ROK NATIONAL ROUND 3 RACE REPORT

August 07, 2023 11 min read

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 Yaqeensecured 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 ofSlater Smith in third with a time of 59.748.Kyle Bezuidenhout followed with a time 1:00.019 in fourth followed byRonald Bhodi Venter in fifth with a time of 1:00.210.

In Race 1Gamieldien led from start to finish to win the race and secure the fastest time of 59.043 followed in second byVenter andSmith in third.Steyn finished in fourth andBezuidenhout in fifth with a 5 place penalty for edging into a competitor.Harris did not start after taking ill on Thursday night.

In Race 2Gamieldien 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 withBezuidenhout on the last step in third.Venter finished fourth followed bySteyn.

In Race 3Gamieldien won again followed bySmith thenBezuidenhout.Venter finished fourth followed bySteyn in fifth.

Gamieldien won the day with 105 points followed bySmith with 94 points andVenter on 90 points.Bezuidenhout finished in fourth with 88 points followed bySteyn with 85 points in fifth.

KID ROK CLASS:

Qualifying:Kayde Cornofsky (CRG) qualified on pole with a 48.863 followed byRiley van Staden (Formula K) with a time of 49.131 andLogan Billau (OTK) with a 49.290. In fourth wasKyle Bezuidenhout (Ricciardo) followed byNoah Cronje (OTK) in fifth with a time of 49.878.Logan Billau (Exprit) posted a time of 50.198 in sixth followed byZac 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 wasEgor 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 byBezuidenhout in third just a tenth behind.Cronje finished in fourth followed byvan Staden,Roehrig,Koudelka, both of whom received Nose Cone infringements.Mfana finished in eight followed byNdlovu with a nose cone infringement and thenZac Boshoff.Egor Grishin did not start.

Race 2Bezuidenhoutmade up places on lap three and seven to go on to win the race. In second wasBillau just nine hundredths behind and thenvan Staden another three tenths behind in third.Cornofsky took fourth and fastest lap with a time of 48.696.Cronje finished in fifth followed byRoehrig,Boshoff,Mfana, andKoudelka.Ndlovu was unfortunately out on the fourth lap andGrishin 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 byBillau in third.Van Staden finished in fourth followed byRoehrig,Bezuidenhout,Boshoff (with a nose cone infringement),Koudelka,Mfana andNdlovu.

Cornofsktywon the day with 99 points.Billau finished on the second step of the podium for the day with 94 pointsBezuidenhout was on the last step of the podium with 92 points.Cronje finished in fourth place followed byvanStaden,Roehrig,Boshoff,Koudelka,Mfana,Ndlovu andGrishin.

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 wasJackMoore #31 (Lando Norris) with a time of 45.915 followed by his teammateAaronMason #64 (Lando Norris) only two hundredths behind with a time of 45.940.MaddoxMason #29 (CRG) qualified in fifth with a 45.977, three hundredths behind fourth followed in sixth just another 4 hundredths behind wasTshepangShisinwana #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 andJoshua Moore #17 (Lando Norris) in eighth, followed by his teammateAashay 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 byMax Boshoff #33 (Exprit) in eleventh with a time of 46.543 andRonaldo Koen #677 (CRG) in twelfth with a time 46.548.Durelle Goodman #47 (Exprit) posted a time of 46.703 to place thirteenth, followed byMJ Thekiso #111 (Kart Republic) only eight hundredths behind with a 46.786. Diego Antunes #66 (Parolin) posted a 47.030 in fifteenth followed byDeclan 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 byCecil Koorts #44 (Lando Norris) with a 47.394, followed byMax Denisov #11 (Kosmic) with a 47.517 andAadiv 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 byShisinwana #30 in fifth andNagura #27 in sixth.Boshoff #33 had multiple overtakes in the race to finish seventh, followed byNkomo #16,Koen #677 andBlignaut #25 who received a nose cone infringement.Thekiso #111 finished in twelfth ahead ofGoodman #47,Antunnes #66,Singh #24,Wharton #21,Densiov #11,Moore #31,Jurgen #63 andKoorts #44 respectively. Unfortunately,Azar #77 andMoss #88 did not start.

Race 2 sawMason #28 lead from start to finish to win the race and again take the fastest lap. In second wasMoore #17 followed byShisinwana #30.Mason #64 crossed the line in third but was relegated to fourth due to a nose cone infringement, followed byMason #29,Nkomo #16,Nagura #27 andKoen #677. Then from ninth to eleventh all with nose cone infringement wasMoss #88 (who made up 15 places in the race),Human #46, andThekiso #111.Jurgen #63 finished in twelfth withAzar behind with a nose cone infringement and thenBlignaut #25 followed byDenisov #11 with a nose cone infringement.Antunes #66 finished in 16th place followed byWharton #21,Goodman #18,Singh #24 andKoorts #44 who received a nose cone infringement.Boshoff #33 andMoore #31 unfortunately did not make it past the first lap.

