Challenge of the Americas Opens Registration for 2025 Championship

challenge logo blackThe 18th season for Challenge of the Americas championship is another significant year. It is one of change and expansion, with the program now hosting four events in 2025 while welcoming the new Shinko Racing Kart Tire. The new era begins on January 31-February 2 at the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona.

registration logoRegistration for the opening rounds of the Challenge in Tucson is now open. Challenge of the Americas has moved over to the Race Select service for registration in 2025. Visit RaceSelect.comto pre-register for the season opener at the Musselman Honda Circuit. The deadline for the pre-registration for the Tucson weekend is January 18.

Following the series opener, the Challenge makes its first series visit to the new K1 Circuit in Winchester, California on March 7-9. On April 25-27, the Challenge returns to Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California for the third stop in 2025. The series finale and fourth event of the 2025 season pushes the Challenge to the Utah Motorsports Campus in Grantsville, Utah on June 13-15.

The categories offered for the 2025 Challenge of the Americas program remains unchanged with six in total. Shifter Senior is the headline division, welcoming homologated KZ engines along with the ROK Shifter platform. The Shifter Master division compliments the class for drivers 32 years and older or above 190lbs driver weight. The 100cc Senior, 100cc Junior and 100cc Masters return, providing a place for competitors utilizing the IAME KA100 and Vortex VLR engine packages. All five classes will compete with the Shinko CIK Prime (Yellow) tire. 60cc Cadet returns as well, also a multi-engine platform with IAME and Vortex, utilizing the Shinko SHS63 Performance (Green) compound in 2025.

For the first time in series history, Challenge of the Americas is offering competitors the opportunity to reserve their favorite number for the season. In years past, it has been a first come, first serve format when registering and receiving the kart number requested. For $50, each competitor can reserve their favorite number in their category for the season. It is encouraged that competitors submit their number reservation quickly before it is gone. The following are the class number ranges for the 2025 Challenge.

60cc Cadet: 100-199
100cc Junior: 800-899
100cc Senior: 900-999
100cc Masters: 700-799
Shifter Senior: 400-499
Shifter Masters: 500-599

shinko logoShinko Kart Tires USA received the first shipment of tires to the United States, with over 200 sets shipped out to dealers over this past week. Nearly 30 different kart shops, race teams and racetracks are among the dealer list for Shinko Kart Tires USA. Visit shinkokartusa.com to find a dealer near you to purchase your first sets of the Shinko brand.

SHINKO KART TIRES USA SIGNS UMC KARTING CHAMPIONSHIP AND COLORADO KARTING CIRCUIT

logosClub programs in Utah and Colorado join Challenge of the Americas by utilizing Shinko Racing Kart Tires in all categories

NAMPA, ID (November 5, 2024) – Full Throttle Karting and Shinko Kart Tires USA have hit the ground running to expand the newly CIK-FIA homologated tire brand for karting. The official announcement in September of the Shinko Racing Kart Tires hitting the United States for the first time began with confirmation for Challenge of the Americas championship transitioning to the brand for the 2025 season. The second step is adding clubs to utilize the Shinko Racing Kart Tires in competition as the Utah Motorsports Campus Karting Championship and Colorado Karting Circuit at Centennial Airport have signed on for 2025.

“It’s an exciting time as we begin our relationships with club tracks and regional programs to utilize the Shinko Racing Kart Tires,” stated Andy Seesemann of Shinko Kart Tires USA and Full Throttle Karting. “The testing we conducted this summer allowed for us to put together the data to provide tracks and series looking at different tire options. Utah and Colorado are the first tracks and clubs to sign on for the 2025 season and we are thrilled to be the official tire for their growing programs.” Continue reading

Full Throttle Karting Becomes Sole Importer for Shinko Racing Kart Tires, the Official Tire of Challenge of the Americas 2025

FTK-Shinko-logoFresh off CIK-FIA homologation, Shinko Racing Kart Tires has found a partner and a home in the United States. Idaho-based Full Throttle Karting has signed an agreement to become the sole importer for the newest CIK-approved tire brand, and industry veteran Andy Seesemann is thrilled with the new opportunity and addition to his FTK program.

FTK met with the management and sales team at the Shinko Tire factory in Jinju, Korea to discuss the US market, CIK homologation, and compound options. In attendance: (Far side left to right) Kim Tae Kyun – Shinko Factory Manager, Yun Ku Suk – Shinko Managing Director, Kim Dong Jun – Shinko Executive Director, Kim Jong Suk – Shinko Sales Director, Shin Jun Hun – Deputy Trade Director Shinko, Kim Dong Sun – Shinko Sales and Marketing. (Near side left to right) Andy Seesemann – President Full Throttle Karting Inc., Dong Wook “Nick” Lee of Shinko Kart Racing Tires Global (Photo: ShinkoKartUSA.com)

At the end of August, Seesemann traveled to the Shinko Tires factory in Korea along with FTK Promotions Media Director Sean Buur. During this excursion, they were able to see firsthand the tires being manufactured and meet with the key personnel of the company.

