Rocky Mountain Prokart Challenge gears up for fourth SKUSA season

Tooele Utah (May 1, 2013) – The Rocky Mountain Pro Kart Challenge (RMPKC) is set to go off like a powder keg this coming weekend, as racers from throughout the region are heading to Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, for the opening two rounds of the 2013 season. Entering the series’ fourth year, the Superkarts! USA regional program has welcomed a steady growth, season after season, thanks to a series of changes, all while sticking to the original SKUSA recipe. This weekend’s opener is expecting drivers from Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming and Utah, with some of the sport’s major operations field drivers in the TaG, Stock Moto and Rotax categories offered for the season.

In 2013, led by series director and long time SKUSA kingpin Stan Bryniarski, the Rocky Mountain PKC brings a new age to what has been, but more importantly what once was, a strong region in the world of shifter kart racing. After years of controversy, track owners in Colorado and Utah have come together under the mediation of Scott Falcone to form a true state series for the first time since the early 2000’s when the region produced talents such as Kyle Ray, Marc Elliott and AJ Noud – as well as young NASCAR standout Chase Elliott, son of NASCAR great Bill Elliott. The region’s karters are applauding SKUSA’s efforts, along with the track owners, for coming together to return the Rocky Mountain area karting to its former glory.

“I am totally excited about the opening rounds of the Rocky Mountain ProKart Challenge at Miller Motorsports Park,” Bryniarski said in preparation for the opening two rounds. “As one racer put it, ‘It’s amazing to see what can happen when promoters, track owners and racers all work together.’ We now have a true Rocky Mountain series!”

New for the 2013 season, the RMPKC is introducing United States Rotax Max Challenge categories into the mix. The inclusion of the Rotax program will see the RMPKC award the all-important ‘punches’ that Rotax racers need in order to compete in the United States Rotax Grand Nationals and the Pan-American Challenge. Rotax racers competing in the RMPKC series will compete on the spec Rotax Max package: Mojo tires, MS 93 fuel and XPS oil. Any Rotax racer competing in the SKUSA TaG categories, however, must race under the SKUSA TaG rules package: MG-SK tires (all but TaG Cadet), MS 98 fuel and Motul GP oil. The entry numbers in several of the Rotax Max classes, as well as their TaG class counterparts, are already looking strong.

In the TaG classes, Cadet has historically been one of the larger classes, and has provided incredible racing over the past few years. Returning to defend his championship in the TaG Cadet class will be Grand Junction native Riley Cook. Challenging Cook as they did last year will be a slew of young up-and-coming drivers. Last year’s runner up in Cadet, Derek Deslauriers, will be back – as will Tristin MacLeod and Cody Dempster. In TaG Master, while pre-entry numbers are not as strong as expected, the quality of the field will provide big-time racing. Mike Urban and the SKUSA #2 plate holder Scott Falcone will challenge reigning TaG Master champion Bob Rodrick for the crown this season.

Of course, the RMPKC will continue its tradition as being one of the strongest regions for shifter kart racing in the country. Producing front runners at the Pro Tour in nearly all of the Stock Moto classes last year, the RMPKC is already looking good after the SKUSA SpringNationals in Tucson, Arizona just three weeks ago.

Two names are notably missing from the pre-entry list: reigning S2 national champion Sabre Cook, and long time Colorado racer Christian Bird. Cook has school commitments, while Bird has recently moved to Arizona, focusing on growing his new karting business. With the region’s top two S1 pilots from last year missing, the spotlight falls to the S2 class. After coming laps away from winning the main event on Sunday at this year’s Pro Tour SpringNationals, Christian Schureman will be leading the way in S2. There to challenge Schureman will be Chris Neria racing at his home track in Utah. Colorado’s Jack Bradley along with rookie S2 driver Lindsay Brewer are expected to be contenders in the championship chase, as will last year’s regional S5 champion Mianna Wick, graduating up the SKUSA Stock Moto ladder system in 2013.

A full weekend of racing is set to kick off with organized practice on Friday, May 3rd, and two full race days Saturday and Sunday. Play-by-play action of the event is expected to be broadcast live at www.livestream.com/skusamr
To follow updates regarding the 2013 program, be sure to visit www.superkartsusa.com