Mid-Summer Mash-Up

Round Four of the 2025 Texas Sprint Racing Series was held on the September 12-14 weekend with the Mid-Summer Mash-Up event contested at the NOLA Motorsports Park. The Avondale, Louisiana facility welcomed the Superkarts USA and International Kart Federation regional racers to ‘Bourbon Street’ for three days of competition.

It was another exciting weekend in the KA100 Senior presented by CRG, featuring 34 drivers on the weekend. California driver Blake Nash led off the weekend with fast time in qualifying, posting a 1:04.363 lap to clear the field by over one tenth. Second in the session was Round One winner Jose Carlos Hernandez who came away with the Heat #1 win as Nash fell down the order in the opening circuit. Landon Skinner emerged as the top driver in the second heat with Hernandez coming back to win the third moto, earning the pole position for the main event. The wild action continued into the main event with defending series champion Jesus Vasquez Jr. Hernandez led the first few laps before Skinner took a turn at the point with former series champion Peyton Phillips taking over on lap five. Vasquez – who started 22nd – fought his way forward and was up to Phillips and Nash with five laps remaining. Nash took over the lead on lap 12 with Vasquez eventually working past Phillips for second. Coming to the white flag, Vasquez took over the lead and held on through the final circuit to claim his first victory of the season. Nash took second with Hernandez up into third to push Phillips back to fourth. John Burke won the battle for fifth position.

Defending KA100 Junior presented by P1 Engines champion Tyrone Kemper Jr. home track advantage to claim a third victory on the season. Kemper was second in qualifying behind Royce Vega – who posted a 1:04.634 lap in the session. In the heat races, Kemper won the first and third heats as Vega earned the win in the middle moto. The 16-lap main event was a battle to the end including Kemper, David Ybarra, Derek Wargo and a charging Round Three winner Gage Bailey late in the race. Vega slipped down the order as the race went on, finishing out of the top five. A total of seven lead changes took place with positions swapping every lap. Wargo led the longest period, showing the way from lap eight to lap 13. By lap 14, Kemper put himself into the lead for the final time, leading the final two laps to earn victory by nine tenths. Ybarra finished second ahead of Bailey – who was credited with fast lap of the race. Nathan Golseth was fourth in the order ahead of Wargo.

Christopher McKeithan was able to notch his second straight of the season in Briggs 206 Senior presented by Slipstream Racing category. Jaxon Young broke up the perfect score by McKeithan by setting fast time in qualifying with a 1:11.152 lap. He edged out McKeithan for fast time by only 56 thousandths. McKeithan would go on to win all three heat races to secure the pole position for the main event. He led the first 11 laps before Round One winner Ragan Saville took over the spot. He led at the white flag, only to see McKeithan take the spot away and win the race to the line by 20 thousandths. Camryn Reed won the battle for third over Carter Kilgo and Young.

Multiple drivers were in the hunt for the victory in Hi5 Performance KA100 Master division. Shane Burkett top his second straight top honors in qualifying with a 1:06.085 in the session. He along with Round One winner Brent Harper and defending champion Pierce Baldus each one a heat race. Harper took the first race, followed by Baldus and then Burkett holding on for the win in Heat #3. Baldus started on the pole position after the heat race points were tabulated, and used that to go wire-to-wire in the 16-lap main event. Baldus scored his second straight victory by 1.9 seconds over Harper with Burkett in third. Morgan Lebaron was fourth with former series champion Miguel Mier placing fifth.

Two drivers led the way in the Briggs 206 Junior presented by TB Kart USA category, each making their class debut. Nicolas Orbezo led the way in qualifying with a lap of 1:11.893 over the 14-driver field. Derek Wargo was fourth in the session but worked his way up to the win in Heat #1. Orbezo held on for the win in the second heat with Wargo claiming the win in the final heat. It was Wargo leading the first three leaps before getting shuffled back to fourth behind Orbezo, Round Two winner Rodrigo Polaya and Dean Gerrior. Wargo worked his way back into the lead by lap six and held on to the checkered flag for the victory. Orbezo was off by 44 thousandths at the line with Polaya a close third. Dean Gerrior and two-time winner Sawyer Chambers completed the top five.

The Briggs 206 Cadet presented by Speed Concepts Racing class welcomed a second two-time winner on the season. Drew Blehm claimed his first fast time honor in qualifying on the season with a 1:12.135 lap time. Three different drivers won over the heat races with Clayton Stiles, Reuben Greer, and Aston Wyatt. It was Wyatt starting on the pole position for the Final where he led wire-to-wire for his second victory of the season. Stoffle was second in the order with Blehm joining them on the podium in third. Stiles was fourth with Kaleb Roberts in fifth.

Tanner Barsch claimed his third victory of the season in Mini Swift presented by Alan Rudolph Racing Academy. Kimo Ahmad led the way in qualifying over the 20-driver field with Alex Chandler taking the opening heat win. Aston Wyatt moved up to the top spot over the second heat and repeated that win in Heat #3. Wyatt, Chandler and Barsch battled over the 16 laps. Barsch and Wyatt led over the first six laps until Aston pace the trio from lap seven to lap 14. Chandler led at the white flag but it was Barsch who crossed the line first, edging out Wyatt by 64 thousandths at the line. Chandler was third with Clayton Stiles Ahmad rounding out the top five.

The Micro Swift presented by Gallery Furniture class also welcomed a three time winner as well with Brody Stoffle completing a weekend sweep. Stoffle led the way in qualifying before winning all three heat races. In the 15-lap main event, Stoffle led the entire distance for his third victory of the season, winning by 11 seconds. Shepp Sullivan and Dusty Strayer were on the podium with Round One winner Tyler Blackwood and Wyatt White finishing fourth and fifth.

Vettel Baker claimed his second straight victory in the Briggs 206 Kid Karts presented by GR2 Motorsports category. Baker set fast time in qualifying before Wylen Galeano broke up the sweep with the win in Heat #1. Baker came back to win the final two heat races. In the Final, Baker went on to drive away to a 12-second margin of victory over Galeano. JJ DeShong joined them on the podium in third with Anderson Maxwell and Sawyer Sutton completing the top five.

The Texas Sprint Racing Series will close out the 2025 season with the ‘Fall Finale’ event on October 17-19 at the Dallas Karting Complex in Caddo Mills, Texas.