January 7, 2026 – By David Cole, EKartingNews.com
The month of December brought a major shakeup in Rotax Max Challenge karting for the United States. Karting Solutions Group became the sole distributor for Rotax products with Race Rotax serving as the event promoter within the USA.
One of the first moves following the announcement was the relocation of the annual RMC Winter Trophy from Florida to the Speedsportz Racing Park in New Caney, Texas. The first weekend of the double-weekend program is slated for January 22-25 with the second on January 29-February 1.
Speedsportz Racing Park will host the 2026 RMC Winter Trophy
Similar to the recent RMC Winter Trophy programs, and coming off the 2025 RMC US Trophy Final, Race Rotax is once again working with SRA Karting, the Canadian distributor for Rotax. Officials, tech and on-track personnel will be mixed between Race Rotax and SRA for the RMC Winter Trophy.
“Although the need to relocate the RMC Winter Trophy on short notice presented many challenges, we have received positive feedback from both teams and participants regarding our decision to move forward with the RMC Winter Trophy and relocate the event to Speedsportz,’ stated Sean Scott – Director of Commercial Development with Karting Solutions Group. “The alignment with other major winter series in the region ensures teams and competitors are able to leverage the benefits that come with simplified logistics when it comes to equipment and personnel. We are also pleased to continue our collaboration with SRA Karting on the back-end of a successful partnership for the 2025 RMC US Trophy Final.”
The format and event schedules are similar to previous RMC Winter Trophy events. Unofficial practice will be contested on Thursday (track operated) before official practice sessions begin on Friday. Friday afternoon hosts the two qualifying sessions for the two separate rounds of racing on Saturday and Sunday. Each round consists of Qualifying (Friday), Prefinal and Final. Saturday and Sunday begin with a warm-up session followed by the Prefinal and Final.
Points are tabulated throughout the four rounds of the RMC Winter Trophy in a ‘best three of four’ format. The top qualifier earns five points, the Prefinal winner earns 75 points and 200 points is awarded for a Final win. Competitors points will be tabulated to decide the champion in each of the seven categories.
The full range of Rotax Max Challenge categories will be offered at the RMC Winter Trophy: Micro MAX, Mini MAX, Junior MAX, Masters MAX, Senior MAX, DD2 Masters and DD2.
Six champions at the RMC Winter Trophy will earn tickets to the 2026 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals (Photo: Hellofoto Motorsports Photos)
Champions in six categories (excluding DD2 Masters) at the Rotax Max Challenge Winter Trophy will receive tickets to compete at the 2026 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, which is scheduled for November 21-28 in Portimão, Portugal. The DD2 Masters champion receives a free entry to the 2026 Race Rotax event.
The series champions will continue to earn the ultimate prize – a ticket to the RMC Grand Finals – alongside complimentary entries to future Race Rotax events and tire packages. Race Rotax has also expanded their podium rewards to include future race entries for second and third overall finishers to ensure the top talent continues to advance to try to earn a ticket at another 2026 RMC event (future date(s)/location(s) to be announced soon).
New for this year, Karting Solutions Group is introducing the KSG Scholarship. In a first for the North American Rotax community, the KSG Scholarship will bridge the final gap for one deserving Grand Finals Ticket winner. This fund is designed to help a Rotax Grand Finals ticket winner cover their travel and accommodations for the trip to Portimao, Portugal. This adds an extra layer of support for their drivers representing the brand on the world stage.
To give back to the karting community, Race Rotax will host several event-wide giveaways, including:
New Rotax Engine Package: A complete, new-in-box engine package will be awarded via random draw at the final weekend of the RMC Winter Trophy.
Professional Coaching: A full day of 1-on-1 coaching with a Rotax industry pro. Random draw from all “Non-Podium” finishers to encourage development.
Total Added Value: Between the travel scholarships, engine packages, and future race entries, the total added value to this year’s Winter Trophy prize pool is estimated at over $30,000.
*terms and conditions will apply and will be posted soon.
A handful of teams have confirmed with Race Rotax that they have available ‘Arrive and Drive’ opportunities for the Rotax Max Challenge Winter Trophy. The levels are defined as: Full Service Provider (includes chassis, engine, full team support, tent spot, transport), Tent & Chassis Rental (includes tent spot, transport, and chassis rental – driver provides their own engine/tuner), or Engine Rental only for the event.
| Race Team | Service Levels Offered |
|---|---|
| Black Racing Engines | Engine Rental Only |
| Prime Powerteam | Full Service |
| Urace | Full Service |
| Racing Edge Motorsports | Full Service |
| Jay Howard Driver Development | Full Service |
| Factory Karts | Full Service |
| Ryan Perry Motorsport | Full Service |
| Hi5 Performance Texas | Tent & Chassis Rental |
| Premier Karting | Full Service |
One of the notable changes for the Rotax Max Challenge Winter Trophy in 2026 is the tire required for all categories. Each division will utilize Evinco Tires – the SK-H2 for dry weather and SW2 for wet weather. The timeline of the Race Rotax taking over the event and supply issues prompted this change for 2026.
“The change to Evinco tires for the Winter Trophy was a necessary pivot to ensure we were able to host a successful event without risk of tire supply challenges,” added Scott. “Much like the change in venue, we believe this solution was the best for all parties given the quality of the product and the alignment with other series in the region.”
Registration for the 2026 Rotax Max Challenge Winter Trophy remains open. The deadline for the pre-entry discount is January 10. Visit RaceRotax.com for more details on the RMC Winter Trophy.