“I’m an ‘old school’ type of guy,” touts Seesemann, president of Full Throttle Karting Inc. “So even though we could have done a deal via Zoom or FaceTime, I wanted to meet Nick (Lee) and the rest of the Shinko team in person, shake hands, and have a face-to-face conversation. It was definitely worth the effort trekking to Korea to see the factory in person. Nick and I got to know each other and now have a sense of who the other person is; building a solid foundation for our new partnership.”

The beginning of Shinko Tire dates back to the early 1970s in Jinju, Korea with the production of bicycle tires and tubes. Eventually, the company expanded into the development of high-performance tires for motorcycles and off-road enthusiasts. This expansion helped to establish Shinko as a global brand, including entry into North America and Europe. The manufacturing process for the motorcycle, karting, and OEM tire industry focuses on quality, innovation and durability. For the 2024-2026 FIA Karting homologation period, Shinko Racing Kart Tires received its first homologation certificate for three models.

After touring both Jinju, Korea factories, the FTK team went to dinner and drinks with their new Shinko partners: Kim Dong Sun – Shinko Sales and Marketing, Dong Wook “Nick” Lee of Shinko Kart Racing Tires Global, Kim Dong Jun – Shinko Executive Director, Kim Jong Suk – Shinko Sales Director, Andy Seesemann – President Full Throttle Karting Inc., Sean Buur – FTK Promotions Media Director (Photo: ShinkoKartUSA.com)

“It is a pleasure to be with an experienced and professional company like FTK,” said Dong Wook ‘Nick’ Lee of Shinko Racing Kart Tires Global, Korea. “FTK has the expertise in karting and specifically karting tires to be our trusted partner in the US. We will actively support FTK to help grow the US market for Shinko Racing Kart Tires.”

“We were contacted by several companies in the United States regarding Shinko Racing Kart Tires,” Mr. Lee continued. “Among them, FTK worked hard in a consistent way and kept small promises well. In late summer, Andy and his group came to Korea to meet with us and solidify our relationship. We spent three days together touring Korea, which was highlighted by our meetings at the tire production factory. We spoke about growing our business in the US and promised a meaningful partnership for many years. It is an honor to be a partner with FTK and we are looking forward to the future.”

Full Throttle Karting will stock four different compounds of the Shinko Racing Kart Tires. The Shinko SHP ‘Prime’ tire (Yellow) will be the tire for shifterkarts, TaG and 100cc divisions, which is CIK-FIA homologated. FTK will bring in two compounds dedicated to the US market. The Shinko SHS63 ‘Performance’ tire (Green) is the softer compound for Cadet divisions and 4-Cycle racing, providing a great balance of performance and durability. The other model is Shinko SHS72 ‘Endurance’ tire (Black), with its focus on longer life rather than outright speed. The fourth model is the Shinko Full Wet Rain Tire.

“Shinko has been in business for more than 50 years, but they recently made the step to homologate with the CIK-FIA,” adds Seesemann. “With only six other brands having gone through the effort and expense of this tedious process, it places them in rare air and in a very exclusive club. Shinko’s FIA approved SHP ‘Prime’ Yellow tire is as good as any tire that I’ve tested and will be a great addition to local and national series alike. The creation of the SHS63 Green ‘Performance’ tire has been a collaboration between the factory and FTK, creating a long lasting and high-quality tire for 4-Cycle and Cadet applications. The black labeled SHS72 ‘Endurance’ is the harder of our USA focused compounds, offering a longer life span with a little slower lap time. In addition, the Shinko Wet tire gives us a full slate of compounds to offer any track or series.”

The Shinko Tire factories are ISO9100 quality controlled manufacturing facilities. The Shinko kart tire specialist explains to Seesemann how each tire is inspected at each stage of the manufacturing process (Photo: ShinkoKartUSA.com)

“We have developed our tires by testing with our official Kart Race Tire partners in Japan, the Philippines, Italy, Portugal and now the US,” added Mr. Lee. “As the official tire of ROK Cup Philippines, we were recognized for our performance in this championship, which has earned us the honor of becoming the official tire brand for more competitions around the world. In the future, we will grow our partnership by offering driver exchanges between drivers in US Championships using Shinko tires and some of our Asian partnering series.”

