Clean Sweeps & Comebacks! Red Star Delivers ROK Drama
South Africa's premier regional ROK karting competition, the Northern Regions ROK Kart Championship, returned to the vibrant Red Star Raceway for Round 3 of the 2025 campaign. Under sunny skies and with a promising forecast, competitors across all five categories engaged in exhilarating racing action, highlighting the remarkable talent that fuels this dynamic sport.
OK-N – Lennon Untouchable in Red Star Masterclass
Ethan Lennon continued his perfect form in OK-N, storming to pole and winning all three races to collect the maximum 105 points. Behind him, Gianna Pascoal displayed remarkable consistency to secure three second-place finishes and second overall. William Marshal edged out Van der Wateren and Bostander in a tight scrap for third.
Top 5 Overall:
1. Ethan Lennon – 105 pts
2. Gianna Pascoal – 96 pts
3. William Marshal – 89 pts
4. Emile Van der Wateren – 86 pts
5. Ethan Bostander – 84 pts
Best Lap: Ethan Lennon – 52.475s (Heat 3)
OK-J – Klaasen Claims the Overall, Nagura Wins Heat 3
In one of the tightest battles of the weekend, Jordan Klaasen's consistency earned him a maiden heat victory and the overall win with 97 points. Aashay Nagura recovered from a penalty in Heat 1 to win the final heat and claim second overall. Reagile Mailula bagged a Heat 2 victory, but a DNF in the opener cost him overall honours.
Top 5 Overall:
1. Jordan Klaasen – 97 pts
2. Aashay Nagura – 95 pts
3. Reagile Mailula – 91 pts
4. Aleksandar Praizovic – 89 pts
5. Zuan Breytenbach – 87 pts
Pole Position: Aleksandar Praizovic
Best Lap: Aashay Nagura – 53.756s (Heat 3)
Mini ROK – Cornofsky Sweeps the Weekend
Kayde Cornofsky continued his dominant run in the Mini ROK category with a perfect hat-trick of victories. The Xtreme Racing driver also grabbed pole position in qualifying. Despite close pressure from Logan Billau and Santi Frade, Cornofsky kept his composure in all three heats to claim maximum points. Frade's consistency (2nd in Heat 2, 3rd in Heat 3) secured him second overall ahead of Billau.
Top 5 Overall:
1. Kayde Cornofsky – 105 pts
2. Santi Frade – 91 pts
3. Logan Billau – 90 pts
4. Kiyaan Reddi – 84 pts
5. Rafael De Sousa – 84 pts
Best Lap: Kayde Cornofsky – 58.733s (Heat 3)
Mini ROK U10 – Van Staden Fights Back for Victory
Riley van Staden set the tone early by claiming pole and showing standout pace all weekend. A first-lap incident in Heat 1 saw him fall to the back of the field, but the young charger fought back in style, bouncing back with dominant wins in Heats 2 and 3 to take the overall victory in Mini ROK U10 with 97 points. Alanzo Dias showed brilliant pace with a Heat 1 victory and consistent top-three finishes to place second overall. Lwashu Mathebula's podiums in all three races secured third.
Top 5 Overall:
1. Riley van Staden – 97 pts
2. Alanzo Dias – 95 pts
3. Lwashu Mathebula – 90 pts
4. Egor Grishin – 86 pts
5. Noah Cronje – 84 pts
Best Lap: Noah Cronje – 58.436s (Heat 3)
Cadet – Caleb Rogers Untouchable
It was a masterclass from Caleb Rogers, who remained unbeaten across all three Cadet heats. Starting from pole with a commanding 36.424s qualifying lap, the Rogers Racing youngster was in a class of his own, extending his championship lead. Ethan Zitha edged out Grayson Venter for second overall in a close points battle.
Top 5 Overall:
1. Caleb Rogers – 105 pts
2. Ethan Zitha – 94 pts
3. Grayson Venter – 92 pts
4. Christopher Grimmick – 87 pts
Best Lap: Caleb Rogers – 36.218s (Heat 1)
ROK Cup Academy – Nurturing the Next Generation
Round 3 also marked a significant milestone for South African karting with the continued rollout of the ROK Cup Academy class—an exciting initiative aimed at developing grassroots talent. Designed as an entry-level platform for newcomers, the Academy saw seven drivers take to the grid. Lulama Ngobeni was the standout, going unbeaten across all three heats to secure the overall win with a perfect 105-point haul. Siyabonga Cele and Ditebogo Tlhapi completed the podium with strong performances and marked progress. The Academy is already proving to be a vital step in cultivating the stars of tomorrow.
Top 5 Overall:
1. Lulama Ngobeni – 105 pts
2. Siyabonga Cele – 94 pts
3. Ditebogo Tlhapi – 89 pts
4. Phineas Khoza – 86 pts
5. Christopher Grimmick – 87 pts
Pole Position: Lulama Ngobeni – 55.067s
Best Lap: Lulama Ngobeni – 54.848s (Heat 3)
The weekend reinforced the depth of talent in South African karting, with exciting battles and strategic racing across all categories. This made for an exciting event that kept fans eagerly anticipating the next round of the championship, set for 23 August at Red Star Raceway.
