eKartingNews.com is proud to present our Preview Series for the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 27. Leading up to the on-track action of the 2024 edition of the marquee SKUSA event, EKN will preview each of the nine categories that will compete on the temporary circuit located outside the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas from November 13-17.

Trackside coverage is set to begin on Tuesday, November 12 as the EKN crew sets up our SuperNationals 27 home, roaming the LVMS grounds with Paddock Insider and social media content. Coverage continues into Wednesday as karts hit the track for the first time. EKN Live begins on Thursday, November 14 as qualifying is conducted for both the morning classes and the afternoon divisions. Listen LIVE to the heat races throughout Friday, November 15 and into Situation Saturday, November 16, including the five Last Chance Qualifiers held on the day. That sets everything up for SuperSunday, with the main events for SuperNationals 27 audio streamed live on eKartingNews.com/live and eKartingNews.com/radio.

Complete coverage of the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 27 can be found at the EKN EVENT PAGE.

Master Shifter

Bas Lammers is returning to the SuperNationals, making first start in Master Shifter (Photo: EKN)

Shifterkart racing has always been the foundation of Superkarts! USA and the Master Shifter class has been part of the SuperNationals dating back to the year 2000. The engine type has changed over the course of the 24 years of Master Shifter racing in SKUSA, with today’s focus centered on the KZ platform. Entry numbers have grown since the transition to match the international gearbox formula and now the category is welcoming the largest field at the SuperNationals since 2015.

Fifty drivers will battle at SuperNationals 27, including defending champion Davide Fore (Italkart Factory Racing Team). The four-time world karting champion and two-time shifterkart world title winner returns to attempt at becoming the fourth driver to claim back-to-back victories at the SuperNationals in Master Shifter competition – joining Darren Elliott, Jeff Littrell, and Bonnier Moulton.

Fore is not the only world karting champion in the field as two others will be making their Master Shifter debut. Bas Lammers (Italkart Factory Racing Team) makes his return to the SuperNationals for the first time since 2017. The Dutch driver won the 2009 SuperNationals in KZ, racking up six podium results over seven starts, while earning the KZ world title in 2010 and 2012. The third world champion in the field is Patrik Hajek (Rolison Performance Group). The 2018 title winner is no stranger to the SuperNationals, placing on the podium three times in five KZ starts from 2011 to 2015 with a best result of runner-up that final start. That same year, Hajek competed in the entire SKUSA Pro Tour, finishing fourth in the S1 championship. The driver from the Czech Republic has spent the last few seasons working with drivers under the RPG tent.

Four-time SuperNationals winner Billy Musgrave will make his Master Shifter debut (Photo: EKN)

Along with Fore and Lammers, there are five other former SuperNationals winner. No one stands out more than Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts) – a member of the exclusive four-time winners club. Musgrave is set to make his first Master Shifter start at the age of 32, coming off victory at the SKUSA SummerNationals in Pro Shifter. His last SuperNats triumph came in 2019 with two DNFs and a ninth-place result over the last three starts. It will be his 12th straight SuperNationals after scoring a victory in his debut back in 2012 in the S2 Semi-Pro division.

Rob Logan (Ron White Racing) is the only former Master Shifter SuperNationals winner in the field. The 2018 winner competed eight times before finally reaching the top step of the podium. His last SuperNationals was in 2019, so he’ll be a return after five years away. Travis Irving (Formula Works / GFC) won TaG Master back in 2006, but has had tough outings at the SuperNationals since. His best finish was 11th back in 2016 in X30 Master with this year as his first start in Master Shifter. ‘Hot Rocks’ will also be pulling double duty, racing KA100 Master as well.

There is no one more consistent in SuperNationals competition than John Crow (Factory Karts). The 2005 TaG Master winner has gone seven straight SuperNats with a top-10 result in Master Shifter and Super Master competition. The ‘Crow Show’ finished ninth last year. Alan Sciuto (GFC Karting) has the honor of being the driver in the field with the oldest SuperNationals victory. It was in 2002 in the K2 (80cc Junior) category that Sciuto won outside the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. He raced in Vegas on and off from 2014 to 2021 before making the move to Master Shifter in 2022, placing runner-up. The former SKUSA ProMoto Tour champion is back after sitting out in 2023.

The current SKUSA Pro Tour champion Scott ‘Skitchy’ Barnes (Maranello USA / National Karting Group) is in the field along with the rest of the top four. Barnes is a two-time podium finisher at the SuperNationals, finishing 14th a year ago. His teammate Joe Ruch ended up second in the standings and is another former SuperNationals podium finisher from 2022. The Indiana driver finished 22nd in last year’s race. Luis Quinones (Factory Karts) was third in the 2024 standings. The former series champion is set to make his third start with a best SuperNationals finish of 17th in 2022. Michael Guasch (Maranello USA / National Karting Group) has the honor of the eldest driver in the field at 66 years of age. Guasch finished fourth in the SKUSA standings, holding a best finish of seventh over the last three starts in Vegas.

SKUSA Pro Tour champion Scott Barnes is among the top returning drivers from last year’s SuperNationals (Photo: EKN)

Among the top-10 finishers from last year returning is five-time SKUSA Pro Tour champion Jordon Musser (PSL Karting). The three-time runner-up at the SuperNationals ran a limited schedule in 2024 and is seeking to improve on his second place result a year ago. He has a streak of eight podium finishes over the last 12 starts. Robert Bujdoso (Magik Kart USA) is on the younger spectrum of the category, making his class debut last year with a fourth place result. It was only his second SuperNationals start since 2015 where he finished fourth in the S2 Semi-Pro category.

Vincent Cossard (CRG Nordam) was one spot off the podium last year. The Texas Sprint Racing Series champion traveled to the FIA Karting KZ2 Masters World Championship in Portugal in October where he started the main event in fifth before getting taken out early in the main event. Victor Jimenez (Rolison Performance Group) has two top-10 finishes over the last three starts. Last year, the Texan finished 10th.

Some notable names on the list include Evan Batt (Factory Fury Motorsport) and Ariel Castro (AM Racing Team), both making their first Master Shifter start. Larry Pegram (Trinity Karting Group) was just outside the top-10 last year, and was quick in his limited starts in 2024. Jonathan Vitolo (GFC Karting) should be in the upper half of the field along with Ryan Yop (PSL Karting), who is also making his first SuperNationals start in the category. Rounding out the international roster is French driver Thomas Mich (PSL Karting). Mich finished seventh at this year’s KZ2 Master world championship, and has two podium results in KZ at the SuperNationals in 2010 and 2011. Canadian Don McGregor (Italkart Factory Racing Team) will have the advantage of two world champions under the tent in his second start in the category after missing the SuperNationals for six years.

SuperNats Stats

2 – Master Shifter SuperNationals winners in the field

3 – World Karting Champions in the field

7 – Former SuperNationals winners in the field

10 – Different countries represented in the field

17 – Drivers from outside of the USA

66 – Age of eldest driver in the field

Provisional Entry List – Master Shifter

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