Just 100 days since the checkered flags waved to close out the 20th edition of the Superkarts! USA SuperNationals in Las Vegas, drivers, teams and families are all preparing for the start of the 2017 season and the SKUSA Pro Tour. It is a new era for the organization with the introduction of the WinterNationals, set to make its debut at the NOLA Motorsports Park facility in New Orleans on March 3-5.

NOLA Motorsports Park was opened in 2012 as a full motorsports facility, including the 1.5-mile long kart track. The New Orleans circuit began hosting major karting events in 2012, moving onto the world stage as the site for the 2013 Rotax Grand Finals – the first time the event was held on United States soil. SKUSA regional action has visited the course in previous years, including last weekend with the Texas ProKart Challenge. This is the first ever visit by the SKUSA Pro Tour.

eKartingNews is bringing all the action live to anyone and everyone with a laptop or mobile device. Bookmark www.ekartingnews.com/live and listen in to the live play-by-play provided by the official voice of SKUSA – EKN’s own Rob Howden. Updates, photos and videos will be available throughout the weekend on the EKN social media outlets – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

X30 Junior

Dylan Tavella is the top returning Junior driver for 2017 (Photo: EKN)

The X30 Junior division is among the largest divisions of the event heading into NOLA at 35 drivers. It is a great mixture of returning contenders and Junior rookies, set to battle for the inaugural WinterNationals victories. One of the top drivers in 2016 was vice-champion Dylan Tavella. The former Cadet star won both races at the SummerNationals, finishing runner-up at the SuperNationals to finish second in the standings. The title would have been his had the Iron Rock Motorsports / Tony Kart driver contested the SpringNationals. With a new year, Tavella is among the title contenders.

Of course, winning the SuperNationals puts you right at the top of the contender list no matter where you go. Tyler Gonzalez came out of Vegas as a SuperNationals winner, and is among the top Junior drivers heading into 2017. Gonzalez (Tony Kart) is part of the new Speed Concepts Racing operation, led by multi-time SKUSA winner and champion mechanic Mike Speed.

Four drivers from the SuperNationals podium are contesting the WinterNationals – including Oliver Calvo and Nicholas d’Orlando. Calvo (Top Kart) had an up and down rookie Junior season in 2016 with two podiums on the SKUSA Pro Tour. It was the same for d’Orlando (CompKart), coming through with a great third place performance in Vegas.

Zoey Edenholm was in contention for the SKUSA Pro Tour title heading into the SuperNationals until contact took her out of the SuperSunday main event. The Koene USA / Tony Kart pilot is back to contend once again, looking to become the second female SKUSA champion. Trey Brown is another returning driver to watch. Brown is coming off a broken collar bone on January 1, but the Nash Motorsportz / FA Kart driver bounced back to open up the California ProKart Challenge with a victory.

This year’s rookie class is another solid crop of drivers including a number of champions. 2016 SKUSA Pro Tour Mini Swift champion Tyler Maxson is making the jump up in 2017, joining the new Speed Concepts Racing operation. Jak Crawford (Nash Motorsportz / FA Kart) is the current point leader at the Challenge of the Americas, coming off a two-win sweep in Phoenix this past weekend. Arias Deukmedjian (Tony Kart) represented the United States as the top finisher in the Mini Max division at the Rotax Grand Finals. Canadian Thomas Nepveu (PSL Karting / Birel ART) won a thriller Mini Swift main event at the SuperNationals, looking to transition that success at the Junior level in 2017. Sebastian Montoya (Birel ART) – son of IndyCar’s Juan Pablo Montoya – is also making the jump up to Junior this season.

Provisional X30 Junior Entry List

Mini Swift

World champion Diego LaRoque is among the many talented Cadet drivers in the Mini category in NOLA (Photo: EKN)

The largest category of the event is the Mini Swift division with 41 drivers set to take part at the inaugural WinterNationals. Throughout the list are highly-talented drivers with the ability to compete for a podium position at NOLA. Three stand out, coming into the new season as champions in 2016.

Diego LaRoque is known world wide following his victory at the Rotax Grand Finals in Micro Max this past November. The Arizona driver is off to a solid start in 2017, leading the Challenge of the Americas title chase as the BBR Karting driver is showcasing the new PDB chassis well. Reece Gold (Benik) was a double winner at the SKUSA SummerNationals and the USPKS champion would have been in contention for the Pro Tour title had he competed at the SpringNationals. Luca Mars is a WKA champion, earning success in many other events throughout 2016. Now aboard the Energy chassis, Mars completes a strong three drivers looking for more titles in 2017.

Three Mini Swift rookies may be potential championship contenders in 2017. 2016 Micro Swift Pro Tour champion Kai Sorensen is carrying the SKUSA #1 plate up for his rookie season in Mini. The Leading Edge Motorsports / Formula K driver already scored his first race win at the California ProKart Challenge opener in Buttonwillow. Brent Crews was a standout in the Micro level in 2016, and is jumping on board with the growing Nitro Kart brand for 2017. Crews is coming off a championship at the USPKS. Alex Powell was a two-time podium finisher in 2016 at the SKUSA Pro Tour and ready to add Mini podiums to his resume.

Some notable names are taking part at the inaugural WinterNationals. Garrett and Logan Adams are the grandsons of IndyCar driver Mark Dismore. The two had a standout 2016 season in WKA and USPKS competition, looking to take Comet Kart Sales to the podium at the Pro Tour once again. Fernando Barrichello – son of Formula One driver Ruben Barrichello – will make his SKUSA debut at the WinterNationals, racing under the Ocala Gran Prix tent.

Others to watch include SoCal driver Carson Morgan (Benik), Franklin Motorsports driver Nicholas Terlecki (Merlin) and Texas ProKart Challenge NOLA winner Jack Jeffers (Benik).

Provisional Mini Swift Entry List

Micro Swift

Brandon Carr scored a Micro Swift victory in 2016, back for more (Photo: EKN)

2016 was the introduction of the Micro Swift division to the SKUSA Pro Tour. Just under 60 different drivers took part in the three events on the season, with nearly 20 set to contest the first ever WinterNationals. Two drivers that came up just short of the championship are returning in 2017 as the lead contenders. British driver Brandon Carr (Benik) won at the SpringNationals, placing vice-champion in the standings. Carr will carry the SKUSA #2 plate in 2017 while SKUSA #3 belongs to Elliot Cox. A winner at the SummerNationals, Cox is moving to the MDD stable aboard a Vemme Kart for the new season. Some of the best from the east coast will be on hand, including a group from the Nitro Kart operation. The new chassis is already finding success in the new season, with Frankie Iadevaia and Ben Maier representing the brand in Micro. Caleb Gafrarar (Parolin) is starting his second season in the Micro class, already earning a victory at the WKA Daytona KartWeek in December. Christian Miles (Praga) is coming off a WKA Winter Cup win at Jacksonville this weekend against many of those competing at NOLA this weekend. Some of the best from the west are making the long haul from the Pacific coast – with California PKC front runners Enzo Deligny (Parolin) and Logan Toke (Top Kart). They currently sit second and third in the series championship standings.

Provisional Micro Swift Entry List

Share on Facebook

Tweet