Daniel Formal set fast time in Pro Shifter qualifying on Friday evening (Photo: On Track Promotions - otp.ca)

The Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 29 completed the second day of on track action outside the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Thursday. Following a full day of practice for the morning and afternoon groups, including 11 total categories and nearly 600 entries went into Thursday with the goal of setting their fast time of the week thus far in today’s qualifying sessions. The times submitted today set the grid for the three heat races to come over the next two days.

Ashton Woon set fast time in KA100 Junior for the second straight year (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

The KA100 Junior category was the first division on track for qualifying in the morning group and was led by the same driver from 2025. Ashton Woon (SCR / CS55) recorded a 58.056 lap to secure the pole position for his three heat races. Only 97 thousandths separated the top four with Nico Kotowski (TKG / Birelart) in second, Lucas Palacio (RPG / Kosmic) in third and Wynn Godschalk (MPG / Kart Republic) in fourth. Rounding out the fast five was Santiago Orioli (OKP / EOS). FIA Karting Academy Trophy Junior USA rep Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Kart) was sixth ahead of top returning finisher Travis Pettit (BJR / LN Kart) in seventh. Junior rookie Aston Wyatt (RPM / Tony Kart) was eighth with Easton Cox (Hi5 / Redspeed) and TSRS champion Nathan Golseth (SCR / CS55) making up the top 10.

Dan Allemann surprised the KA100 Senior field with fast time in qualifying (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Swiss driver Dan Allemann (MP / Henza Kart) shocked the paddock with the fast time in the second of four qualifying groups in KA100 Senior to secure the fast time in qualifying. A lap of 57.353 puts him in the pole position for all three of his heat races, edging out last year’s Junior winner Noah Baglin (MPG / Kart Republic) by 54 thousandths. 2024 winner Joe Turney (MPG / Kart Republic) was third in the session ahead of SKUSA Pro Tour champion Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Kart) and Marcelo Tortato (Orsolon / Tony Kart) to make up the fast five. Chase Hand (GFC Karting) and Jake Drew (RPG / Kosmic) ended up sixth and seventh in the session while Lucca Croce (RPG / Kosmic), James Overbeck (BJR / LN Kart) and SKUSA Winter Series champion Collin Lloyd (HDD / Tony Kart) made up the top 10.

Cees Muys set fast time in Mini Swift to begin his first SuperNationals start from the front row (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Dutch driver Cees Muys (Velocity / Sodi Kart) begins his first SuperNationals starting on the pole position for all three heat races in the Mini Swift category. His lap of 1:00.987 was enough to edge out SKUSA Pro Tour champion Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) by only 22 thousandths. SKUSA Pro Tour vice champion Mason Brody (SCR / Nitro Kart) was a close third with former Micro winner Zayne Burgess (Parolin Motorsport USA) and Kiwi Iver Spence (Parolin Motorsport USA) making up the fast five. A total of five Parolin Motorsport USA drivers made the top 10 with Samuel Chaverri sixth, Lenox Lockhart seventh and Aidan Go in ninth. Liam Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) was eighth while Zev Godschalk (Team Benik) ended up 10th.

Ben Cooper was awarded the top spot in KA100 Master qualifying after penalties (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Penalties after the qualifying session for KA100 Master decided the final grid line up for the three heat races, including a change at the top. Brazilian Lucca Croce (RPG / Kosmic) was able to set fast time in the session after missing nearly the entire day on Wednesday for an on-track disqualification. His provisional time in qualifying was removed after tech, due to a ‘missing button guard’ on his kart. This promoted two-time defending winner Ben Cooper (RPG / Kosmic) to the top of the order with former SuperNationals winner Renato Jader David (Orsolon / Tony Kart) in second. Aussie Matthew Waters (RPG / Kosmic) made it three former winners in the top three as first time class starters Bailey Murphy (BJR / Tony Kart) and Race Liberante (FDM / Pantano) completed the fast five. Veterans Laurentiu Mardan (Tecno Kart USA), Carlos Fonseca (RPG / Kosmic) and four-time SuperNationals winner Kip Foster (BJR / LN Kart) were next in the order while Dylan Albiani (RPM / CRG) and Brian Boly (RPG / Kosmic) rounded out the top 10.

Brazilian Diego Ramos led the way in Rotax Senior qualifying (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Last year race winner Diego Ramos (PSL / Birelart) set the stage for the return of Rotax Senior back at the SuperNationals. The Brazilian laid down a 56.462 lap to edge out Canadian Antoine Lemieux (Pfaff / OTK) by only 70 thousandths. Jonathan Portz (NRC / Gillard), former RMC Grand Finals starter Theo Kekati (Factory Karts) and Senior rookie Michael McGaughy (RPM / Kart Republic) made up the fast five. Canadian Matthew Taskinen (NRC / Gillard) was sixth in the order ahead of French driver Arthur Lehouck (McCrone / Formula K). Anthony Rivera (BJR / Gillard), Frankie Mossman (SCR / Speed Kart) and Ahmed Mostafa (REM / Kosmic) completed the top 10 for the final class of the morning group.

Inaugural Rotax Mini top qualifier is British driver Alfie Garret (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Rotax Mini, making its SuperNationals debut, kicked off qualifying for the afternoon groups. British driver Alfie Garret (Velocity / Sodi Kart) recorded the inaugural fast time in qualifying for the division, posting a lap of 58.699. He beat out top Mini Swift qualifier Cees Muys (Velocity / Sodi Kart) from the Netherlands by over two tenths of a second. A trio of Parolin Motorsport USA drivers made up the rest of the top five with Aidan Go, Zayne Burgess and Lenox Lockhart. Lucas Tarango (RPM / Nitro Kart) was sixth ahead of RMC America’s Trophy champion Mason Brody (SCR / Nitro Kart). Tyler Blackwood (Team Benik), Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) and Jake Manalio (RPM / Nitro Kart) completed the top 10.

