The Superkarts! USA (SKUSA; ) SuperNationals, also known as the SKUSA SuperNats, is a kart racing competition organized by Superkarts! USA, taking place in and around Las Vegas, Nevada. Hosted annually since 1997, it is the largest karting competition in North America.
Several past entrants have progressed to premier motor racing series, such as Formula One, the NASCAR Cup Series, and the IndyCar Series. These have included two Formula One World Drivers' Champions: Michael Schumacher and Max Verstappen.
History The Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals was inaugurated in November 1997. While 1997 is recognized as the official start of the SuperNationals, the event evolved from a prior race organized by shifter kart enthusiast JR Clasen. In 1997, the manager of SKUSA, Jim Murley, took control of the event with the aim of growing the sport in the United States.
The inaugural event was held at Race Kart City Raceway, later known as the Las Vegas Karting Center, and attracted over 180 entries across multiple categories. Alex Barron emerged as the winner of the highly competitive 125cc Moto class, one of the event’s premier divisions.
Over the years, the SuperNationals has been hosted at five different venues across Las Vegas:
Las Vegas Karting Complex (formally known as the Race Kart City Raceway) Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas Motor Speedway
The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino hosted the most SuperNationals with 12. The SuperNationals are now hosted at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where SKUSA signed a three-year agreement to host the event through 2025.
The SKUSA SuperNationals has grown into an internationally recognized event, attracting top karting talent and professional drivers from various disciplines, including Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR, and rallying:
Formula One drivers: Michael Schumacher (2009), Max Verstappen (2012), Sergio Pérez (2016), Charles Leclerc (2012),https://www.canadiankartingnews.com/skusa-sn16-charles-leclerc-on-pole-position-in-tag-senior/ George Russell (2011), Lance Stroll (2012), and Logan Sargeant (2011). Other notable entrants: Will Power (2022), Sébastien Bourdais (2013),https://ekartingnews.com/2013/11/01/sebastien-bourdais-confirmed-with-dallas-karting-complexsodi-racing-usa-for-skusa-supernationals-xvii/ Dan Wheldon (2009),https://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/skusa-panther-racing-wheldon-to-compete-in-supernationals/2840134/ Alexander Rossi (2016), and Josef Newgarden (2021).
The 2023 edition featured over 500 competitors across seven categories. SKUSA SuperNationals XXVII, the 2024 edition, featured over in cash prizes.
Winners +YearDriverClassLocationSuperNationals I (1997) Alex Barron125cc MotoLas Vegas Karting Center Michael Valiante125cc Open Steven Robertson80cc JuniorSuperNationals II (1998) Michael ValianteProNationalLas Vegas Karting Center Darren ElliottFormula S1 Craig TavernaFormula S2 Tim Dobbins250cc Moto Scott Speed80cc Senior Matt Jaskol80cc Junior JJ Langan60cc NoviceSuperNationals III (1999) Memo GidleyFormula S1Las Vegas Karting Center AJ NoudFormula S2 Michael ValianteFormula C Dave Fultz250cc Moto Bret BuckwalterFormula K1 JJ Langan80cc Junior Joel Miller60cc NoviceSuperNationals IV (2000) Scott SpeedSuperProLas Vegas Karting Center Michael AbbateFormula S1 Richard Luchette250cc Moto Cory Fancy80cc Senior Kirk JeffreyFormula G1 Alex Speed80cc Junior Greg Welch60cc NoviceSuperNationals V (2001) Scott SpeedSuperProLas