Opportunity to adjust opens up to move PKRA as opener and CalSpeed to month of February
ORANGE, CA (December 9, 2020) – Dates remain the same, however, the locations will be different from the published schedule for the 2021 Challenge of the Americas. The ROK Cup USA international winter series is adjusting the locations for the January and February events on the upcoming calendar.
The opening weekend for the 2021 Challenge of the Americas scheduled on January 22-24 is moving from the CalSpeed Karting facility in Fontana, California to the Phoenix Kart Racing Association in Glendale, Arizona. The February 26-28 that was scheduled for PKRA facility is now replaced with CalSpeed.
“Two reasons for the change in locations,” commented FTK Promotions owner Andy Seesemann. “NASCAR and COVID-19. The 2021 schedule for NASCAR took away our original plan to compete at CalSpeed in February. Their announcement this week to not host a race in February at Auto Club Speedway allows for us to move the Challenge second event back to Fontana and open in Phoenix. This was our original plan and works best with the weather and other logistics. We also know that California can be one of more restrictive states regarding COVID-19 guidelines. With just six weeks away from the opening event, this move gives us five more weeks to monitor and adapt to those guidelines.”
As the COVID guidelines continue to change state to state, county to county, Seesemann stated that they are reviewing back-up plans, especially for the events in California.
“We have continued discussion with our friends at the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson as the backup venue for our second event in February should California have any further restrictions. We have been able to run events while observing the guidelines set out by the Auto Club Speedway and the San Bernardino County thus far, but we need to have plans in place in the event that things change.”
In addition to the change in schedule, The Challenge is also establishing a restricted access to the paddock for the Phoenix Kart Racing Association event in January. For each driver, access to the paddock is limited to one mechanic. In the case of drivers who are minors, one mechanic and one parent are permitted.
Details surrounding the opening event for Challenge of the Americas at the PKRA facility in Arizona will be published to the challengekarting.com website in the coming days. Registration for the opening event for the 2021 COTA program opens on Friday, December 11. Be sure to follow The Challenge on Facebook and Instagram.
2021 Challenge of the Americas Schedule – REVISED
January 22-24: Phoenix Kart Racing Association – Glendale, Arizona
February 26-28: CalSpeed Karting – Fontana, California
March 26-28: Sonoma Raceway – Sonoma, California
GREEN-GREEN-GREEN – Wednesday practice is BACK ON. Enough people called texted or emailed The Track directly yesterday after our announcement went out and complained, so they have now flip-flopped on their decision and The Track will be open for practice next Wednesday I repeat the track will be open for practice on Wednesday. We are so sorry for this but the office people at the track don’t seem to know what’s actually happening at the track and what is possible. Let’s Rok Wednesday practice – Andy
Premium hand sanitizer company provides support to ROK Cup USA west coast programs for 2021
Challenge of the Americas is moving forward with the same class structure for the 2021 season as the series contested in 2020. The ROK Cup USA and the ROK Promotions announced on December 16 a move to Vortex-only engines for their events in 2021, including the upcoming Florida Winter Tour. FTK Promotions owner Andy Seesemann confirmed with eKartingNews that the engines allowed for the 2021 Challenge of the Americas will not be changed from what has been published, more specifically the 100cc divisions.