MOORESVILLE, N.C. — GoPro Motorplex closed out their 2021 Karting Challenge club series this past Saturday, where two MGM Chassis drivers — George Wheeler and Connor Yonchuk — solidified points titles in their respective divisions to give MGM five straight years of championships in one of the most competitive sprint karting club programs in North America.

With Wheeler scoring the Briggs Junior championship and Yonchuk winning his first Briggs Senior crown, MGM-manufactured chassis now own 10 class championships at GoPro dating back to 2017.

“We’re really proud of our success at GoPro and Paul and I want to congratulate all the drivers, parents and team members who have played a role in these championships,” MGM co-owner April Rice stated. “Every MGM racer and team, whether you won a championship or not, play a role in our success. GoPro’s competition speaks for itself, and if you can go out there and compete, you’re racing against some of the toughest competition in the country. Ten championships in five years is a great accomplishment, and we’re working hard toward helping our drivers win 10 more!”

In this year’s 12-race series, Wheeler won the Briggs Junior division over a stacked field that included a number of MGM-manufactured “lefty” Nitro Karts.

Riding a “traditional” right-side-engine MGM Espionage, Wheeler clinched the championship during round 11 with a race yet to go, and ended up winning by 105 points over Christopher McKeithan and Spencer Conrad, both on lefty Nitros, while Katie Yonchuk drove some outstanding races on her MGM, including a P2 finish in Saturday’s season closer, to end up P7 in the final standings.

Wheeler’s title now gives MGM three straight years of the Briggs Junior championships at GoPro.

Katie’s older brother Connor Yonchuk rode an incredible string of consistency highlighted by five final wins to score his first Briggs Senior championship at GoPro. Yonchuk, a 2018 Briggs Junior GoPro champ, won by an even 100 points over his closest competitor. Laurin Brallier (P4), Chase Anderson (P6) and Cam Burris (P7) all finished in the top 10 in the final standings riding MGM Espionages.

Looking back through the past five years at GoPro’s Karting Challenge, six other drivers have won titles while riding karts built at MGM’s Kannapolis, N.C., headquarters.

In 2020, Burris won Briggs Junior on his MGM while Nick Tucker and Ashley Rogero each rode lefty Nitros to win Briggs Heavy and Briggs Senior.

In 2019, Tim Skinner won Briggs Heavy, Sam Corry won Briggs Junior and Alex Keadle won his third straight Briggs Senior title all on MGM Espionages. Keadle also won the Briggs Senior class in both 2018 and 2017 to start MGM’s five consecutive championship campaigns at GoPro.

Five years of MGM champions at the GoPro Motorplex Karting Challenge —

2021:

GEORGE WHEELER – Junior – MGM Espionage
CONNOR YONCHUK – Senior – MGM Espionage

2020:

CAM BURRIS – Junior – MGM Espionage
NICK TUCKER – Senior Heavy – Nitro “lefty”
ASHLEY ROGERO – Senior – Nitro “lefty”

2019:

TIM SKINNER – Senior Heavy – MGM Espionage
SAM CORRY – Junior – MGM Espionage
ALEX KEADLE – Senior – MGM Espionage

2018:

ALEX KEADLE – Senior – MGM Espionage

2017:

ALEX KEADLE – Senior – MGM Espionage

With winter now here, many MGM teams are preparing for a couple big events in the Sunshine State between WKA’s Daytona KartWeek December 27-30 and Cup Karts North America’s inaugural Winter Nationals at 103rd Street in Jacksonville December 31-January 2.

MGM racers will be in action at both the Road Race and Sprint Nationals at Daytona with many headed to Jacksonville for the Winter Nationals in the days following.

GoPro’s 2022 Karting Challenge kicks off Saturday, February 19, 2022.