Vegas Karting Center Alex SpeedFormula S1 Brandon ScarberryFormula S2 Charlie KimballFormula K1 Eduardo MartinsFormula G1 Wade Van Hooser80cc Junior RJ McGahey60cc NoviceSuperNationals VI (2002) David JurcaSuperProRio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Tad FunakoshiFormula S1 Garrett ZineFormula K1 Bill FlemingFormula G1 Brandon Scarberry125cc Formula MX Alan SciutoFormula Junior Cody Jolly60cc NoviceSuperNationals VII (2003) Wesley BoswellSuperProRio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Tyler GivogueFormula S1 Todd DeGrandFormula K1 Burt GasawayFormula G1 Cole Whitt80cc Junior Gustavo Menezes80cc Novice Zach Zimmerly60cc NoviceSuperNationals VIII (2004) Jason BowlesSuperProSam Boyd Stadium Brian KeckFormula S1 Matt KimballFormula K1 Toby ScheckterTaG Senior Bonnier MoultonFormula G1 Michael BrookesTaG Master Kevin CaseyFormula S3 Jeremy ReaglesFormula K2 Gustavo MenezesFormula K3SuperNationals IX (2005) Lorenzo MandarinoSuperProSam Boyd Stadium Logan GomezFormula S1 David JurcaTaG Senior Jaime ZuletaFormula G1 John CrowTaG Master Connor De PhillippiJunior Intercontinental A Nick HalenStock Honda Dylan KwasniewskiNovice Kyle ShriverCadetSuperNationals X (2006) Gary CarltonSuperProSam Boyd Stadium James KennedyFormula S1 Daniel MoradTaG Senior Darren ElliottFormula G1 Travis IrvingTaG Master Connor De PhillippiS3 Spec Honda Light Jeff LittrellS4 Spec Honda HeavySuperNationals XI (2007) Marco ArdigoSuperProSam Boyd Stadium Connor De PhillippiFormula S1 Pier-Luc OuelletteRotax Senior Joel MillerTaG Senior Darren ElliottFormula G1 Jerry HendersonTaG Master Paul BonillaRotax Master Tom DyerFormula S3 Jeff LittrellFormula S4 Brendan PhinnyFormula S5SuperNationals XII (2008) Jonathan ThononSuperProRio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Jose ZanellaFormula S1 Emanuele PaganiTaG Senior Collin LynnFormula G1 Billy CleavelinTaG Master Devin MaukFormula S5 Junior Felipe FragaTaG Junior Tommy AndersenHPV-2 Junior Brendan PhinnyFormula S3 Chris JenningsFormula S4SuperNationals XIII (2009) Bas LammersSuperProRio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Taylor MiinchTaG Senior Nicolaj Møller MadsenFormula KF2 Antonio DettoriFormula G1 Billy CleavelinTaG Master Kiel SpauldingFormula S5 Junior Jake DennisTaG Junior Tom DyerFormula S3 Jeff LittrellFormula S4SuperNationals XIV (2010) Alex SpeedFormula S1Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Marco ArdigoFormula KZ2 Andre NicastroTaG Senior Sami LukaFormula KF2 Derek CrockettFormula S2 Jimmy McNeilFormula S4 Fabrizio NanniniFormula G1 Leonardo NienkotterTaG Master Daniel LangonFormula S5 Joao Ricardo Queiroz VieiraTaG Junior Patricio O'WardTaG CadetSuperNationals XV (2011) Mirko TorselliniFormula S1Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Anthony AbbasseFormula KZ2 Phillip OrcicTaG Senior Teemu SuninenFormula KF2 Nick NeriFormula S2 Bonnier MoultonFormula S4 Jimmy McNeilFormula G1 Leonardo NienkotterTaG Master Austin SchimmelFormula S5 George RussellTaG Junior Logan SargeantTaG CadetSuperNationals XVI (2012) Simas JuodvirsisFormula S1Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Marco ArdigoFormula KZ2 Gabriel ChavesTaG Senior Billy MusgraveFormula S2 Bonnier MoultonFormula S4 Leonardo NienkotterTaG Master Patricio O'WardFormula S5 Lance StrollTaG Junior Anthony Gangi Jr.TaG CadetSuperNationals XVII (2013) Joey WimsettFormula S1Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Anthony AbbasseFormula KZ2 Nicholas RoweTaG Senior Ben CooperDD2 Connor WagnerFormula S2 Matthew HamiltonFormula