Full Throttle Karting and FTK Promotions will welcome Shinko Racing Kart Tires to be utilized for Challenge of the Americas championship series in 2025 and beyond. The Shinko Prime and Shinko SHS63 ‘Performance’ compounds will be run the upcoming season, which kicks off on January 31-February 2 at the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona.

“In my more than 20 years in the business of karting, I have always been a part of a ‘program’ created by someone else,” Andy continued. “The Challenge is certainly its own entity, but it was attached to something else. Last year, when COTA became a sovereign series, beholden to only myself, and it set me on the path to accomplish goals set long ago. I am excited to fulfill this promise to myself by becoming the exclusive US importer for Shinko Racing Kart Tires. The Challenge of the Americas is now unrestricted and fully independent. I look forward to 2025 COTA being the best it can be for me, my staff, and most of all our customers.”

Full Throttle Karting is expecting to receive the first shipment of tires in November, providing plenty of time for teams and competitors for testing the new Shinko Racing Kart Tires. FTK will be working to develop a new USA dealer network and official tracks/clubs for the Shinko brand.

Learn more about the Shinko Racing Kart Tires at the new website – shinkokartusa.com

Challenge of the Americas Confirms Four Tracks for 2025 Program

Expansion of schedule and into Utah highlights the 18th season of championship

The popular Challenge of the Americas program will see a new evolution in its 18-year history with an expansion and shift in its calendar. In May, the series announced an increase to four events for the upcoming 2025 season, with the schedule including dates from the end of January through to the middle of June. As we’re now just over 170 days until the opening event of 2025, Challenge of the Americas is happy to announce the locations for the four race weekends.

“The Challenge is no longer a west coast winter series, we are THE western championship in North America,” enthused Challenge of the Americas promoter Andy Seesemann. “The expansion of our schedule to four events provides a high-level series from the end of the winter season to the beginning of summer, staying within the two western time zones. I can’t wait to start off the 2025 season for the Challenge!”

The 2025 Challenge of the Americas season opener returns to the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona. As the site of the opening two weekends in 2024, the facility continues to be a loyal partner to the series. Among the two new tracks to join the Challenge in 2025 is the K1 Circuit. One of the most anticipated new tracks to North America will be welcoming the Challenge to its Winchester, California facility for the first time in early March.

“Our opening two events of 2025 will be sensational with our annual trip to Tucson and then our first visit to the new K1 Circuit,” added Seesemann. “I’m excited to see K1 finally open this month after the long delays that were beyond their control. This facility will be cornerstone for not only southern California, but for karting in the USA. It will be fun to finally see karts on the track with the club and regional programs that have events there over the next couple of months. I am pleased and honored to be the first national championship program to stage an event at K1 Circuit when we arrive in March 2025.”

The date for the second event of the Challenge at K1 Circuit has been shifted one week earlier from the previously announced dates. “We try very hard to work with other programs on scheduling during the year, and especially during the crowded early part of the season,” Seesemann confirmed. “With this week’s schedule announcement from one of the eastern programs, we decided to adjust the schedule to make it easier on the racers and teams to be able to support all the events that they want to attend without conflicts.”

The end of April will feature the annual trip to ‘wine country’ and Sonoma Raceway. The Sonoma, California track provides one of the greatest backdrops of a motorsport facility and is always a favorite stop for those who compete at the Challenge. The expansion of the Challenge schedule to four events also extends the geographic reach of the series. The fourth race on the calendar is scheduled for Father’s Day weekend at the Utah Motorsports Campus outside Salt Lake City, making the series a three-state program.

Seesemann added, “Since it opened in 2006, the Utah Motorsports Campus has hosted several major events. We are thrilled to be able to bring the Challenge to the mountain region of the country and offer an exciting facility to our teams and competitors. The combination of Sonoma and Utah to close out the 2025 championship will be an exciting end to our new era.”

The Challenge of the Americas has undergone several evolutions in its near two decades of competition and this year’s expanded schedule is a huge positive for the sport west of the Mississippi. The absence of a major traveling series in the west has been remedied and the Challenge family is excited to see everyone when the program kicks at in Tucson at the end of January.

2025 Challenge of the Americas Schedule

January 31-February 2: Musselman Honda Circuit – Tucson, Arizona
March 7-9: K1 Circuit – Winchester, California
April 25-27: Sonoma Raceway – Sonoma, California
June 13-15 – Utah Motorsports Campus – Grantsville, Utah

Be sure to follow updates at challengekarting.com regarding the 2025 Challenge of the Americas program, in addition to following the Facebook and Instagram pages.

