Superkarts! USA SuperNationals XVI Class Lineup, Hotel Information Released

In just over five months, the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino will once again become the center of the karting universe when the 16th annual Superkarts! USA SuperNationals rocks Las Vegas on November 14-18. The Rio’s expansive Masquerade parking lot located alongside the busy I-15 highway will play host to over 500 drivers from around the world, as they all do battle for SuperNationals glory on the event’s challenging temporary circuit. Each driver will be looking to etch his or her name in karting history. The 2011 edition of the premier SKUSA event attracted a record number of drivers to the race, and a similar entry list is expected for this year’s five-day karting festival. Planning is well underway, and the SKUSA staff is now thrilled to announce the categories that will compete at the SuperNationals XVI, as well as the unbeatable deal they have arranged for drivers, teams and spectators for on-site stay at the Rio Hotel.

“When deciding on the classes that we would be running this year, we believed that it was important for us to focus on our core customers, those drivers on our Pro Tour and running in our regional programs,” commented Tom Kutscher, Superkarts! USA President. “Our sport and our class structure are both evolving, and we’re seeing growth in different areas. Our approach is to provide opportunities for all of our customers, maximizing track time while still shortening the days, if possible. Last year’s extended daily schedules were tough on everyone.”

Superkarts! USA has set the number of classes offered for the 2012 SuperNationals event at nine categories, with a possible tenth class to be added in the coming weeks. The headline categories will once again include the S1 Pro Stock Moto and TaG Senior divisions from the SKUSA Pro Tour series, in addition to the hotly contested KZ2 category that will feature top drivers from around the world. S2 Semi-Pro, S4 Master, and S5 Junior round out the Stock Moto classes, while the ‘Touch and Go’ classes of TaG Master, TaG Junior and TaG Cadet will complete the lineup. An ‘Invitational’ tenth class is currently in the planning stages, and will cap off the 2012 class structure for the SuperNationals XVI, if added. Due to the evolution of the sport and the focus on running the classes that are campaigned in the SKUSA program, KF2 and G1 have been removed from the event for 2012. The move reflects SKUSA’s focus on its successful Pro Tour categories that continue to expand in size during its third season.

Kutscher added his comments on the class structure. “With the limited amount of race groups that we can manage each day, we had to make some tough choices by removing KF2 and G1. The KF program provided some unique and exciting racing during its time at the SuperNats. However, it’s just not a core class in SKUSA, nor is it run anywhere else in the United States. I believe that the KZ2 class provides us with the International flavor that we are looking for. G1 has been part of the SuperNationals since 2000, and was my class of choice when I was driving. But the simple truth is that the class just doesn’t have much support anymore. I hope to see the drivers who may have been planning on KF2 come and compete in TaG Senior, KZ2, or even S2. And I think most of our G1 drivers will move over to S4 – which we will again open to 80 entries — so racers still have a place to compete at SuperNationals XVI.”

Race registration for the event is set to open at 12:01 am on Sunday, July 1, 2012 and will provide the opportunity for the karting public to secure their position in this amazing ‘bucket list’ event. That said, only a limited number of entries will be available in each class, as a pre-set number of grid spots will be reserved for drivers who have run a Superkarts! USA Pro Tour or regional ProKart Challenge event in 2012 (as of July 1). These drivers will be part of SKUSA’s new ‘Preferred Entry Program’, which has been designed to provide SKUSA racers will a guaranteed opportunity to attend the event as a participant. Any driver who has run in a SKUSA event in 2012, up to July 1, will have their entry reserved until August 31 at midnight Pacific Time. At that time, should a driver elect not to leverage this lucrative option, the entry will be put back into the class inventory in the SKUSA Online Store.

“The frenzy to gain an entry into the SuperNationals has grown over the last couple of years, and it is important to us that our dedicated SKUSA racers be given the first opportunity to join us in Las Vegas,” Kutscher added. “This program will give our racers an opportunity to enter the race without feeling the rush of missing the boat, or being put on the inevitable waiting list. In addition, we’re not going to be letting people transfer their entry to another driver. If a pre-entered driver elects to withdraw their entry, SKUSA will take back control of the spot and will award it to the first person on the waiting list.”

Since returning to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in 2008, the Las Vegas facility has continued to welcome the karting community with open arms. For the week of the SuperNationals, competitors and spectators alike can stay for an affordable price, at just over $80 per night average during a seven-night stay – and these rooms will sell out. Starting June 1, the block of rooms reserved for SKUSA SuperNationals XVI attendees will open up at the following link (http://www.totalrewards.com/hotel-reservations?propCode=RLV&groupCode=SRSNA12), and will require only one night’s deposit to secure a reservation. You can also call the toll free reservation number at 1-888-746-6955, and ask for group code SRSNA12 or use the group name
SuperNats 16 to secure your reservations for this historic event.

“For the past six years, the people at the Rio have been awesome in working with us to provide the best setting for the SKUSA SuperNationals,” continued Kutscher. “The rooms are phenomenal, the place has plenty of options for dining around the clock, and there are numerous places to pull up a chair for a drink or to enjoy the excitement of the casino floor. There is no better feeling than waking up, getting ready, taking the elevator down and walking out to the paddock every morning without having to worry about getting to the track on-time. Each year, we hope that as people return to the SuperNationals, they feel more welcomed than the year before, thanks to the staff at the Rio and Superkarts! USA.”

More information about the SKUSA SuperNationals XVI is still in the planning stages as the office team is busy putting the final touches on the upcoming SKUSA SummerNationals at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah on July 20-22. Details regarding race registration, daily schedules, and information regarding the tenth and final class for this year’s SuperNationals will be forth-coming. Until then, be sure to keep an eye on this website for more on the SKUSA Pro Tour or the SKUSA SuperNationals XVI.