Senior Medium Sunday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

The 2026 Cup Karts North America East Division hosted the opening two rounds of its championship season on the June 6-7 weekend at the new Quaker City Motorsports Park. The Salem, Ohio karting circuit that opened last year welcomed drivers competing in eight Briggs & Stratton 206 categories to begin its fourth season under the CKNA banner. Weather was a factor on Saturday with rain coming in during the heat races before clearing out for the rest of the weekend.

Senior Medium was the largest category of the weekend welcoming 25 drivers. AJ Roderick was able to earn RLV Fastest Qualifier on Saturday, clearing the field by over three tenths with a lap of 1:13.613. When the rain came in for the opening heat race, Roderick elected to sit out the race. This allowed Henry Wheeler to take control of the field until the last lap when a charging Brady Eickhoff – the 2025 series champion – scored the win with a last lap move. Wheeler was able to bounce back with a three second advantage in the second heat, taking that momentum into the Final where he was able to lead all eight laps for the victory, holding off Gavin Isaacs at the line by 87 thousandths. Eickhoff was third at the line ahead of Jordan Cline – who recorded the fast lap of the race – and John Price. Sunday qualifying was led by Isaacs with a lap of 1:13.933, edging out Wheeler and Brady Atwood for the RLV Fastest Qualifier award. Isaacs led the first two laps of the heat race before Wheeler showed the rest of the distance to the win. Wheeler remained at the point for the 10-lap Feature until the final circuit. Isaacs was able to work past and secure the victory. Rian Kerl was able to slip by Wheeler for the runner-up spot with Dylan White fourth and Price once again in fifth.

Senior Light Sunday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

Multiple drivers led the way through the opening round of action in Senior Light. Brandon Bowden was the RLV Fastest Qualifier before Erik Hubert Kiszniewski led the way in the rain for the opening heat race. Bowden returned to the front in the second heat after the rain went away but it was Rian Kerl leading at the checkered flag in the Feature. Jordan Cline jumped out to the lead for the first four laps before Kerl took over. At the line, it was Kerl by 84 thousandths ahead of Cline. A jump start penalty of two positions to Cline moved Cody Lindstrom into second and Bowden in third, recording the fast lap of the race. Cline was classified in fourth ahead of Alex Jellinek. Cline opened up Round Two as RLV Fastest Qualifier with fast lap of 1:13. 203 before leading all six laps of the heat race. The Feature was a four driver battle with Cline, Kerl, Lindstrom and Bowden all leading. Cline was leading at the white flag however was passed by Bowden on the last lap to take the checkered flag. Contact penalty to Bowden however took the win away, moving him from first to fourth, and promoted Cline to the victory and a sweep of Round Two. Lindstrom and Kerl joined Cline on the podium in second and third respectively with Bowden classified ahead of Kiszniewski.

Senior Heavy Sunday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

2025 series champion Brady Atwood was one of five drivers to win both main events in their respective category. Bowden opened the weekend in Senior Heavy as RLV Fastest Qualifier on Saturday before Cooper Van Horne won both heat races. Atwood however jumped up to the lead in the Feature race until Jason Zobkiw took the lead before the white flag. Atwood claimed the lead and the victory on the final circuit, beating out Zobkiw by 91 thousandths at the line. Aspen Kellner finished ahead of Van Horne for third. Atwood returned to the front of the field on Sunday, earning RLV Fastest Qualifier and winning the heat race. Atwood went on to lead all 10 laps for the Feature, taking the checkered flag ahead by over four seconds. Van Horne was second with Zobkiw in third.

