SKUSA Pro Tour champion Matheus Morgatto was one of four different winners in Pro Shifter on Friday (Photo: EKN)

The first wheel-to-wheel activity took place on Friday for the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 29 outside the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was a day that felt like two days wrapped up in one, with the morning groups working through their two rounds of heat races without any major issues before wind and rain came to hit the SuperNationals once again. When the clouds rolled over and the track lights went on, the madness began with wet sessions for the Micro Swift, Master Shifter, and Pro X30 categories with the Pro Shifter split between wet and dry. The second round of heats were all in the dry, however, racing was not complete until sometime after 8pm local time.

Marco Sammut had the biggest win of the four heat races in KA100 Junior (Photo: EKN)

KA100 Junior presented by Simcraft opened up the morning racing on Friday with their AvsD heat race. Top qualifier Ashton Woon (SCR / CS55) was shuffled back to third in the race as Santiago Orioli (OKP / EOS) won the opening nine-lap heat race, bringing Aston Wyatt (RPM / Tony Kart) up with him. The BvsC heat race began with Lucas Palacio (RPG / Kosmic) breaking away before SKUSA Pro Tour champion Travis Pettit (BJR / LN Kart) and Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Kart) worked together to run him down. As they did, another group closed to make it a large pack. Sammut came through with the provisional win in the final laps with Palacio second and Pettit in third. Sammut was penalized 10 seconds for ‘driving down’, dropping him all the way to 21st. Pettit also received a five-second blocking penalty, moving him to 11th. Palacio was credited with the win over Nathan Golseth (SCR / CS55) and Braydon Wagner (FW / GFC). The AvsC heat race began with top qualifier Woon getting shoved into the wall in turn two on the opening lap. He fought back to finish 24th. Up front, it was a three driver fight for the top spot with Pettit taking the win over Palacio and Orioli. BvsD saw Sammut break away from the field after early defensive moves for the fight for seconds. After nine laps, it was Sammut by 10 seconds with Benja Fernandez (MPG / Kart Republic) taking the runner-up spot ahead of Maxwell Macha (Parolin Motorsport USA).

Ruben Moya won both his heat races in KA100 Senior (Photo: EKN)

The opening heat race provided a look of what we could see the rest of the weekend for racing in KA100 Senior presented by TKG Birelart USA. A large group fought throughout the nine-lap AvsD heat race with SKUSA Pro Tour champion Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Kart) taking the win over Alan Isambard (RRC / LN Kart) and Caden McQueen (Velocity / Sodi Kart). It was just two drivers breaking away in the BvsC heat race as Spanish driver Ruben Moya (FDM / Pantano) earned the top spot over 2024 winner Joe Turney (MPG / Kart Republic). Max Cristea (MPG / Kart Republic) was a close third in the end. Turney improved one spot in his next heat race – AvsC – as the British driver lead a group of four including Jake Drew (RPG / Kosmic), top qualifier Dan Allemann (TFR / Henza Kart) and Marcelo Tortato (Orsolon / Tony Kart). Moya added a second heat race win on the day in BvsD. 2024 KA100 Junior winner Noah Baglin (MPG / Kart Republic) and Massimino broke away, all leading at one point. At the line, it was Moya over Massimino and Baglin.

Iver Spence came away with a win in both heat races for Mini Swift (Photo: EKN)

Both heat races in Mini Swift presented by Nitro Motorsports was led by Iver Spence (Parolin Motorsport USA). Starting fifth in both heat races, Spence worked his way to the top spot in the first eight lap race, crossing the line ahead of Aidan Go (Parolin Motorsport USA) and Zayne Burgess (Parolin Motorsport USA). The second heat was only seven laps, ending the same as Spence fought off a big group in the closing laps to cross the line as the winner. Lenox Lockhart (Parolin Motorsport USA) was provisionally second however removed from the results for ‘driving down’. That promoted Burgess to second and SKUSA Pro Tour champion Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) to third.

