PR: US Open Announces Exciting Race Weekend Schedule and Points Structure as Excitement Builds for the National Karting Series

With the inaugural event in the US Open powered by MAXSpeed Entertainment just around the corner, company officials have been working diligently to dot their i’s and cross the t’s to ensure a successful kickoff to their national campaign. With more than $200,000 in cash and prizes including the ever-popular Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals tickets, a dream vacation, products and cash, the US Open is set to be a truly international event as competitors from around the world take to the Dallas Karting Complex in Caddo Mills, Texas, May 13th to the 17th.

“We have been putting the US Open program together for several months and we are finally seeing it all come to fruition right before our eyes,” explained MAXSpeed Entertainment’s Garett Potter. “We feel that we have put together the most lucrative prize package in North American karting. Not to mention a different race weekend format and points structure that will see every official wheel-to-wheel session offer valuable championship points.”

The US Open race weekend schedule has a new look and feel to provide the best bang for the competitor’s buck with qualifying and four heat races that will set the grid for Sunday’s main event. Competitors in Micro and Mini MAX will still need to utilize only one set of race tires while all other classes will have two sets of tires to use as desired, bringing tire management back into the equation. With a longer timed qualifying session and the reintroduction of the hot pit, teams and competitors will have the opportunity to make necessary changes to find valuable tenths of a second to work their way up the starting grid.

Potter continued, “Friday will see qualifying and the first of four heat races while Saturday will be a jam-packed day with three heats. Heat races will be progressive in regards to where you finish heat one will be where you start heat two and so on, while the driver with the lowest number of points will start on the inside of the front row for Sunday’s final. With a longer day on Saturday, teams and competitors will have the luxury of a schedule that concludes by 3:30pm on Sunday to ensure pack up in daylight hours.”

Saturday evening will see a host of activities including fireworks, the kickoff to the Karting Community United charity organized by Jen Durrant and her Board of Directors, the MG Tires social dinner as well as the Dallas Karting Complex bikini contest.

The 2015 US Open will also see a different point structure to that of the conventional karting series. With points available in qualifying, heat race finishes as well as main event results and fast laps, championship battles will go right down to the wire at the US Open finale in Las Vegas later this year. Keeping interest in the series from a competitor’s standpoint, points will be progressive throughout the series making the second event weekend worth more than the first, and the third event weekend more than the second.

The unveiling of the Koene USA podium will take place on Sunday, as awards will be handed out after each and every main event. Just like they do in Formula One and IndyCar, the top three drivers will drive right to the podium for their awards before proceeding back to the scale lane and post-race technical inspection.

The backdrop for the US Open Podium

MAXSpeed’s Richard Boisclair added, “Parents, have your cameras ready as this will be something you won’t want to miss. The podium winners along with their equipment and true emotion will be caught seconds after the checkered flag flies. It will truly be exciting to see.”

With a new series comes new sponsors and MAXSpeed Entertainment is excited to welcome Champion Racing, Tru-Tech Racing Engines and Falcone GP to the long list of existing MAXSpeed Entertainment supporters, including Brash Racing, Chase Racing, MG Tires, PSL Karting, AM Engines, Koene USA, Rolison Performance Group, CRG USA, J3 Competition, Dallas Karting Complex, Crosslink Powder Coating, Mazda Road to Indy and K1 RaceGear.

Also returning to the MAXSpeed Entertainment family is the University of Miami Global Academy. Offering many different options to the karting family, the University of Miami Global Academy can help competitors with full or part-time education, or the ones who just need to catch up on a credit or two. Specializing in the sports industry and on families with busy lifestyles, the University of Miami Global Academy will assist you in getting the education you need and deserve all while keeping your current racing schedule.

MAXSpeed is also pleased to add another major corporate partner outside the karting industry, partnering with Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental. The value this partnership brings will be felt by everyone in the MAXSpeed Entertainment family, by offering great benefits, discounts and hassle-free rentals. Look for more details soon about how you can utilize this great service at www.MAXSpeedEntertainment.com.

With practice set to begin on Wednesday, May 13th and Thursday, May 14th, qualifying and wheel-to-wheel competition will be reserved for Friday, May 15th and Saturday, May 16th. Sunday will see only warm-ups and main events, as the first race winners of the US Open will be crowned.

The US Open of Dallas event schedule is available to download HERE.

The 2015 US Open Points Structure is available to download HERE.

Also, as a reminder to competitors, pre-registration closes Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 11:59pm. Registration can be completed online at www.MAXSpeedEntertainment.com. Trackside registration will be an additional $200.00. Also, please note that classes will be capped at 40, due to the unique structure of the US Open. MAXSpeed Entertainment urges competitors who have not registered to do so, as classes are filling up.

For more information on MAXSpeed Entertainment, promoted events including the US Open, Cold Stone Florida Winter Tour, and the United States Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Nationals, please visit www.MAXSpeedEntertainment.com. For more information on the MAXSpeed Group, the Rotax MAX Challenge Grand Finals, Team USA and the entire Rotax program, please visit www.GoRotax.com. Be sure to ‘Like’ GoRotax on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/GoRotax) and follow on Twitter (www.Twitter.com/GoRotax) and Instagram (www.Instagram.com/MAXSpeedGroup).