For the past seven years, the SKUSA ProKart Challenge has been THE program to race for shifterkarts and TaG-powered karts in California. Superkarts! USA has solidified that statement once again with the announcement of the prizes and contingencies that have been set out for the 2012 PKC season, beginning with the opener at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in Southern California on February 10-11. The flagship regional program for the SKUSA organization is among the largest in the country and will kick-start the new year on-track. SKUSA’s 2012 prize package for the program will be focused on supporting the racers who participate fully in the series, in addition to those who perform best at each of the six events on the year, as it currently tops the $65,000 mark in prizes and contingencies.
“It’s hard to imagine that we are entering our eighth season for the ProKart Challenge,” stated Superkarts! USA President and ProKart Challenge promoter Tom Kutscher. “Originally, this was just something we put together to organize the racers and shops in the area so that we could all have a good time and get out to the track, and now it just continues to grow and evolve. Our mission has always been to support those who support us. We have a number of industry partners who have stepped up for this year to take it to the next level what we will be awarding our racers. This commitment to our racers proves that the ProKart Challenge is the ‘baddest’ place to race in Cali.”
NEW SKUSA online store COMING SOON! Keep an eye on this site for more info and some exciting changes for 2012! Target date to begin registering for the 1st Pro Kart Challenge race at Buttonwillow: Monday, January 16.
It has always been considered difficult to capture on video the true speed and excitement of competitive karting, especially considering the size and stature of these ultra-quick machines. Many have tried, but few have been able to accomplish this task to its fullest extent. That said, a new high-quality production has been released by Superkarts! USA, one that truly portrays the sights, sounds, colors and thrills from this past year’s SuperNationals. The race is the largest karting event in North America, attracting over 500 racers to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, including IZOD IndyCar drivers Raphael Matos, EJ Viso, Jay Howard and Martin Plowman. SKUSA is extremely pleased with the new creation, which was shot and edited by Wyatt Lloyd, a karting enthusiast and aspiring motorsports video-journalist. The following is a link to the video, which is being presented on YouTube:
The second season of the Superkarts! USA Pro Tour completed last month with the running of the SuperNationals XV in Las Vegas outside the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. Following a record-breaking event that witnessed over 500 drivers competing, the eight championship categories closed out the final stop of the five round title chase - and decided just who would be part of the SKUSA ‘Circle of Champions.’ In each of the eight divisions, the top three drivers earned the coveted national number plates for the 2012 season in addition to the championship purse.
The two headline categories -- S1 Pro Stock Moto and TaG Senior -- were awarded roughly $18,000 in cash and prizes to split toward their championship fund. Superkarts! USA welcomed its first international driver to its champion alumni in S1. New Zealand’s Daniel Bray locked up the class title at the SuperNationals following a successful 2011 season. The 24-year old was the event winner at the SKUSA SpringNationals with two wins, and while the feature results were not as high as he had hoped, Bray scored the second highest total at the SummerNationals to lead the standings heading into the SuperNationals. Overcoming a mechanical issue in qualifying, Bray fought strong through the heat races and the main event to land third in the main event to secure the title. California driver Tom Dyer was his closest rival throughout the season. The veteran was the top performer at the SummerNationals, but come up just short in the end thanks to an upsetting finish at the SuperNationals to close the year second in the standings. S1 rookie Lukas Johnson was impressive in his first season, standing on the podium in three of the five feature races to earn the #3 plate for the 2012 season.
