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SKUSA Winter Series
| EKN Trackside: 2026 Superkarts! USA Winter Series – Speedsportz 1 – Sunday Report |
| Wednesday, 14 January 2026 13:47 |
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Pauly Massimino drove his way to a career first SKUSA Winter Series victory in Pro X30 (Photo: EKN) The final day of action for the opening weekend to the 2026 Superkarts! USA Winter Series program was contested on Sunday at the Speedsportz Racing Park with the over 230 entries taking part in Round Two action. The New Caney, Texas facility saw colder weather to begin the day, but the skies were clear with sunshine, bringing up the temperature as the day went on for a picture perfect backdrop to the qualifying, Prefinal and Final action for the second day of racing. Nearly every category had a battle to the very end, including the Pro X30 main event where Pauly Massimino was able to put his Brandon Jarsocrak Racing LN Kart to the checkered flag first while TKG Birelart USA driver Gavin Bayliff won for a second time in three Pro Shifter main events here at Speedsportz.The day in Kart CRG USA Pro X30 began with Senior rookie Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic) carrying over the speed from Saturday to set fast time in qualifying with a 52.525, edging out teammate and SuperNationals 28 winner Gus Lawrence (RPG / Kosmic) by one thousandths of a second. Saturday top qualifier Blake Nash (Nash / EOS) was third with Pauly Massimino (BJR / LN Kart) within a tenth as well. The 10-lap Prefinal was a solid battle with the top six swapping positions every lap. Lawrence was able to come away with the win over Massimino with Saturday winner Oliver Hodgson (Factory Karts) moving up to third over Vanchev. The top four of Lawrence, Massimino, Hodgson and Ayden Ingratta (REM / Kosmic) broke away from the field early on in the 20-lap Final. Their constant battle for the top spot allowed the second group to come in late, including a charging Nash who started back in 15th after contact in the Prefinal bent the front end of his machine. With Massimino leading, Nash took over the point on lap 17, only to have Massimino retake the position the following lap. Coming to the white flag, Nash took a run at Massimino on the inside of turn one. Massimino barely gave him room to hold the outside, and set up for the inside of turn two. It prevailed and the attempt for Nash, who kept it off Massimino to avoid contact, slipped backwards. This started the battle for second and allowed Massimino to inch away, taking the checkered flag for his first career SKUSA Winter Series victory. Hodgson came away with the second spot over Lawrence with Ingratta fourth and Vanchev fifth. Nash fell back from second to sixth on the final lap.
Gavin Bayliff won for a second time in three races at Speedsportz in Pro Shifter (Photo: EKN) The PSL Karting Pro Shifter action on Sunday appeared to be in the hands of Saturday winner Jay Urwin (PSL / Birelart). The Kiwi was the only driver to dip in the 49-second range in qualifying with a 49.838 to clear the 15-driver field by over two tenths in the session. He went wire-to-wire in the Prefinal to clear SKUSA Pro Tour champion Billy Musgrave (Factory Karts) and SKUSA WinterNationals winner Gavin Bayliff (TKG Birelart USA) by over a half second. The 20-lap Final was a different story as Musgrave grabbed the holeshot and set the pace early. Bayliff was able to work around Urwin for second by lap five and then began putting the pressure on Musgrave. It wasn’t until lap 18 that Bayliff dove inside for the lead at turn 8, completing the pass and securing the lead. Urwin went on the attack of Musgrave, stealing second for a lap before Musgrave reclaimed the second spot. By then, Bayliff had a sizable lead and cruised the checkered flag for his first career SKUSA Winter Series victory. Musgrave held on to second over Urwin. Cooper Becklin (NRC / LN Kart) drove to fourth with Diego Ardiles (PSL / Birelart) up to fifth.
Collin Lloyd walked away with the KA100 Senior victory (Photo: EKN) The action in the Orsolon Racing KA100 Senior category was action packed all weekend, up until the main event. Collin Lloyd (Velocity / Sodi Kart) was able to set fast time in qualifying with a 54.359, clearing the 36-driver field by nearly three tenths with Jared Clarke (BJR / LN Kart) and Saturday winner Sebastian Garzon (Orsolon / Tony Kart) making up the fast three. Garzon was able to get up to the lead by lap three of the Prefinal, and thanks to battling behind him late, get away to a one-second advantage at the end with Mateo Rubio Luengo in second and Chace Gassiot-Lee (Team Benik) in third. Lloyd slipped to fifth in the end of the Prefinal but was able to advance quickly at the start of the Final. By the end of lap one, Lloyd was up to second and took over the lead on lap two. Racing for second position behind him on lap three allowed for the escape. Lloyd never looked back, leading 19 of the 20 laps to secure his first win in the category since 2023. Garzon won the battle for second over Rubio Luengo with Cash Perkins (SCR / CS55) crossing the line fourth ahead of Finnegan Bayliff (TKG Birelart USA). Bayliff, however, was removed from the results for a spark plug issue, advancing Gassiot-Lee to fifth.
Redemption for Travis Pettit in X30 Junior winning Round Two (Photo: EKN) It was a sweep on the day for Travis Pettit (RPG / Kosmic) in the Rolison Performance Group X30 Junior category, but not without a fight. Pettit – the provisional winner on Saturday – set fast time in qualifying with a 53.091 to clear the 32-driver field by nearly three tenths. He led all 10 laps of the Prefinal with Royce Vega (RPG / Kosmic) in second and Ashton Woon (SCR / CS55) a close third. They were joined at the front by Nathan Golseth (SCR / CS55) to begin the 20-lap Final. Pettit led the first 17 laps until Golseth was able to move into the second spot and went after the lead. Golseth took the point on lap 18 and received the white flag as the leader. Pettit however made an incredible move around the outside in turn one, and was able to make it stick through the following corners to maintain the lead. Pettit held on through the rest of the final lap, taking the checkered flag for his first SKUSA Winter Series victory in the category. Golseth held on for second over Vega with Woon in fourth and Tristan Murphy (RPM / Tony Kart) winning the battle for fifth.
