The 18th season for Challenge of the Americas is set to begin over the January 31-February 2 weekend when the series visits the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson, Arizona. The opening rounds of the 2025 championship will usher in a new era, welcoming the new Shinko Racing Kart Tires as the official tire for the series while expanding to four events to make the Challenge the headline traveling series in the western half of the United States.
Pre-registration for the opening weekend at the Musselman Honda Circuit closes on Saturday, January 18. Challenge of the Americas is working with Race Select as its official registration platform. Visit ChallengeKarting.com to learn more about the new process and additional information.
“We are excited about the upcoming season for the Challenge,” stated FTK Promotions owner Andy Seesemann. “There are a lot of new components regarding the series with our partnership with Shinko Racing Kart Tires and adding a fourth event to the schedule. The same competitive yet fun atmosphere returns, along with our experienced staff, many of whom have been with the program for over a decade, including the many teams and companies who have support the Challenge for the 18 years.”
Support from the karting community and industry members continue to pour into the 2025 Challenge of the Americas. Six companies have put forward their backing of the Challenge by signing on as class sponsors for the upcoming season. This year’s class sponsors are:
Forward Direction Motorsports – 100cc Senior
Nash Motorsportz – 100cc Junior
Neliton Race Concepts – Shifter Masters
Ruthless Karting – 100cc Masters
Swedetech Racing Engines – Shifter Senior
The Karting Collective – 60cc Cadet
“This year’s class sponsors are a collection of longtime supporters and new companies showing their dedication to the Challenge,” Seesemann added. “The karting community is special, with long lasting figures like Nash Motorsportz of southern California, Ruthless Karting in Arizona and Swedetech Racing Engines in NorCal. The crew at Forward Direction Motorsports has been competing at the Challenge for the last decade, and we enjoy the many racers from the Rocky Mountain region they help to bring. The Karting Collective has been a growing operation out of Sonoma to follow the Challenge the last few years. We are excited to welcome Neliton Race Concepts in 2025, bringing several drivers from the northwest to this year’s championship. Our goal is to continue welcoming new drivers, teams and industry members to the Challenge with each year.”
New for the 2025 Challenge of the Americas is the ‘Challenge Championship Circle’ program that is part of the year-end prize package. Drivers have options should they reach the championship podium in the title chases this season. Each class champion this year earns a full 2026 Challenge entry package, which includes race fees for practice day along with Saturday and Sunday race days, race tires, race fuel, race oil, and the driver pit pass. The runner-up in the final standings for each class receives a 2026 Challenge two-event entry package. For the third-place driver, they will be awarded a one event entry package for the 2026 Challenge season. Each driver who stands on the championship podium will have the option to take a cash prize rather than the entry package. First place has the option to take the $2,500 check, second place the $1,500 check, and third place a $1,000 check.
The 2025 Challenge of the Americas Championship Circle program has a third component thanks to this year’s supporters; Odenthal Racing Products, P1 Engines, SpeedSense Motorsports and West Coast Motorsports. An additional cash prize will be awarded to the top-three finishers in each category. As of January 15, the prize purse is up to $6,000 in addition cash prizes awarded to the championship podiums.
“It’s amazing to have so many returning sponsors that recognize the value of our program,” added Seesemann. “Our Championship Circle is a way to open up our prize package now and throughout the season. Either award a driver selects, they will go home with some money in their pockets thanks to our Championship Circle supporters. Each champion this year could go home with up to $3,000 or more. We may add more to the money purse as the season goes on.”
Continuing in 2025 will be the weekend raffle during the Sunday drivers’ meeting for each event on Challenge of the Americas schedule. Prizes include tires, karting products, safety gear and more.
Entries for the Musselman Honda Circuit event are sitting above where they were this time last year, for what is expected to be an exciting 2025 Challenge of the Americas opening weekend. If you haven’t completed your entry and plan to be there to kick off the season, please get entered before pre-registration ends on Saturday.
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 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