The final race in Mini Rok sawMoss #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 wasMason #28 followed byMoore #17 on the final step of the podium.Mason #64 finished in third just a tenth behind followed byMoore #31,Mason #29 andHuman #46.Blignaut #25 crossed the line in eight followed just 6 hundredths behind byNagura #27 thenKoen #677,Goodman #47, andAzar 77 in twelfth.Thekiso #111 secured 13th after a nose cone infringement followed byJurgens also with a nose cone infringement thenSingh #24,Wharton 21,Antunes #66,Koorts #44,Boshoff #33 andShisinwana #30.Denisov #11 andNkomo #16 unfortunately did not finish the race.

Moore #17won the day with 97 points followed byMason #28 on 89 points and thenMason #29 andMason #64 tied on 87 points in third and fourth. They were followed byHuman,Nagura,Koen,Shisinwana,Blignaut,Thekiso,Nkomo,Moss,Goodman,Jurgens,Antunes,Moore,Singh,Wharton,Boshoff,Denisov,Azar, andKoorts. 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 byWian Boshoff (OTK) just six hundredths behind with a 40.450 and just two tenths behind them wasDhivyen Naidoo (Kart Republic) with a time of 40.651.Gianna Pascoal (Exprit) qualified in fourth with a time of 40.689 followed byKeagan Beaumont (CRG) with a 40.727,Ntiyiso Maubda (Kart Republic) with a 40.848,Mohammed Moerat (Kart Republic) with a 40.896 andMahlori Mabunda (Kart Republic) with a 40.912.Luke Hill (RS) qualified ninth with a 41.042 followed bySebastian Dias (Kart Republic) with a 41.060,Amani Kinyua (Lando Norris) with a 41.456 andJesse Swart (Le Mans) with a 41.975.Dias andSwart both had their best times deleted due to nose cone infringements, andGuido Bidoli was excluded from qualifying due to being underweight.

In Race 1Boshoff took the win, followed just tenth behind byMarshal in second who also secured fastest lap with a time of 40.563,Pascoal finished in third.Moerat finished in fourth followed byMabunda #29 andNaidoo both of whom received nose cone infringements.Mabunda #23 finished in seventh followed byHill,Beaumont (nose cone infringement) andBidoli (nose cone infringement) respectively.Kinyua,Dias andSwart. 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 byMarshal andNaidoo (nose cone infringement).Bidoli finished in fourth followed byMadbunda #29 (nose cone infringement),Baumont (nose cone infringement),Moerat (nose cone infringement),Hill andSwart.Pascoal,Kinyua,Madbunda #23 and Dias did not finish the race.

In the final OK-J race of the dayBoshoff again took the victory and the fastest lap with a time of 40.592. In second wasMoerat, followed byMarshal on the final step of the podium.Mabunda #23 finished in fourth followed byHill,Beaumont,Dias,Kinyua andNaidoo (nose cone infringement) respectively.Pascoal finished in 10th place followed byMabunda #29 andBidoli both with nose cone infringements.Swart finished in thirteenth.

Boshoff won the day with a clean sweep of 105 points, followed myMarshal on 94 points in second andMoerat with 87 points in third.Naidoo finished in fourth followed byMabunda #29,Hill,Beaumont,Mabunda #23,Bidoli,Pascoal,Dias,Kinyua andSwart. 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 byBlaine Rademeyer (FA) just 7 hundredths behind with a 40.546 and only 9 hundredths behind him wasNiko Zafiris (OTK). In fourth wasNikki Vostanis (Lando Norris) with a 40.656, followed byMikel Bezuidenhout (Tony Kart) with a 40.699, followed byJuandre Nel (Kosmic) with a 40.716 and thenZac 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 thatBezuidenhout,Snyman andVostanis did not make it past lap one. LeavingNel to take the win followed byRademeyer (who crossed the line in first but was relegated by a Nose Cone Infringement) in second and with fastest lap of 40.690 andZafiris in third.Laden finished just off the podium in fourth.

In Race 2Snyman 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 byVostanis on the final step of the podium.Laden finished in fourth followed byNel andRademeyer 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 byBezuidenhout on the third step.Nel finished in fourth followed byZafiris in fifth andRademeyer in sixth.Vostanis did not start.

Snyman took the win of the day with 94 points, followed byNel on 92 points andLaden on 90 points in third.Bezuidenhout andRademeyer tied for fifth and sixth on 86 points followed byZafiris on 58 points in sixth andVostanis 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 QualifyingJason Coetzee (Exprit) qualified on pole with a time of 39.060 followed just nine hundredths behind byNikolas Roos (CRG) with a time of 39.159 and only two tenths behind him his team mateJoshua Coertze (Parolin), with a time of 39.417.Tristan Pelser (CRG) qualified in fourth place with a time of 40.453 followed byBejamin 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 byRoos and thenCoertze.Naidoo crossed the line in fourth followed byPiek in fifth andPelser in sixth.

In Race 2,Roos took the win and fastest lap followed by his teammateCoertze and thenNaidoo on the final step of the podium.Pelser finished in fourth followed byPiek and thenCoetzee who has some technical difficulties on lap 8.

In Race 3, the reigning KZ2 championCoertze took the win followed byNaidoo andRoos.Coetzee who crossed the line in first was given a 5-place penalty for a start infringement.Piek finished in fourth followed byPelser.

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 ofRoos andNaidoo.Coetzee after some bad luck ended up in fourth followed byPiek andPelser 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

ROK NATIONAL ROUND 3 RACE REPORT

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