ROK NATIONAL ROUND 3 RACE REPORT
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This weekend the ROK cup hosted the third round of the ROK National series with their third national race of the season, hosted at Killarney Kart Track in Cape Town.
The Killarney Kart Track, which is situated in Cape Town, South Africa, has a lengthy and illustrious history. The track was built in the middle of the 20th century and began as a dirt track for motorcycle racing before becoming a world-class karting facility. It received various updates and modifications throughout time, becoming a cutting-edge location that hosted regional, international, and local karting competitions. Killarney Kart Track has been essential in developing motorsport talent, acting as a base for prospective racers who eventually moved on to more competitive levels of the sport. Its reputation as a test of ability and strategy for both new and experienced karting aficionados has been aided by the track's difficult layout, which is marked by numerous bends, turns, and elevation changes.
The pits and testing began early in the week as up-country competitors made the trip to Cape Town. The weather was a mixture of cold with the odd perfect summer day thrown in the middle. By the end of Friday, competitors and teams had got in their testing and left the circuit ready for qualifying and racing on Saturday.
On Saturday each class had one final testing session in the morning before their qualifying session. The anticipation in the air was palpable and drivers were ready to chase victory.
CADET CLASS:
Gamieldien Yaqeen secured pole in qualifying with a time of 57.983 over a second ahead of his next competitor. Jake Steyn qualified in second with a time of 59.426, 3 tenths ahead of Slater Smith in third with a time of 59.748. Kyle Bezuidenhout followed with a time 1:00.019 in fourth followed by Ronald Bhodi Venter in fifth with a time of 1:00.210.
In Race 1 Gamieldien led from start to finish to win the race and secure the fastest time of 59.043 followed in second by Venter and Smith in third. Steyn finished in fourth and Bezuidenhout in fifth with a 5 place penalty for edging into a competitor. Harris did not start after taking ill on Thursday night.
In Race 2 Gamieldien led from start to finish to win the race and secure the fastest time of 58.501. Smith finished on the second step of the podium with Bezuidenhout on the last step in third. Venter finished fourth followed by Steyn.
In Race 3 Gamieldien won again followed by Smith then Bezuidenhout. Venter finished fourth followed by Steyn in fifth.
Gamieldien won the day with 105 points followed by Smith with 94 points and Venter on 90 points. Bezuidenhout finished in fourth with 88 points followed by Steyn with 85 points in fifth.
KID ROK CLASS:
Qualifying: Kayde Cornofsky (CRG) qualified on pole with a 48.863 followed by Riley van Staden (Formula K) with a time of 49.131 and Logan Billau (OTK) with a 49.290. In fourth was Kyle Bezuidenhout (Ricciardo) followed by Noah Cronje (OTK) in fifth with a time of 49.878. Logan Billau (Exprit) posted a time of 50.198 in sixth followed by Zac Boshoff with a 51.440, Kristopher Koudelka (Exprit) with a 51.802, Omolemo Mfana (Parolin) with a 53.498, Koketso Ndlovu (Parolin) with a 55.514 and in eleventh with no time set was Egor Grishin.
In the first race, Cornofsky lost a place at the start, but was back in first before the end of the first lap to win the race and take fastest lap with a time of 48.946. Billau finished in second followed by Bezuidenhout in third just a tenth behind. Cronje finished in fourth followed by van Staden, Roehrig, Koudelka, both of whom received Nose Cone infringements. Mfana finished in eight followed by Ndlovu with a nose cone infringement and then Zac Boshoff. Egor Grishin did not start.
Race 2 Bezuidenhout made up places on lap three and seven to go on to win the race. In second was Billau just nine hundredths behind and then van Staden another three tenths behind in third. Cornofsky took fourth and fastest lap with a time of 48.696. Cronje finished in fifth followed by Roehrig, Boshoff, Mfana, and Koudelka. Ndlovu was unfortunately out on the fourth lap and Grishin did not start.
