At just 17 years old, Owen Lloyd of Waycross, Georgia, has already made his mark as one of the brightest stars in American 4-cycle sprint karting. And with his latest achievement — sweeping all three senior championships in the 2025 Cup Karts South Division — Owen Lloyd has firmly established himself as a top-tier talent in 4-cycle sprint karting.
Lloyd completed the historic sweep by capturing season titles in Senior Light, Senior Medium, and Senior Heavy, becoming — to his knowledge — the first driver to win all three senior classes in a CKNA divisional series.
“Three championships this year ranks right up there,” Lloyd said. “No one has won all three senior classes in a CKNA divisional series, that I know of. It’s a great feeling.”
The road to the sweep wasn’t easy. The seven-race South Division (four events, seven finals) kicked off in January at 103rd Street Sports Complex in Jacksonville, Fla., and wrapped up in June at Daytona International Speedway. Lloyd found his rhythm as the season went on, ultimately tallying nine final wins across the three divisions.
“The series started off a little rough at Jacksonville,” Lloyd admitted. “But we really started to hit our stride the longer the season went.”
Of the three titles, Lloyd pointed to Senior Medium as the most challenging: “We had to win both days at Daytona to get that championship, and we were able to do that.”
A Karting Resume Built Over a Decade
Lloyd’s path to karting success started early — very early. He began racing competitively at age 4 in kid karts and promptly won the Kid Kart championship with the Florida Karting Championship Series. He’s since built one of the most accomplished résumés in 4-cycle karting racing with series like WKA, Maxxis and CKNA.
His career accolades include:
- 5 National Championships with WKA and Maxxis
- 10 CKNA National wins, including three Spring Nationals, five Winter Nationals, and one Summer Nationals
- 6 total CKNA South championships, including his recent senior sweep and two earlier Junior titles
- 2024 CKNA Grand Nationals 7 winner in Senior Heavy
Lloyd earned his first Senior final win at just 14 years old and he’s won on seven different chassis brands through his career — a rare feat in an era where many racers stick with one manufacturer. His ability to quickly adapt to different equipment has been a key to his success.
“Consistency with me and my dad,” Lloyd said. “My dad knows good setups and I’m able to give him good feedback so he can make the adjustments we need. We find kart setups that suit my driving, and that’s the big difference.”
Lloyd especially credits his relationship with MGM Chassis: “I’d say my favorite kart would be the MGM. Paul and April Rice have been really good to us. It’s a little freer than most karts, and we like that.”
A Grand Moment at New Castle
After several years of heartbreak and close calls at the CKNA Grand Nationals, Lloyd finally broke through last October at New Castle Motorsports Park, claiming the Senior Heavy win at Grands 8.
“It was an amazing win,” he said. “By far the most exciting race I’ve won. Felt great to finally win one at New Castle.”
He came into the 2024 event with momentum but had dealt with tough luck in past attempts. “We’ve been close. A few years back we started first in Light in the heat and had an oil plug fall out — that messed up the weekend. Overall, we’ve had more problems than luck there.”
That made the victory all the more rewarding.
Looking Ahead
With the CKNA South sweep in the rearview mirror, Lloyd now turns his attention to the upcoming CKNA Summer Nationals Fourth of July at Motorsports Country Club in Ohio and the Grand Nationals 9 at New Castle, where he’ll once again aim high.
“Our goal is to win all three finals at both of those races,” he said. “It’ll be tough, but we always aim high.”
When asked about his long-term goals, Lloyd keeps things grounded: “I’d like to drive a dirt late model, but I don’t know if that’ll happen. I like the road courses. So we’ll probably stay in karting for now.”
Racing Runs in the Family
Lloyd’s passion for racing didn’t come out of nowhere — it’s in his blood. His grandfather raced dirt cars and formerly owned Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga. His two uncles were also dirt late model racers, and Owen grew up watching his older brothers, Aren and Tyler Lloyd, compete successfully in karting.
With support from family and a tight circle of friends and sponsors, Lloyd is quick to show appreciation:
“I want to thank everyone that helps our effort — my family including my mom and dad and grandparents, Mike Capps, Bo Scurry, Jacob Duvall, and Paul and April Rice. Also South Georgia Karting and Podium Products.”
At 17, Owen Lloyd is already a name synonymous with success in 4-cycle sprint karting. And with his maturity, drive, and deep racing roots, the best may still be yet to come.
To learn more about Owen, visit our About Owen Lloyd page!