Isaac Malcuit claimed his first series victory in KA100 Senior (Photo: MCS Photography)

The Route 66 Sprint Series presented by MG Tires began its 2026 campaign with the opening event held at the New Castle Motorsports Park over the April 24-26 weekend. The family fun focused program contested Round One of the championship program at the New Castle, Indiana facility, nearly breaking the 200-entry mark for the 11 categories competing over the three days featuring events on and off the race track.

The KA100 Senior presented by BBS Racing Engines was a near sweep with the event high 36 drivers fighting over the two days of racing. Eli Warren was the quickest driver in qualifying, posting a 1:07.006 lap to beat out the field. The top contender in Heat One was Isaac Malcuit who led the first four laps before retiring. Warren took over to score the race win. The second heat was Warren fighting off Shane Ready and Mick Gabriel for the win in the 10-lap race. The 16-lap Final began with Warren getting shuffled back to third before reclaiming the top spot. He led up until lap 12 when a mechanical issue forced his retirement. This allowed a charging Malcuit, who was 21st when the green flag waved, to take over the lead after knifing his way through the field. Malcuit led the remainder of the race to secure his first Senior victory at Route 66. Gabriel was second with Ready in third ahead of Alexander Kardashian and Cash Perkins.

An emotional victory in 206 Senior by Marc Stehle (Photo: MCS Photography)

The 206 Senior presented by Lawson Speed Shop nearly had the largest field of the weekend, welcoming 34 drivers for the opening round action. Defending series champion Quinten McPherson showed the way in qualifying with a 1:16.154 lap. Qualifying third was Cale Zimmermann, who led eight of the 10 laps in the opening heat race to claim the win over Sam Tutwiler and 2025 Junior champion Brady Schad. In Heat Two, Schad was able to grab the lead on the final circuit to secure the win over Zimmermann and Shane Ready. Zimmermann and Schad earned the front row starting spot ahead of Adam Maxwell and Tutwiler. As expected, the Final was hotly contested with nine lead changes over the 16 laps. No one expected the amazing run by veteran Marc Stehle who started 12th. Schad led early before Ready showed the way to the halfway point. That is when the fireworks went off with the lead changing nearly every lap. This fighting allowed Stehle to get up into the top five and was third at the white flag behind Zimmermann and Tutwiler. On the final circuit, Stehle was able to win the race to the checkered flag, beating out both by 70 thousandths of a second for the victory. McPherson was a close fourth with Ready crossing the line in fifth.

Jackson Baldus won his first series victory in KA100 Junior (Photo: MCS Photography)

It was a battle all weekend long in KA100 Junior presented by P1 Engines. Ezekiel Haight was able to clear the 23 driver field by over three tenths in qualifying with a 1:07.559 lap. Haight fought off Darren Kidd in the opening heat race before Easton Kubinski came through on the final lap of the second heat to claim the win by 63 thousandths over Christopher Youtsey. Jackson Baldus stepped up in the 16-lap after starting third to take the lead early from Youtsey. Both Kidd and Kubinski took a turn at the lead before Baldus returned to the point. Tucker Trieb became the next challenger, however, Baldus was able to fend him off and led the final four laps en route to his first Route 66 victory. Kidd won the battle for second over Trieb with Youtsey fourth and Kubinski fifth.

Ezekiel Haight won both heat races and held on to secure the victory in 206 Junior (Photo: MCS Photography)

A total of 24 drivers contested 206 Junior presented by Bobby Krug Racing Services. Teghan Schneider led the way in qualifying with a lap of 1:17.854. A total of five drivers were within five thousandths of a second with Carson Benjamin, Giana Lunksi, Jude Lunski and Jacob Schaible all one thousandth off each other. When racing began in Heat One, Ezekiel Haight drove up from seventh to claim the race win before going wire-to-wire in the second heat to claim the pole position for the Final. The 16-lap Final saw three drivers fighting for the top spot, including Haight, Schneider and Isaac Payn. Haight led the first half before Schneider led for two circuits. Payn was able to take over, leading through to the white flag when Haight was able to secure the top spot on the final circuit. At the line, Haight beat out Payn for the victory by just 26 thousandths of a second. Lunski drove up to win the battle for third over Schneider and Schaible.

