Entering their fourth season of competition, the Canadian Karting Challenge (CKC) is set for yet another exciting year. Offering a six-race championship for all Canadian Karting Challenge and Innisfil Kart Club classes, the CKC will also run with the newly established Vega Cup, a separate, joint four round series with Innisfil and Mosport for shifter drivers.

Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development program (MDD) has seen great success thus far with a thriving karting program and a newly developed F4 formula racing program.
The MDD program will continue to expand in 2017, partnering with NOLA Motorsports Park to open the MDD at NOLA trackside kart shop. MDD will also take over the NOLA Sprint Kart Club program at the facility with the goal to continue growing the club and regional series in the next few years.

Traveling to the Homestead Karting facility on the grounds of the famed Homestead-Miami Speedway, NF Piquet Sports will enter the first event of the 2017 season, the start of the annual MAXSpeed Entertainment Florida Winter Tour. Looking to start the season on a high note, the Orlando based squad will travel to Palm Beach International Raceway and Ocala Gran Prix for the second and third event weekends of the highly attended winter karting program.

2016 was a successful season for driver Haopeng Zhang. The Chinese driver posted strong results in every event he competed in throughout the year, his strongest showing being at the Asian Karting Championship. He completed the entire circuit with the Mars Racing Team, traveling all over Asia for the five round series. He competed in the X30 Senior and Formula 125 Open categories, battling against drivers from all over the world, including Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Macau, China, and Thailand. 

Top Kart USA kicked off their 2017 season with great success at the first round of the World Karting Association (WKA) Manufacturers Cup. The race took place December 27-30, 2016 at Daytona International Speedway. The Top Kart squad brought home three wins and fourteen top-five podiums throughout the event, stacking their 2017 resume before the year even began.

The 2017 season has begun for Team CRP Racing. The Ohio based squad kicked off their season last week at the first round of the World Karting Association (WKA) Manufacturers Cup at the famed Daytona International Speedway. CRP drivers put on an impressive showing at the season opener, taking home a win and multiple top-15 finishes in a competitive field of drivers.

Announced just before the holiday season, Mike Speed launched his own racing venture with a high level karting team, Speed Concepts Racing (SCR). Focused on starting at the 2017 Florida Winter Tour and only offering a program to house six drivers, three have now been confirmed for the popular winter series that begins this coming weekend at the Homestead Karting facility in the shadows of the famed Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Formed just a short time ago and counting their 2016 campaign as their rookie season, Allison Racing Engines (ARE) garnered race wins and championships throughout the past season. Focusing on the TaG engine platform, Brandon Jenkins and his Allison Racing Engines outfit claimed wins in IAME X30, Mini Swift, Micro Swift as well as Vortex Mini ROK and Micro ROK throughout the United States.

After taking part in the MAXSpeed Entertainment Collective Test in December, Team Koene USA is ready to get back to the Sunshine State for the start of the annual Florida Winter Tour. With the first event taking place at the Homestead Karting facility in the shadows of the Homestead-Miami Speedway, Team Koene USA will enter eleven drivers over the Vortex ROK and Rotax MAX Challenge weekends as the popular winter karting program takes the green flag.

With multiple drivers already confirmed for the 2017 karting season, Team BENIK is pleased to welcome Fefo Barrichello to the Florida based program. Son of former Formula One and IndyCar driver and current Stock Car Brasil standout Rubens Barrichello, Fefo will pilot the familiar ‘Blue BENIK’ beginning next week at the 2017 MAXspeed Entertainment Florida Winter Tour.

Compass Management Solutions (CMS) is excited to announce they will be offering a hotel sponsorship to the karting community. As an emerging business in the industry, the goal of CMS is to limit stress on racers and their families all while helping the karting community save money on hotel accommodations. With this in mind, CMS created a sponsorship to help achieve that goal and assist with hotel expenses at one of the biggest events of the year.

National Champion Dylan Tavella begins his 2017 season right where he left off in 2016- on the podium. The skilled pilot earned two podium finishes last week at the first race of the season, round one of the World Karting Association (WKA) Manufacturers Cup at Daytona International Speedway. After having a phenomenal 2016 season, Tavella is aiming for an even better 2017, an attainable goal with his great results from the first event of the year.

Compass Management Solutions (CMS) has officially launched their new website, www.CompassManagementSolutions.com. CMS currently serves the karting industry by setting up discounted hotel room blocks at major national karting events, including the Florida Winter Tour, Rotax US Open, Rotax Challenge of the Americas, and the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) Pro Tour. The highly anticipated website will make the process of booking hotel rooms quicker and easier than before, saving customers time to focus on their upcoming races.

Max Peichel has signed on to Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development program (MDD) in the F4 series for 2017. F4 is an entry series that allows drivers from disciplines like karting to move up to open wheel racing at a lower cost than other series that North America has to offer. MDD launched their F4 program earlier this year, with Peichel etching his signature as one of the drivers in the much anticipated MDD program. Running a full schedule in 2017, the young competitor plans to run the full season of the F4 program, as well as two full series in the MDD karting program.

Purdue University (Purdue) has partnered with Top Kart USA (Top Kart) on the MSTEM3 program. MSTEM – Motorsports, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program.  M-STEM is developing and piloting middle school curriculum modules aligned to Indiana and national academic standards. The M-STEM modules focus on motorsports as the context for teaching important 21st century skills and content knowledge using problem-based learning. Students will work in teams to solve a challenge or develop a solution to a given problem. Top Kart will be the official electric vehicle(ev) chassis supplier for the program.

Mike Speed is well known in the karting world for taking several drivers to National and World Championship titles. With an engineering background, his tuning skills are among the best in the industry. The proof is with his own son, Scott Speed, who went from karting to Formula One and continues to race professionally today. 

ROK CUP USA and the World Karting Association (WKA) have agreed to work together for the 2017 racing season and beyond offering ROK Shifter in the WKA Winter Cup and scheduling races to benefit the karters in the Midwest. WKA is expecting a large turnout at round one of the Manufacturers Cup program in Daytona Beach, Florida, as well as rounds two and three in Jacksonville and Ocala, Florida. Most Midwest teams and racers had plans to drive home after the Ocala race, but now there is an extra incentive to all WKA drivers to spend one more week in sunny Florida before the head back home.

CPI Kart Racing is proud to announce that it has become an official dealer for the Greyhound Racing Seats product line. The karting team recently solidified a dealer agreement with USA importer for the Italian manufacturer to carry various models of their racing seats, as well as other karting accessories from the brand. Greyhound Racing Seats is just one of the many brands that CPI has recently added to its product inventory as it looks to expand its reach both at the race track and through its online store.

With the goal to help up and coming drivers within the karting community, SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) Champion Nick Tucker and his Nitro Kart product line are pleased to introduce the ‘Nitro Kart Scholarship’ for a deserving Cadet driver.

The new Orlando, Florida based team NF/Piquet Sports announces that it will be representing OTK’s brand Kosmic Kart in the state of Florida.  They will also be an exclusive Kosmic Kart and OTK parts dealer for Central Florida.

With a highly successful cadet karting career now in the books, Jak Crawford is setting his sights on the next level and some new racing opportunities. Looking forward to the 2017 season, Crawford looks back at a very successful karting career that included multiple major race wins and many championships along the way. 

Communicated just last week that the Dan Wheldon Ambassador Award will continue at the 2017 Florida Winter Tour, Mike Maurini, presenter of the award, is pleased to announce that Bell Helmets USA has come to the forefront to be the official presenting sponsor. Dubbed the Dan Wheldon Ambassador Award Presented by Bell Helmets USA and set to be awarded during the final event weekend of the MAXSpeed Entertainment Florida Winter Tour, 2017 will see another deserving team, group or individual claim the prestigious honors as the popular winter karting program closes out their 2017 season.

The 2016 season has been one for the books for junior driver Dylan Tavella. From his race wins across multiple series to becoming a national champion and representing Team USA at the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Italy, Tavella has managed some impressive accomplishments in his second year in the junior category. Competing in a variety of competitive series on multiple engine platforms, including the Florida Winter Tour, Rotax US Open, United States Pro Kart Series (USPKS), and the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) Pro Tour, the young driver left 2016 with a stout resume, proving himself as one of the top junior drivers in the country.