Race 3 was underway, Cornofsky, who lost a place on the start was quick to get it back to go on to win the third race of the day as well as the fastest lap with a time of 48.634. Cronje finished the race in second followed by Billau in third. Van Staden finished in fourth followed by Roehrig, Bezuidenhout, Boshoff (with a nose cone infringement), Koudelka, Mfana and Ndlovu.
Cornofskty won the day with 99 points. Billau finished on the second step of the podium for the day with 94 points Bezuidenhout was on the last step of the podium with 92 points. Cronje finished in fourth place followed by van Staden, Roehrig, Boshoff, Koudelka, Mfana, Ndlovu and Grishin.
MINI ROK CLASS:
The Mini Rok class is historically one of the more competitive classes on the day with the smallest of margins from front to back. Round 3 was no different and as the track filled with the sound of Mini Rok engines it was time for qualifying.
Qualifying: Mattao Mason #28 (CRG) qualified on pole with a time of 45.627, followed by his team mate a tenth behind, Caleb Moss #88 (CRG) with a time of 45.765. In third was JackMoore #31 (Lando Norris) with a time of 45.915 followed by his teammate AaronMason #64 (Lando Norris) only two hundredths behind with a time of 45.940. Maddox Mason #29 (CRG) qualified in fifth with a 45.977, three hundredths behind fourth followed in sixth just another 4 hundredths behind was Tshepang Shisinwana #30 (CRG) with a time of 46.025. SebasitanoHuman #46 (Tony Kart) qualified in 7th just one hundredth behind with a time of 46.042. There were only 4 tenths between pole and Joshua Moore #17 (Lando Norris) in eighth, followed by his teammate Aashay Nagura #27 (Lando Norris) a tenth behind with a 46.255. Manelisi Nkomo #16 (Parolin) secured a time of 46.512 to grab tenth, followed by Max Boshoff #33 (Exprit) in eleventh with a time of 46.543 and Ronaldo Koen #677 (CRG) in twelfth with a time 46.548. Durelle Goodman #47 (Exprit) posted a time of 46.703 to place thirteenth, followed by MJ Thekiso #111 (Kart Republic) only eight hundredths behind with a 46.786. Diego Antunes #66 (Parolin) posted a 47.030 in fifteenth followed by Declan Jurgens #63 (Kart Republic) with a 47.239. Ethan Azaar #77 qualified in 17th followed by Liam Wharton #21 (Lando Norris) with a time of 47.298. Sebastian Blignaut #25 (CRG) was just 5 thousand behind with a 47.303, followed by Cecil Koorts #44 (Lando Norris) with a 47.394, followed by Max Denisov #11 (Kosmic) with a 47.517 and Aadiv Singh #24 (Exprit) with a 47.727.
In Race 1, Mason #29 took the checkered flag and fastest lap on the track but received a driving conduct and nose cone infringement, costing him a 5s penalty meaning he finished the race in eleventh. Moore #17 led the race from lap two to lap seven crossed the line in second but penalties above, promoted him to the race win. Human #46 finished in third. Mason #64 who lost five place on the start made places back on lap 2, 4, 5, and 8 to finish in fourth followed by Shisinwana #30 in fifth and Nagura #27 in sixth. Boshoff #33 had multiple overtakes in the race to finish seventh, followed by Nkomo #16, Koen #677 and Blignaut #25 who received a nose cone infringement. Thekiso #111 finished in twelfth ahead of Goodman #47, Antunnes #66, Singh #24, Wharton #21, Densiov #11, Moore #31, Jurgen #63 and Koorts #44 respectively. Unfortunately, Azar #77 and Moss #88 did not start.
Race 2 saw Mason #28 lead from start to finish to win the race and again take the fastest lap. In second was Moore #17 followed by Shisinwana #30. Mason #64 crossed the line in third but was relegated to fourth due to a nose cone infringement, followed by Mason #29, Nkomo #16, Nagura #27 and Koen #677. Then from ninth to eleventh all with nose cone infringement was Moss #88 (who made up 15 places in the race), Human #46, and Thekiso #111. Jurgen #63 finished in twelfth with Azar behind with a nose cone infringement and then Blignaut #25 followed by Denisov #11 with a nose cone infringement. Antunes #66 finished in 16th place followed by Wharton #21, Goodman #18, Singh #24 and Koorts #44 who received a nose cone infringement. Boshoff #33 and Moore #31 unfortunately did not make it past the first lap.
