Epic 2026 Season Finale on Tap for CKN

We’re going international to close out our 2026 race season, and I couldn’t be more excited about what’s ahead.

After an absolutely crazy summer schedule that featured major event after major event from the beginning of May through the end of August, September offered a much-needed opportunity for me to recover, catch up and prepare for one final push.

Now, with September coming to a close, it’s time to pack the camera gear and passports because CKN has four major international events remaining on the 2026 calendar.

And it all starts with two weeks in Italy.

My first stop will be Viterbo, where I’m really excited to attend the third and final round of the FIA Academy Trophy and continue following the journey of Canadian Leo Da Silva.

It has been a great experience following Leo’s FIA Academy campaign this year, and his final stop will take him to the Leopard Circuit in central Italy.

The FIA Academy Trophy will share the weekend with the FIA Karting World Cup for the OK-N and OK-N Junior divisions. With 149 drivers entered in OK-N and another 117 in OK-N Junior, the paddock is going to be absolutely packed with single-speed OK machinery and drivers from around the world.

Canada will have another driver to follow as well, with Zack Taylor among the massive OK-N field.

Immediately afterward, I’ll point the rental car north and make my way to Lonato for one of my favourite events of the entire season: the ROK Cup SuperFinal at South Garda Karting.

South Garda really is one of the meccas of karting, and the SuperFinal has become an event I look forward to attending every year. This will be my 11th trip to the event, and there is just something special about seeing Rokkers from around the world come together for one massive week of racing.

Seven Canadian drivers are expected to take part this year, giving me another great group of Canucks to follow throughout the week.

One of the biggest stories will certainly be Jayden Francisco.

After winning the SuperFinal last fall, Francisco has spent the past 12 months competing in Europe. Now he returns to South Garda to defend his MINI U10 title. Add in Canadian champions and KartStars Canada champions, and we have a very strong Canadian roster heading to Italy.

Once I return home from Italy, there won’t be much time to unpack.

It will be a quick turnaround before heading to Sin City for ROK Vegas, another annual highlight on the CKN calendar.

The event continues to be one of the most unique kart races anywhere in the world, with ROK Cup USA constructing a temporary circuit in the parking lot of the RIO Hotel and Casino and the Las Vegas Strip providing the backdrop.

Huge numbers are once again expected, and ROK Cup USA always does a fantastic job of turning the event into much more than just another kart race.

It’s also traditionally an event with a very strong Canadian contingent, which makes it even more enjoyable for me to cover. I’m looking forward to seeing how many Canadians make the trip south this year and following them throughout the week.

Registration for ROK Vegas is still open for anyone interested in joining the action. More information is available at RokCupUSA.com.

Then comes the big one.

To officially close out the 2026 CKN race season, I’ll head to Portugal for an event I haven’t missed since launching CanadianKartingNews.com in 2012: the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals.

The Grand Finals return to the Circuit International Algarve this year, where 21 drivers will represent Canada at an event often referred to as the Olympics of karting.

Once again, Team Canada features a star-studded lineup of drivers with their sights set on individual Rotax Grand Finals championships while also working together toward the Nations Cup.

Canada has come incredibly close to getting back to the top of the Nations Cup standings over the past few years. Hopefully, 2026 is the year we see the Maple Leaf return to the top of the podium.

The Circuit International Algarve will host the Rotax Grand Finals for the fifth time. (RMCGF archive photo)

Four international events. Three countries. Two very busy months.

It’s going to be a hectic finish to another incredible season, but these are the events I love covering and the opportunities that make all of the travel worthwhile.

So keep an eye on CKN over the next two months as I head overseas and south of the border to follow and support our Canadian racers competing on some of the biggest karting stages in the world.

Unfortunately, the way the schedules fall this year means I won’t be able to attend the final round of the Coupe de Montreal, the Cup Karts Grand Nationals or the SKUSA SuperNationals.

I’ll still do my best to keep an eye on the Canadians competing at those events while bringing you as much coverage as possible from Italy, Las Vegas and Portugal.

The 2026 season isn’t finished yet.

In fact, some of the biggest races are still to come.