As teams continue to confirm plans for their 2017 campaigns, Team Koene USA is pleased to announce the arrival of Jeremy Fairbairn to their elite level karting program. Set to join the Indiana based team at the upcoming MAXSpeed Collective Test, Fairbairn will also pilot a Team Koene USA Tony Kart throughout the upcoming 2017 season in some of the nation’s biggest karting programs.

Pippa Mann is joining forces with karting standout Abby McLaughlin, Top Kart, and Top Kart USA to form Team Empower, an Indianapolis based karting team focused on showcasing and developing young female talent in karting. Team Empower’s goal will be to provide a platform and resources to empower young female racers, and help equip them with the skill-sets required both on and off the track, that will allow them to pursue their motorsports dreams.

The tradition continues in 2017 as once again, the Dan Wheldon Ambassador Award will be presented at the final round of the MAXSpeed Entertainment Florida Winter Tour. Awarded by Race Tech Development’s Mike Maurini and with Ben Cooper claiming the honors in 2015 and Garett Potter in 2016, the 2017 award will see another deserving team, group or individual claim the prestigious honors as the popular winter karting program closes out their 2017 season.

The ever popular and championship winning BENIK Kart chassis has now been approved for the UK market. Beginning in January 2017, the high quality chassis will become available in the UK karting scene, allowing for expansion and growth for the young team worldwide. With distributors in United States, Canada, Mexico and Australia, BENIK UK will be looking for distributors in the UK to be part of the BENIK family.

A common complaint that racing series hear is that there are too many races and not enough drivers. Throughout the years, racing series have heard this complaint from individual drivers and teams, and ROK CUP USA has always attempted to address this complaint as helpfully as possible. In 2016, ROK CUP USA sent 49 drivers to the International Finals in Italy and, in 2017, there are 25 FREE spots that include a brand new, fully assembled kart and new engine, registration, tent, one set of tires, racing fuel, and more for the winners in each of the classes of the Florida Winter Tour, ROK CUP FLORIDA, ROK CUP MIDWEST, ROK CUP NATIONAL FINALS and Epcot Challenge.

Last week ROK CUP USA announced its 2017 season and received an overwhelming number of e-mails, phone calls, and social media responses with different ideas, suggestions, opinions and perspective from our loyal and valued customers. ROK CUP USA went on overdrive, analyzing all comments and realized that it needed reevaluate its schedule to better suit the drivers, teams and organizations that participate in their events.

P1 Engines brought home strong results from the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Being one of the most competitive events of the year, their engines ran strong all weekend for their drivers . The team drivers earned multiple podium appearances and strong finishes at the final race of the season, making the event an overall success for the California engine builder.

The 2017 winter season is right around the corner and Compass Management Solutions is here to help you prepare. With the MAXSpeed Collective Test in Homestead just a couple weeks away and round one of the Florida Winter Tour and Rotax Challenge of the Americas kicking off shortly after, we know teams and drivers are busy practicing and preparing for these events in their short off-season. CMS has set up discounted hotel rooms for all of these events, and wants to save you and your team’s time and money by booking hotel rooms through us.

Announcing the formation of Brian Graham Racing with RTD Autosport just over one month ago, the newly formed partnership has been hard at work planning for the upcoming 2017 season. Along with the formation of a company, budgeting and reservations, Brian Graham Racing with RTD Autosport has also stepped up to the plate to purchase a second Tatuus USF-17, the 35th and last USF2000 car that was available.

Only a short trip from their Brooksville, Florida location, M1 GT Racing travelled south to the Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Formula & Automobile Racing Association (FARA USA) promoted Miami 500. Looking to close out the 2016 season on a high note, the Audi Sport customer racing program did just that as Walt Bowlin, Larry Pegram and David Ostella piloted their 2016 Audi R8 LMS to the victory in the highly touted MP-1A division.

Top Kart USA is excited to announce their full race lineup for the 2017 season. With their first event only a month away, the team is already preparing for the new season. They will kick off their season at Round One of the World Karting Association (WKA) Manufacturers/Winter Cup, December 27-30 in Daytona Beach, Florida. With a total of 19 races on the schedule, Top Kart USA will have a busy and eventful season.

With the 2016 karting season now at a close, Jay Howard and his Motorsports Driver Development program are hard at work solidifying plans for their 2017 campaign. With a successful year which included race wins, podium results, national championships and growth to the F4 program in the MDD arsenal, Jay and his crew are avidly looking forward to the 2017 racing season.

Dylan Tavella capped off his 2016 season with a podium finish in the X30 Junior class at the annual SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tavella was dissatisfied with his results at the US Open of Las Vegas a few weeks earlier and was looking for redemption at the final event of the year as he entered the temporary street circuit on the grounds of the Las Vegas Convention Center. A win is what he was looking for but to stand on the podium in a stout field of more than sixty drivers was a great way to close out his impressive 2016 season.

The BENIK team drivers came home successful from the final race of the 2016 season, the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNats 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The BENIK chassis was seen at the front of the field for most of the weekend, securing the pole position and winning heat races in two different classes. The team brought home a win, multiple podium appearances, a championship, and multiple vice-championships in Las Vegas, a great way to close out their impressive season.

After the conclusion of the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) program at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca that ended with another podium result, M1 GT Racing wasted no time filling the downtime between then and the end of the year. With a test scheduled early in December to tryout drivers for their 2017 campaign, M1 GT Racing has also confirmed entry to the Formula & Automobile Racing Association promoted Miami 500 event in South Florida.

Team Koene USA has confirmed participation in the MAXSpeed Entertainment Winter Collective Test for the 2017 Florida Winter Tour. The Winter Collective will take place December 17-18, 2016 at the Homestead Karting facility in Homestead, Florida. The team will be preparing for the annual Florida Winter Tour program that kicks off in January, and will be testing the new tires and Rotax cylinder that will be used for Rotax series events in 2017. Also, Team Koene USA will be testing the new line of Tony Kart chassis that will be available for purchase from Team Koene USA.

ROK CUP Promotions is pleased to announce the 2017 ROK CUP USA race schedule. The series will continue with the 2016 format which consists of two regional championships, one in Florida and the other in the Midwest. With last year’s growth, ROK CUP USA has decided to expand the Midwest program by adding two additional races to the calendar. Each championship will consist of four rounds, visiting some of the familiar tracks at Florida, Pittsburgh, and Indiana with New Jersey being the newest stop on the circuit. One new feature for this coming year is that both championships will be intertwined for one race in March, which will count towards both championships.

The BENIK team drivers are ready to do battle at the final race of the season, SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNats 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada.  The team has a stacked lineup of 18 drivers set to compete in the Micro Swift, Mini Swift, and TaG Junior divisions. BENIK has been a dominant force throughout 2016 and hopes to continue their streak at the biggest karting event of the season. With multiple drivers sitting in championship contention, as well as drivers with a shot at podium appearances, BENIK will be pushing hard to get their team to the front of the field.

The Top Kart USA team is preparing for the biggest karting event of the year- the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team has a stout roster of 14 drivers from across the globe ready to bring home victories and podium appearances. Top Kart USA will also have many strong drivers piloting their chassis through satellite teams, such as Glenn Araki’s Team PKS and Francois Doran’s Empire Karts team. After a strong 2016 season, Top Kart USA is ready to close out the season with a bang.

Celebrating a third successful season of the Canadian Karting Challenge (CKC), series drivers, teams, officials and families gathered together with the Innisfil Kart Club (IKC) for the annual year-end banquet on Saturday, November 5. Honoring class champions, sponsors and volunteers, as well as awarding some special prizes, a great time was had by all.

