Nicolas Orbezo won at both the Florida Winter Tour and SKUSA Winter Series in February (Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca)

In a continued effort to highlight the many outstanding performances by drivers around the country, eKartingNews.com is proud to introduce the ‘Driver of the Month’ program. Each month, the staff at EKN will determine the one driver who stood out above the rest and give the viewers a chance to know exactly what they accomplished and who they are.

Orbezo started off the month with ROK GP Junior victory at ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

The 2026 season marks the sophomore year for Nicolas Orbezo in the Junior ranks of karting in North America. The Texas driver spent much of the 2025 season racing regional events close to home after a stellar career at the Cadet level. Orbezo has hit the new season with a busy schedule, competing at both the Superkarts! USA Winter Series and the ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour. The month of February equated into a win at each program to earn the EKN Driver of the Month.

Coming off two podium finishes at the opening weekend of the ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour, Orbezo returned to the Orlando Kart Center in Orlando, Florida for the second round of the championship program. The February 6-8 weekend saw Orbezo pulling the double duty performance again. ROK GP Junior was first in the order, where Nicolas qualified fourth overall. He put together results of third, first and third across the three rounds of heat races, earning the pole position for the Prefinal. After battling for the lead across the 14 laps, the Iron Rock Motorsports driver finished third in the Prefinal. Up to second at the start of the 18 lap Final, Orbezo moved up into the lead by the halfway point. From there Nicolas was able to pull away from the field, establishing a two-second lead at the checkered flag for his first series victory at the Junior level. Orbezo was one spot away from a double podium weekend as he finished fourth in the ROK VLR Junior main event.

Orbezo had a provisional win taken away due to a penalty for contact at the opening weekend of the 2026 SKUSA Winter Series at the Speedsportz Racing Park in New Caney, Texas. The February 13-15 weekend was redemption for the January result in KA100 Junior. Nicolas was among the top contenders in the wet conditions that began Round Three action, qualifying fourth and finishing second in the Prefinal. Orbezo jumped out to the lead at the start of the Final, now under dry conditions. It was a four driver lead group that saw Orbezo shuffled back to third by lap 10. The chess game continued until the final laps when the drivers battled. He was up to second at the white flag but ended up fourth at the checkered flag, one spot short of his first podium result.

Orbezo claimed his first SKUSA Winter Series victory in KA100 Junior (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Sunday’s Round Four action began with Orbezo coming up 24 thousandths short of the quick time in qualifying, missing out as fellow Texan Nathan Golseth set fast time. Orbezo fell to third at the start of the Prefinal but worked his way up to the point, taking the Prefinal win to lead the field to the green flag in the main event. The 20-lap Final was a wire-to-wire performance by Orbezo. He jumped out to the lead with Tristan Murphy sliding in behind. The two pushed away from the field and Orbezo turned up the wick in the closing laps, pulling away to go unchallenged to the checkered flag to earn his first series victory in the Junior ranks. Nicolas became the fourth different winner over the SKUSA Winter Series.

Orbezo ended up finishing fourth in the SKUSA Winter Series championship standings for KA100 Junior, 38 points out of the top spot. Nicolas heads to the T4 KartPlex in Palmetto, Florida this weekend – March 6-8 – to contest the final round of the ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour. He sits second in the ROK GP Junior championship, trailing Round One winner Nico Kotowski by 53 points while he holds second in the ROK VLR Junior standings, behind Round Two victor Isaac Malcuit by 108 points.

Following ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour finale – hoping to earn a return ticket to the ROK Superfinal in Italy for October later this year, Orbezo is set to complete in the next three weekends, including the Texas Sprint Racing Series, RMC America’s Trophy and SKUSA Pro Tour this year. Nicolas is also looking at moving up to open wheel car testing as well.

February 2026 EKN Driver of the Month – Nicolas Orbezo

(Photo: Mattia Marmo Photography)

Bio

Age: 13
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Parents: Pedro and Michelle
Siblings: Santi Orbezo, Benji Orbezo
Height/Weight: 5ft / 93lbs.
Education (School/Grade): St.George Episcopal School, 8th Grade

Racing Resume

Chassis: Tony Kart
Engine/Engine Builder: P1 engines (100cc), AM Engines (125cc)
Sponsors: Mom and Dad
Series You Compete In: Superkarts! USA, ROK Cup USA, Texas Sprint Racing Series, Texas Karting League
Years Karting: 8
How did you get started in karting? I lived near AMP when I was little and my dad brought me to watch a kart race when I was 5 years old. After that, racing is all I wanted to do and we got a Kid Kart
What has been the high point in your racing career? Winning the 2024 ROK FWT championship in Mini Swift and winning ROK Vegas
What are your goals in racing? Make it to Formula 1, race the World Endurance Championship
In a few words, how would you describe your driving style? Methodical – sometimes I think too much but it is probably one of my strengths
Funniest moment at the race track? So many moments, mainly with friends off the track

Likes

Favorite Track: South Garda Karting.
Favorite form of professional motorsports: Formula 1
Favorite karting driver: Helio Meza
Favorite professional driver: Helio Meza and Pato O’Ward
Favorite website: Chess.com
Favorite movie: Blue Bettle or Flaming Hot
Favorite actor/actress: Don’t really have one
Favorite music/group: Don’t really have one, whatever mom and dad are listening to
Favorite vacation/activity spot: Skiing in Park City
Favorite food: Steak and Salmon Nigiri

The Real Deal

What do you do when not at the track? I play on my school soccer team and at a soccer club as well
What are your goals outside of karting? Keep having good grades when I go to high school and then go to college
What app or game do you play right now? I enjoy playing Subnautica
What type of streetcar would you like to drive? An old Miata with pop up lights.
What are your pet peeves or things that irritate you? Sometimes my brothers!
What do you think could be done to improve the sport of karting? I think that we need lower prices on everything. Easy to say but hard to do but probably things like limiting sets of tires in a race weekend, or work with tracks that charge less for practice fees or possibly having equal equipment for everyone (kind of a spec series) might reduce costs and allow me for more track time
What are your favorite aspects about the sport of karting? The speed, adrenaline, and the close competition.

February 2026 Driver of the Month – Honorable Mention:

– Chase Hand: Florida Winter Tour – 1 Win (ROK VLR Senior)

– Jack Kotowski: Florida Winter Tour – 1 Win (ROK Micro) / SKUSA Winter Series – 2 Wins (Micro Swift)

– Nico Kotowski: SKUSA Winter Series – 2 Wins (KA100 Junior / X30 Junior)

– Caden McQueen: Florida Winter Tour – 1 Win (ROK SV)

– Lucas Tarango: Challenge of the Americas – 3 Wins (Briggs Cadet x2 / 60cc Cadet)

– Alexander Vanchev: SKUSA Winter Series – 2 Wins (Pro X30 / KA100 Senior)

– Greg Welch: Challenge of the Americas – 2 Wins (100cc Masters)

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