SKUSA SuperNationals Features 15 Canadians Seeking Super Sunday Supremacy

We’re heading back to Las Vegas for our final race of the year!

SuperKarts! USA has rolled into the city that never sleeps to host its 23rd annual SKUSA SuperNationals at the RIO All-Suites Hotel and Casino and a number of Canadians have entered their names into the global attraction that features just under 500 entries.

Tackling a temporary circuit set up in the rear parking lot of the casino and convention center, 15 drivers representing three provinces are seeking supremacy on Super Sunday.

A lot of eyes will be on Ben Cooper as he aims to become the first driver to win back-to-back titles in X30 Senior. His resilient victory last year was that much sweeter as Cooper hadn’t raced in two seasons before taking on the challenge and succeeding. Getting some seat time a few weeks back at ROK the RIO, Cooper is ready, yet humble, to compete amongst the 80-driver X30 Senior class packed full of talent.

He is joined in the category by five other Canadians, all capable of wrestling for a podium position and maybe the victory.

Ryan MacDermid finished P5 last year and following a year of Formula 4 car racing, he’s back in a kart for the biggest event in North America. Zachary Claman DeMelo just missed the top-ten last year taking eleventh, and the former Indycar driver is hungry for a better result. Thomas Nepveu has competed around the world in 2019 and could be a sleeper this week, as is Patrick Woods-Toth who tends to run under the radar. Finally, MacKenzie Clark is back in a kart with Prime Powerteam following a season of Formula 1600 competition.

In X30 Junior, another sold-out category of 80 drivers, we have five drivers entered. Justin Arseneau finished eighth a season ago and has joined Rolison Performance Group in hopes of hitting the podium. Also at RPG is Jason Leung, fresh from his podium at the Rotax Grand Finals in Italy. Dale Curran has joined CRG Nordam for the event, a move that has surprised many. All three of these drivers have had success on the SKUSA calendar this season, each taking a win.

They are joined by Marcello Paniccia and Connor Pritiko. It will be a week for experience for these two young guns competing on the big stage.

Making his Junior debut will be Ayden Ingratta as our 2019 Mini Rok Canadian Champion has entered the KA100 Junior division. It will be his first competition on a full-size chassis as he prepares for 2020.

In KZ Shifter, Lucio Masini is the lone Canadian entered in what has been the premier division, albeit with a much smaller entry count this yead.

Rounding out the roster of Canadians is a pair of Masters. Dan Monteiro will compete in the rebranded G1 Shifter category, utilizing the IAME 175cc engine, while Sylvain Coloumbe will race in the X30 Masters division that features more than 50 drivers.

It appears some rain is in the forecast, but thankfully the freezing cold temperatures that give us all reminders of 2013 aren’t on the agenda. The good news though, sunshine is expected for Friday through Sunday.

Practice begins Wednesday for all of the nearly 500 drivers competing in the event.