A year of experience and success is in the books for up-and-coming female driver Riley Erickson of Team CRP Racing. The ten-year-old overcame several challenges this year, the biggest being a complete chassis switch to the OTK brand in the middle of the 2016 racing season. The five-year karting veteran did not let this faze her and she took the change in stride, allowing herself to accomplish great things in the 2016 season. Erickson managed to secure many race wins and two championships throughout the season, adding to her already stout resume.

Multi-time national champion Dylan Tavella is gearing up for his final race of the 2016 season, the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Tavella will look to improve on his already impressive season to date, becoming the United States Rotax Junior National Champion and competing with Team USA at the 2016 Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Italy last month.

With the close of the 2016 karting season just around the corner, Koene USA today announced their 2017 schedule. The team is set to compete in the Florida Winter Tour ROK and Rotax programs, SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) Pro Tour, US Open, and Rotax Grand Nationals, as well as select World Karting Association (WKA) and Rok Cup USA events. The team has committed to these events and will be offering full trackside support at each event.

Sabré Cook continues her success this season at the final round of the Sofina Foods US Open series in Las Vegas, Nevada. After earning a second place podium finish in the Senior Shifter category at the US Open of Utah, Cook set her sights on clinching the championship title in Vegas. She needed consistency all weekend and a podium finish in the final to pull it off, which is exactly what she did.

With the first of two events in three weeks in Las Vegas, Nevada now complete, Team Koene USA will enter eleven drivers in the final round of the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) Pro Tour November 16th to the 20th. Descending on the Las Vegas Convention Center for the annual SKUSA SuperNationals, a stout field of drivers will enter multiple classes as the Indiana based team closes out the 2016 season.

With the first of two events in Las Vegas, Nevada now complete, BENIK Kart was able to secure a sweep of the Rotax Micro Max podium in another dominating performance by the growing chassis brand. Leading the way to the event victory was Santiago Trisini with his second US Open main event win of the season, while newly crowned champion Diego LaRoque would cross the line second.

The Energy Kart USA team brought home solid results in the final round of the Sofina Foods US Open series in Las Vegas, Nevada. With a potent line-up of 11 drivers, the Colorado-based team managed to secure podium appearances, several top-ten finishes and a championship title in the Shifter Senior category.

Dallas Karting Complex (DKC) is gearing up for the biggest race of the year – the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals 20. The event takes place November 16-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the heart of Las Vegas, Nevada. DKC will be bringing a solid 16 driver line-up to the event, including multiple returning SKUSA race winners and champions. The team will pilot the Sodi Kart brand of chassis in the Mini Swift, TaG Junior, S1, S2, S4 and KZ categories.

After returning from a successful October spent in Italy, ‘Jetpak’ Jak Crawford headed to the bright lights of Las Vegas, Nevada to compete in the final round of the Sofina Foods US Open. Racing in the Rotax Mini Max class with his Rotax team, Team Koene USA, Crawford would once again be assisted by his world-class Dutch mechanic Richard Hergink as the trio was able to dominate the weekend. 

After launching a successful karting program, Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development program (MDD) will now expand into formula car racing. MDD has created a program to help move drivers from karting to the first step in formula racing, the F4 series, with the help and knowledge of two-time Indianapolis 500 competitor Jay Howard.

The fourth and final race of the year for the Texas Sprint Racing Series (TSRS) by MG Tires was held on October 22 & 23 at North Texas Karters in Denton, Texas. This 0.5 mile track offers some of the best racing to be had anywhere. TSRS had a total entry of 54 racers in both the Energy Kart USA 2 stroke and Alan Rudolph Racing Academy 4 stroke classes for the final event of the year.  TSRS is working on the 2017 schedule for release in January of 2017.  

Piquet Sports (Nelson Piquet Jr.) and NF Sports (Andre Nicastro and Bruno Fusaro) are announcing that they will be joining forces in the North American kart racing scene. This new partnership will allow drivers from multiple countries and continents to race at the most prestigious events in the United States, such as the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) ProTour, Florida Winter Tour (FWT) and ROK Cup, and receive full trackside support during these events. NF/ Piquet Sports will make Orlando, Florida its main hub, which offers favorable weather conditions year-round, as well as a great infrastructure.

RTD Media, a division of Race Tech Development Group, is offering an end of the season promotion for all new media release clients. For a limited time, new clients can get a package of three media releases for $300. This promotion is just in time for the end of the season, the perfect time to promote your personal, company’s, or team’s results from some of the biggest races of the season, such as the US Open Las Vegas and SKUSA SuperNationals.

The Grand Junction, Colorado based Energy Kart USA team will once again challenge for race wins, podiums and championships at the final round of the Sofina Foods US Open series next weekend. Promoted by MAXSpeed Entertainment and taking place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in in Las Vegas, Nevada, the talent-laden squad enters the event with an impressive line-up of 11 drivers set to battle in both Rotax and Shifter categories.

After earning a second-place podium finish at the US Open of Utah, Sabré Cook travels to Las Vegas, Nevada next weekend for the final round of the Sofina Foods US Open. Taking place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Cook will be competing in the Senior Shifter category, setting her sights on the top step of the podium for not only the event, but for the championship as well.

Jet setting his way around the globe, New York resident Dylan Tavella heads to Sin City next week for the final round of the MAXSpeed Entertainment US Open. Taking place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tavella will look to rebound from a difficult outing at the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Sarno, Italy this past weekend.

After much anticipation, SpeedsportZ Racing Park and the Alan Rudolph Racing Academy are finally set to open. The campus includes a dedicated half-mile concession rental track and facility, a separate .8-mile performance track and facility as well as a paved skid pad and paddock. The racing complex focuses on concession karting, group programs utilizing both karts and cars, the Alan Rudolph Racing Academy courses for all levels of drivers, and club memberships with club racing. 

Departing their home base from the ‘Motorsports Capital’ Indianapolis, Indiana, Team Koene USA will embark on a three-week long road trip to the western portion of the country for two of the seasons most prestigious events. With the first event taking place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Team Koene USA will enter the MAXSpeed Entertainment US Open Finale with seven drivers from around the world.

Brian Graham of Brian Graham Racing and Mike Maurini of RTD Autosport have confirmed a partnership and formation of ‘Brian Graham Racing with RTD Autosport’ along with the purchase of the new Tatuus USF-17. Forming an instant internal team ladder from karting through F1600 and into the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, the duo brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in different areas to one operation providing drivers with a professional program and the opportunity to advance into the motorsports ladder and into the highly touted Mazda Road to Indy (MRTI).

After narrowly missing the top step of the podium at the Vortex ROK Cup International Final last year in Lonato, Italy, eleven-year-old Jak Crawford is looking for the next step on the undisputed, biggest podium and race in the world for cadet level racing. Competing in the Vortex Mini ROK class and piloting an Energy chassis, the young American will look to claim the checkers on international soil as he is a member of Team USA through his Vortex Mini ROK championship at the 2016 Florida Winter Tour.

With his last karting event back at the Florida Winter Tour finale in March of this season, Canadian driver and Formula Ford 1600 pilot Roman DeAngelis will rejoin Team Koene USA for the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals. Back with his familiar team, DeAngelis will join several team drivers in the X30 Senior class aboard P1 Engines powered Tony Kart.

Announced just about a year ago that Benik would enter the formula car world, plans finally came to fruition this past weekend at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway when the Benik Carlin entry would turn their first laps in the new Tatuus USF-17. Behind the wheel, at the controls and preparing for his 2017 series debut is multi-time karting champion and Dutch pilot Rinus Vee Kay.

With the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) Championship Finale event taking place this past weekend at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, M1 GT Racing would make the cross country trek from their Brooksville, Florida shop, to Monterrey, California with title hopes on the line. Sitting second in the PWC Pro SprintX, Sportsman SprintX and SprintX Team Championship battles, M1 GT Racing looked to take their Audi R8 LMS to the top step of the podium and finish the 2016 season on a high note.

A new partnership is emerging between two of the biggest and up and coming names in karting. Mike Maurini, owner of Koene USA, Race Tech Development, and RTD Media and Management, and Mike Rolison, owner of Rolison Performance Group and series promoter of the Can-Am Karting Challenge, have come together to form Compass Management Solutions (CMS).

