The 2026 Cactus Cup – AZ State Karting Championship at PKRA brought everything Arizona karting is known for—big fields, brutal pace, and the kind of racing that demands patience, precision, and grit. Across qualifying, three combined heats, and two main events per class, Next Level Karting rose to the occasion at the two-day event with podiums, breakthroughs, and the kind of resilience that defines our growing program.
From Kid Kart to Senior, our drivers showcased the depth, determination, and unity that continue to elevate NLK on the sport’s biggest stages.
Kid Kart — Vincent Brings Home the Title
Vincent B. — 2026 Kid Kart Cactus Cup Champion
Vincent delivered one of the most complete performances of the entire weekend. After opening Saturday with a 1st place finish in Heat 1 and a commanding win in the Main event of the day, he carried that momentum into Sunday. A tight 2nd in Heat 2, a rebound win in Heat 3, and a composed 2nd place in Main #2 sealed the deal: Kid Kart State Champion. A champion’s drive from lights to flag.
Junior 1 — Consistency Meets Adversity
Eli S. — 9th Overall
Eli battled deep fields all weekend, keeping himself in contention through steady improvement. He opened with 8th in both Heat 1 and Main 1, faced a setback with 17th in Heat 2, then reset with a stronger 10th in Heat 3 and closed the weekend with another 8th in Main 2. A gritty performance that showed maturity lap after lap.
Travis A. — 13th Overall
Travis showed fight all weekend long, starting 11th in Heat 1 before matching his overall position with 13th in Main 1. Sunday brought tougher traffic—16th, 18th, and 15th—but Travis never stopped pushing. Big takeaways, bigger growth ahead.
Junior 2 — A Tough Break for Maddie
Maddie L. — DNF (Minor Injury)
Maddie opened the weekend with effort and heart, taking 20th in Heat 1, but was sidelined afterward due to a minor rib injury. While she recorded DNS results in the remaining heats and mains, her attitude, composure, and team-first spirit proved stronger than any setback. She’ll be back—faster and hungrier.
ROTAX Mini — Jett on the Podium, Maverick in the Fight
Jett F. — 2nd Overall
Jett was electric all weekend. After 4th in Heat 1, he stormed to 2nd in Main 1, then set the tone Sunday with a win in Heat 2. A tight 3rd in Heat 3 positioned him perfectly for the finale, where he delivered a clutch 1st place in Main 2, securing second overall in the state championship. A statement drive.
Maverick M. — 6th Overall
Maverick was one of the most consistent drivers in the entire Mini Max field: 7th, 5th, 5th, 5th, and 6th across all sessions. His weekend was the definition of steady, disciplined progression. Another strong showing for the ROTAX Mini duo.
206 Senior — Podium Pace and Comeback Drives
Nik H. — 4th Overall
Nik put together another powerful LO206 weekend. He opened with 5th in Heat 1 and 5th in Main 1, stayed sharp with 5th again in Heat 2, then clawed through traffic after a chaotic 9th in Heat 3 to secure 6th in Main 2. When the math settled, he landed 4th overall—a well-earned top-five in a stacked senior field.
Colin D. — 9th Overall
Colin delivered one of the weekend’s biggest comeback stories. After a tough 23rd in Heat 1, he surged forward to 12th in the first Main race of the competition, then stayed in the fight with 13th, 11th, and a fantastic 7th in the final race on Sunday. His improvement across each session showed both speed and resolve.
Yianni G. — 21st Overall
Yianni came into the weekend with strong pace, but faced some adversity battling among the pack to finish 20th in Heat 1, 17th place in Main 1, 24th in Heat 2, 21st in Heat 3, and 19th in the final race—but through it all Yianni never backed down. His determination, attitude, and flashes of speed made it clear: when everything comes together, he’ll be a real threat.
A Championship Weekend Powered by Teamwork
From early-morning setups to late-session adjustments, this weekend wasn’t just about results—it was a reminder of the culture that makes NLK different.
Huge thank you to our sponsors, mechanics, and pit crew.
Your support fuels every lap, every memory, and every breakthrough moment. We couldn’t do any of this without you.
On to the next challenge.
Never Lift. Never Look Back.