Lucas Palacio put together a flying lap in X30 Junior (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Making his first start at the SuperNationals after missing the last two editions, Lucas Palacio (RPG / Kosmic) set the bar in X30 Junior qualifying. A lap of 56.157 cleared the 48 driver field by over three tenths. Junior rookie Wynn Godschalk (MPG / Kart Republic) was second with FIA Karting Academy Trophy Junior USA rep Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Kart) in third. KA100 Junior top qualifier Ashton Woon (SCR / CS55) was fourth with Troy Ferguson (Team Benik) in fifth. The remainder of the top 10 is full of contenders including TSRS champion Nathan Golseth (SCR / CS55), SKUSA Pro Tour champion Travis Pettit (BJR / LN Kart), TSRS race winner Easton Cox (Hi5 / Redspeed), PKC top driver Braydon Wagner (FW / GFC) and Mason Barry (GWR / Gillard).

Michael Dean put his name into the contender list after setting fast time in Micro Swift qualifying (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

The Micro Swift division welcomed a new name at the top with Michael Dean (FDM / Pantano) at the top of the time charts over the 43 driver field. A time of 1:02.471 edged out three-time SuperNationals starter Jack Kotowski (TKG / Birelart) and Enzo Ramos (Parolin Motorsport USA), all within 90 thousandths of a second. USPKS champion Tristan Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) was fourth with Zayn Sofuoglu (RPG / Kosmic) from Turkey rounding out the fast five. Provisionally in sixth was SKUSA Pro Tour champion Beau Wyatt (LEM / Nitro Kart), who was disqualified for ‘missing button guard’. That promoted Franco Schiavo (Kart CRG USA0, Hendrix Falat (Team Benik), Tre Sanders (RPM / Nitro Kart), Liam Compitiello (RPM / Nitro Kart), and Felipe Saddi (Kart CRG USA) up one spot in the top 10.

P1 for Hunter Pickett in his first ever Master Shifter qualifying session (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

A wild session for the 37 drivers in Master Shifter, led by first-time competitor in the category Hunter Pickett (GFC Karting). The NorCal driver set a time of 53.169 to clear the field by over four tenths of a second. Former winner and five-time world champion Davide Fore (McCrone / Formula K) was second with Jordon Musser (PSL / Birelart) in third. Sam Claes (Velocity / Sodi Kart) and former Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello (PSL / Barrichello) rounded out the provisional fast five. Barrichello was removed from the results for missing a double nuts on his weights, this promoted Jonathan Vitolo (GFC Karting) to fifth in the order. Former S1 winner Brian Keck (GFC Karting) was sixth with Flavio Sani (Velocity / Sodi Kart) in seventh. 2002 SuperPro winner Ron White (RWR / CRG) was eighth in his first qualifying session in the category with Thomas Mich (PSL / Birelart) and Robert Bujdoso (Magik Kart USA) completing the top 10.

Michael McGaughy is the driver to beat after Pro X30 qualifying (Photo: On Track Promotions – otp.ca)

Senior rookie Michael McGaughy (RPM / Kart Republic) led the way in qualifying for Pro X30. A lap of 55.299 put him on the pole position for his three heat races with veteran Oliver Hodgson (Factory Karts) rebounding from a flat tire in Rotax Senior session to end up second. Last year’s runner-up Caden McQueen (Velocity / Sodi Kart) was third ahead of Indy NXT driver Alessandro de Tullio (RRC / LN Kart) and Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Kart) in the fast five. Impressive runs by Harley Keeble (McCrone / Formula K) in his return to the SuperNationals after missing last year and for Canadian Antoine Lemieux (Pfaff / Tony Kart), who ended up seventh after coming from the slow group in qualifying. Former winner Ryan Norberg (NKA / Kosmic) was eighth ahead of solid runs for Eli Warren (HDD / Tony Kart) and Caleb Gafrarar (FDM / Pantano). Last year’s winner Gus Lawrence (RPG / Kosmic) was 12th with 2024 winner Joe Turney (MPG / Kart Republic) back in 17th.

Pro Shifter wrapped up the day and four-time winner Daniel Formal (GFC Karting) continued to lead the way as he did throughout the practice sessions over the opening two days. A lap of 52.433 put him on the pole position for his three heat races while FIA Karting KZ2 World Cup winner Markus Kajak (McCrone / Formula K) was second. Teammate Emilien Denner (McCrone / Formula K) was third with Noah Wolfe (Italkart Factory) and SKUSA Pro Tour champion Matheus Morgatto (Velocity / Sodi Kart) rounding out the fast five. Maksim Orlov (Velocity / Sodi Kart) was sixth overall, coming from the slow group in the sessions with former world champions Giuseppe Palomba (Italkart Factory) and Pedro Hiltbrand (PSL / Birelart) following in the final order. Completing the top 10 is Aussie Samuel Dicker (Italkart Factory) and Kyle Wick (GFC Karting). A seized engine in final practice for defending race winner Senna Van Walstijn (Velocity / Sodi Kart) put him in the slower run of the fast group, ending up 19th overall in qualifying while six-time SuperNationals winner Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts) was classified 16th.

Heat races begin on Friday with two rounds for the 11 categories in both the morning and afternoon sessions. Drivers continue to talk about how the track will race well, and the action on Friday will decide that along with who the early top contenders will be as we head toward SuperSunday.

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