     

For the second year in a row, Jak Crawford has travelled to the South Garda Karting facility in Lonato, Italy to prepare for the Vortex ROK Cup International Final where there are more cadet level race entries every year than anywhere in the world. This year, the warmup race chosen for Jak was the Trofeo Autunno Finale where over 540 racers participated over a two-week period. For the final week of action, just in the Vortex Mini ROK class, there were over 75 racers, most of them hailing from the home country of Italy.        

Sitting second in both the Driver and Team Championship races, Canadian David Ostella ended the final event of the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) SprintX program on the right foot. Taking place at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterrey, California, and with Ostella piloting the M1 GT Racing Audi R8 LMS, the team/driver combo was once again at the pointy end of the field and in the hunt for the race win.

With the start of the 2017 season less than three months away, and a little bit longer in Northern Minnesota, Stockholm Karting Center and the Northland Region Karting Association has inked a deal with Bridgestone Tires and Grand Products for the upcoming season. Beginning in 2017, the track and local kart association will utilize the fast and reliable Bridgestone YLM compound for all classes.

New York resident and Tony Kart driver Dylan Tavella has been on a tear throughout the 2016 season. Claiming wins in MAXSpeed Entertainment promoted events and SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) competition, the multi-time champion went on to win the United States Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Nationals in early August. With the win and title of ‘National Champion’, Dylan received an invite to join Team USA at the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals at the Circuito Internazionale di Napoli in Sarno, Italy October 16-22.

BENIK team drivers dominated from coast to coast over the past two weekends, adding two race wins, multiple podiums, and championship titles to their already stout program. BENIK drivers began their success on the East Coast at the Vortex ROK National Championship, which took place September 16-18 at the Orlando Kart Center in Orlando, Florida. The team then continued their success on the West Coast at the Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix, the final round of the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) ProKart Challenge, taking place on September 23-25 in Lancaster, California.

With the first season of competition almost under their belts with the new Audi R8 LMS, M1 GT Racing will travel from their Florida home across the country to Monterrey, California to compete in the final round of the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) SprintX program. Taking place at the famed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Dion von Moltke and David Ostella will pilot the M1 GT Racing Audi R8 in their quest for both a team and driver championship.

The wait is over: JMCorrea.com has officially launched. The highly anticipated website will serve as a digital business card for JM Correa. All information about the American driver, both on and off the track, can be found at, www.JMCorrea.com.

With a very successful season to date, Canadian champion David Ostella will be back behind the wheel of the M1 GT Racing prepared Audi R8 LMS this coming weekend at the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) SprintX season finale. Taking place at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterrey, California, Ostella will look to help M1 GT Racing garner the Team Championship while he hunts for the top step of the podium.

The Streets of Lancaster Grand Prix brought many accomplishments this past weekend for P1 Engines. The California engine builder would claim multiple wins, podiums, and championships at the final round of the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) California ProKart Challenge as they now shift their focus to the granddaddy of them all, the SKUSA SuperNationals.

Canadian driver Dale Curran Jr. has confirmed his participation to Team Koene USA beginning at two prestigious events in Las Vegas, Nevada. First, Curran will do battle in the US Open finale before showing his speed at the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals and onwards into the 2017 season. With his first event set for the temporary circuit on the grounds of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, Curran will join the potent Koene USA operation to learn the team and event for future seasons as well as his assault on a full calendar of racing in 2017.

Modena Engines USA displayed a strong performance at the final round of the Gearup F Series this past weekend, which was held at the New Jersey Motorsports Park track in Millville, NJ. The double-header final event featured racing on both Saturday and Sunday, and Modena had five drivers competing in the stacked shifter class field. The top results went to driver Rory Van der Steur, who landed on the podium for Saturday’s final with a second place finish, and ended Sunday’s final just shy of the podium in the fourth position.

Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development program had another successful weekend as Braden Eves took the team to the top once again at the last round of the World Karting Association (WKA) Manufacturers Cup. The race took place September 23-25 at the New Castle Motorsports Park in New Castle, Indiana. Eves continued to employ his knowledge and experience gained from driver coach Jay Howard this past weekend and emerged victorious.

It has been a year of change at Team CRP Racing. That change has been for the better as change has turned into race wins and a national championship. Completing their national karting season this past weekend at the final round of the World Karting Association (WKA) Manufacturer’s Cup at New Castle Motorsports Park (NCMP), Team CRP Racing started to build a solid foundation for a great team resume by securing pole positions, victories and a national title.

Entering round seven of the Italian F4 Championship Series, JM Correa would travel to Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, Italy. Currently sitting fifth on the overall series championship chase and third amongst rookies, Correa and his Prema Powerteam would look towards the top step of the podium and a good points scoring weekend.

The third race of the year for the Texas Sprint Racing Series (TSRS) presented by MG Tires was held on the weekend of September 17-18 at Gulf Coast Karters in Katy, Texas. The event proved the series growth with a record number of entries in both the Energy Kart USA 2-stroke and Alan Rudolph Racing Academy 4-stroke classes for this third event of the year. TSRS again had a stellar LO206 field and along with the World Formulas, TaGs and Shifters, all provided very close and exciting racing around the challenging .7-mile layout.

With race wins, podium results and championships already attained throughout the 2016 season, BENIK branded drivers made the trip to the Pittsburgh International Race Complex (PittRace) for the final round of the United States Pro Kart Series (USPKS). Ending the weekend strong, BENIK added three victories and six podium results to their ever-growing resume.

The final round of the United States Pro Kart Series (USPKS) brought another strong performance for the Indianapolis based Top Kart USA team. The final round of USPKS took place September 9-11 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex. Bringing home three wins and a championship was a great way for the team to bring their season to a close.

Looking to add value choices within Elite Drivers Academy (EDA), Owner and Founder Louie Pagano has added a host of multi-time champions and coaches to the high level program. With coaching being completed online through Skype, Elite Drivers Academy is using the digital era to add services to drivers not only in the United States, but also around the world.

Looking to advance his way forward in the Italian F4 Championship point standings, American/Ecuadorian driver JM Correa traveled to the Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi for the fifth event weekend in the program. With three races on the docket, Correa put his name at the top on Sunday as he stood atop the podium for his third victory in the series this season.

The fifth round of the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) California ProKart Challenge in Santa Maria, California brought success once again for P1 Engines. Posting strong results all weekend, the California based engine builder would claim wins in the X30 Junior and X30 Masters classes, along with many more top-ten finishes, as they continue to close out the 2016 season.

The fourth round of the World Karting Association (WKA) Manufacturers Cup brought another solid performance for the Indianapolis based Top Kart USA squad. Taking place August 19-21 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, the results for the team were consistently strong all weekend with five wins and fourteen podiums added to their already stout 2016 resume.

Modena Engines USA will be offering complete engine rental packages for the upcoming Superkarts! USA SuperNationals 20. The event, which is just under two months away, takes place on a temporary course at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada and draws top drivers from around the globe. Modena will be offering rental packages for the KK1 and the MKZ engine models, both of which are highly competitive in the KZ2 class.

Turning heads at the opening rounds of the Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) SprintX program at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in May, David Ostella would be back with the M1 GT Racing squad for rounds three and four two weeks ago. Taking place at the Utah Motorsports Campus, Ostella would jump into the 2016 M1 GT Racing Audi R8 LMS and would claim a fourth place result on Saturday before standing on the podium on Sunday in a solid second place effort.

With only a few BENIK branded drivers traveling to Simraceway Performance Karting Center in Sonoma, California early in August, the results were still plentiful as Championship and Vice-Championship honors were added to the company’s growing resume. Competing at the annual United States Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Nationals with invitations to join Team USA at the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals (RMCGF) later this season, Diego La Roque would top the blocks with young James Egozi in the second position.

Coming into her own in the 2016 racing season, Arizona resident and Team Koene USA driver Zoey Edenholm has the target placed firmly on her back. With wins in the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) Pro Kart Challenge and multiple podium results in the Rotax Challenge of the Americas, Los Angeles Kart Club (LAKC) and SKUSA Pro Tour, Edenholm will now begin preparations for SuperNationals XX as the current point leader in the X30 Junior category.

