The penultimate event of the 2026 Cup Karts North America South Division was held over the April 24-26 weekend, visiting the Music City Kartplex facility for the first time. The Shelbyville, Tennessee circuit provided a unique opportunity for the South program to travel north toward Nashville, adding another facility to the roster list for the organization. Weather played a pivotal role on Saturday for Round Five rain rolling in toward the end of the Heat Two events before lightning in the area along with track time limits forced the cancellation of the main events. Action went uninterrupted on Sunday to complete Round Six, setting up the final push toward the season end championship.
Adriano Yannuzzi was able to add to his win total in 2026 with a fourth victory on the season in Senior Medium. Dylan Amundsen made his season debut with the RLV Fastest Qualifier honor posting a time of 35.358 before leading all 12 laps of the opening heat race. During a wet second heat, Amundsen was shuffled back to fourth as Yannuzzi drove to the win and named Feature winner. Jamie Bradford was second with Mason Russell in third. Amundsen came back the following day to earn another RLV Fastest Qualifier award and won the heat race. Yannuzzi worked his way up to the point by lap three with Amundsen on his bumper. The two made contact on lap 19, sending Amundsen off and out of the race. This allowed Bradford to slip past for the lead and the victory. Yannuzzi was second at the line but penalized behind Amundsen for the contact. This promoted Elijah Skaggs to second and Harley Andrews in third.
Amundsen was able to find success in the Senior Light division on the weekend, sweeping both rounds of racing. A time of 35.373 gave him the RLV Fastest Qualifier award before fighting off Yannuzzi for the Heat One win. Camryn Reed grabbed the lead early in Heat Two before Amundsen retook the position. Amundsen went on to take the win by nearly two seconds with Yannuzzi up to second over Reed, which would be the Feature podium. Amundsen repeated as RLV Fastest Qualifier on Sunday before winning the Heat race. Reed challenged late only to have Amundsen secure the top position. Yannuzzi took the lead early in the 20-lap Final before Reed grabbed the spot on lap six. She led until Amundsen reclaimed the top spot prior to the white flag, holding on for the second victory of the weekend. Reed matched fast lap of the race with Amundsen in second, holding the championship lead now by 55 points over Yannuzzi, who finished third.
Two new winners were added to the list in the Senior Heavy category, both making their season debut in the class. Jack Oldham earned the RLV Fastest Qualifier award with a time of 36.316 before Mason Russell took over the point in the opening heat race. Russell led all 12 laps of the second heat to claim the win and awarded the Feature victory. Oldham was second with Jonathan Graves third. Oldham repeated as the RLV Fastest Qualifier award winner before Russell claimed the win in the heat race. Russell led the first 17 laps of the Final before James Inscoe took the position. He led to claim the final two laps to claim his first class victory on the season with Russell second and Graves again in third.
Jamie Bradford was one of four weekend sweeps at Music City Kartplex, taking the top spot in Masters. Bradford, making his first season start, put in a 35.876 to clear the 11-driver field by over two tenths for the RLV Fastest Qualifier award. He was able to go wire-to-wire in both heat races, including the wet second heat to claim the Feature victory. Ryan Curtin was a close second with Vinnie Carollo in third. Sunday began with Bradford once again claiming the RLV Fastest Qualifier award by three tenths. He followed by going wire-to-wire in the Heat race and Final. Curtin repeated as runner-up with James Inscoe placing third.
The Legends class also welcomed two new winners on the season. Four-time winner Paul Naquin was the RLV Fastest Qualifier award winner before James Inscoe took control. Inscoe scored the opening heat race before leading all 12 laps of the second heat, claiming the Feature win. Anthony Harwin was second with Naquin in third with fast lap of the race. Inscoe did not compete on Sunday, opening the door for Harwin to claim his first victory of the season. Ben Rooke was the driver to beat early as the RLV Fastest Qualifier award winner. Harwin was second in the session and won the battle late in the heat race for the win. Harwin was the leader for the first 17 laps before Rooke took over. He led to the checkered flag for the provisional win until receiving a one-position penalty for contact with Harwin. This promoted Harwin to the top of the podium, Rooke second and Naquin in third.
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Evan Frey became the fourth different winner on the season in Junior, nearly pulling off the weekend sweep. The only session Frey did not finish on top was in Saturday qualifying with championship leader Ryder Thompson securing the RLV Fastest Qualifier award. Frey was second in the session and after falling back to fifth in the opening heat, drove up to grab the lead on the final lap for the win. Frey was able to go wire-to-wire in the second heat, claiming the Feature victory. Thompson was a close second with Winston Overfelt in third. Frey returned on Sunday with the RLV Fastest Qualifier award before leading every lap of the heat race. Thompson jumped out to the lead of the Final and showed the way for the first 14 laps before Frey took back the position. Frey led the remainder of the race for a second victory in his first season start. Thompson settled for second with Logan Coyne earning a first podium finish on the season in third.
The streak in Sportsman continues for Mikey Todd, extending his wins to six. After double win weekends in Biloxi and Daytona, Todd won both main events at Music City Kartplex. Jack Casey claimed the RLV Fastest Qualifier award by a slim margin over Robert Noe and Ari Berger. It was Berger winning the battle in the opening heat race with Todd up to second. Todd took the lead by lap seven of Heat Two, ending up with the win and Feature victory. Noe was second and Berger back to third. Todd cleared the field by two tenths for the RLV Fastest Qualifier award leading every lap of the Heat race and Final on Sunday to extend his winning streak. Casey was second with Berger third.
The Cadet division welcomed Kaiper Nelson for the first time on the season, sweeping the action over the two days. Nelson edged out Lanson Pitre and Aaron Merkle for the RLV Fastest Qualifier award before leading every lap of the two heat races, earning the Feature victory ahead of Carter Morard and Merkle. Sunday was a repeat performance by Nelson who never relinquished the top spot. Nelson won in the Final by 12 seconds with Morad provisionally in second. He was penalized for contact, promoting Merkle to runner-up and Ashton Pitre finishing in third.
Maverick Reddick was able to add wins three and four on the season in the Kid Kart division. The weekend was a sweep for the Texas driver, earning RLV Fastest Qualifier award before winning both heat races. Aubrey Babcock was second with Beckett Boudreaux in third. Reddick continued leading the way on Sunday, leading all laps of the Heat race and Final to complete the weekend sweep. Babcock and Boudreaux repeated as second and third.
The series finale for the Cup Karts North America South Division is scheduled for May 29-31 at the Bushnell Motorsports Park in Bushnell, Florida with Round Seven and Eight to be contested.
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