Category Archives: Sonoma

Challenge of the Americas Confirms Four Tracks for 2025 Program

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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.

Attention all Sonoma Shifter Limited drivers

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Attention all Sonoma Shifter Limited drivers:

After speaking with a few team owners and drivers, the Challenge of the Americas would like to extend an offer to your class members.
 
As there is no Rok Sonoma event for the month of April, we are offering a unique weekend package for the Shifter Limited class, which consists of:
  • No Friday practice, as we know that consistent with your class name, your time is limited as well.  
  • Only one set of race tires for the weekend, as we will run a special format of 3 short heat races, a pre-final and one final over the course of the weekend.  
  • Saturday morning will consist of 2 practice sessions and one qualifying session.   Saturday afternoon will consist of heat one and two.
  • Sunday will have another warmup and your final heat.  Sunday afternoon will consist of your pre-final and final.  
  • This should add up to close to 60 laps of racing for the weekend!
With no Friday practice and only one set of tires, your weekend entry with fuel/oil is only $900.  
 
In order for this to make sense for everyone, we need at least 10 entries by Friday March 22nd  in order to have enough time to have a set of awards built.  
 
Please go to the registration page https://www.challengekarting.com/registration/ and download the Sonoma Shifter Limited specific entry form. Simply fill in your personal information and your payment information and email it to ftk51@sbcglobal.net by 3/22 at midnight. We will not process your credit card until we reach 10 entries.
 
Entry forms without payment information will not count as an entry.  Remember we need 10 entries for this to make sense for everyone. When we hit 10, we will process the cards.  
 
In addition, Ron White Racing has pledged $500 to the winner of the class!!!!!!
 
It’s up to you to make this happen! Come have some fun at THE CHALLENGE of the AMERICAS.
 

Sonoma Registration & Information

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Sonoma Registration is now open.
After two exciting race weekends in Arizona we are saying goodbye to the Sonoran Desert and hello to California and Sonoma wine country. Registration is open for the closing rounds of the 2024 Challenge of the Americas season at Sonoma Raceway. R5/R6 will take place April 12-14 on the National CW circuit, as we get set to crown the 2024 champions. Enter here – https://www.mom-system.com/race/ftk-promotions1709576887/

Pre Entry Deadline:
In order to fit everyone into a very small paddock & the need to have accurate fuel and tire projections for the final weekend, pre-entry will close at midnight 3/31

Event Info:
IMPORTANT ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION!!!!!!!!

Westbound State Route 37 Full Highway Closures at State Route 29 Continue reading →

Challenge of the Americas Sets Prize Package for 2024

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Challenge of the Americas Sets Prize Package for 2024 with P1 Engines and Italian Motors Providing Additional Cash

The 17th season for Challenge of the Americas is a new era for the west coast winter series. Welcoming the Vega Tire as the official brand for the Challenge, the categories have also opened up to allow both ROK and IAME engine brands, in addition to the KZ platform for shifter competition. The prize package has also been altered for the 2024 season, welcoming a cash prize of $3,000 in total for each of the six categories competing this year – 60cc Cadet, 100cc Junior, 100cc Senior, 100cc Masters, Shifter Senior, and Shifter Masters.

Dating back to the start of The Challenge, tickets to each program’s ‘big event’ were awarded to the champions. Now that the series has become independent, The Challenge has moved to a cash purse for the 2024 championship prize package.

Challenge of the Americas will award cash prizes to the top-three finishers in the championship standings for all classes. The breakdown is as follows: 1st – $1,500 / 2nd – $1,000 / 3rd – $500.

Adding to the prize package for the championship podium is longtime series supporter P1 Engines. Jesus Vasquez and P1 have pledged an additional $1,500 to the championship podium for any class that averages 30 or more entries for the six rounds of The Challenge. That equates to the following breakdown: 1st – $2,000 / 2nd – $1,500 / 3rd – $1,000.

In 2023, both Senior 100cc and Junior 100cc averaged over 30 entries for the series. As of the final ‘Happy Hour’ pre-registration period on January 23, each class has reached the 30-mark for the upcoming opening weekend with at-track entries expected in all classes.

In addition, Italian Motors has stepped up with an additional $500 to the Shifter Senior and Shifter Masters championship prize package, provided that championship was earned with a TM KZ or X125 KZ (same as the homologated Modena KK3).

Challenge of the Americas kicks off the 2024 program at the Musselman Honda Circuit in Tucson on February 2-4. To learn more about The Challenge, head to challengekarting.com

As Pre Entry Deadline Looms P1 Engines Adds to 2024 Prize Packages

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PRE ENTRY DEADLINE IS MIDNIGHT TONIGHT – As entries roll in for our opening event at the Musselman Honda Circuit in two weeks we are still refining the complete 2024 prize package. All awards will be announced in the coming days, but Jesus Vasquez of P1 Engines Inc. just made things more interesting for the larger classes by adding an additional $1500 to the podium haul of any class that averages 30 or more entries for the 6 race series.

There is no catch like having to run a P1 motor, P1 sticker or even saying hi, just generous support of the series. 100cc Junior and 100cc Senior both surpassed that threshold in 2023, and they are on the verge of eclipsing it with one day left to pre enter.

Get your entries in today before the midnight deadline to make sure you have a chance to earn your championship and win a piece of this great prize.

Thank you again to Jesus Vasquez and P1 Engines for his continued support and trust in the Challenge.

Enter now: https://www.mom-system.com/race/ftk-promotions1701279895/