With on track results plentiful, BENIK Kart is beginning to make a name for themselves off the track as well. Growing their dealer network to add Iron Rock Motorsports last month, the Florida based company is pleased to announce the addition of Nevada’s Acceleration Karting as a new west coast program. Taking on the BENIK Kart product line effective immediately, Acceleration Karting will stock, sell, service and promote the BENIK brand.

In his final Rotax Mini MAX event, Ocala Gran Prix standout Tyler Gonzalez did not disappoint. Closing the weekend in beautiful Sonoma, California with yet another victory in 2016, Gonzalez would claim his first career National Championship and will now advance from the Mini Max division to the talent-laden Junior MAX class under the watchful eye of karting guru Mike Speed.

M1 GT Racing is pleased to announce a major partnership agreement with M1GT.tv, a livestream television station set to bring you trackside with M1 GT Racing. Providing live as well as tape delayed video from their events, M1 GT Racing is bringing more to the plate for their marketing partners and fans. With M1GT.tv set to bring 360 technology and video to M1GTRacing.com and their social media pages, partners in M1 GT Racing will get more bang for their buck with the inclusion of race broadcasts, driver and team interviews as well as advertising commercials within the livestream program.

As the 2016 karting season only has a few major events left, Team Koene USA, one of North America’s elite karting operations, will be liquidating some of their team and arrive and drive equipment. From new axles, tires and fuel to some used engines and chassis, all items are priced to sell and can be shipped anywhere in the continental United States.

Effective immediately, Grand Products owner, Denise Sayko, who has been with the company for more than 30 years, has exercised her shareholder option and has taken over the full operations of Grand Products Incorporated.  

It was a victorious weekend for Modena Engines USA at round four of the Gearup F Series, with Rory Van der Steur (Kosmic) taking the win in Saturday’s KZ Shifter final. The event, which took place at the New Jersey Motorsports Park (NJMP), saw a KZ shifter field stacked with Modena power. Besides Van der Steur’s victory, the engine brand had three top-five finishes and five top-ten finishes in the class.

Wrapping up seven weeks in a row of intense competition, Team BENIK and BENIK Kart would head to Spiceland, Indiana for World Karting Association (WKA) and SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) action. Taking place at the ultra fast New Castle Motorsports Park facility that has been the breeding ground for some of today’s motorsports stars, Team BENIK and their large contingent of drivers showed that they are the team to beat in Micro and Mini competition.

As one of the leading engine builders in the United States market, P1 Engines would travel across the country from California to Indiana for the second round of the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) Pro Tour. Taking place at the New Castle Motorsports Park (NCMP) facility in Spiceland, Indiana, P1 Engines would close the event with multiple top-five finishes including several podium results as they shift their focus to closing out a strong and successful 2016 season.

Fresh off a very successful SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SummerNationals, Team Koene USA will make the long trek from Indiana to California. Departing New Castle Motorsports Park and heading to the SimRaceway Performance Karting Center in the heart of Wine Country, the Indiana based squad will bring a quintuplet of drivers scattered amongst four Rotax divisions in their hunt for National Championships and invitations to represent Team USA at this November’s Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Italy.

Only a short drive from their Indianapolis, Indiana location, Team Koene USA will bring nine drivers to the New Castle Motorsports Park facility for the annual SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SummerNationals. With some new as well as returning drivers registered, Team Koene USA will once again look towards the front of the field in their quest for race wins and podium results before shifting gears and preparing for the ultimate SKUSA SuperNationals.

Adding more dealers and continuing to grow, BENIK Kart has increased their dealer network by securing a very prominent and reputable karting company. Charlie Swayne and Iron Rock Motorsports will now be the Texas Region distributor for BENIK chassis and will offer complete sales and trackside support throughout the Texas area and at national level events across the country.

As one of the youngest drivers on the national circuit, eight year-old James Egozi is set to join Team Koene USA, one of the largest and most successful karting programs in North America. Looking to elevate his program to the next level, Egozi will join the Indianapolis, Indiana based squad for his first event at the upcoming Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) SummerNationals at New Castle Motorsports Park (NCMP) before continuing his quest for race wins and podium results in multiple different series.

Known as one of the leading and premier drive system companies in North American karting, Holeshot Drive Systems in its entirity has been purchased by Darren White, owner of Energy Kart North America. With the deal completed weeks ago and finalized this past weekend, White and Energy Kart North America will begin distribution and promotion of the product line as well as continue to build and support the already established and strong dealer network.

A must-attend event for ASN Canada drivers in all classes including shifter and Rotax DD2, the Canadian Karting Challenge (CKC) is pleased to announce details for their upcoming event at Shannonville Motorsport Park July 22-24. Running the Full Nelson layout, series drivers and Innsifil Kart Club participants will feel the speed and excitement Shannonville is known for.

In a challenging portion of the 2016 schedule, Team BENIK took it all in stride as they competed in two different national series in two different states in the past two weeks. First doing battle at the USA International Raceway (USAIR) in Shawano, Wisconsin in the United States Pro Kart Series (USPKS), the Florida based team would then pack up and travel to Tooele, Utah for the second round of the US Open program at the Utah Motorsports Campus.

Two consecutive weekends in Shawano, Wisconsin, brought two weekends of success for the Indianapolis based Top Kart USA squad. The second round of Route 66 competition took place June 10-12 at U.S. Air Motorsports Park while the second round of the United States Pro Kart Series (USPKS) competition took place the following weekend, June 17-19.

Coming off their best weekend of the 2016 season, Audi Sport customer racing program (AScr), M1 GT Racing will travel to the ‘Dairy State’ for Pirelli World Challenge competition at the famed Road America facility. Located just outside of the quaint town Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, M1 GT Racing will look to carry the momentum gained from a double podium outing at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park less than one month ago.

Fresh off a second place podium result at the US Open of New Orleans, Sabré Cook travels to Utah Motorsports Campus this weekend for the second round of the Sofina Foods US Open program. Competing in the Senior Shifter category, Cook will aim towards the top step of the podium in her quest to take the point lead before making her bid for the national championship this coming November in Las Vegas.

Another weekend provides another chance at race wins and podium results as Energy Kart USA heads to the newly named Utah Motorsports Campus for the second round of the Sofina Foods US Open in Tooele, Utah. With a stacked team of eight drivers, Energy Kart USA will look to bring home the hardware once again as they do battle in Senior Shifter, Master Shifter, Micro MAX and Mini MAX.

After nearly a year of delays due to many reasons, including offsite utilities, major new road construction, and unprecedented rain for over a year, SpeedsportZ Racing Park at Grand Texas and the Alan Rudolph Racing Academy is finally under construction.  Opening is planned for late Fall 2016.

As the 2016 North American karting season reaches the midway point, several key events will set up championship chases for drivers in multiple different series. First on the docket, Team Koene USA will enter eight drivers in the second round of the Sofina Foods US Open in the hopes to secure valuable points towards tight championship battles. Taking place at the Utah Motorsports Campus (formally Miller Motorsports Park), Team Koene USA will have entrants in Rotax Mini Max, Junior Max and Senior MAX.

Continuing to add to their growing operation, Team BENIK is pleased to welcome two newcomers to the squad. Competing in multiple events and series for the remainder of 2016, Santiago Trisini and Elio Giovane will join the Fort Lauderdale based team as they look to take advantage of a championship caliber chassis and data from fellow Team BENIK drivers.

Traveling to the Simraceway Performance Driving Center in Sonoma, California, P1 Engines would score a pair of victores at the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) Pro Kart Challenge. Taking honors in the X30 Junior and X30 Masters class, P1 Engines proved once again, that they are one of the top TaG engine builders in the nation.

Wrapping up the ROK Cup USA Florida Championship this past weekend at Andersen Race Park in Palmetto, Florida, Team BENIK secured their second series title of the 2016 season. Claiming the victory and the Vortex Mini ROK championship was Georgia resident Tyler Maxson while BENIK Karts were once again dominant in the Mini ROK category. Across the United States, BENIK was also at the front of the field in California scoring more victories and podium results.