S4 Jim Russell Jr.TaG Master Stuart ClarkDD2 Master Kyle KirkwoodFormula S5 Yurik CarvalhoTaG Junior Thomas PreiningRotax Junior Leonardo MarsegliaTaG CadetSuperNationals XVIII (2014) Jordon LennoxFormula S1Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Paolo de ContoFormula KZ2 Marco MaestranziTaG Senior Jarred CampbellFormula S2 Kip FosterTaG Master Raul GuzmanFormula S5 Gian CavaciutiFormula S4 Logan SargeantTaG Junior Guiseppe FuscoTaG CadetSuperNationals XIX (2015) Danny FormalFormula S1Las Vegas Convention Center Gary CarltonFormula KZ2 Louie PaganoTaG SeniorDario CapitanoFormula S2 Kip FosterTaG Master Hunter KellyFormula S5 Jimmy McNeilFormula S4 Arthur LeistTaG Junior Jonny EdgarTaG CadetSuperNationals XX (2016) Danny FormalFormula S1Las Vegas Convention Center Paolo De ContoFormula KZ2 Jake CraigX30 Senior Mathias RamirezFormula S2 Renato DavidX30 Master Gian CavaciutiFormula S4 Robert MarksFormula S4 Super Tyler GonzalezX30 Junior Thomas NepveuMini Swift Vinicius TessaroMicro SwiftSuperNationals XXI (2017) Billy MusgraveFormula S1Las Vegas Convention Center Paolo De ContoFormula KZ Joshua CarX30 Senior Laurent MarchandiseFormula S2 Kris WaltonX30 Master Ryan KinnearFormula S4 Mike JonesFormula S4 Super Jak CrawfordX30 Junior Connor ZilischMini Swift Vinnie PhillipsMicro SwiftSuperNationals XXII (2018) Billy MusgravePro ShifterRio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Leonardo LorandiFormula KZ Ben CooperX30 Senior Steve BarrosKA100 Senior Rob LoganMaster Shifter Jeremy FairbairnX30 Junior James WhartonKA100 Junior Brent CrewsMini Swift Ben MaierMicro SwiftSuperNationals XXIII (2019) Billy MusgravePro ShifterRio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Race LiberantePro Shifter 2 Danny FormalFormula KZ Zachary Claman-DeMeloX30 Senior Pauly MassiminoKA100 Senior Kip FosterX30 Master Matt HamiltonFormula G1 Nathan StewartFormula G2 James WhartonX30 Junior Brent CrewsKA100 Junior Kai SorensenMini Swift Bradley MajmanMicro SwiftSuperNationals XXIV (2021) Matteo ViganoPro ShifterLas Vegas Motor Speedway Ryan NorbergX30 Senior Brandon LemkeKA100 Senior Joey WimsettMaster Shifter Derek WangX30 Master Jeremy FletcherX30 Junior Jeremy FletcherKA100 Junior Enzo VidmontieneMini Swift Keelan HarvickMicro SwiftSuperNationals XXV (2022) Pedro HiltbrandPro ShifterRio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Evan GiltaireX30 Senior Tomass ŠtolcermanisKA100 Senior Antonio Pizzonia Jr.Master Shifter Thomas GriceX30 Master Martin StoneKA100 Master Ernesto RiveraX30 Junior Steven MillerKA100 Junior Michael McGaughyMini Swift Jackson GibsonMicro SwiftSuperNationals XXVI (2023) Danny FormalPro ShifterLas Vegas Motor Speedway Donovan BonillaX30 Senior Ernesto RiveraKA100 Senior Davide ForéMaster Shifter Matthew WatersKA100 Master Turner BrownX30 Junior Turner BrownKA100 Junior Royce VegaMini Swift Maxwell MachaMicro SwiftSuperNationals XXVII (2024) Daniel VasilePro ShifterLas Vegas Motor Speedway Joe TurneyPro X30 Joe TurneyKA100 Senior Billy MusgraveMaster Shifter Ben CooperKA100 Master Sebastián GarzónX30 Junior Sebastián GarzónKA100 Junior Benja FernandezMini Swift Zayne BurgessMicro SwiftSuperNationals XXVIII (2025) Senna Van WalstijnPro ShifterLas Vegas Motor Speedway Gus LawrencePro X30 Diego RamosKA100 Senior Billy MusgraveMaster Shifter Ben CooperKA100 Master Dean HoogendoornX30 Junior Noah BaglinKA100 Junior Maxwell MachaMini Swift Dutch WestbrookMicro Swift
See also Kart racing List of kart racing championships
References
External links Superkarts! USA SuperNationals