races. Round Two victor Sylas Lynn, however, led the first four laps of the Feature before Haggard took over. Haggard scored the victory by four tenths over Lynn with Hendler in third. Sunday was a sweep for Haggard, including the RLV Fastest Qualifier award and heat race win. Haggard led all 12 laps for his second victory of the weekend. Davis was second with Hendler recording another third place podium result.

Senior Light Saturday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

The largest category of the weekend was Senior Light at 24 drivers. Round One winner Rian Kerl had one of his three RLV Fastest Qualifier awards in the Saturday session with a 39.876 lap to edge out Luke Fedowitz, making his season debut. Third in the session was Paulie Hart, who was able to edge out Kerl for the win in both heat races in photo finishes. Fedowitz was top five in both heat races but found the pace for the Feature. Hart jumped out to the lead early in the main event for the first five laps. Fedowitz took over on lap six and led the rest of the 14-lap distance to secure his first victory of the season. Hart settled for second with Ryan Miller on the podium in third. Hart continued the pace on Sunday with the RLV Fastest Qualifier award, edging out Jordan Taylor by a mere nine thousandths for fast time. Hart would go on to lead all 12 laps of the heat race with Erik Hubert Kiszniewski up to second. In fourth was Miller, who moved to second over the opening lap of the Feature and took the lead from Kizniewski on lap four. Miller led the rest of the 16-lap race to record his first victory of the season. Kiszniewski was second with Taylor in third.

Junior Saturday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

The Junior division welcomed two new winners on the season. Will Crites was able to secure a sweep of the Saturday action, beginning with the RLV Fastest Qualifier award. Crites was able to lead every lap of the two heat races but was challenged in the Feature. After leading the first three laps, Trevor King and Alex Miller each led with Miller showing the way to the white flag. On the final circuit, Crites was able to go from third to first, securing the victory by two tenths ahead of King and Miller. The Sunday round began with Charlie Marron earning the RLV Fastest Qualifier award, just 26 thousandths quicker than Crites. Marron was shuffled out of the lead in the opening circuit of the heat race and eventually retired on lap eight. Crites led up until lap 10 with King taking the spot for a circuit before Crites reclaimed the spot to earn the win. The Feature saw Crites leading the first 14 laps before Sydney Miller grabbed the lead prior to the white flag. Miller held on through the final circuit to claim a season first victory. Crites was 37 thousandths off at the line in second with Zavrina Frederick in third.

Cadet Saturday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

Multiple drivers were in the mix for the Cadet category over the weekend. Levi Shepker began the Saturday round with the RLV Fastest Qualifier award, clearing the field by a half second. The gap close in the opening heat race with Joshua Pulchlopek taking the win, while Cole Lamphere took the top spot in the second heat. Lamphere led all 14 laps in the Feature to claim a third straight win on the season. Michael Perry drove up to second ahead of Pulchlopek. Shepker recorded a second RLV Fastest Qualifier award of the weekend with fast time Sunday morning. After battling Lamphere early in the heat race, Shepker went on to score the win before going on to lead all 16 laps of the Feature for his first victory of the season. Maverick Scaggs won the battle for second over Lamphere.

The season for the Cup Karts North America East Division is now complete with the year-end championship awards to be presented during the CKNA Grand Nationals 10 weekend, scheduled for October 8-11 at the New Castle Motorsports Park in New Castle, Indiana. More details can be found via the series website at cupkarts.com and be sure to follow Cup Karts North America on Facebook and Instagram for additional details along with CKNA East Facebook and Instagram accounts.

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