It was an outstanding weekend for Modena Engines USA at round two of the F Series Gearup Challenge with two podium finishes in the Shifter KZ class for the brand. Josh Lane in the 44j came in second by just three tenths of a second, while Rory Van der Steur (19n) claimed third just behind him. Six drivers in total competed on the Modena engine package at the Raceway Park track, with four of those drivers finishing in the top-ten.

Competing at the first round of the 2016 MAXSpeed Entertainment US Open at NOLA Motorsports Park in late April, Ocala Gran Prix (OGP) is increasing their trackside presence for the upcoming second round. Taking place at Utah Motorsports Campus in Tooele, Utah, OGP will be offering complete arrive and drive programs as well as engine rentals and equipment rentals for the entire event weekend.

ROK CUP USA is proud to present the second annual ‘Epcot Challenge’ race that will see young drivers from all over the world invited to participate. The purpose of this race is to create a welcome family ambiance at one of the most popular summer destinations in the world for all the young drivers. Families will not only will experience a great race weekend, but will also have the opportunity to enjoy for a day, one of the famous Disney World theme parks - Epcot - plus a complimentary brunch, only for ROK CUP USA series participants, at a world renowned restaurant as part of the experience.

With an already outstanding driver lineup, Team BENIK only got stronger with their most recent edition. Debuting aboard a BENIK Kart and taking home the victory at the most recent ROK Cup Florida event at the Homestead Karting facility, Luca Mars has officially joined the Fort Lauderdale, Florida based squad and will compete in multiple series throughout the remainder of the 2016 season.

As ROK CUP USA ventures to the Midwest for the first time, the series has decided to offer a complete engine rental program to help new interested drivers to take part of the championship races that will be held at Pitt Race July 1-3 and New Castle Motorsports Park August 26-28. 

The ROK National Championships around the world are in full swing and Rokkers are giving the karting community the usual show at each and every level from Micro ROK to Shifter ROK. The ROK International Final still seems far away but time passes quickly and the event days of October 19th to 22nd will fast approach as drivers will prepare to compete at the South Garda Karting facility in Lonato, Italy.

Heading to the second round of the Sofina Foods US Open, Team Koene USA has added Utah resident Walker Hess to their Rotax Senior lineup. Competing at the Rotax Challenge of the Americas earlier this season as well as the opening round of the US Open in New Orleans, Hess joins Team Koene USA for the remaining Rotax events on the 2016 calendar that will include the remaining US Open events and the United States Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Nationals.

Top Kart USA started the United States Pro Kart Series (USPKS) season off on the right foot, scoring one pole position and three wins in the first weekend of competition, held May 13-15 at New Castle Motorsports Park in New Castle, Indiana.

After bad weather plagued the opening round of the 2016 Canadian Karting Challenge, Race #2, set for May 29 at Innisfil Indy will be yet another chance for regional drivers to come out and showcase their driving skills on a very technical track, running Layout #1.

Custom wheel manufacturer Fikse Wheels is pleased to announce details of their Driver Development Program. Known for giving back to the motorsports community, Fikse, along with company CEO & President Daryle Redlin, have come up with a unique program to teach the fundamentals needed to attain sponsorships at future levels of motorsports.

Already making waves in the world of sports car racing, M1 GT Racing adds to their program for the upcoming Pirelli World Challenge (PWC) event at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP). With already confirmed plans to run in the PWC Sprint-X program with drivers Walt Bowlin and Guy Cosmo, M1 GT Racing will run a second Audi R8 machine in Sprint-X with Canadian standout David Ostella, who will compete in his hometown event, and sportscar phenom driver Dion von Moltke.

As one of North America’s longest running professional kart shops, tuners and race teams, Greg Bell and Leading Edge Motorsports entered 2016 with renewed focus and energy. As a dealer for the Praga chassis line, the Lodi, California based kart shop was poised and focused to challenge for race wins, podiums and championships, and now that the first quarter of the karting season has come to a close, they are proving that goals can be achieved.

As the ROK CUP USA enters one of its last rounds of the Florida Championship, some changes have been made for the remainder of the racing season to help all drivers experience a better experience. Beginning the next round at Homestead, Florida from May 20th to 22nd the following new rules will apply:

Making the short trek to the Arizona desert, P1 Engines was once again at the front of the field in Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) competition. With drivers littered in multiple classes, the California based company walked away with another national level victory in the X30 Junior division.

Making the cross-country trek from their home base of Fort Lauderdale, Florida to the Phoenix Kart Racing Association (PKRA) facility in Glendale, Arizona, Team BENIK would have one of their best weekends of competition ever during the opening round of the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) Pro Tour. Taking home four victories and eleven podium results, BENIK Kart drivers swept the victories in both the IAME Micro and Mini Swift classes.

Starting his season on a high note, BENIK Kart driver Diego LaRoque was victorious in the Rotax Micro MAX division at the first round of the MAXSpeed Entertainment promoted US Open series held April 21-24 at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Louisiana. The following weekend, he topped the blocks in the IAME Mini Swift division at the opening round of the SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) Pro Tour, held at the PKRA facility in Glendale, Arizona.

In the first round of the MAXSpeed Entertainment US Open held April 21-24 at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Louisiana, Energy Kart USA drivers racked up several solid finishes on fast and challenging layout. With multiple drivers competing in the gearbox classes, Energy Kart USA continued to promote the Stock Honda shifterkart program and in the process, claimed a pair of podium finishes.

Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development program is making waves on the national karting scene as Braden Eves stole the show in the X30 Senior class at the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) SpringNationals. Taking place at the Phoenix Kart Racing Association (PKRA) facility in Glendale, Arizona this past weekend, Eves drove to the front of the talent filled-field and never looked back to score one of the biggest victories for himself and Jay Howard’s Motorsport Driver Development program.

Known for cultivating some of the top karting talent around, Oakland Valley Race Park (OVRP) and the NEKC series announce today several special programs aimed at Rotax racers in the Northeast region. Through associations with the MAXSpeed Group and the Diversified Private Wealth Advisors Driver Promotion program, in honor of the late Peter Hannen, Rotaxians will benefit from engine programs and Sofina Foods US Open Presented by Fikse Wheels series finale entries.

After competing for the Rotax Pan-American Championship in 2013, PSL returned to New Orleans, LA to take home three wins in a clean sweep at the opening round of the US Open.

“We’ve been working on every aspect of our program since the end of last season”, commented Team Manager Coy Arbour, “Birel ART has been a massive support in building our product to the level it is at now, and I think the results speak for themselves.”

With the snow melted and spring on its way, karting action has now started in Ontario. The opening round of the 2016 Canadian Karting Challenge (CKC) is set for this Sunday, May 1, with Innisfil Kart Club (IKC) on track Saturday, April 30, both at the fun and family-friendly Innsifil Indy kart track.

Three different drivers on the same brand of chassis were the class of the Rotax Micro MAX field at the opening round of the MAXSpeed Entertainment promoted US Open this past weekend at the NOLA Motorsports Park just outside of New Orleans, Louisiana. Diego LaRoque, James Egozi and Carson Morgan all took a turn at the front of the talented field of drivers and at the end of the week, would be the only three to have their names shine in Micro MAX.

Energy Kart USA is looking forward to another successful season of US Open competition, starting with the first race of the year. Round one will be held this weekend, April 21-24, at NOLA Motorsports Park in New Orleans.

Brooksville, Florida based M1 GT Racing is set to embark on their second Pirelli World Challenge event of the 2016 season in Alabama. Looking to build on the momentum of a pair of top five finishes at the Circuit of the Americas in early March, the Audi Sport customer racing (AScr) program will travel to Barber Motorsports Park with driver Walt Bowlin and their Tampa Bay Jaw Surgery / Surgery Centers of America Audi R8 LMS machine.

