The 42-driver Mini Rok class this weekend at the Rok Cup USA Florida Winter Tour was packed full of talent, but two drivers seemed to stand out from the rest and it was fitting that at the end of a long weekend of racing, it would come down to Connor Zilisch (Energy Kart) and Carson Morgan (Benik).
The Final featured four different race leaders and nine lead changes as the battle for Mini Rok supremacy was stellar.
Jeremy Fletcher (Kosmic) led early until Alex Powell (Energy Kart) came knocking on the door on lap five. Fletcher returned to the lead on lap seven but it only lasted two laps until Zilisch, the defending Rok Cup International Final winner, went to the point. He too would only lead for two laps as Morgan then went to the lead.
It was a big group of racers battling for the victory and by halfway, no less than eight karts were within an arm’s length of the lead, constantly shuffling position.
Fletcher found his way back to the lead on lap thirteen and a three-kart lead pack emerged after as James Egozi (TonyKart) began racing Diego LaRoque (Energy Kart) hard for fourth.
Fletcher, Morgan, and Zilisch were tight until Fletcher ran wide on the exit of the final corner coming to the white flag. This allowed Morgan to slide into the lead with Zilisch all over his rear bumper. Zilisch looked but couldn’t find a way to get by and the two roared towards the final corner, both deep on the inside. Finding just enough room on the very inside of the track and going hard on the brakes, Zilisch was able to get under Morgan and make his way by with enough exit speed to hold on and power to the finish line.
Morgan had to settle for second while LaRoque overtook Fletcher on the final lap to take the final podium position.
It was a tough final two laps for Fletcher as he actually fell to eighth at the finish line. In finishing fourth, Powell made it three Energy Karts in the top-four while Egozi completed the top-five.
