Karts will be ripping around the parking lot of the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in just six days as the MG Tires Superkarts! USA SuperNationals XVIII will be underway. The world-renowned event is scheduled for November 19-23, with over 500 drivers from all across the globe ready to converge on Las Vegas. The event will also serve as the Superkarts! USA Pro Tour series finale, which helps to boost the total prize package for the 18th annual event to eclipse the $100,000 mark.
“We are getting closer and closer, and the excitement is building with every minute as we get ready to travel to Las Vegas and begin building from the ground up the SKUSA SuperNationals XVIII,” stated Superkarts! USA CEO Tom Kutscher. “The final pieces are in place, the entries are in, and the last preparations are nearly complete for what is one of the most amazing karting events in North America and around the world.”
The three headline categories will remain the S1 Pro Stock Moto and TaG Senior divisions from the SKUSA Pro Tour, along with the international category KZ2. A total of $15,000 in cash is up for grabs for the top-five finishers in each class, with $10,000 available to the winners in both S1 and TaG Senior, should the winning driver have competed at all three Pro Tour events. Otherwise, the prize for the victory is $3,000. Another $10,000 is on the line for the winner in KZ2, with that driver trading in his helmet to sit on the mantel of SKUSA CEO Tom Kutscher in order to receive the check. Second thru fifth place in all 3 classes will take home a cool $2500, $1250, $750 and $500, respectively.
For the SKUSA Pro Tour Championship fund, another $12,000 will be awarded to the top three finishers in this year’s standings. The champion in S1 and TaG Senior will receive a $3,000 check, with the vice-champion taking home $2,000 and $1,000 to third place.
All of the title winners for the 2014 SKUSA Pro Tour will be added to the SKUSA Circle of Champions for the 2015 season. Each of the eight drivers crowned a champion following the results of the SuperNationals will receive a complimentary entry package for the 2015 Pro Tour – including sponsored entries, race tires, and race fuel/oil for the SpringNationals, SummerNationals, and the 2015 SuperNationals. This prize is valued at just over $3000 per class champion, to grow the overall prize package by $24,000. The top-three drivers in all eight SKUSA Pro Tour categories in 2014 will also be awarded the SKUSA national plate for their respective categories, displaying the yellow on black #1, #2, and #3.
“The prestige of racing in Las Vegas is what drives most of our racers to the SuperNationals, but it’s nice to walk away with some cash or prizes in hand,” continued Kutscher. “Our S1 Pro Tour champion and SuperNationals winner Joey Wimsett walked away with over $13,000 in cash, a nice timepiece presented BRM, and a part of the 2014 Circle of Champions. I’d say that is a pretty respectable pay day. We want to make sure our racers are rewarded for the effort, time and energy they spent over the season, and throughout the week in Vegas.”
Additional prizes have been added to the prize package for 2014, thanks to supportive companies to the SuperNationals and Superkarts! USA. Honda Performance Development/HPD is set to provide over $11,000 in cash and prizes during the awards ceremonies the evening of SuperSunday. The top three drivers in the Pro Tour standings contesting S1, S2, S4 and S5 – who follow the contingency program – will earn a piece of the $2,250 cash awards for each class, including $1,000 to the champion, $750 to the vice-champion, and $500 for third. HPD will also provide a complete Honda CR125 Engine Kit (un-assembled parts) to the SuperNationals winner in the S2 Semi-Pro Stock Moto class, valued at $2,400.
Bernard Richard Manufacture (BRM) is back to support the SKUSA SuperNationals for a third year. This year, the drivers who earn the victory in the S4 Master Stock Moto and TaG Master divisions will be awarded a one-off timepiece courtesy of BRM – valued at $3,000. Vortex will once again provide the SKUSA Pro Tour TaG Cadet champion with a ticket to the Rok Cup International Final. The driver who claims the title will be awarded a spot in the 2015 event in Italy, including a support package by Vortex.
eKartingNews.com, the official media partner of Superkarts! USA, will once again be providing their live coverage of the SuperNationals XVIII. The ‘EKN Live’ program – presented by IAME USA – will broadcast live audio direct from trackside at the Rio, with full coverage from Qualifying to the SuperSunday main events at ekartingnews.com/live.
For more information on anything related to Superkarts! USA, please visit their website – www.superkartsusa.com – or call the SKUSA head office at 951-491-0808.
###
About Superkarts! USA:
Established in 1995, Superkarts! USA is dedicated to shifterkart and TaG racing, and is the leader in the field, currently promoting six regional racing series. Racing programs are currently running in California, Canada, Colorado, Hawaii, Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Washington, in cooperation and support from official tire supplier MG Tires. In 2014, the organization will be promoting the fifth edition of the SKUSA Pro Tour, all leading up to the annual SKUSA SuperNationals – the biggest kart race in the world – held every November in Las Vegas, NV. For more information on SKUSA, please visit www.superkartsusa.com