Dezi Pedregon became the inaugural winner in Shifter Senior (Photo: MCS Photography)

For the first time in series history, shifterkarts were part of the action at Route 66 Sprint Series. A total of 14 drivers took part in Shifter Senior presented by FZ Shifter. Kyle Kennedy led the way in qualifying with a lap of 1:02.018. After winning the opening heat by half a second over Dezi Pedregon, a mechanical issue put Kennedy on the sideline. This allowed Owen Gaccione to take the win in Heat Two over Pedregon. The top two swapped the lead early before Pedregon secured the lead on lap four. From there, Pedregon led the remainder of the 16-lap race for the inaugural victory. Gaccione was second with Kennedy climbing back up to third over Owsley Cheek IV and Chase Pflughaupt. Six drivers competed in the inaugural Shifter Master presented by FZ Shifter. Lance Lane set the fast time in qualifying before Owsley Cheek took over. Cheek won the two heat races and went on to secure the victory in the Final by nearly 10 seconds. Laurentiu Mardan won the battle for second over Clayton Kesler and Lane with Gary Osterholt in fifth.

Brad Brittin won in his KA100 Masters debut (Photo: MCS Photography)

The youth movement has helped boost the numbers in KA100 Masters presented by Mill-Rite Inc. as first-time class starter Brad Brittin set fast time in qualifying over 15 drivers. Last year’s finale winner Niki Coello stepped up in the heat races, winning both motos over Brittin with defending champion Adam Crepin and first-time class starter TJ Koyen in the mix. Brittin was able to jump out to the lead at the start of the 16-lap Final, and went wire-to-wire for the victory. Coello had fast lap of the race, coming just 88 thousandths short at the line. Crepin drove to third over Koyen with Matt Lyda rounding out the top five. Lyda was able to sweep the action in the 206 Masters presented by Greyhound Racing Seats. Lyda held off Lucas Rennick in the Final to secure the victory. Matt Zigaitis was third with Buddy Dailey in fourth.

206 Sportsman was swept by Hayden Lawson, securing the photo finish in the Final (Photo: MCS Photography)

A total of four sweeps on the weekend took place, including all three young divisions swept over the two days of racing action. Hayden Lawson was the driver to beat in 206 Sportsman presented by MAC Paving. Lawson edged out the 19-driver field by only 84 thousandths in qualifying before fending off Liam Fohr in both heat races. The 16-lap Final was a battle to the checkered flag as Lawson led the first three laps before Fohr took over the point. Lap 15, Lawson took back to the lead and held on at the line, securing the victory by only one thousandth of a second ahead of Evan Liesch. Fohr was a close third with James Fox fourth and James Laser in fifth.

A sweep to open up the season in Mini Swift for Michael Tsyupka (Photo: MCS Photography)

Michael Tsyupka led the way all weekend in Mini Swift presented by BBS Racing Engines. Tsyupka cleared the 13 drivers in qualifying by over three tenths before winning both heat races and the Final. In the 14-lap main event, Tsyupka went wire-to-wire for the victory, winning by over four seconds. Evan Liesch was second with Darius Zaremba in third. Yakov Shiriaev and Ishaan Jeevadeepan completing the top five. James Fox secured the sweep in Micro Swift presented by Top Kart USA. After setting fast time in qualifying and winning the two heat races, Fox held off Harrison Apel in the 14-lap Final by only 45 thousandths at the line. TJ Akers joined them on the podium in third with Diesel Maxwell fourth and Miles Hale fifth.

James Fox won the battle in Micro Swift (Photo: MCS Photography)

The Route 66 Sprint Series will return to action on the June 5-7 weekend with a return visit to the Norway Motorsports Park in Sheridan, Illinois. More details can be found via the series website at route66kartracing.com and be sure to follow Route 66 Sprint Series on Facebook and Instagram for additional details.

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