Double-Victory in Orlando – Medeiros and Francisco Dominate at Rok Cup Florida Winter Tour!

Canadian karting stars put on a show-stopping performance south of the border this weekend, delivering two massive victories and a wave of podium finishes at the ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour in Orlando, Florida!

Wrapping up an action-packed six-week stretch of major events at the Orlando Kart Center, ROK Cup USA welcomed over 160 fierce competitors for Round Two of their Florida Winter Tour. Among them, 36 determined Canadians took to the track, ready to battle in every category.

But two drivers didn’t just win – they absolutely dominated, leading every single lap of their respective races on Sunday morning.

Medeiros Makes Magic in ROK Junior

Cole Medeiros was untouchable in ROK Junior, delivering a flawless performance that secured his first international victory in spectacular fashion. After obliterating the field in the PreFinal with a jaw-dropping 12-second win, he continued his relentless charge in the Final. From pole position, Medeiros seized the lead, fended off early challengers, and never looked back. Crossing the finish line 1.4 seconds ahead of the pack, he punched the air in triumph, celebrating his long-awaited breakthrough victory under the Florida sun.

Hot on his heels, Edward Kennedy powered his way to a well-earned second-place finish. After a fierce opening-lap battle, he settled into rhythm, matching Medeiros’ pace lap-for-lap and pulling clear of the competition to claim yet another Winter Tour podium.

Cole Medeiros (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Francisco Flies to Victory

Two races later, it was Jayden Francisco’s turn to steal the spotlight. Having started every race from the front row, he was a clear threat for victory – and he delivered. A lightning-fast getaway put him in control from the opening lap, and with a rival pushing him to the limit, the duo pulled away from the rest of the field. As the laps ticked down, Francisco turned up the heat, inching away from second place and leaving his challenger with no opportunity to strike. Flawless through the final corners, he rocketed across the finish line to capture another stunning win in Orlando.

Adding to the excitement, Asher Pavan delivered a stellar drive to finish fourth, while Melville Dos Santo and Roy Chang also stormed into the top ten.

Jayden Francisco (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Pavan Powers to Podium in VLR Masters

Mark Pavan kept the momentum rolling in VLR Masters, capping off another strong weekend with a hard-fought second-place finish. Locked in the battle for the lead throughout, he stayed within striking distance but couldn’t quite reel in the leader in the final laps. Still, his runner-up result added another podium to the Canadian tally.

Medeiros Nearly Doubles Up

As if one podium wasn’t enough, Cole Medeiros came within inches of securing a second victory in VLR Junior. In a chaotic, action-packed race where the lead changed hands multiple times, the Canadian star fought through the madness. After leading early, he briefly dropped to fifth but mounted a thrilling comeback to storm back to P2 at the checkered flag. Edward Kennedy and Nathan Dupuis were also in the mix until mid-race contact dashed their chances of contending for the win.

Mark Pavan (right) on the VLR Masters podium (Photo by: Cody Schindel / CKN)

Briggs 206 Senior Delivers More Hardware

The excitement continued in Briggs 206 Senior, where two more Canadians landed on the podium. Owen McCarthy led the field to green, but Eli Yanko wasted no time muscling into the top spot in Turn 2. The two worked together to gap the field, but on the final lap, a slight misstep from Yanko cost him the win, forcing him to settle for second. McCarthy cruised home in third, while Michael Coggins staged a heroic recovery from an early race spin to secure fourth place.

Epic Showdown Closes the Weekend

The grand finale of the weekend – the VLR Senior Final – had the entire paddock on the edge of their seats. Two Canadian race teams went head-to-head in a nail-biting fight for victory. In the end, PSL Karting’s Diego Ramos muscled his way to a thrilling win over Energy Corse America’s Caden McQueen. Meanwhile, Jordan Di Leo made the most of his last-minute decision to enter, grabbing his best Senior finish yet in P5. Ayden Ingratta made an impressive debut with Pfaff Kartsport in P6, while Sydney Cassels locked in a solid ninth-place result.

Next Stop: Championship Showdown in Houston

With momentum at an all-time high, the Canadian contingent now sets its sights on the championship finale of the ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour. The title fight heads to Houston, Texas, next month as Speedsportz Racing Park hosts the ultimate showdown from March 21-23. Registration opens soon on Alpha Race Hub and RokCupUSA.com – don’t miss it!

ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour Round 2 Results

ROK Junior

• 1. Cole Medeiros
• 2. Edward Kennedy
• 10. Noah Landry
• 15. Nathan Dupuis
• DNS. Luca Cariati

ROK Mini

• 1. Jayden Francisco
• 4. Asher Pavan
• 8. Melville Dos Santos
• 9. Roy Chang
• 15. Christian Damianidis
• 16. Robert Tronchi Jr

Briggs 206 Senior

• 2. Eli Yanko
• 3. Owen McCarthy
• 4. Michael Coggins
• 6. Franco Cariati

ROK Micro

• 10. Liam Francisco

ROK GP Pro

• 6. Ayden Ingratta
• 14. Sean Dick
• 15. Tyler Dick

VLR Masters

• 2. Mark Pavan

VLR Junior

• 2. Cole Medeiros
• 11. Edward Kennedy
• 15. Luca Popescu
• 20. Brenner Lilleberg
• 31. Noah Landry
• 32. Andrew Adams
• 38. Nathan Dupuis

VLR Senior

• 5. Jordan Di Leo
• 6. Ayden Ingratta
• 9. Sydney Cassels
• 15. Aidan Shimbashi
• 18. Joshua Soumvalis
• 22. Savanah Kallis
• 26. Noah Van Straten
• 30. Luca Possik