Hayden Lawson left Salem with two wins in the Junior category on the weekend. JJ O’Neil earned the RLV Fastest Qualifier, clearing the 10-driver field in qualifying by over three tenths. O’Neil was able to lead the way in the wet opening heat race and crossed the line as the winner in Heat Two, but was disqualified for a missing sidepod. This promoted Lawson to the win where he carried that into the Feature, taking the victory in the eight lap race. O’Neil drove to second with Wyatt Cataldo crossing the line in third. Cataldo was removed from the results following tech inspection, promoting Sydney Miller to the podium after recording fast lap of the race. O’Neil claimed a second RLV Fastest Qualifier honor on Sunday, edging out Lawson by only five hundredths. The heat race was a battle for all six laps with Sydney Miller coming from outside the top five to take the win on the last lap. In the Feature, Lawson and O’Neil locked up at the front to pull away. On the final circuit, O’Neil was able to reach the checkered flag first only to be penalized for contact with Lawson. This promoted Lawson to the victory and O’Neil into second. Miller joined them on the podium in third.

Junior Sunday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

It was a near sweep in Legends for Tim Stiefel on the weekend. After securing the RLV Fastest Qualifier award by over three tenths, Stiefel slipped back to fourth in the wet opening heat as Tim Connell took the race win. Stiefel came back to win the second heat, recording fast lap of the race before leading all eight laps of the Feature for the victory. Wayne Handzlik drove to second with Connell placing third. Sunday was a sweep for Stiefel as he once again earned the RLV Fastest Qualifier award before leading every lap of the heat race and Feature to double up on the weekend. Connell improved to second with Michael Mazga joining them on the podium in third.

The same path was followed to two wins for Logan McCloskey in Sportsman. He secured the RLV Fastest Qualifier award before finishing second in Heat One to Jacob Gibbons under wet conditions. McCloskey returned to the point in Heat Two and led the majority of the Feature. Gibbons put on the pressure, taking the lead at the white flag lap before McCloskey took over and crossed the line first for the victory. Gibbons settled for second with Kyle Cameron – earning fast lap of the race – was a close third. Sunday action was a sweep for McCloskey by earning the RLV Fastest Qualifier award and winning the heat race by over six seconds. The Feature was a wire-to-wire performance for McCloskey, winning by over five seconds. Gibbons was second on the podium with Cole Decker finishing third and recording fast lap of the race.

Sportsman Sunday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

Multiple drivers were in the mix throughout the weekend in Cadet, only to see Wyatt Berelsman come away with both victories. Levi Shepker was able to edge out Berelsman for the RLV Fastest Qualifier award on Saturday by only a few tenths. Berelsman was able to manage the raining heat race before also holding on to win the second heat. Berelsman went on to lead all eight laps of the Feature, winning by over seven seconds. Clark McGruder was runner-up with Shepker in third. Berelsman was able to claim the RLV Fastest Qualifier award to begin Sunday action, edging out McGruder. The heat race was a photo finish with Berelsman crossing the line first by 71 thousandths ahead of McGruder, only to be penalized for contact on the final lap. This gave McGruder the race win and the pole position for the Feature. McGruder led the opening lap of the 10-lap Feature until Berelsman took over. From there, Berelsman went on to lead the remaining laps for a second victory. McGruder was second at the line but penalized for contact, moving Shepker to second and McGruder to third.

Cadet Sunday podium (Photo: Cup Karts East)

Two drivers left Quaker City Motorsports Park with a win each in Kid Kart. Hudson Hendler was able to sweep the action on Saturday, earning RLV Fastest Qualifier award before winning both heat races. The Feature was a three-second advantage at the checkered flag ahead of Sylas Lynn with Henry Molineaux in third. The top two positions swapped on Sunday with Lynn leading the way. Lynn earned the RLV Fastest Qualifier award before winning both the heat and Feature race for the victory. Hendler was second with Molineaux on the podium in third.

The second event of the Cup Karts North America East Division is slated for the July 3-5 weekend, traveling to Kelly’s Motorsports Park in Batavia, New York. The weekend will be a three-day event, celebrating the Fourth of July holiday. More details can be found via the series website at cupkarts.com and be sure to follow Cup Karts North America on Facebook and Instagram for additional details along with CKNA East Facebook and Instagram accounts.

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