With the MAXSpeed Entertainment promoted US Open only one week away, Team Koene USA is poised and ready to attack with a talented squad of nine drivers. Littered amongst four of the Rotax divisions, Team Koene USA will enter drivers in Micro Max, Mini Max, Junior Max and Senior Max as they look to carry their momentum from the popular Florida Winter Tour and Rotax Challenge of the Americas programs where they claimed multiple race wins and podium results including a Rotax Junior Championship and a trio of Vice-Championships.

Travelling overseas for another event on his 2016 calendar, American karting standout Anthony Gangi Jr. would do battle in the WSK Super Master Series round three in La Conca, Italy. Competing aboard his familiar Tony Kart chassis under the Ward Racing banner, the multi-time champion would once again be in the OK division in his quest for constant improvement and solid results in the highest level of karting around the world.

As the 2016 season quickly approaches for the Can-Am Karting Challenge, registration is set to officially open tomorrow, Wednesday, April 13. With a class structure that offers something for every kind of racer and the schedule stopping at three popular Pacific Northwest tracks, the growing series has quickly become a hotly contested and anticipated program for regional racing and will once again see events both north and south of the border.

Jak Crawford travelled to the Simraceway Performance Karting Center in Sonoma, California two weekends ago for the final round of the Rotax Challenge of the Americas with the goal to test for the upcoming United States Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Nationals. When the dust had finally settled and the last checkered flag had flown, Jak walked away with two Rotax Mini MAX victories and a near sweep of the weekend racing under the Rolison Performance Group (RPG) tent. Yet, there is clearly more work to do in preparing for another Grand National Championship and the work behind the scenes is formalized with this announcement.

Canadian Marco Kacic started his 2016 race season by competing in the Challenge of the Americas (COTA) winter series. This season Marco has been blessed with the support of some of the sport’s top companies. If it were not for his partnership with his sponsors, CRG Nordam, Black Racing Engines and Fikse Wheels, it would not have been possible for Marco to race at the Challenge of the Americas this year.

The first race of the year for the Texas Sprint Racing Series was held on April 2 - 3 at Hill Country Kart Club in New Braunfels, Texas. Located in the heart of Texas, the facility encompasses an all concrete track that has a very challenging layout and with just over sixty racers entered in both two-stroke and four-stroke classes, the competition was fierce as teams and drivers looked to start the season off right. 

At the second round of WKA Man Cup competition, held April 1-3 at GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville, N.C., Team Top Kart USA continued their winning ways, bringing home four wins, four poles and 19 podiums.

“What another fantastic weekend we have had at GoPro Motorplex in North Carolina,” said Blake Deister, co-owner of Top Kart USA. “I am very pleased with the results and momentum we have moving forward to the rest of the season, not only for the WKA Man Cup Series, as we are leading many class points championships at the moment, but also to continue these same results at other national level series we will be attending through the year. My hat is off to all of the Top Kart drivers and families for your hard work to put great results on the board.”

With the opening round of the popular Can-Am Karting Challenge just around the corner, series officials are pleased to announce awards and incentives for the 2016 season. Through a joint effort with the Fikse Wheels Driver Development Program and MAXSpeed, Can-Am participants can reap rewards of discounted Rotax evo engine upgrade kits as well as Rotax Micro MAX and Mini MAX engines, while series class champions will receive free entry to MAXSpeed Entertainment’s pinnacle event, the 2016 Sofina Foods US Open series finale in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was another winning weekend for P1 Engines in the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) ProKart Challenge program. Taking place on the temporary layout in Monterey Bay, California, P1 Engines powered drivers would be at the pointy end of the field throughout the event and eventually score victories in the IAME X30 Junior and IAME Mini Swift divisions.

Bordogna Racing Engines LLC, with over thirty years of experience building two-cycle engines, is very proud to announce that they have become an authorized ROTAX Dealer and ROTAX SERVICE CENTER. Located in the heart of Florida, Bordogna Engines can provide teams and customers engine repair, dyno services, parts and trackside support.

The Orlando based Orlando Kart Center racing ambassador Ryan Norberg will be making his West Coast debut this April attending his first Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) Pro Tour event, being held at the beautiful Phoenix Kart Racing circuit at the end of the month. Looking to build on his success from the Florida Winter Tour, the Floridian will pilot a Tony Kart chassis in the talent filled X30 Senior class.

Formed to fill a void and increase awareness of karting in the Colorado region, the MG Tires Colorado Sprint Championship (CSC) announces today an in-depth incentive program for the 2016 racing season. Fikse Wheels has stepped up to offer national race entry to class champions, with MAXSpeed offering special pricing on Rotax evo engine upgrade kits and Micro and Mini MAX engines.

The 2016 season has officially kicked off, and PSL is proud to announce their championship winning arrive and drive program for the two most prestigious series in America.

In 2014, PSL Karting made a full commitment to the SKUSA program, dominating the S1 shifter category with Jordon Lennox and having an almost perfect season, taking the championship at the SKUSA Super Nationals in the final at the RIO Hotel, Las Vegas. In 2015, again, PSL worked with Rick Dreezen of Ricciardo kart, and claimed yet again another S1 Championship, making it two in a row, all the while powered by SWEDETECH Engines.

With the popular winter karting programs coming to a close, Karting Community United (KCU) has teamed up with Simraceway and the Challenge of the Americas program to put on one last fundraiser to close out the series. Taking place after the day’s action on Saturday, Karting Community United will host a fundraising event that will see parents, tuners, team mangers and more compete with all the money going to a great cause.

Growing in tradition with each passing Florida Winter Tour season, the Dan Wheldon Ambassador Award was given out this past weekend at the final round of the Sofina Foods Florida Winter Tour. Following the podium celebration on Sunday evening, Mike Maurini and Chris Wheeler gave away the annual award to this year’s winner, Garett Potter.

With the first quarter of the karting season now closed, Team Koene USA continues to show why they are one karting’s powerhouse programs. Competing at both the ROK Cup USA and Rotax MAX Challenge portions of the 2016 Sofina Foods Florida Winter Tour, the team secured multiple podium results, race wins as well as a vice-championship in Rotax Senior and the championship title and accompanying ticket to join Team USA at the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Rotax Junior.

After an unprecedented turnout and successful race weekend at Round 1 in Palm Beach, ROK Cup Promotions is looking to build off this momentum heading into Round 2 of the ROK Cup Florida Championship, which takes place April 15th-17th at the Ocala Gran Prix track. Online pre-registration is now open for Round 2, allowing drivers to save time and money by registering before the event.

It has been a quiet year so far for Jak Crawford. Close calls, a mistake that cost a win, bad luck, and underperforming equipment summarized the season so far, just a few races into the season. Yet as has been the case in the past, when big stakes are on the line, the 10-year-old driver steps up in a huge way.  His ability to take on the big moments is becoming commonplace.

Team BENIK drivers spent back-to-back weekends in Florida, winning as they went along starting with the first round of 2016 ROK Cup USA program, held March 4-6 at Palm Beach Karting (PBK). The second weekend brought the final round of the Florida Winter Tour ROK Cup USA Championship, which took place March 10-13 at the same Jupiter, Florida facility where the squad continued to add to their already impressive resume.

The final round of the Challenge of the Americas (COA) will take place at Simraceway Performance Karting Center in Sonoma, California April 1st to the 3rd. With the points championship coming down to the wire and invites to Team USA for this year’s Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in Italy, the weekend promises to be some of the best wheel-to-wheel action of the season.

Taking on top karting talent from around the world, Anthony Gangi Jr. started his first WSK Super Master Series event this past weekend at the 7 Laghi International Circuit in Castelletto, Italy. With weather playing a major factor in the first of four rounds in the WSK series, Gangi Jr. and his Ward Racing team were plagued not only by the weather but also with engine gremlins. Despite all this, the outstanding young man and burgeoning talent left Castelletto more determined than ever.

Jay Howard’s Motorsports Driver Development program is partnering with NOLA Motorsports Park to offer a driving school and an opportunity to train with IndyCar driver Jay Howard.

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Howard will make NOLA Motorsports Park, located just outside New Orleans in Avondale, Louisiana, his new home track. The park will offer official test days and private rentals of the facility for individuals and teams in addition to the JHMDD driving school.

