Many drivers and tuners are expected to come out with their families and enjoy what Southern California has to offer alongside terrific racing. The WinterNational Championship Series is expected to draw drivers from as far north as Vancouver, British Columbia, through the Rockies and into the Midwest, and it will lure many Northern California and DesertKart Challenge racers hungry for early season action, as well. The three-day format will include a full set of heats and mains on both Saturday and Sunday, along with a practice day on Friday.

“The three-round, six-race WinterNational Championship Series takes the fun quotient of kart racing and combines it with the competitive spirit found within us all,� offers SKUSA CEO Tom Kutscher. “It’s a series built on the foundation of SKUSA’s past with an emphasis on where the sport, and SKUSA, is headed. In short, it’s a Southern California party for skill levels of all types.� 

And Kutscher should know, as he is a SKUSA ProMoto Tour veteran who loved the sport and people so much as a participant that he eventually bought the company! Clearly, no one is more qualified to mold the future of karting and broaden its appeal than Kutscher, who adds, “The WinterNats will be typical come one, come all grassroots-style racing. We’ll strive to make it the most exciting, bang-for-the-buck racing program in the country. Our goal is to build its prestige as the place that drivers of all skill levels can come play. We’ll also crank up the tunes a la SuperNationals XI and make it the party to be at this winter.� 

A party atmosphere is definitely the shot in the arm that the sport needs, but Kutscher also notes that no one should forget that the WinterNational Championship is a series where the best will come to hone their racing skills, and the rest will come to try to measure up and see just where they fit in amongst their peers. “With competitors coming from across the western states and Canada, those peers will be a-plenty�, says Kutscher. “The competition will be fierce, but certainly friendly. It’s an off-season training series, and those making the trek are sure to return to their home series in the spring with that little something extra.� 

For most, that something extra will be measured in tenths. But for others, it will be measured in dollars and cents. Cash purses will be awarded (see below), as will terrific prizes, but everyone is a winner when affordability takes the pole position at the SKUSA WinterNational Championship Series. 

With two full race days each weekend, the racing will be fast and furious, and expenses trimmed. And that is extremely important for the many out-of-state drivers who are expected. A host hotel, the DoubleTree Ontario, which has recently undergone a 17 million dollar renovation, has been secured by SKUSA to ensure the nicest, close-to- venue accommodations at an unbeatable price of $84.00 dollars per room. 

The series will also have its own unique web experience, designed by Eyenovation Multimedia. The new website address is: http://www.skusawinternats.com/. Race entry and hotel savings are accessible online. 

On track, the savings continue, as a stock moto emphasis for the series will take the top spot in the class structure for the first time in SKUSA history. It’s a bold introduction for SKUSA’s newly launched, affordable racing concept for the future, as well as a continuation of the “off-season� conditioning program for skill levels of all types – in the fastest growing stock series in the country. With that philosophy, SKUSA’s S3 and S4 classes take a turn as the premier formulas to run in the series. When asked for the motivation behind this approach, SKUSA answered that it is due of the affordable nature the package brings the participants. Many of the top shifterkart pilots in the country now drive stock moto packages, making it a durable alternative for honing driver skill and for flat-out fun. Aside from S3 and S4, the S1 class will be for the ICC hotshoes that are expected, looking for off-season seat time in a competitive environment. SKUSA will also run a G1 class for the over-35 drivers. 

TaG Senior and TaG Master classes will run at the WinterNational Championship Series as well, and are arguably the most anticipated classes included in the series. Their inclusion makes SKUSA the first out of the box in 2008 with the formula again. It’s a class of racing with which Superkarts! USA is pushing to lead the way. The 120-kart TaG contingent at the SuperNationals XI is proof that they are doing something right. 

Of note regarding the S5 Jr. class, SKUSA’s initiative for the younger driver, S5 will now debut at the start of the ProKart Challenge Series in late March. While no doubt some will be disappointed that S5 Jr. is not on the WinterNationals race program, it makes more sense to keep the young drivers in school – not at the track – for the first part of the year. 

As part of the EKN Winter Coverage program, the site will be front-and-center in bringing unparalleled coverage of the series through pre-race previews, official discussion threads, photo galleries, full results and post-weekend reports. 

2008 Superkarts! USA WinterNational Championship Series
January 4-6 – Fontana, CA / CalSpeed (Nuovo CW)
February 1-3 – San Diego, CA / Qualcomm Stadium
March 7-9 – Fontana, CA / CalSpeed – (Grande CCW) 

The following is a preliminary season championship prize breakdown for the WinterNats. Prizes that will be awarded to the top 3-5 finishers in each class, at SKUSA’s discretion**. The final results will be based on each driver’s best four races of the six total (2 drops).

S1 – 1st Place - 2008 Granja Viana 500 “Experience� – more prizes TBA
S3 – $6000 total purse (1st - $3000, 2nd - $2000, 3rd - $1000)
S4 – $4000 in Big O Tires prizes
G1 – $6000 total purse (1st - $3000, 2nd - $2000, 3rd - $1000)
TaG Sr. – 1st Place - Skip Barber Competition School, 2nd - $1500, 3rd - $1000
TaG Master – 1st Place - Weekend at track with Mike & Alex Speed “The Speed Package� (details TBA) – more prizes TBA

** Prize packages are contingent on a minimum of 25 entries per class per race over the 6 races.