The final race in Mini Rok saw Moss #88 take the win after taking a place on the start and then another on the last lap to get past his teammate and cross the line in first and also take the fastest lap of the day (and possibly the track record tbc) with a 45.723! In second was Mason #28 followed by Moore #17 on the final step of the podium. Mason #64 finished in third just a tenth behind followed by Moore #31, Mason #29 and Human #46. Blignaut #25 crossed the line in eight followed just 6 hundredths behind by Nagura #27 then Koen #677, Goodman #47, and Azar 77 in twelfth. Thekiso #111 secured 13th after a nose cone infringement followed by Jurgens also with a nose cone infringement then Singh #24, Wharton 21, Antunes #66, Koorts #44, Boshoff #33 and Shisinwana #30. Denisov #11 and Nkomo #16 unfortunately did not finish the race.
Moore #17 won the day with 97 points followed by Mason #28 on 89 points and then Mason #29 and Mason #64 tied on 87 points in third and fourth. They were followed by Human, Nagura, Koen, Shisinwana, Blignaut, Thekiso, Nkomo, Moss, Goodman, Jurgens, Antunes, Moore, Singh, Wharton, Boshoff, Denisov, Azar, and Koorts. Well done to all the drivers of a packed gird with some very close and very competitive racing.
OK-J CLASS
William Marshal (OTK) qualified on pole with a time of 40.387 followed by Wian Boshoff (OTK) just six hundredths behind with a 40.450 and just two tenths behind them was Dhivyen Naidoo (Kart Republic) with a time of 40.651. Gianna Pascoal (Exprit) qualified in fourth with a time of 40.689 followed by Keagan Beaumont (CRG) with a 40.727, Ntiyiso Maubda (Kart Republic) with a 40.848, Mohammed Moerat (Kart Republic) with a 40.896 and Mahlori Mabunda (Kart Republic) with a 40.912. Luke Hill (RS) qualified ninth with a 41.042 followed by Sebastian Dias (Kart Republic) with a 41.060, Amani Kinyua (Lando Norris) with a 41.456 and Jesse Swart (Le Mans) with a 41.975. Dias and Swart both had their best times deleted due to nose cone infringements, and Guido Bidoli was excluded from qualifying due to being underweight.
In Race 1 Boshoff took the win, followed just tenth behind by Marshal in second who also secured fastest lap with a time of 40.563, Pascoal finished in third. Moerat finished in fourth followed by Mabunda #29 and Naidoo both of whom received nose cone infringements. Mabunda #23 finished in seventh followed by Hill, Beaumont (nose cone infringement) and Bidoli (nose cone infringement) respectively. Kinyua, Dias and Swart. A rare human error on the last lap board sent some competitor into the pits early, leaving the results above to be called on lap 11. A good reminder that one must race till the chequered flag.
Boshoff took the win and fastest lap with a time of 40.594 in the second race. Followed by Marshal and Naidoo (nose cone infringement). Bidoli finished in fourth followed by Madbunda #29 (nose cone infringement), Baumont (nose cone infringement), Moerat (nose cone infringement), Hill and Swart. Pascoal, Kinyua, Madbunda #23 and Dias did not finish the race.
In the final OK-J race of the day Boshoff again took the victory and the fastest lap with a time of 40.592. In second was Moerat, followed by Marshal on the final step of the podium. Mabunda #23 finished in fourth followed by Hill, Beaumont, Dias, Kinyua and Naidoo (nose cone infringement) respectively. Pascoal finished in 10th place followed by Mabunda #29 and Bidoli both with nose cone infringements. Swart finished in thirteenth.
Boshoff won the day with a clean sweep of 105 points, followed my Marshal on 94 points in second and Moerat with 87 points in third. Naidoo finished in fourth followed by Mabunda #29, Hill, Beaumont, Mabunda #23, Bidoli, Pascoal, Dias, Kinyua and Swart. Great close racing with just seven tenths between all the drivers fastest laps.