In the third and final round of World Karting Association (WKA) Winter Cup competition, held March 4-6 at GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville, NC, Top Kart USA stayed true to form, bringing home several wins, podiums and pole positions. Their impressive results throughout the Winter Cup schedule also brought them several impressive championship finishes.

CRG West is pleased to announce today their efforts in reviving the presence of the world-championship caliber CRG chassis and product line in the Canadian market. Virtually non-existent in Canada during the 2015 season, CRG is set to make a comeback in 2016 with Danny Kacic and CRG West Motorsports. Kacic, the owner of CRG West, has been contracted by the CRG Nordam factory team as the new North American factory race team director.

It was an outstanding start to the season for ROK Cup Promotions as they kicked off Round 1 of the ROK Cup Florida Championship this past weekend at the Palm Beach Karting track in Jupiter, Florida. With 117 entries, this event marked the largest turnout the ROK Cup USA series has seen in the US to date. Eight classes competed at the first of four rounds in the Florida Championship, and the racing was nothing short of spectacular as the series looks to continue growing throughout the season.

Hitting the track for wheel-to-wheel competition for the first time in 2016, Sabré Cook will travel to Phoenix, Arizona for the second round of the 2016 Challenge of the Americas. Piloting a new blue Energy Kart, Cook will enter the Shifter Senior category as she aims for the top step of the podium to kick her season off right.

After having only a few select competitors at the first round of the 2016 Rotax Challenge of the Americas in Tucson, Arizona, Energy Kart USA will bring a talented five driver squad to Phoenix this coming weekend to challenge for race wins and podium results at the PKRA facility in Glendale, Arizona.

The second Vortex ROK weekend of the Sofina Foods Florida Winter Tour Presented by Fikse Wheels, held February 11-14 in Ocala brought success for BENIK drivers in the Micro ROK and Mini ROK classes. Always at the pointy end of the field throughout the weekend, BENIK podiums were once again plentiful in the first event weekend of 2016 that saw no rain in the forecast.

Round two of the WKA Winter Cup, held February 5-7 in Jacksonville, Florida, brought impressive results for Top Kart USA. The team brought home five wins, seven pole positions and 11 podium finishes.

P1 Engines swept the field in X30 competition at Buttonwillow Raceway during the first round of SKUSA Pro Kart Challenge competition, held February 5-6 in Buttonwillow, California.
 
The weekend was Tomas Mejia’s first race in the junior class, but it didn’t seem to faze him. He ran in the top-five throughout the weekend and ran second in the main until the last lap. He would go on to finish fifth. Oliver Calvo also adjusted quickly to competition at the junior level. He led parts of his heat race but would finish his day in sixth.

Making some huge changes for his 2016 campaign, American karting standout Anthony Gangi Jr. wrapped up his senior class debut at the first race of his full European schedule this past weekend. Taking on the new OK class at the WSK Champions Cup at the Adria International Raceway in Northern Italy, the Tony Kart pilot impressed all in his first European event of the 2016 season.

ROK Cup Promotions has officially opened registration for the upcoming ROK Cup USA Florida Championship, with the first round taking place March 4-6, 2016 at the Palm Beach Karting track in Jupiter, Florida. Packages both with and without engines will be available in addition to the standard single race entry. The series has also opened up a new competitive class: the Junior Shifter ROK class. The new class is open to drivers ages 12-15 that will compete on a restricted version of the VORTEX Shifter ROK engine package.

Roberts is setting high goals for himself in 2016, competing in every round of the Florida Winter Tour this year in 2016 in the Rotax Masters division. Roberts has prepared himself in the off-season and is looking for the overall win and his ticket to the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals in 2016. Roberts also plans to defend his US Nationals title later on this year in California at the US Rotax Grand Nationals in August.

In breaking news in the Southern California karting community, CRG SoCal acquired Redlands, CA based Empire Karts. CRG has taken ownership of Empire Karts and its product line as of February 1, 2016. Established in 1999, Empire Karts grew quickly and became one of the best known and most respected kart shops in Southern California, serving some of racing’s biggest names on regional and national levels.

Diego LaRoque, an elite Rotax driver now in the Rotax Mini Max ranks, would like to thank Daryle Redlin of Fikse Wheels for his sponsorship at the first round of the Florida Winter Tour, held January 22-24 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Stepping up to the plate to help competitors attend events that they would be less likely not to participate in, Fikse Wheels was able to help support LaRoque and his racing efforts in 2016.

The first weekend of ROK competition at the Florida Winter Tour saw tornado warnings and heavy rain in Homestead, pushing much of Friday’s track activity to Saturday. But the wet weather didn’t affect the results of BENIK Kart drivers, who brought home several top-five and top-ten results in the Vortex Micro ROK and Mini ROK classes.

ROK Cup USA’s 2016 season kicked off this past weekend at the 1st round of the Sofina Foods Florida Winter Tour presented by Fiske Wheels. Taking place at Homestead Karting, the event boasted nearly 180 drivers in seven classes, the biggest ROK event to date in the United States. The weather made for some interesting on-track and off-track situations, but as always the racing was extremely competitive on board the VORTEX engine package, making for some heart-pumping and exhilarating race action for drivers and spectators alike.

Formed by 2015 SuperKarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals, Fikse Wheels Pro Tour champion and multi-time Rotax MAX Challenge race winner and Team USA member Louie Pagano, Elite Drivers Academy has been born. Focused on three-day race schools at three prominent tracks around the country, Elite Drivers Academy will employ the services of several high profile championship-winning competitors to train the future champions of the sport.

Following the successful footsteps of MAXSpeed Entertainment’s US Open series program, a new regional program has been established for Colorado region sprint kart racers. Featuring Shifter and Rotax classes with support from MG Tires and MAXSpeed, the new series schedule will stop at four Super Colorado Sprint tracks and fill a void for drivers in the region.

Elliot Finlayson started his 2016 season on a high note, becoming the Daytona Pro IAME Senior event champion at the World Karting Association (WKA) Manufacturers Cup Daytona Kartweek, held December 27-30, 2015, at Daytona International Speedway. Taking home the main event win in the featured category on the weekend, Finlayson started his 2016 season off on the right foot and will look to carry the momentum throughout the season.

Race Tech Development (RTD) Group, owner of RTD Autosport, is pleased to announce RTD Media and Management (RTDMM), another venture utilizing the Race Tech Development brand. With the goal to help a select few drivers move from karting to cars, RTD Media and Management will provide liaison and management services for drivers looking to make the move into higher levels of motorsports.

Orlando Kart Center (OKC), located just miles from Florida’s most popular tourist attractions, is one of the premier karting facilities in the country.   The 0.7-mile racing circuit with 13 turns, challenging chicanes along with several tight hairpins, has become known as a driver’s track because of the many great passing opportunities exposed while racing.  This past year the Orlando based kart circuit hosted two of the highest profile racing series, the United States Nationals for ROK Cup USA as well as the popular Florida Winter Tour. 

After a very short off-season, Top Kart USA was back in action for World Karting Association’s (WKA) Daytona KartWeek. Taking place December 28-30 and on the grounds of the hallowed Daytona International Speedway and remaining true to form, Top Kart USA drivers had an impressive week across all classes, bringing home two race wins, twenty podium finishes and two pole positions. 

As the start of the 2016 campaign nears, Team Koene USA continues to build upon their driver lineup for upcoming season. Announcing today, Team Koene USA is pleased to welcome 2015 US Open Senior Vice-Champion Rinus Van Kalmthout back to the Indiana based squad as well as the addition of Junior competitor Nathan Ratton and Micro pilot Ryker Mattes.

Texas Sprint Racing Series (TSRS), a karting program in the heart of the Texas, is pleased to announce plans for the upcoming 2016 season. With a race schedule now confirmed, a host of new and returning sponsors on the docket and the addition of two-cycle classes to the prominent four-cycle program, the Texas Sprint Racing Series continues to work with their customers and evolve into a program that they are asking for.