2025 Challenge of the Americas Poised for Expansion

Challenge of the Americas is expanding to four events for the 2025 season (Photo: ChallengeKarting.com)

Challenge of the Americas is expanding to four events for the 2025 season (Photo: ChallengeKarting.com)

18th season of championship set for changes in schedule

The month of April saw the Challenge of the Americas program complete its 17th season, hosting the 2024 season finale at Sonoma Raceway in California, where it decided this year’s champions at the end of exciting event. Andy Seesemann and his FTK Promotions operation has been a leader in event promotion for almost two decades and the continued success has meant navigating through tumultuous times, including many changes and evolutions of the sport. The Challenge has been a steadfast constant for West Coast karting, and much like the 2024 season being one of adjustment, the upcoming year in 2025 will be another one with positive change.

Challenge of the Americas promoter Andy Seesemann (Photo: ChallengeKarting.com)

Challenge of the Americas promoter Andy Seesemann (Photo: ChallengeKarting.com)

Seesemann has always focused on listening to his customers, and they’re current asking for ‘more’. Based on many requests and industry insight, the Challenge of the Americas program will expand to four events in 2025, making it a best-seven-of-eight championship program. Dates for the 18th season will span from the beginning of February and stretch now into mid-June while the schedule will also enlarge the geographical size of the series with a possible new-to-the-series venue.

“I’ve been talking with competitors and teams over the last three months about what they would like to see with the direction of the Challenge,” commented Seesemann. “The general consensus was adding a fourth event to the schedule. In order to do this, we’ve spread out the schedule to a six-week rotation. Of course, we are working with other promoters and series to select dates that work around other major events that will be scheduled for the 2025 season. There are west coast racers who do not want to travel to the east, where so many programs are currently focusing their schedules. The Challenge provides a high level series from the end of the winter season to the beginning of summer, staying within the two western time zones.”

2025 Challenge of the Americas Schedule

Event #1: January 31-February 2
Event #2: March 14-16
Event #3: April 25-27
Event #4: June 13-15

Tracks that will be part of the 2025 Challenge of the Americas will be confirmed and announced at a later date.

The Challenge of the Americas has always played a crucial role in both the industry and the sport, providing crucial winter racing for drivers who get tuned up for the summer national or regional programs that they run. The series is also a key program for kart shops and race teams on the West Coast. The new schedule will still provide winter race weekends for the drivers and the expansion to four races will help fuel growth for the businesses that rely on the Challenge of the Americas each and every year.

Champions for the 2024 Challenge of the Americas program (Photo: ChallengeKarting.com)

Champions for the 2024 Challenge of the Americas program (Photo: ChallengeKarting.com)

As mentioned, the 2024 Challenge of the Americas at Sonoma was a fantastic weekend with great racing, and six champions were crowned. Kane Martin was one of four drivers to claim a career first Challenge championship, earning the Forward Direction Motorsports 100cc Senior title. Martin used three podium finishes to edge out two-time winner Keagan Kaminski by 22 points for the championship with finale winner Ryan Persing moving up to third. Michael Avansino claimed the top step of the SwedeTech Racing Engines Senior Shifter championship podium. A win and two podium results put him 37 points ahead of three-time winner Kyle Wick. First year shifter competitor David Williams was third in the standings, earning two podium results over six rounds.

From series official to series champion, KC Cook claimed the title in the Ruthless Karting 100cc Masters class. The two-time race winner held off the challenges of Matthew Ostiguy, who recorded five straight podium results. Two-time victor Greg Welch ended up third in the championship standings. Bud Grossenbacher became a new name to the list of champions with his triumph in the Ron White Racing Masters Shifter division. The driver from Arizona won three times, earning the championship ahead of Round Three winner Rob Kozakowski and Michael Faker.

A second career Challenge championship was earned by Nico Sarphati in the Nash Motorsportz 100cc Junior division, who also won the Micro category in 2020. The two-time race winner beat out defending series champion Nixx Eggleston by 35 points with Payton Westcott winning the battle for the third step on the championship podium. Braydon Wagner became only the second driver to score back-to-back titles in The Karting Collective 60cc Cadet division. Wagner won twice, while Drew Jensen used his consistency and five podium finishes to make it close. The difference was only two points in the end, while finale winner Lucas Tarango finished only three points out of the top spot for another close championship chase at the Challenge.

In total, 168 drivers competed at the 2024 Challenge of the Americas over the six categories, including over 50 in the 100cc Senior category. The 2024 season also featured an increase in participation for the 60cc Cadet division, which bodes well for next year.

Be sure to follow updates at challengekarting.com regarding the 2025 Challenge of the Americas program, in addition to following the Facebook and Instagram pages.

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