Tyrone Kemper Jr. was named winner in KA100 Junior, his career first (Photo: EKN) The battle in the TKG Birelart USA KA100 Junior category went down to the very end. A first top qualifier honor in his KA100 Junior debut for Colton Schniegenberg (RPM / Tony Kart) was marred by a tough run in the Prefinal that saw him drop all the way down to 16th. Travis Pettit (RPG / Kosmic), who qualified second, led the first four laps before Tyrone Kemper Jr. (Hi5 / Redspeed) took over to claim the win. In third was Max Cristea (MPG / Kart Republic), who suffered a DNF in Saturday’s Prefinal after running up front. He jumped out to the lead after the opening lap of the Final before Kemper and Pettit had their turn at the point. The second half of the 20-lap race was a defensive battle, with the leader running the defensive line nearly every circuit. Nicolas Orbezo (IRM / Tony Kart) had worked his way forward from 11th to be in the large lead pack and eventually took the lead on lap 10. Kemper was able to muscle by for the lead for two laps before Orbezo returned to the point. On lap 19, Pettit returned to the point but during the first half of the last lap lost the lead to Orbezo. As they came to the penultimate corner, Pettit dove inside for the lead but came out of the corner with no momentum. The rest of the pack scattered around him and Orbezo was able to cross the line first ahead of Tristan Murphy (RPM / Tony Kart) and Kemper. Both Orbezo and Murphy were handed penalties for contact, thus promoting Kemper to the top of the podium for the victory. Nathan Golseth (SCR / CS55) was moved to second with Pettit promoted to third. More penalties shook up the front pack with Cristea moved up from eighth at the line to fourth and Eli Steinbach (Orsolon / Tony Kart) up from 10th to fifth. Orbezo was classified eighth with Murphy in ninth.
Double win weekend in KA100 Master for Brian Boly (Photo: EKN) The IAME USA West KA100 Master class featured one of two double winners on the weekend. Saturday winner Brian Boly (RPG / Kosmic) set fast time in qualifying with a 55.948 and then was able to fight off Mario Barrios (RPG / Kosmic) for the win in the Prefinal. The two battled once again in the 20-lap Final with Barrios leading the first six laps before Boly led the next 11. Lap 18, Barrios forced his way through for the lead but Boly responded on the last lap, securing the top spot and a second straight victory. Barrios settled for second with Trevor McAlister (Arcane / Tony Kart) winning the battle for third over Scott Falcone (Orsolon / Tony Kart) and Miguel Mier (Orsolon / Tony Kart).
Zev Godschalk was promoted to winner in Mini Swift in his debut weekend for the category (Photo: EKN) The Evinco Tires Mini Swift class featured another winner decided off the race track. Lornezo Lopez (Kart CRG USA) put in an impressive lap during qualifying session to record the quick time and clear the 35-driver field by over two tenths. He led the first six laps of the Prefinal until getting shuffled back as Wynn Godschalk (Team Benik) and Zev Godschalk (Team Benik) pushed through for the 1-2 finish as Saturday winner Jake Manalio (RPM / Nitro Kart) dropped Lopez to fourth. Wynn jumped out to a big lead early in the 18-lap Final before he was experiencing an issue with his kart. This slowed his pace throughout the race, as he just hung on, falling back to ninth midway through. Up front, Mason Brody (RPM / Nitro Kart), Lopez and Hudson Howard (JHDD / Kart Republic) – up from seventh – made up the lead pack. Lopez led the first portion of the second half of the race until Brody took control. Howard eventually put himself up into the second spot. On the final lap, Howard got into the back of Brody going into the penultimate corner, allowing Manalio an over / under move on both. As they reached the final kink corner leading onto the front straight, Manalio and Howard made contact at the apex, sending them both wide, including Howard going off into the grass. Brody took advantage to slip past both to reach the line first with Zev getting by Manalio for second at the line. Brody’s provisional win was taken away in tech for a spark plug issue, handing the victory to Zev Godschalk in his Mini Swift debut. Manalio added a second podium on the weekend with the runner-up result while Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) up to podium in third. Brody Stoffle (RPM / Nitro Kart) was fourth with Wynn Godschalk ending up completing the top five.
Dominating weekend for Jack Kotowski in Micro Swift (Photo: EKN) Jack Kotowski (TKG Birelart USA) celebrated his ninth birthday on the weekend with two sweeps of the action in the Parazinho Chassis Jig Micro Swift category. A 1:00.270 lap in qualifying cleared the 26-driver field by over four tenths prior to leading all nine laps of the Prefinal to win by over four seconds. Kotowski jumped out to a big lead on the opening lap of the Final and pulled away to a 15-second advantage after 18 laps, securing the weekend sweep. Tristan Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) drove to second with Dusty Strayer (Parolin Motorsport USA) winning the battle for third over Shepp Sullivan (Team Benik) with Max Santana (Kart CRG USA) completing the top five.The SKUSA Winter Series will resume on the February 13-15 weekend, returning back to the Speedsportz Racing Park to host Round Three and Round Four, deciding the 2026 champions. |
