HRKC Race 1 Recap

The 2026 season is officially underway for the Hamilton Regional Kart Club, and what a day it was at the Hamilton Karting Complex.

Race 1 delivered an incredible start to the year, with a massive turnout of 143 entries across eight classes. The paddock was full, the energy was high, and the atmosphere felt more like a national-level event than a club race. If this is any indication of what’s to come, 2026 is shaping up to be a standout season.

It was great to see such a strong mix of drivers — rookies getting their first taste of real competition in their own karts, returning members back after the offseason, and many drivers debuting new equipment and liveries. Several competitors also made the jump to new categories, including drivers trying two-stroke racing for the first time, adding another layer of excitement throughout the day.

A number of drivers even took on double duty, competing in multiple classes. While the morning schedule kept things busy, the afternoon allowed for a smoother flow, giving those drivers a great opportunity to maximize track time and experience.

With clean racing, minimal incidents, and competitive battles across every category, Race 1 set the tone for the season.

Briggs Cadet

Briggs Cadet kicked off the racing with one of the most exciting finishes of the day.

Nathan Stockwell showed strong pace early, topping qualifying and the pre-final, but the final quickly turned into a three-way battle between Stockwell, Blaine Donovan, and Ethan Smith.

Smith grabbed the early lead off the start but it was a battle the entire race with many lead swaps. All three drivers remained tightly grouped, keeping the outcome uncertain right to the final lap.

Donovan held on to the lead at the end with Smith taking 2^nd and Stockwell finishing out the podium in 3^rd.

Rotax Junior

Rotax Junior featured a strong and competitive field, highlighted by several drivers making the move up from Mini — a transition that brings both a full-size chassis and a significant increase in power.

Yousef Adi started the day on pole and held the early lead, but Nicholas Lorusso worked his way through to take control of the race and began to build a gap out front.

The drive of the race came from Stefano Lanzillotta, who started at the back of the final due to a pre-final penalty. Lanzillotta put together an impressive charge through the field, consistently setting fast laps and overtaking his way to P2.

At the checkered flag, it was Lorusso taking the win, Lanzillotta in P2, and Adi completing the podium in P3.

Briggs Senior

The largest class of the day, Briggs Senior, featured an incredible 50 drivers, requiring split groups and both A and B finals, with the top five from the B final advancing to the A final.

The A final saw a clean and controlled start, with Logan Pacza leading early ahead of Alex Murphy and Samuel Gow. The front group worked together to build a gap before Murphy made a decisive move for the lead on lap 17.

The closing laps delivered one of the best battles of the day, with Murphy, Pacza, and Gow going wheel-to-wheel through the final lap.

Murphy held on to take the win, with Pacza finishing P2 and Gow securing P3.

Briggs Junior Lite

Briggs Junior Lite featured a strong head-to-head battle between returning Jr. Lite, Oliver Gonsalves, and Tyler Del Bel Belluz, who stepped up from Cadet into the class.

The two drivers exchanged the lead multiple times throughout the race, pushing each other lap after lap. In the end, Del Bel Belluz was able to take the win.

Gonsalves finished a close P2, with Simon Young completing the podium in P3.

Rotax Senior

Ryan Maxwell delivered a commanding performance in Rotax Senior, taking pole position, winning the pre-final, and controlling the final to secure victory.

Behind him, Ari Theodoropoulos faced an early setback, dropping to P6 at the start. He worked his way back through the field with strong pace to finish P2.

Logan Pacza completed the podium in P3, securing his second podium finish of the day and an impressive return to 2 stroke racing.

Rotax Mini Max

Mini Max delivered another exciting race, with Lincoln Lima leading the way for most of the final.

After briefly losing the lead early in the race, Lima regained control and maintained a strong pace to take the win.

Nate Stockwell secured his second podium finish of the day with P2, while Matteo Romeo rounded out the podium in P3.

Briggs Junior

Briggs Junior saw Wyatt Smith control the early stages of the race and build a strong lead, but mechanical issues forced him to retire just five laps in.

This opened the door for Andrew Adams and Cody Shaw, who quickly separated themselves from the field and battled for the win.

Adams held strong under pressure to take the victory, with Shaw finishing P2 and Melville dos Santos completing the podium in P3.

Briggs Masters

Briggs Masters featured a solid field of 15 drivers, with the top group locked in a close battle throughout the race.

At the front, Jackson Maytum emerged victorious, taking the win ahead of Liam Barbosa in P2 and Joseph Mezin in P3.

With tight racing at the front, Masters proved to be another class to watch as the season unfolds.

Looking Ahead

Race 1 was an outstanding way to open the 2026 season. With strong participation, clean racing, and competitive fields across all classes, the foundation is set for an exciting year ahead.

Most importantly, it was great to see the community back together — drivers, teams, and families all contributing to a fantastic atmosphere throughout the day.

If Race 1 is any indication, there is plenty more action to come.

HRKC Race 2 takes place this Sunday, May 3rd, and we can’t wait to do it all again.