More Intense Action at SKUSA SpringNationals on Sunday

The wind died down, the sun was out and the intensity resumed on Sunday at the SKUSA Pro Tour SpringNationals in Sonoma, California.

Saturday provided no shortage of close racing and questionable driving standards and Sunday provided much of the same in the single speed X30 categories.

For our Canadian drivers in attendance, it was once again a day of mixed results although overall it was a much more positive day for most.

Here’s a rundown.

Check out our photo gallery from Sonoma here!

The X30 Senior Showdown

The X30 Senior Final may be on record as one of the wildest races we’ve ever seen. The opening laps featured more dust flying than a dirt bike race as karts went off track in all of the first four corners. As the opening laps ticked off, drivers crashed, crashed again, withdrew and slowly separated into small groups. Looking around the track, it looked like a boneyard of dead chassis waiting to be picked up and yet the race was barely five laps old.

On track and out front, COMPKART teammates Dante Yu and David Illavia were leading with Jake Craig and Saturday winner Ryan Norberg in the mix. The front four were pretty smooth for most of the race as Illavia eventually fell back and Norberg inched closer to Yu with five to go while Craig was waiting to pounce.

As the defense began, Illavia joined back in and thanks to some activity in the back corners, the lead pack was slowed right up coming to the white flag, opening up the battle for the lead that grew to seven as Brandon Jarsocrak, Braeden Eves and Cedrik Lupien closed in and Norberg leading. Pushing and shoving all seven wanted to win in every corner and Craig found a hole in turn three and went through with a huge push from Eves. As Craig went wide on exit, Eves snuck through and gained the top spot after running most of the race in fifth place as Norberg was hung out to dry.

Completing the remainder of the lap, Eves held on over Craig and Jarsocrak while Lupien erupted in fourth after starting the main in eighteenth. Norberg fell to seventh at the line.

Ryan MacDermid ran a pretty uneventful race and crossed in eighth with Luke Selliken driving from 41st to ninth. Samuel Lupien earned his second top-ten of the weekend, finishing tenth. Kellen Ritter was twenty-fifth after starting the rear while Logan Cusson was 29th.

“This weekend really opened my eyes to how intense x30 senior racing can be. Both days were the hardest racing that I have ever been in. With the races being so long in laps and everyone being so close In time it really made this weekend a true competition.”
Ryan MacDermid

Tavella is Master of Sonoma, Again!

Dylan Tavella scored one of the biggest wins of his career a year ago at Sonoma, taking the US Rotax Grand National title. On Sunday he took home another brilliant win on the Sonoma track and he did it in fine fashion.

Initially a four-kart race for the lead, Tyler Gonzalez fell out of the running at halfway after losing a chain in turn nine. This left Tavella, Jak Crawford and Aidan Keel to duke it out. Crawford chased Tavella for most of the race but instead of having a shot at the lead in the closing stages, Keel made a move in turn three and gained the spot, opening up a gap for Tavella that ultimately earned him the win. Keel held on to second at the line while Crawford completed a big weekend with his second podium appearance. Thomas Nepveu had a decent run to twelfth while Thomas Simard was 28th. Like the Seniors, there was a ton of carnage and go-karts that DNF’d as 14 drivers were unable to finish the race.

Dylan Tavella

Morgan and Morgan in Mini Swift

Carson Morgan secured his second victory of the weekend in the Mini Swift category but on Sunday it was his older brother Cole who may have stole the show when he finished second over Reece Gold and Connor Zilisch in the race for the win that featured four young drivers.

Dale Curran rebounded after a very tough weekend to finish ninth.

Formal Disqualified After Winning S1

A three-kart battle was very intense in the final three laps, especially as the meatball flag was displayed for Daniel Formal at the same time the white flag was given and only moments after Formal had worked his way into the lead.

Taking the lead from Gary Carlton on lap two, Jake French led almost the entire way after until Billy Musgrave arrived on scene with five to go. With French defending, Musgrave was looking for any opportunity to get by while Formal patiently waited. The move came with two to go and Formal followed through and then made his move on Musgrave in turn nine, climbing heavily over the inside curb to make his kart stick just before tic-tac-toe.

Ignoring the flag, Formal held on to cross in first while Musgrave kept French at bay.

Following the race, Formal was excluded for having his air box fall off courtesy of a broken mount. His drive was even more impressive given he broke his throttle return spring at halfway, causing him to overshoot turn three and allow Musgrave by just as he was sizing up French for the lead.

The win therefore went to Musgrave followed by French and Hunter Pickett.

The S2 Final went to Kyle Wick who dominated on Sunday over Sky Finlay and Saturday winner Riley Dickenson. Gianfranco Mazzaferro was fifth.

Blake Choquer was unable to race the X30 Masters final after crashing in the PreFinal and being transferred to hospital. Read more here.

Round three of the SKUSA Pro Tour continues in August as SKUSA will shift back across the country to New Castle Motorsports Park in Indiana to crown their champions.