OK-N CLASS
Troy Snyman (Exprit) qualified in pole with a time of 40.472 followed by Blaine Rademeyer (FA) just 7 hundredths behind with a 40.546 and only 9 hundredths behind him was Niko Zafiris (OTK). In fourth was Nikki Vostanis (Lando Norris) with a 40.656, followed by Mikel Bezuidenhout (Tony Kart) with a 40.699, followed by Juandre Nel (Kosmic) with a 40.716 and then Zac Laden (Lando Norris) with a time of 40.780. There was only three tenths separating the field!
In Race 1 some aggressive jockeying for position meant that Bezuidenhout, Snyman and Vostanis did not make it past lap one. Leaving Nel to take the win followed by Rademeyer (who crossed the line in first but was relegated by a Nose Cone Infringement) in second and with fastest lap of 40.690 and Zafiris in third. Laden finished just off the podium in fourth.
In Race 2 Snyman made positions on lap 1, 2,3, and 4 then took the lead on lap 5 and went on to win the race as well as the fastest lap of 40.652. Bezuidenhout finished in second followed by Vostanis on the final step of the podium. Laden finished in fourth followed by Nel and Rademeyer respectively. Zafiris did not start.
Snyman won the third race leading for most the race and secured the fastest lap with a time of 40.608. Rademeyer crossed the line in second but a nose cone infringement relegated him down to sixth place. Laden took second place followed by Bezuidenhout on the third step. Nel finished in fourth followed by Zafiris in fifth and Rademeyer in sixth. Vostanis did not start.
Snyman took the win of the day with 94 points, followed by Nel on 92 points and Laden on 90 points in third. Bezuidenhout and Rademeyer tied for fifth and sixth on 86 points followed by Zafiris on 58 points in sixth and Vostanis with 54 points in seventh.
KZ2 CLASS
The ever exciting and flagship class of KZ2 struggled for entrants but the six talented drivers that made it down to Cape Town were ready for a day of fast and exciting racing.
In Qualifying Jason Coetzee (Exprit) qualified on pole with a time of 39.060 followed just nine hundredths behind by Nikolas Roos (CRG) with a time of 39.159 and only two tenths behind him his team mate Joshua Coertze (Parolin), with a time of 39.417. Tristan Pelser (CRG) qualified in fourth place with a time of 40.453 followed by Bejamin Piek who had his top time deleted for a nose cone infringement with a time of 42.624 seconds. Shrien Naidoo was unfortunately deemed underweight and therefore excluded from qualification.
In Race 1 everyone looked to the grid for the first standing start of the day. Coetzee lost a place on the start but got it back on lap 8 to help secure the top step of the podium as well as fastest lap, followed by Roos and then Coertze. Naidoo crossed the line in fourth followed by Piek in fifth and Pelser in sixth.
In Race 2, Roos took the win and fastest lap followed by his teammate Coertze and then Naidoo on the final step of the podium. Pelser finished in fourth followed by Piek and then Coetzee who has some technical difficulties on lap 8.
In Race 3, the reigning KZ2 champion Coertze took the win followed by Naidoo and Roos. Coetzee who crossed the line in first was given a 5-place penalty for a start infringement. Piek finished in fourth followed by Pelser.
The winner of this KZ2 race was eligible to win a ticket to the Superfinal of the ROK series in Lonato Italy. Coertze won the honours, winning the day with 97 points just ahead of Roos and Naidoo. Coetzee after some bad luck ended up in fourth followed by Piek and Pelser respectively.
As always, we extend a huge thank you to the marshals and officials who ran the racing efficiently and safely to ensure fair competition to all. A big thank you to the Western Province Kart Club for hosting the ROK cup, the track looked immaculate! And finally, to the mechanics and pit crew that make it all possible.
This is a copy of an article, you can find the orignal here:
https://www.rokcup.co.za/post/rok-national-round-3-race-report