The new Race Rotax RMC USA West event is slated for this weekend – February 21-23 – at the Phoenix Kart Racing Association. The one-off race event at the Glendale, Arizona facility is a revamp of their US Trophy West series, providing a two-round race weekend to decide the next six tickets to the 2025 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals.

The Phoenix Kart Racing Association circuit

A total of six categories will battle on the weekend at PKRA for the RMC USA West. Each division will take part in official practice on Friday, running from 2pm to 8pm local time, enjoy hot pit sessions under the lights. Round One of the event is Saturday, featuring warm up, qualifying, prefinal and Final, with the main events under the lights as well. Round Two action on Sunday is the same format, run during the day hours. The points from the two rounds will be tabulated for each category, deciding the overall winner of the event.

Each overall winner of the RMC USA West event will be presented with a ticket to the 2025 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals – scheduled for November 29-December 6 at the Bahrain International Karting Circuit.

The largest category of the event is the Senior MAX division, nearly sold out at 33 drivers. 2024 US Trophy West champion and multi-time Team USA member Cooper O’Clair (CompKart) leads the USA contingent in the field, racing at his home track. Canadians Griffin Dowler (Apollo / Gillard) and Frederique Lemieux (REM / Kosmic) finished second and third in the championship program a year ago. A total of three drivers from Team Canada in 2024 are in the Senior MAX field, including Senior rookie Antoine Lemieux (REM / Kosmic), Mark Newson (Overdrive / Exprit) and Timothy Pernod (PSL / Birelart). Former Team USA driver Nixx Eggleston (Ruthless / OTK) is making his Senior MAX debut on the weekend. Local drivers Josh Campbell (Merc / Tony Kart) and Micah Hendricks (Croc Promotion) will be ones to watch, along with Blake Nash (REM / OTK) and former Team USA member Macy Williams (CB / Tony Kart). The lone driver from outside North America is UAE driver Theo Kekati (PM / Birelart) making a return visit to the USA after wins last year at the US Trophy West program.

Cooper O’Clair is among the favorites (Photo: BRP-Rotax)

Seven drivers in total make up the DD2 category, making a return appearance at a United States event for the first time in many years. All but one however reside from north of the border, including four who were part of Team Canada in 2024 – Griffin Dowler (Apollo / Gillard), Lucas Pernod (PSL / Birelart), Ludovic Sabourin (Prime / Birelart) and Gianluca Savaglio (REM / Kosmic). All four are looking for a return back to the ‘Olympics of Karting’, while Matthew Taskinen (Prime / Birelart) already has a ticket for the 2025 event, earning the title at the recent Rotax Winter Trophy program in Florida. The lone USA driver Macy Williams (CB / Tony Kart) raced at the 2021 RMCGF and will be vying for both DD2 and Senior MAX tickets with double duty in Phoenix.

There will be at least 17 drivers in the Junior MAX field in Phoenix, including 12 from the USA and five Canadians. 2024 US Trophy West champion Gage Korn will be racing for a fifth straight trip to the Rotax Grand Finals with Team USA, second year in Junior MAX. His teammate in Italy last year – Davin Roberts (CompKart) is slated to compete in Phoenix, already earning a ticket to the 2025 event after securing the championship at the Rotax Winter Trophy program. Nathan Dupuis (Racelab / Sodi Kart) and Cole Medeiros (REM / Komsic) were members of Team Canada last year, looking for a return trip to the RMCGF. Local driver Xander Malatesta (Ruthless / OTK) is among the favorites entering the weekend as well.

2024 US Trophy Final winner Davin Roberts is among the drivers in Junior MAX (Photo: RaceRotax.com)

Decades of experience reside in the Masters MAX division, welcoming nine drivers for the weekend pre-entry list. Veteran Billy Cleavelin (Ruthless / OTK) is a former Team USA member, as the 67-year-old vying for another trip to the RMCGF. Christopher Mann (Ruthless / Exprit) has battled Cleavelin in the class over the last several years, still looking for his first Rotax Grand Finals trip. Clayton Kesler (CompKart) won the 2024 US Trophy West program, seeking the ticket up for grabs on the weekend. Also looking to snag the ticket are Masters newcomers Noel Dowler (Apollo / OTK) and Phil De La O (Mach 5 / OTK). Dowler celebrated his 32nd birthday on Monday, making his class debut after representing Team Canada multiple times. De La O was Team USA driver in Junior MAX back in 2008, with this his Masters debut.

The Mini MAX division is welcoming 12 drivers, none of which were in the top-three of the US Trophy West program or part of Team USA. Christian Sanguinetti (Racelab / TB Kart) was part of Team Canada in 2024 and is seeking a second straight trip to the Rotax Grand Finals. Conner Lypka (CompKart) and Tyson Underwood (CompKart) are among the local drivers in the field looking to contend.

The same number holds for the Micro MAX category, however, none of the 12 drivers have Rotax Grand Finals experience. One lucky driver will get the ticket of a lifetime with the overall victory on the weekend. Lucas Tarango (Ruthless / Nitro Kart) is among the more experienced in the field, finishing fifth at last year’s US Trophy Final. Jayden Francisco (Team Nitro Kart) is among the four Canadians in the field, coming off success in the USA over the last six months. Grant Heckman (MPG / Kart Republic) is a Kid Kart champion making the move up to the Cadet level in 2025 as the youngest driver in the field at seven-years old.

Be sure to follow all the EKN Social Media outlets for updates, photos, videos and more from the Race Rotax RMC USA West. Listen to the racing action by heading to the EKN Live page or tune in on the EKN Radio Network with the official voice of Rotax – Henry Beaudette – on the mic all weekend.

Provisional Senior MAX Entry List

Provisional DD2 Entry List

Provisional Junior MAX Entry List

Provisional Masters MAX Entry List

Provisional Mini MAX Entry List

Provisional Micro MAX Entry List

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