(Photo: EKN)

EKN’s Paddock Insider is part of our Trackside coverage, bringing you notes, updates and breaking news as it happens. The article will feature notes from trackside at the 2026 United States Pro Kart Series Lake Erie Grand Prix at the Lorain Ohio KartPlex in Lorain, Ohio. This is insider info will not be seen anywhere else. Be sure to follow the EKN Social Media channels – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram for more coverage throughout the weekend.

Welcome to the LOK!

The inaugural USPKS Lake Erie Grand Prix is underway at the new Lorain Ohio KartPlex, located roughly 40 minutes west of Cleveland. The track was paved in 2025, with the first club races taking place during 2026. The facility features the 8/10-mile competition track along with a rental kart track alongside, the KartZone shop that features a massive warehouse as the new home of the IPK Karting brands here in North America and coming soon an indoor facility with multiple activities.

The competition circuit received mixed reviews during the day on Thursday for unofficial practice. It’s easy to drive but very challenging to be fast. Speaking with one competitor, it featured elements of Ocala Gran Prix, Trackhouse Motorplex and NOLA Motorsports Park. The Ocala portion is the first half of the track, turn one to turn 6. It features the fast turn one-two sector with two hairpins leading on to the short straight into turn six. That sector is mostly flat with turn one banked. Making through work turn six, the track uses a cut-through, not utilizing an up hill left-right-left combination. Instead, it’s a bending left straight into turn eight. The cut-through features a big jump leading onto it that unsettles the kart. The section into turn nine and leading into turn 10 is flat before going back up hill into the turn 11-12 portion. Turn 11 is a curb jump to set you up into a banked turn 12.

Then the straight runs you back toward the paddock to the section everyone is talking about. Turn 13, 14, 15 is a chicane section that is very fast, and dictates the speed you carry onto the front straight that is all downhill. Hitting the curbs is a must in 13 and 14, in order to straighten out your path and be fast to the finish line. The chicane and the random ‘bumps’ around the track make it feel like NOLA.

Walking the track this morning, there are some safety aspects that need attention. Turn one runoff is a must change needed for the future and was already tested in Thursday practice. The track itself feels crowned, especially on the front straight. Speaking with track owner Kris McCrone, the facility itself is not completed. It’s still in the development stage with 2027 expected to be the completion. He welcomes the feedback from all the competitors, teams and USPKS staff regarding the different aspects. Viewing of the track is done in three areas. On the ground, you can see the first half of the track from pit lane and the west end of the paddock. From the last corner area, you can see the second half of the track. From the tower that features two areas for viewing, you can see the entire track. That space is going to be busy all weekend with the teams and families watching. The grid is below the tower, so it’s cover for the first half of the grid before you are out int he elements. Overall, people are excited about a new facility in a region that major karting events have not been to in several years.

Moving Up Under Speed Concepts Racing

Mason Brody moves up to the Junior ranks this weekend in both X30 and KA (Photo: EKN)

Toward the end of the year, we typically see drivers making the jump up a level before the season closes. This weekend, two drivers are making the move up a class, both under the Speed Concepts Racing tent. New Mini Swift champion Mason Brody is making his Junior debut at USPKS, competing in both X30 Junior and KA100 Junior. The California driver who will turn 11 this coming January has already been in Junior action, racing OK-N at Stars. Brody is moving from the Nitro Kart to OTK and has the opportunity to work with teammates Ashton Woon and Nathan Golseth in both categories. On the other side of the tent, Dusty Strayer has elected to move into Mini for the rest of the 2026 season. Speaking with driver coach and mechanic Chris Werheim, the Texas driver will compete at the remaining events on the calendar in Mini, including ROK Vegas and SuperNationals 29. Strayer, who celebrated his ninth birthday on Sunday, will be making his Mini debut, sticking with the Nitro Kart under the SCR tent.

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