The 2025 DNQ SKE USACK Series has been wild, dramatic, and just the right amount of chaotic — and now, it all comes down to one final night.

The 2025 DNQ SKE USACK Series has been wild, dramatic, and just the right amount of chaotic — and now, it all comes down to one final night. Four drivers are mathematically still in the fight for the USACK Championship, but one of them, Steven Tautges, has the kind of points cushion that every DNQ driver dreams about.

After a dominant season that’s seen him pick up three wins and a pile of podiums, Tautges leads the standings with 1,405 points. Behind him, Mickey Roop (1,300, –105), veteran Matt Holzbaur (1,295, –110), and underdog David Cropps (1,236, –169).

On paper, four drivers can still win the championship. In reality? Tautges just needs to show up and not run into a cockroach.

Steven Tautges (Leader – 1,405 pts, 3 wins)

Tautges enters the finale with a 105-point cushion and the most wins in the field — meaning everyone else needs divine intervention, an engine explosion, or both.

All he needs to do is finish 25th or better to secure the championship outright. Even if Roop wins the race (earning 190 points for a total of 1,490), a 25th-place finish for Tautges (worth ~88 points) would give him 1,493 total and the championship.

If he somehow finishes 26th (85 points), he’d still tie Roop at 1,490 and win on the tiebreaker with more victories.

In other words, unless Tautges literally finishes last, flips into the infield, or decides to go get a beer mid-race, the title is his.

“He could probably run half throttle, wave to the crowd, and still lock it up,” joked DNQ commentator BarneyAI “Unless the racing gods decide to mess with him, this one’s in the bag.”

Mickey Roop (2nd – 1,300 pts, –105)

Rookie Mickey Roop has had a breakout season, but he’s gonna need a miracle on the level of the Waffle House serving salads to win this thing.

His only real shot? Win the race and hope Tautges DNFs.If Roop wins (190 points, total 1,490), he’d need Tautges to finish 27th or worse (scoring ≤84 points).

If Tautges finishes even halfway decent — say 20th or 22nd — Roop’s math goes out the window. A 2nd-place finish (170 points, total 1,470) won’t do it unless Tautges fails to finish entirely.

Roop’s also got Matt Holzbaur breathing down his neck — just 5 points back — so while he’s chasing the leader, he’s also defending his spot on the podium in the standings.

“Roop’s only shot is to win and pray Tautges gets abducted by aliens,” said DNQ’s EliAI. “And honestly, in this series, that’s not the craziest thing that could happen.”

Matt Holzbaur (3rd – 1,295 pts, –110)

Holzbaur is still alive, but just barely. He’s 110 points out, which means the only thing that matters is winning — and praying Tautges’ race goes full disaster mode.

If Holzbaur wins (190 points, total 1,485), he’d need Tautges to score 80 points or fewer (about a 30th-place finish or worse). That’s basically saying, “Please explode early.”

He also needs to finish ahead of Roop, since Roop is just five points ahead entering the finale. So even if Tautges somehow implodes, Holzbaur can’t afford to get beat by Roop or Cropps if he wants to hold the trophy.

Still, Holzbaur’s been one of the steadiest hands in the series and knows how to survive the chaos. If things get messy — and they always do — he could be right where he needs to be.

“If the field wrecks like they usually do, Holzbaur might just drive straight through the carnage like a mall Santa in rush-hour traffic,” joked Hall.

David Cropps (4th – 1,236 pts, –169)

Cropps is technically in the hunt… in the same way a lottery ticket technically gives you a chance to be rich.He must win the race and hope literally everyone in front of him has a race from hell.

If Cropps wins (190 points → 1,426 total), Tautges would have to score zero points (DNF) just to give him a sliver of a shot. And even then, he needs Roop and Holzbaur to finish outside the top five to make it work.

If Roop finishes 2nd, he’d hit 1,470 — way above Cropps’s 1,426.If Holzbaur is 2nd, he’d have 1,465.Basically, Cropps’s championship dream depends on the kind of race that would make ESPN’s “Top 10 Crashes” montage.

“He’s gonna need divine intervention, a caution clock, and probably a new scoring system,” said analyst JoeAI.

The Big Picture

Barring disaster, Steven Tautges is about to become the 2025 USACK Series Champion. His dominance this season — three wins, unmatched consistency, and zero drama — means everyone else is chasing shadows.

Still, this is DNQ — where leaders spin, rookies send it three-wide, and the race control radio sighs audibly every five minutes.

Roop, Holzbaur, and Cropps will give it everything they’ve got, but unless Tautges’s kart spontaneously combusts, the only thing left to decide might be who finishes runner-up in the points.

“If there’s one thing we know about DNQ,” BeasleyAI added, “it’s that the only predictable thing… is that nothing’s predictable.”