Mathias Ramirez is going back to the Rok Cup International Finals in Italy after he secured the Florida Winter Tour Rok Shifter Championship on Sunday at the Orlando Kart Center with a last lap pass for the race win.
The win was a big rebound for Ramirez (Parolin Kart), who suffered an engine failure in his final heat race on Saturday afternoon. Starting fifth in the PreFinal, he advanced up to second to start the Final alongside Jimmy Cabrera (TonyKart).
Cabrera was fast off the start and launched to the lead while Ramirez slipped back to fourth behind AJ Myers (TB Kart) and Rubens Barrichello (TonyKart).
On lap two Barrichello made his move on Myers for the second position, but Myers fought back a lap later and he brought Ramirez with him, moving Barrichello back to fourth.
It wasn’t until lap ten when Ramirez got by Myers and from there he put his head down. Closing the gap inch by inch over the next seven laps, Ramirez finally caught Cabrera on the final circuit and jumped at the first opportunity to make a pass. He made it stick and defended through the final few corners before erupting in celebration on the finish line straightaway. Cabrera had to settle for second while Barrichello claimed third ahead of Myers and Canadian Ethan Simioni (Prime/BirelART)
The win also confirmed Ramirez as class champion, earning him a ticket to the Rok Cup International Final.
Davide Greco (PSL/BirelART) finished the race in seventh, the best result of his FWT, while Justin Luik (Prime/BirelART) was thirteenth. Dominic Legrand (BirelART) was a DNF.
