TEMECULA, CA – The 2019 racing season may soon be drawing to a close, and while the memories of the year are still fresh in our minds, many are now turning their attention to the grand finale of them all – SKUSA SuperNationals 23. With less than 100 days until haulers begin setting up outside the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino for the November 20-24 event, Superkarts! USA is putting the final touches on the 23rd running of this historic event. Among the more crucial components of the Super Nationals experience is the event schedule, which will see a bit of change in the qualifying aspect for 2019.
The format from Wednesday through SuperSunday remains largely intact, with Wednesday providing four rounds of practice for both the morning and afternoon groups. Thursday has been modified to two rounds of practice ahead of a longer 12-minute qualifying session to be offered for all 10 race groups. Feedback from drivers in recent years included requests for a longer qualifying session to ensure the ability to get in a clean lap.
The three headline race groups – Pro/Pro 2, X30 Senior, and KZ – will take part in the inaugural ‘Qualifying 2’ session following their initial qualifying runs. The top-10 in Pro Shifter and Pro Shifter 2, in addition to the top-20 for X30 Senior and KZ, will participate in a new 25-minute session to improve their position. All competitors are required to show up with a brand new set of tires, different from their original two sets of race tires. A cash prize is set to be offered to the top drivers in the Q2 sessions, with more details coming as the event draws closer.
“We need to build some excitement and drama before the racing begins on Friday, and this is the perfect solution to that,” stated Superkarts! USA owner Tom Kutscher. “The competitors have asked for longer qualifying sessions, and to do that we had to essentially combine the last practice with what we original had for qualifying. Now our Qualifying 2 round will showcase the best of the best. And we can see what type of strategies the teams and drivers can formulate in order to move up their position, or keep themselves at the top.”
Friday resumes with two rounds of heat racing, followed on Saturday with the third heat race and Last Chance Qualifiers for the three categories holding more than 44 drivers. SuperSunday will decide the 12 different SKUSA SuperNationals 23 winners and the names to be etched into the record books.
The 12 categories competing will be separated into two groups for the Wednesday through Saturday schedule - Morning and Afternoon. Kicking off each day, the morning group will include X30 Junior, Pro Shifter/Pro Shifter 2, Micro Swift, Mini Swift and KA100 Senior. Following lunch, the afternoon classes will feature G1/G2, X30 Senior, X30 Master, KA100 Junior and KZ to complete the day’s action. Complete schedule can be viewed HERE.
“Our goal was to provide the right fit for each of the categories,” added Kutscher. “Nearly all of the Afternoon group is adult classes and that’s on purpose. It has been a common request from parents to move both Mini and Micro into the morning group. This allows them the opportunity to do family activities throughout Las Vegas in the afternoon, or catch up on their homework.”
The final change to the SKUSA SuperNationals 23 schedule is the SKUSA Pro Tour banquet, which is now set for Tuesday evening, November 19. The move from Wednesday evening allows those wishing to be at the ceremony an easier opportunity to attend without disrupting their on-track schedule or rushing them from the paddock. A new location inside the Rio has been secured, with more details on the ceremony to be announced in the coming weeks.
Registration for this year’s SKUSA SuperNationals remains open until November 3 at the SKUSA MotorsportReg.com site. The SKUSA room block for the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino is available through the SKUSA Hotel page, with the special room rate lasting until October 12 or until the rooms sell out.
More details for this year’s SuperNationals, including the full event schedule, are being posted at the event’s web page as they become available.
For more information on anything related to Superkarts! USA, please visit the website – www.superkartsusa.com and be sure to follow the Superkarts! USA Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram accounts.