KA100 Master top qualifier Lucca Croce won Heat Two (Photo: EKN)

Things were different for both heat races in KA100 Master presented by Orsolon Racing. Top qualifier Lucca Croce (RPG / Kosmic) had to start from the back of the field due to a ‘missing button guard’ on his starter. This allowed two-time defending winner Ben Cooper (RPG / Kosmic) to start from the pole position and led the first few laps until a full course caution came out for a blocked track in turn 14. Once the race restarted, Race Liberante (FDM / Pantano) got by for the lead and held on to win. Cooper fell back to third as Renato Jader David (Orsolon / Tony Kart) worked by in the final few laps. Heat Two saw Croce back in his pole position starting spot and went on to lead wire-to-wire for the win. Cooper ran second with RJD finishing third. The major story was about Liberante, who contacted the wall on the exit of turn two with a stuck throttle. He collected Kip Foster (BJR / LN Kart) in the process, ending both their races on lap six.

Diego Ramos won the opening heat race in Rotax Senior (Photo: EKN)

For the first time since 2007, Rotax Senior – presented by Mack Motorsports – hit the track for racing action. Top qualifier Diego Ramos (PSL / Birelart) was able to hold off Antoine Lemieux (Pfaff / Tony Kart) for the race win, separated at the line by only 76 thousandths. Jonathan Portz (NRC / Gillard) won the battle for third. Heat Two was a three driver fight, this time with Portz joining Ramos and Lemieux. Each led at one point before Ramos crossed the line first, however, was penalized 10 seconds for ‘driving down’. That put him back to 20th in the order, moving Lemieux to the win, Portz second and Frankie Mossman (SCR / Speed Kart) up to third.

Zayne Burgess won one of the two heat races in Rotax Mini (Photo: EKN)

The opening class of the afternoon groups was Rotax Mini presented by NABSCreative, making its first racing laps ever at the SuperNationals. Zayne Burgess (Parolin Motorsport USA) was the provisional winner in the eight-lap race but a blocking penalty took the top spot away, dropping him to seventh in the order and moving Lenox Lockhart (Parolin Motorsport USA) to the win over Cees Muys (Velocity / Sodi Kart) and Jayden Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart). Burgess came up late again in the second heat, crossing the line first, this time holding on to the win. Muys was second, however, was penalized five seconds for blocking. That put him sixth in the order and moved Aidan Go (Parolin Motorsport USA) up to second and top qualifier Alfie Garrett (Velocity / Sodi Kart) into the third position.

Lucas Palacio has a sweep going over first two days in X30 Junior (Photo: EKN)

Lucas Palacio (RPG / Kosmic) was able to sweep the action on Friday in the X30 Junior presented by MSRT / Maxwell Motorsports division. The top qualifier led every circuit of the opening nine-lap heat to win by nearly two seconds. Troy Ferguson (Team Benik) worked up from fifth to second with Ashton Woon (SCR / CS55) finishing third. Palacio led all nine laps of the second heat, this time pulling away to a near eight-second advantage ahead of the battle for second. This time Wynn Godschalk (MPG / Kart Republic) was able to hold on to the second spot ahead of Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Kart).

Impressive run in the wet for Hendrix Falat for the opening heat of Micro Swift (Photo: EKN)

The drivers in Micro Swift presented by Velocity Racing / Sodikart handled the night racing and conditions better than the Pros did. As they took the green flag, a sprinkle of rain hit the track making for a damp track. The drivers handled the conditions well, including Hendrix Falat (Team Benik) who came up from seventh to score the opening heat win ahead of Zayn Sofuoglu (RPG / Kosmic) and Jack Kotowski (TKG / Birelart). Kotowski however was penalized 10 seconds for ‘driving down’ which placed him 14th in the order. The track was dry in Heat Two, this time with a four driver pack at the front. Enzo Ramos (Parolin Motorsport USA) led the first half before Kotowski took over. He would go on to win ahead of Ramos and Tristan Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) with top qualifier Michael Dean (FDM / Pantano) finishing fourth after placing sixth in the opening heat.

Double win day for Davide Fore in Master Shifter (Photo: EKN)

Master Shifter presented by Kart CRG USA featured a damp track on dry tires in the opening heat and a dry track in Heat Two. Both were led by 2023 class winner Davide Fore (McCrone / Formula K). The five-time former world champion got the holeshot in the opening heat from the outside of the front row with top qualifier Hunter Pickett (GFC Karting) slotting into second. They ran 1-2 for the nine laps with Pickett securing fast lap in a runner-up finish. Sam Claes (Velocity / Sodi Kart) won the fight for third over Jordon Musser (PSL / Birelart) and 2002 SuperPro winner Ron White (RWR / CRG). The results were nearly the same in Heat Two with Fore grabbing the holeshot win once again. Pickett ran a close second while Claes recorded fast lap of the race in third over Musser. Flavio Sani (Velocity / Sodi Kart) came up from seventh to finish fifth.

