Championship Contender Cornofsky Battles Through Formula-K Highs and Lows
Kayde Cornofsky demonstrated both speed and resilience during Rounds 5 and 6 of the South African National ROK Cup Karting Championship at Formula-K Raceway, recording a race victory, four further top-five finishes and a podium across the demanding double-header weekend.
The former National Kid ROK Champion arrived in Benoni leading the Mini ROK standings after an impressive opening half of the season. With the championship battle finely balanced, the Xtreme Racing Team driver knew that every point would matter against one of the most competitive fields of the year.
Cornofsky opened Saturday’s fifth round by qualifying fourth, just two-tenths away from pole position. He immediately moved into contention in the opening heat, climbing to second and recording the fastest lap of the race. His 1:14.518 also established a new event benchmark at that stage of the weekend.
Starting the second heat from pole position, Cornofsky remained firmly involved in a tightly contested lead battle in which the order changed several times. He led during the middle stages before finishing as the runner-up.
A fifth-place finish in the final heat completed a consistent Saturday for Cornofsky, who accumulated 92 points to finish third overall in Round 5 and add another national podium to his season.
Sunday’s sixth round began perfectly for Cornofsky. He delivered a strong final lap in qualifying to claim pole position. Cornofsky converted that pole into victory in the opening heat, leading all eight laps while under sustained pressure from Riley van Staden. He held his nerve to take the chequered flag by just 0.082 seconds and once again set the fastest lap, lowering the event record to 1:14.003.
The second heat produced another intense contest at the front. After briefly losing the lead on the opening lap, Cornofsky moved back ahead and controlled the race through to the finish. Although he crossed the line first, a post-race four-place penalty for contact with an advantage gained reclassified him fifth.
Cornofsky remained in the leading group throughout the final heat and was still fighting inside the top three as the race entered its closing stages. A costly final-lap setback, however, dropped him to 11th at the finish and left him fourth overall for Round 6 with 85 points.
Despite the disappointment of Sunday’s final race, the weekend again underlined Cornofsky’s pace and ability to compete at the head of the Mini ROK field. His pole position, race victory, Round 5 podium and multiple fastest laps provided several positives as the championship moves towards its decisive stages.
The full championship standings will be confirmed once all results have been verified and declared official.
Kayde extends his appreciation to the Xtreme Racing Team and to Allegiance Properties, Canario Cornofsky Attorneys, Calisto’s Restaurant, Smith Garage, the 357, Glads and AMW for their continued support.
