2019 ROK the RIO Finals – AM Report

The 2019 ROK Cup Promotions event calendar culminates in Las Vegas with the much anticipated #ROKtheRIO race. Taking place on a temporary circuit on the grounds of the RIO All-Suite Hotel & Casino over the week of Wednesday, October 30 to Saturday, November 2, drivers from around the world have descended on America’s playground for the second annual event. Exceeding last year’s entry total by nearly 100 competitors, a jam packed, yet team and driver friendly schedule greet the stacked fields of talented drivers over the four on track days. With ROK the RIO championship titles on the line, teams and competitors will also be vying for a cash purse in excess of $45,000.

Saturday would see a split schedule with five classes completing their warmup and main events before the lunch break with the five others ending their weekend after.

Senior 100cc – Pentair

Jenson Altzman made the move to take the win as he went from third to first in the latter stages of the race to be named the Senior 100cc ROK the RIO Champion. Capping off a consistent week of racing that saw him finish third, third, second and fourth in the heat races, Altzman outdueled OMP Pole Position winner Jake Drew and Billy Musgrave to take the win by .383. Austin Osborn moved his way to the top five after starting eighth to finish fourth while Henry Falls-Hand rounded out the top five.

1. Jenson Altzman
2. Jake Drew
3. Billy Musgrave
4. Austin Osborne
5. Henry Falls-Hand

Mini ROK – Supertune USA

It was a Kai Sorensen and a Caleb Gafrarar show in Supertune sponsored Mini ROK as the duo pulled away from their competition to make it a two-kart show. Sorensen led the majority of the 18-lap main event until Gafrarar made a move on the final lap to move to the point. Sorensen held his own and put on an over-under move to perfection in the final two corners to score the main event win adding to his multiple race wins and podiums in ROK competition in 2019. OMP Pole Position winner Riccardo Ianniello capped off his weekend with a podium finish in third while Sebastian Garzon and Anderson Leonard rounded out the top-five.

1. Kai Sorensen
2. Caleb Gafrarar
3. Riccardo Ianniello
4. Sebastian Garzon
5. Anderson Leonard

Masters Shifter ROK – TB Kart

Ryan Kinnear capped off a perfect week in Las Vegas. Taking the OMP Pole Position, four heat race wins and main event victory, Kinnear was the driver to beat in the Masters Shifter ROK category. Rocketing off the line, Kinnear stretched his lead over Jordan Musser and Mike Beeny to take the checkered flag by 1.939. Beeny would be the best of the rest as he beat Musser to the line to stand on the podium in second while Musser came home third. Rod Clinard battled his way to a top-five result in fourth while and Kevin Woods fell from his third-place starting position to end his weekend in fifth.

1. Ryan Kinnear
2. Mike Beeny
3. Jordan Musser
4. Rod Clinard
5. Kevin Woods

Senior ROK – Racing Edge Motorsports

It was an intense Senior ROK main event as Ben Cooper led early but fell into the clutches of a quartet of drivers. Ryan Norberg emerged as the leader and stretched the gap until lap traffic came into play, bringing Thomas Nepvue back to the rear bumper of the leader. Aggressively attacking to take the point, the two standouts made contact in the final complex of corners. Norberg defended down the front straight as the duo made contact into corner one and went hard into the wall opening the door for Diego Ramos. Ramos went on to take the win ahead of Cooper who passed Jacob Gulick on the start of the final lap. Zachary Claman charged forward and looked to have a chance at the win in the latter stages of the race but ended his weekend in fourth with Axel Cabrera in fifth.

1. Diego Ramos
2. Ben Cooper
3. Jacob Gulick
4. Zachary Claman
5. Axel Cabrera

Junior 100cc – World Karting Association

Converting his main event pole position into a race win, Jorge Ortiz took advantage of some aggressive driving behind him to open a gap on his rivals. With some hard racing going on, Ortiz stretched his lead taking the checkered flag by 3.733 to be named the ROK the RIO Champion. Maximilian Opalski maintained his second-place starting position to finish second while Alex Berg rounded out the podium in third. Gaining six spots in the final was Chloe Chambers to finish fourth as Cole Schroeder rounded out the top-five.

1. Jorge Ortiz
2. Maximillian Opalski
3. Alex Berg
4. Chloe Chambers
5. Cole Schroeder

A complete set of session results can be found on the easy to navigate ROK Cup USA app or by clicking here.