The 11th season for the Texas Sprint Racing Series kicked off at the Speedsportz Racing Park over the February 21-23 weekend. Rain showers soaked the New Caney, Texas facility over the three days as the 195 entries in the 10 divisions for the Superkarts! USA and International Kart Federation regional program battled the tough conditions. The talented fields fought through qualifying, three rounds of heat races and the main events to decide the first winners of the five round championship series.
The KA100 Senior presented by CRG class featured 39 drivers at the opening round. Former series winner Aden Rudolph mastered the wet conditions in qualifying with a 1:02.544 lap to clear the field by over two tenths. He won the opening heat race before Jose Hernandez was able to beat Rudolph in Heat #2. The third and final heat saw former SKUSA Pro Tour champion Jake French claim the race win to make it three different winners over the three races, yet Rudolph held on to the pole position for the Final. Hernandez was able to come up from fourth to first over the opening lap before French retired on lap three with a mechanical issue. Hernandez took advantage and was able to put down consistent laps to pull away to a five-second advantage for the driver from Mexico to earn his first series victory. 2024 series champion Jesus Vasquez Jr. climbed up to second with Rudolph in third. Former series champion Peyton Phillips was fourth but a penalty for contact dropped him out of the top five, moving 2024 SKUSA Pro Tour champion James Overbeck to fourth and Dallas Dunlap to fifth.
The Briggs 206 Senior presented by Slipstream Racing nearly grabbed the top spot for most entries, welcoming 37 to the series opener. James Overbeck set the tone to begin the event, posting a 1:01.886 lap in qualifying to clear the field by over two tenths. Overbeck went on to win the opening two heat races before Christopher McKeithan – who qualified 21st – worked his way up to the win in Heat #3. With Overbeck and McKeithan filling out the front row for the main event, it was Ragan Saville that everyone was watching. Starting the Final from ninth, Saville was able to get up to the top five by lap two. By the midway point, it was a four driver fight for the lead with Overbeck, McKeithan, Josey Chambers, and Saville. With two laps remaining, Saville secured the top spot and was able to hold on to the checkered flag for the victory. Chambers was second with Jaxon Young moving up to third on the final lap while Overbeck retired after dropping out of the top five. McKeithan was fourth with Kelvin Xing in fifth.
It was a near sweep of the opening weekend for Tyrone Kemper Jr. in KA100 Junior presented by P1 Engines. The 2024 champion posted a 55.506 lap in a dry qualifying session to clear the 24-driver field by almost three tenths. Kemper drove to a four-second advantage in the opening heat before Travis Pettit broke up the perfect score for Kemper with the win in Heat #2. Kemper claimed the top spot in the final heat race before fighting off Nathan Golseth for the victory in the Final, winning by over two seconds. David Ybarra ended up third with Pettit in fourth before he was removed following tech. This promoted Mason Barry to fourth and Davis Henry into the fifth position.
The Hi5 Performance KA100 Master division welcomed a first time winner at the season opener. Gary Glanger led the 16 driver field in qualifying with a 1:05.091 lap to edge out former series champion Miguel Mier. It was Mier leading the way in all three heat races, winning ahead of Trevor McAlister in the opening two before defending series champion Pierce Baldus was runner-up in the final heat. Mier and McAlister led the field to the green flag in the Final, holding the top two spots until Brent Harper joined the duo. Starting sixth, Harper took over second from McAlister on lap three and grabbed the lead for the first time on lap seven. From there, Harper drove away to a 1.2-second advantage with fast laps of the race for his first series victory. Mier settled for second with Daniel Howie grabbing the final spot on the podium. Baldus settled for fourth with Shane Burkett completing the top five.
Multiple drivers were in the hunt all weekend in the Briggs 206 Junior presented by TB Kart USA. Levi Meador led the 14-driver field in qualifying with a 1:10.653 lap. Eva Blehm was second in the session and grabbed the win in the opening two heat races. The third heat was taken by Sawyer Chambers, earning the pole position for the Final. From the pole position, Chambers led wire-to-wire for the victory, winning by over two seconds. Blehm posted the fast lap of the race in a runner-up performance with Meador joining them on the podium in third. Dean Gerrior was fourth and Brandon Greene in fifth.
advertisement
The Briggs 206 Cadet presented by Speed Concepts Racing welcomed 19 drivers to the opening round. Tyler Morawiec navigated the wet track quickest in qualifying with a 1:11.100 lap, edging out Brody Stoffle by only 74 thousandths. It was Aston Wyatt up from fourth on the grid to win the opening heat before a provisional win in Heat #2 was taken away for advancing after the commitment cone. That win was given to Stoffle before Wyatt returned to the top in the final heat race. Stoffle earned the pole position while Wyatt started from the outside of the front row. Wyatt jumped out to the lead on the opening lap, driving away to victory by 1.4 seconds. Morawiec won the battle for second over Stoffle with Milo Poteracki and Wyatt White rounded out the top five.
The Mini Swift presented by Alan Rudolph Racing Academy was first in the order on the weekend. Aston Wyatt set the pace in qualifying as he was one of six drivers to record a sub 1-minute lap. Defending champion Alex Chandler was among them, climbing up from sixth to the win in Heat #1. Then Colton Schniegenberg advanced to the front, winning the second and third heat to score the pole position for the Final. Starting alongside Schniegenberg on the front row was Tanner Barsch. They were joined in the front pack by Chandler, who fought Barsch early for the second spot. Once securing second, Barsch set his sights for Schniegenberg. Lap 15, Barsch took over the lead and held off Schniegenberg to score the victory. Chandler settled for third with Simon Kline fourth and Kimo Ahmad in fifth.
It was a near sweep in 16-driver field for Micro Swift presented by Gallery Furniture. Brody Stoffle led the way in qualifying with a 1:00.182 lap, edging out Tyler Blackwood by only 51 thousandths. Stoffle went on to win all three heat races to claim the pole position for the Final alongside Brody Brown. Blackwood started third and was into second on the opening lap. They ran that way until lap seven when Blackwood took over the top spot. From there, Blackwood led the remainder of the race to claim his first series victory. Stoffle settled for second with Brown in third. Beau Wyatt and Dusty Strayer rounded out the top five.
Aden Rudolph became a first-time winner in Shifter presented by Arcane Motorsports. Noah Zarsk began the event as the driver to beat with a 50.705 lap in qualifying. Zarsk went on to win the opening heat race before Rudolph grabbed the top spot in Heat #2. Rudolph won the final heat race before going wire-to-wire in the Final, winning in the rain by over 13 seconds. Zarsk was second with Jeff Mills in third. Derek Proctor was fourth with John Melchiorri in fifth.
The Briggs 206 Kid Karts presented by GR2 Motorsports made its debut at the Texas Sprint Racing Series utilizing the Briggs & Stratton powerplant for the first time. Vettle Baker became the first ever top qualifier with a 1:18.226 lap. Baker won the opening heat before Wylen Galeano took the top spot in Heat #2. In the third heat, Baker retook the top spot, but it was Galeano on the pole position for the Final. Galeano was able to go wire-to-wire for the victory, winning by over 22 seconds after Baker retired on the final circuit. JJ DeShong and Booker Anderson joined him on the podium with Liam Lofton third and Maverick Reddick in fifth.
The second stop on the 2025 season for the Texas Sprint Racing Series is the ‘Under the Stars’ event, scheduled for May 30-June 1 at the Amarillo Kart Complex in Panhandle, Texas. Registration is set to open on April 30.
advertisement