The Challenge of the Americas is set to begin its 18th season, hosting the opening two rounds of the 2025 championship at the Musselman Honda Circuit. The trip to the Tucson, Arizona facility marks a new era for the program, welcoming in the Shinko Racing Kart Tires as the official tire while expanding to four events this season.

The 2025 Challenge of the Americas opening weekend will be taking to the Musselman Honda Circuit, which is a replica of the Suzuka circuit in Japan. It measures out to 8/10-mile and 13 corners in the counter-clockwise direction. The Challenge first visited the Tucson facility in 2012, making its 12th visit in total. Five rounds of practice on Friday officially kick off the event before Round One and Two are contested on Saturday and Sunday. Each round features a warm-up, qualifying, Prefinal and Final.

eKartingNews.com is proud to be entering the 14th season of Trackside Live program with Challenge of the Americas. EKN’s own Rob Howden will be calling the action all weekend from Tucson. Those unable to attend can listen in to the live broadcast. Bookmark www.ekartingnews.com/live and follow the EKN social media channels for more throughout the weekend in Arizona.

A total of 36 drivers are set to fight in the Forward Direction Motorsports 100cc Senior class. Defending champion Kane Martin is not entered prior to the weekend beginning, thus opening the door for a new title winner in 2025 with no former champions in the field. Two winners from last year will be in Tucson with two-time winner Keagan Kaminski (FW / GFC) and Dylan Archer (FDM / Pantano). Both combined for three of the four wins in Tucson last year, finishing second and fifth in the championship. Fourth last year was Josh Campbell, returning back to GFC. Also returning back is former series winners Oliver Hodgson (CompKart) and Macy Williams (CB / Tony Kart). Several rookies are part of the field, including former champion Nixx Eggleston (Ruthless / Exprit), Archer Eversman (FDM / Pantano), Johnie Stamps (FW / GFC), Paityn Feyen (NRC / Gillard), and third generation driver Rocky Moran (Team KartNick / Tony Kart).

The Nash Motorsportz 100cc Junior class is at 23 drivers heading into the weekend. 2024 champ Nico Sarphati is not slated to defend his title, which will see a sixth different champion over the last six seasons. No former winners are in the field as well, making this an inexperienced roster in terms of competing at the front in the class. The only driver from the top-10 in the championship standings is Erik Doan (SpeedSense / Exprit), who placed seventh with a best result of runner-up in Sonoma last year. Matthew Cagle (FW/ GFC), Jackson Gibson (NRC / Gillard), Xander Malatesta (Ruthless / Tony Kart) and Luca Popescu (GFC Karting) are among those with Junior experience in the field. Among the Junior rookies are two-time Cadet champion Braydon Wagner (FW / GFC) and Drew Jensen (Nash / Tony Kart), who spent the second half of the season in the Junior ranks.

Numbers in the Swedetech Racing Engines Shifter Senior division are not as high as the last few seasons have seen. A total of eight are entered for Tucson with expectation of larger numbers as the season progresses. Defending champion Michael Avansino (RWR / CRG) is seeking to make it two in a row, entering the weekend among the favorites. Tazio Ottis (TKC / Sodi Kart) and Anthony Freese (WCM / Birelart) are among series regulars returning, both seeking their first series victories. Three drivers hail from Utah, including Scuderia Littel owner Ayrton Littel (GFC), Evan Concepcion (GFC) and Nolan Gagnon (Nash / Italkart).

Same issue with the Neliton Race Concepts Shifter Masters featuring only six drivers on the pre-entry list. Former race winner Michael Guasch (SHIFTRZ / Maranello) is returning after not competing in the series in 2024. Indiana driver Joe Ruch (Maranello) is making his series debut in Tucson, coming off SKUSA Pro Tour wins in 2024. Michael Faker (GFC Karting) returns after placing third in the championship last year, along with Marcin Kloda (Maranello).

The Ruthless Karting 100cc Masters features nine drivers in the pre-entry list with zero returning winners. Absent is also 2024 champion KC Coook, however, two former champions are in the field marking. 2025 brings the return of multiple drivers back to the Challenge, including 2011 champion Scott Falcone (PW / Tony Kart) and 2018 title winner Erik Jackson (Vemme Kart). Luke Tracy (Vemme Kart) and Chad Wallace (NRC / Redspeed) return as well.

The 60cc Cadet presented by The Karting Collective features one of the largest fields in recent years, welcoming 19 drivers. Two-time reigning champion Braydon Wagner moved to Junior, thus opening the door for a new title winner in 2025. Lucas Tarango (Ruthless / Nitro Kart) and Nathan Ramirez (Team KartNick / Parolin) won at the series finale in Sonoma for 2024, and return as the only former race winners in the field. Hudson Hidalgo (PW / CRG) and Conner Lypka (CompKart) come in with Challenge experience as well. Three drivers travel down from Canada, including Brandon Ng (Parolin), Joshua Wheeler (Ruthless / Nitro Kart) and Sebastian de Moissac (SB Racing / Parolin).

Be sure to follow the EKN social media channels for coverage throughout the weekend at Challenge of the Americas opener from Tucson, Arizona.

Provisional 100cc Senior Entry List

Provisional 100cc Junior Entry List

Provisional Shifter Senior Entry List

Provisional Shifter Masters Entry List

Provisional 100cc Masters Entry List

Provisional 60cc Cadet Entry List

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