Oliver Hodgson was awarded a win and earned another heat win in Pro X30 (Photo: EKN)

The action in Pro X30 presented by Rolison Performance Group was defined by the poor starts they produced in the four heat races they conducted. Multiple opening corner incidents throughout the night put a sour note on the action. The opening AvsD heat kicked it off, with multiple top contenders getting caught up in the mess of drivers blasting through the field from mid-pack and further back on a wet track with dry tires. The seas parted for James Overbeck (BJR / LN Kart) who started seventh and was into the lead by lap two, getting around top qualifier Michael McGaughy (RPM / Kart Republic). Overbeck ran away to a six second advantage in the eight lap race with John Antonino (MPG / Kart Republic) up to second and Indy NXT driver Alessandro de Tullio (RRC / LN Kart) up to third. The track was wet enough for the BvsC heat race for drivers to switch over to rain tires. To no surprise, the British drivers in the field shine with last year’s runner-up Caden McQueen (Velocity / Sodi Kart) driving up to the provisional win over Dan Allemann (TFR / Henza Kart) and Oliver Hodgson (Factory Karts) in third. Four of the top five, including Harley Keeble (McCrone / Formula K) and Noah Baglin (MPG / Kart Republic) were disqualified for rear width infraction. Hodgson was the only driver of the five to make it through, awarded the race win with Levi Doessel (BJR / LN Kart) up to second and Jake Drew (RPG / Kosmic) awarded third. The final two rounds of heat races were in the dry, however, turn one incidents continued to define the night for the category. A four driver lead pack formed in AvsC with Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Kart) taking the top spot over top qualifier McGaughy. Eli Warren (HDD / Tony Kart) had an impressive run to third, leading at one time with Canadian Antoine Lemieux (Pfaff / Tony Kart) in fourth. Hodgson and Keeble were able to break away from the mess behind them in BvsD. They ran 1-2 for the nine-lap heat race with last year’s winner Gus Lawrence (RPG / Kosmic) coming up to third with fast lap of the race, recovering from an incident in his first heat race. De Tullio was fourth with former winner Ryan Norberg (NKA / Kosmic) moved up to fifth after a blocking penalty for Caleb Gafrarar (FDM / Pantano) took him out of the top five.

Four different drivers came away with a heat race win in Pro Shifter presented by PSL Karting. The opening heat – AvsD – saw top qualifier Daniel Formal (GFC Karting) run away with the win on a wet track with Noah Wolfe (Italkart Factory) holding onto second with former SKUSA Pro Tour champion Marijn Kremers (Carblos / CL) up to third. The conditions changed over from wet to rain for the second pairing – BvsC – as Emilien Denner (McCrone / Formula K) grabbed the holeshot win over pole sitter Markus Kajak (McCrone / Formula K). Kajak held off former world champion Giuseppe Palomba (Italkart Factory) and a charging defending winner Senna Van Walstijn (Velocity / Sodi Kart) with Maksin Orlov (Velocity / Sodi Kart) fifth in his first ever SuperNationals heat race. Denner appeared to have the win in hand for the AvsC heat race. That was until SKUSA Pro Tour champion Matheus Morgatto (Velocity / Sodi Kart) charged up, taking the lead before the white flag and going on to win. Palomba was third with Sam Dicker (Italkart Factory) fourth and again Van Walstijn coming up to fifth with fast lap of the race. Kajak was able to grab the holeshot win in BvsD, however, was pressured late by Orlov. It was Orlov with the fast lap of the race, but came up just short in the end to Kajak who led all nine laps. 2022 winner Pedro Hiltbrand (PSL / Birelart) was third with Kyle Wick (GFC Karting) and Wolfe completing the top five.

Thankfully, the long days are behind after three straight pushing the over 12-hour days for the staff and competitors with Saturday hosting the third and final round of heats with the Last Chance Qualifiers to be run for KA100 Junior, KA100 Senior, Pro X30 and Pro Shifter.

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