NR ROK CUP ROUND 4 RACE REPORT

The fourth race of the MSA ROK Northern Regions season took place at Zwartkops this weekend.

Zwartkops Karting Track holds a significant place in the South African motorsport landscape, renowned for its thrilling racing experiences and rich history. Located in Gauteng, it is situated within the larger Zwartkops Raceway complex, which encompasses various motorsport disciplines. The karting track at Zwartkops was established with the vision of providing a high-quality racing facility for kart enthusiasts and fostering the development of young racing talent. With its challenging layout and state-of-the-art infrastructure, the track has become a popular destination for both professional and amateur karting competitions. The track itself boasts a length of approximately 1 kilometre, featuring a variety of technical corners, fast straights, and elevation changes that demand skill and precision from drivers. Its design incorporates elements that offer exciting overtaking opportunities while ensuring a fair and competitive racing environment.

Zwartkops Karting Track has hosted numerous national and regional karting championships, attracting top talent from across South Africa. These events serve as a platform for aspiring young drivers to showcase their skills and gain valuable experience in their motorsport careers. The track's challenging nature pushes competitors to refine their driving techniques, strategic thinking, and racecraft.

With its rich heritage, challenging layout, and commitment to supporting motorsport talent, Zwartkops Karting Track has firmly established itself as a premier karting destination in South Africa. It continues to attract racing enthusiasts, nurture young talent, and provide an exhilarating environment for both competitors and spectators alike. Many people attended Friday practice at the circuit, and several tests and setup adjustments took place in pit areas all around. Including the Tillotson invitational classes, joining us away from FK for the first time, they were a welcome addition to the day.

Cadet kicked off the first qualification of the ROK classes for the day.

Qualifying:

Luhan De Wet #27 qualified on poll with a time of 59.745 a clear 1.7 seconds in front of Ronald Venter #50 who was in second with a 1:01.643, Kiaan Pillay #99 was in third with a 1:04.100 he achieved on the last lap of qualifying.

Venterhad a great start to get in front on the first lap but by lap 2 De Wet was back in front and led till the chequered flag. Venter finished second followed by Pillay in third.

De Wet won the second race leading from start to finish, followed by Venter, and Pillay. Race 3 was very much the same with DeWet out front followed by Venter and Pillay.

De Wet won the day with 105 points followed by Venter on 96 points and Pillay on 90 points.

Kid Rok Class

Logan Billau #68 (OTK) qualified on pole with a time of 50.072, 2 tenths behind him was Kayde Cornofsky #17 (CRG) with a time of 50.290. In third just 3 tenths off second was Noah Cronje #24 (OTK). Alanzo Dias #16 (CRG) qualified in fourth with a 50.878 followed by Riley Van Staden #18 (Formula K) with a time of 51.200 and Meso Thapedi #28 (Kart Republic) with a time of 53.087.

Billau won the first race leading from start to finish followed by Cornofsky in second only 8 hundredths of second behind and Cronje in third.  Van Staden finished in fourth followed by Thapedi and Dias.

Billau after starting in second and making a place on the start won the second race followed again by Cornofsky only 4 tenths behind. Cronje who start fifth made up two positions to finish in third followed by Dias and Thapedi, Van Staden unfortunately was a DNS.

Cornofsky got in front of the pack on the third lap and went on to cross the line in first place however a technical infringement meant he was disqualified from the heat. Billau therefore took the victory for race 3 followed by Dias in second and Van Staden in third just a tenth off second place. Cronje (+ 5s Nose Cone Infringement) finished in fourth followed by Thapedi.

Billau won the day with a clean sweep securing 105 points, followed by Cronje in second with 89 points and Dias in third just a point behind in third. Thapedi came in fourth with 84 points and Cornofsky, with the DQ in race 3 was unfortunately related to fifth followed by Van Staden.

Mini Rok Class

The Mini Rok class is always one to watch and the driving skill of these young racers did not disappoint.

In qualifying Shisinwana #30 (CRG) qualified on pole with a time of 47.720. Just two tenths behind in second was Moss #88 (CRG) with a time of 47.920, one tenth behind him was Thekiso #11 (Kart Republic) with a time of 48.042. The rest of the grid separated by one second between them all was Blignaut #25 (CRG), Goodman #47 (Exprit), Singh #71 (Tony Kart), Mason #28 (CRG), Mason #29 (CRG), De Sousa #65 (Parolin), Jurgens #63 (Birel), Antunes #66 (Parolin), Frade #61 (Kosmic), Ferreira #15 (Kubica)respectively.

Mason #28 lost a place on the start but by the end of lap 1 had got himself up into second position, getting past Shisinwana #30 on lap4 only for Shisinwana to get back in the lead the very next lap. Mason #28 timed his move to the penultimate lap to get back into the lead and win the race as well as a fastest lap time of 47.545. Shisinwana #30 finished in second followed by De Sousa #65 who started in eleventh and made places on almost every lap of the race to finish on the last step of the podium. The rest of the field finished in the following order after the application of some nose cone infringements; Blignaut, Mason, Jurgens, Antunes, Thekiso (+ 5s Nose Cone Infringement), Ferreira, Frade, Goodman (+10s Driving Safety Infringement), Moss (+5s Nose Cone Infringement), and Singh.

