(Photo: EKN)

EKN’s Paddock Insider is part of our Trackside coverage, bringing you notes, updates and breaking news as it happens. The article will feature notes from trackside at the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 27 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Another Turn on the Strip

The Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 27 is underway after another long year of planning and preparing by the organization based in California. The location remains the same, calling the Las Vegas Motor Speedway home for the week. However, it’s back on the Las Vegas Boulevard and the lot where the event was held in 2021. The track and paddock are revised, with ample space for the over 540 entries competing in the nine categories on the weekend. The track is something new, inspired by the Mont Tremblant circuit in Quebec, Canada. The VIP and main granstands are at the north end of the circuit, situated at turn one that ends the 850 foot straight. The track, featuring 16 turn track measures out to just under 3/4-mile distance. The feedback from Tuesday night’s track walk was positive from both single speed and gearbox drivers. The difference will be today when everyone gets their first four sessions of the event under their belt.

World Champion Palomba Scratched from Pro Shifter

Reigning KZ world champion Giuseppe Palomba will not be competing in SuperNationals 27 (Photo: FIAkarting.com)

News hit the paddock on Tuesday from the Sodi USA by Velocity Racing tent as 2024 FIA Karting KZ World Champion Giuseppe Palomba will not compete at SuperNationals 27. An issue with his documents to arrive in the United States kept him from attending. Theirry Germanovich from Sodi Racing USA confirmed to EKN that Emilien Denner will be flying in Wednesday night to Las Vegas and serve as his replacement driver. The Frenchman made his SuperNationals debut last year, recording a DNF after an opening lap incident after starting fourth. With three others under the tent in Pro Shifter, including Senna Van Walstijn, Denner will have a setup to work with come Thursday morning practice.

2025 Homologation Material in the USA

New KG bodywork for the CRG karts at SuperNationals 27 (Photo: EKN)

Every year in Las Vegas for the SuperNationals, we get a taste of what the looks and design will be for the following season from the many manufacturers who attend the SuperNationals. This year is a chassis / bodywork homologation year for the FIA / CIK. What stands out from the material is the new bodywork by OTK, Birel ART and CRG. The fairing on the OTK stands out, looking very ‘Batmobile’ look with its design. All the new karts for the many brands they have feature this new fairing with updated nose cone as well. The same for Birel ART and CRG, with shark gill style cut outs on the fairing and open cut out at the ends of the nose cone. Both brands utilizing the same KG FR509 fairing and the SA509 nose cone.

Hajek and Sieracki With a Unique Double Duty Roles

Former world champion Patrik Hajek is making his Master Shifter debut, while wrenching for Gia Cicero in Pro X30 (Photo: EKN)

In his first Vegas start since 2015, Patrik Hajek is pulling of a unique double duty at SuperNationals 27. The Czech driver is making a return to the seat for the first time this year, having only a few sessions in a kart back in July. The 34-year-old world champion in 2018 is making his first start in the Master Shifter category that is running in the morning groups. On the day, Hajek was top five on the time sheets in the three timed sessions. Speaking with EKN, he stated the track is great, and he’s adjusting to the conditions well, confident moving forward in the week. In the afternoon sessions, Hajek will continue wrench for Pro X30 driver Gia Cicero. They have been working together under the Rolison Performance Group all season. This is one of the firsts we’ve had a driver race and mechanic at the same SuperNationals. But also joining him is Franklin Motorsports owner Jamie Sieracki. He’s wrenching for Cash Perkins in KA100 Senior during the morning hours while racing in the KA100 Master division in the afternoon. Both drivers are on the Merlin kart, which provides them an opportunity to understand how the track is changing throughout the day for set up.

Rock Island Grand Prix Scholarship Winner Lowry Enjoying First SuperNationals

Mitchell Lowry carrying the Rock Island Grand Prix colors in Pro Shifter (Photo: EKN)

The 2024 edition of the Rock Island Grand Prix was the first time since 2000 there was no famed King of the Streets category over the Labor Day weekend. Days leading up to the event, the class was removed from the event due to lack of entries. A SKUSA SuperNationals Scholarship was to be awarded to the winner of the King of the Streets category, thanks to Simpson Motorsports – STL. With no winner to receive the award, RIGP and EKN put together a social media search for a driver looking to compete in the Pro Shifter category. After many submissions, a panel selected Mitchell Lowry as the winner. A driver with Checkered Motorsports / Magik Kart USA, Lowry wrapped up his first season in the Pro Shifter category. The driver from Springfield, Ohio was provided a full entry to Vegas. He told EKN the experience has been great thus far, and he’s really looking forward to seeing where he stacks up against the best in the world. Part of the award also includes a free entry to the 2025 Rock Island Grand Prix. Thanks to DB Motorsports, Lowry’s kart is carrying the Rock Island Grand Prix colors, along with fellow scholarship winner Race Liberante of MPG Motorsports in the KA100 Senior division.

