#ROKVegas
2019 ROK the RIO – PM Finals 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.
Masters ROK – Orsolon Motorsports
Beginning his final from the outside of row five, Vatche Tatikian took advantage of some close, hard racing in Masters ROK to take the win. Beginning the final lap in a distant third, contact between the two leaders in the second to last corner opened the door for Tatikian to take the lead and cruise to the finish line. The win looked as if it was going to go to either Scott Falcone or Renato Jader-David, but aggressive defending and with the shot at the championship, the two would make contact knocking Jader-David out of the race. Falcone would continue and limp across the line for second while Danilo Ramalho rounded out the podium. Erik Jackson put himself in position to score a top-five result as he and Eric Molinatti finished fourth and fifth respectively.
- Vatche Tatikian
- Scott Falcome
- Danilo Ramalho
- Erik Jackson
- Eric Molinatti
Micro ROK – ROK Cup Canada
The 18-lap Micro ROK was led early by Kai Johnson as he was able to make his way to the point getting by polesitter Enzo Vidmontiene early. Looking to pull away from the field, disaster would strike for Vidmontiene as a broken chain on lap five took him out of the race and contention for the win. Luis Umana and Jordan Dileo took over the top two spots by the midway mark but could not hold on. Kai Johnson rose to the top and is your Micro ROK Champion just ahead of Carson Weinberg in a drag race to the line. Oliver Wheldon put the Wheldon name on the podium in Las Vegas just ahead of OMP Pole Position Award winner Jordan Dileo and Graham Trammell.
- Kai Johnson
- Carson Weinberg
- Oliver Wheldon
- Jordan Dileo
- Graham Trammell
Masters 100cc – World Karting Association
It was Leading Edge Motorsports driver Tim Meyer who saved his best drive of the weekend for Championship Saturday. Driving his way forward from P3 to the top step of the podium, Meyer bested Colby Wallace by .260. Rob Kozakowski also gained two positions in the main event to finish third and put a pair of Ruthless Karting drivers on the podium. two-time OMP Pole Position Award winner Jonathan Silva dropped three positions narrowly missing the podium in fourth while Ricardo Arruda ended his ROK the RIO event in fifth.
- Tim Meyer
- Colby Wallace
- Rob Kozakowski
- Jonathan Silva
- Ricardo Arruda
Junior ROK – AM Engines
Enrico De Luca saved the best race to take his first win of the weekend as he claimed the Junior ROK ROK the RIO Championship. Going second, second, fourth and third in the heats, De Luca beat Luca Mars in another drag race finish to claim the title. Connor Zilisch rebounded from his 17th place qualifying effort to smartly drive his way through the heat races and on to the podium in the main event. Alessandro De Tullio gained one position in the final to finish fourth just ahead of the OMP Pole Position Award winner Guilherme Figueiredo.
- Enrico De Luca
- Luca Mars
- Connor Zilisch
- Alessandro De Tullio
- Guilherme Figueiredo
Shifter ROK – PSL Karting
A multi-kart crash at the start of the Shifter ROK main event took out the likes of Davide Greco, Jake French, Ron White, Paolo Castagnetto and Enzo Prevost as Mathias Ramirez got away clean. Holding the point for the first few circuits, Ramirez was passed by two-time OMP Pole Position Award winner Daniel Formal as the duo would wage battle yet again, similar to 2018. This time Formal would reign supreme turning his pole position from Thursday into the main event victory. Ramirez, who bent his axle early in the run, was on the point until Formal broke through on the penultimate lap for the win. Nicholas Le, Race Liberante and Kyle Wick ended their ROK the RIO in third, fourth and fifth.
- Daniel Formal
- Mathias Ramirez
- Nicholas Leduc
- Race Liberante
- Remo Ruscitti
A complete set of session results can be found on the easy to navigate ROK Cup USA app or by clicking here.