In Race two Mason #28 started in front but was passed by Shisinwana on lap 3 only to be passed again on lap 5, then back again on lap 6, the fight continued into lap 8, lap 9 had Shisinwana in the lead but a well-timed pass on the last lap secured the victory for Mason, with Shisinwana in second and Thekiso in third. They were followed by; Moss, Goodman, Singh, Mason, DeSousa(+ 5s Nose Cone Infringement), Jurgens, Antunes, Blignaut(+ 5s Nose Cone Infringement), Ferriera and Frade respectively after penalties were applied.

Mason started the final race in third but by the end of lap 1 was in front and went on to win the race. Shisinwana made places starting fifth to finish in second followed by Moss in third for his first podium of the day. The rest of the field finished as follows; Singh, De Sousa, Blignaut, Goodman, Mason, Jurgens, Frade, Ferreira, and Antunes.

Mason #28 won the day with a clean sweep and 105 points followed by Shisinwana in second with 96 point and DeSousa on the final step of the podium with 83 points. They were followed by Moss, Mason, Blignaut, Singh, Goodman, Jurgens, Thekiso, Antunes, Ferreiraand Frade respectively.

OKJ CLASS

Sebastian Dias #25 (Kart Republic) qualified on pole with a time of 42.407, just 5 hundredths behind was Gianna Pascoal #17 (OTK) with a time of 42.464, and just 6 hundredths behind her and only a tenth off the top spot was Ntiyiso Mabunda #29 (Kart Republic).The rest of the grid was Mahlori Mabunda #23 (Kart Republic), Luke Hill #57 (RS), Dhivyen Naidoo #98 (Kart Republic), Amani Kinyua #45 (LN), Christopher Tait #43 (OTK), Torben Roos #75 (Birel), Ricardo Tebutt #88 (Tony Kart), and Dos Santos #111 (Kosmic)

Naidoo won race one after starting in sixth, making places on lap 1, 3 and 11. Pascoal who lost some places on the start was back in second by the end of the race. In third place was Mabunda. The rest of the positions were; Hill, Tait, Roos (+ 5s Nose Cone Infringement), Dos Santos, Mabunda(with fastest lap), Dias, Kinyua, Cupido who did not make the end of the race.

Mabunda won the second race out alone in front followed by his brother in second and Naidoo in third. They were followed by Hill, Pascoal, Dias, Kinyua, Roos (+ 5s Nose Cone Infringement), Tebutt, Cupido, Dos Santos and Tait, who unfortunately was a DNS.

Mabunda won the third race of the day, followed closely by Naidoo 3 tenths behind in second, and Mabunda in third. Dias finished in fourth followed by Hill, Tait, Tebutt, Kinyua, Dos Santos, Cupido and Roos. Pascoal did not finish the race after an accident in lap 3, which red flagged the race. Thankfully, Pascoal got the all clear from the medics after her hard knock into the tyre barrier and fence.

Naidoo won the day with 97 points followed by Mabunda #23 and Mabunda #29. Hill finished in fourth followed by Dias, Pascoal, Roos, Dos Santos, Kinyua, Cupido, Tait and Tebutt. The above results are provisional, awaiting the outcome of an incident investigation.

OKN Class

This race the OK-N class qualified and raced as their own class. Unfortunately there were only three drivers. A reminder that the winner of the OK-N national class next year will represent South Africa at the first ever world cup of karting!

In Qualifying Nicolaos Vostanis (LN)qualified on pole with a time of 41.834, just half a second behind was Bezuidenhout (Tony Kart), and Schussler (Kosmic).

All three races ended in the same order, with Vostanis out front, followed closely by Bezuidenhout and Schussler who had a tough day only finished one of the three heats.

Vostanis won the day with a clean sweep and 105 points, followed by Bezuidenhout in second with 96 points and Schussler in third with 84 points.

The race was a thrilling and action-packed event that showcased the passion and skill of the participating drivers. Throughout the day, the track was filled with the exhilarating sound of engines and the cheers of enthusiastic spectators, creating an electric atmosphere.

The drivers demonstrated exceptional racing abilities, navigating through tight corners, accelerating down the straights, and strategically overtaking their opponents. Their precision and control behind the wheel were evident as they maneuvered their karts with finesse, pushing the limits of speed and agility.

The competition was fierce, with each driver showcasing their determination to claim victory. The race brought forth intense battles for positions, with overtakes and defensive maneuvers happening at every turn. The drivers' relentless pursuit of success resulted in an unforgettable spectacle for both participants and onlookers alike.

Beyond the fierce rivalry, the karting race fostered a sense of camaraderie among the participants. Both veterans and newcomers displayed sportsmanship and respect, creating an environment of mutual support and encouragement.

Ultimately, the race was a true testament to the indomitable spirit of motorsport. It celebrated the pursuit of excellence, the thrill of competition, and the unwavering determination of the drivers to push themselves to the limit. As the checkered flag waved and the dust settled, the race left an indelible mark on the hearts of all those involved, reminding us of the timeless allure and excitement that karting brings to the world of motorsports.

 Of course, a sincere thank you goes out to everyone who participated, including the officials who made sure everyone was safe for a fun day of competitive racing. Last but not least a thanks goes out to the Tilltotson series for coming to join the racing on the day, their presences adding to the thrill of the racing.