CompKart Celebrating 10 Years

SuperNationals 27 is the 10th anniversary of the CompKart brand (Photo: EKN)

At the 2014 edition of the SKUSA SuperNationals was the launch of the CompKart chassis brand. The development of the chassis came from J3 Competition – made up of Jim Giacomelli, John Giacomelli and Justin Stefani. The chassis was homologated in that same year, with drivers in all different age categories showing success. The brand grew throughout the USA and North America, and eventually began expanding around the world. One of the biggest highlights was the CompKart chassis as an official partner at the 2019 Rotax Grand Finals. Stefani told EKN that they are proud about the success of the brand on a global stage, in addition to the diversity of the chassis models working with any type of engine brand and tire compound. The brand continues its homologation through the 2027 period as an internationally recognized chassis.

Franklin Motorsports Brings Mario Kart to Real Life

The ‘Mario Kart’ Franklin Motorsports crew for SuperNationals 27 (Photo: EKN)

Coming to the SuperNationals is about racing against the best in North America and from around the world, it’s also about having fun. The crew under the Franklin Motorsports tent epitomizes both in returning as former team winner in Vegas, making sure everyone under the tent has a good time. Five drivers in total are racing under the Team FMS banner in KA100 Masters – owner Jamie Sieracki, USPKS champion Niki Coello, USPKS champion Scott Kopp, TJ Nevels and Wes Steege. This year’s ‘theme’ was Mario Kart, as all five drivers are carrying a special graphics kit. The cherry on top is they all grew ‘Mario’ mustaches for the week in Vegas. There could just be some banana peels laid out on the course as we head into qualifying today.

Freem Trackside in Las Vegas

The K1 / freem mobile customer support trailer is set to attend events throughout the 2025 season (Photo: EKN)

K1 is one of the biggest brands worldwide in karting, led by their expansive line-up of indoor kart tracks around the USA and the world. K1 Race Gear is part of the K1 Speed family, and the operation recently acquired the Freem brand, which it plans to grow aggressively here in the US. They’re focused on broadening their reach within performance karting, with K1 Race Gear as a partner to provide a solid infrastructure in the United States. EKN will be publishing a more in-depth overview of the Freem purchase later this month, but the focus today for this edition of the Paddock Insider is that Freem is front and center in the paddock at the SuperNationals this weekend. Located behind the Turn 1 grandstands, the Freem trailer and display is being manned by company reps Eric Gunderson and Deron Degraw with the goal of making a splash with their bespoke suits as well as their Apex 3 offerings, including gloves, shoes, and rib vests. The goal is to connect with teams, racers, and fans to show them the latest products from Freem, and to introduce themselves, and to hear from racers. It’s always a positive to see major manufacturers support events like the SuperNationals, Gunderson told EKN that there are plans to be at more karting events in 2025.

USF Pro Championship Team Owner Suits Up for Karting’s Biggest Event

Dan Mitchell of VRD Racing jumping in the seat in KA100 Masters for first SuperNationals (Photo: EKN)

In the USF Pro Championships, VRD Racing is a race- and championship-winning team. Former SKUSA Pro Tour frontrunner Max Taylor won the USF Juniors title with the operation this past season, but there’s a different VRD team member behind the wheel this weekend. Team owner Dan Mitchell is swapping his radio headset for a helmet this weekend as he’ll be competing in the KA100 Master category, running under the Brandon Jarsocrak Racing tent. VRD is based at Atlanta Motorsports Park and Mitchell utilized the facility’s undulating kart circuit to get prepped for his SuperNationals adventure, logging considerable mileage over seven days of focused practice. The level of talent in the KA100 Master field surpassed his expectations, however, he’s digging in with Taylor to continue on getting better throughout the event.

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