Haskins Continues OK-N Progression With Strong GT Raceway Showing
Chase Haskins continued to prove why he is one of the most exciting developing talents in South African karting after another impressive outing in Rounds 3 and 4 of the National ROK Cup Karting Championship at GT Raceway in Vereeniging this past weekend.
Still in the very early stages of his karting career, Chase arrived at the newly renamed GT Raceway for his maiden national appearance at the circuit. Although the Johannesburg youngster had previous experience at the venue during regional competition in 2025, the intensity and competitiveness of national-level racing presented an entirely different challenge in the fiercely contested OK-N category.
Saturday’s third round of the championship immediately showcased the progress the Kokoro Racing Academy driver continues to make. Qualifying an impressive third, Chase wasted no time establishing himself amongst several former and current national champions at the front of the field.
From the outset of the opening heat, the 14-year-old showed remarkable composure as he attacked for the lead and briefly controlled the race against some of the country’s most experienced OK-N competitors. Delivering one of his strongest drives of the season, Chase crossed the line in second place to secure a deserved podium finish and further underline the pace he has rapidly developed despite having little karting experience.
The second and third heats proved more demanding as the competitive nature of the OK-N class once again came to the fore. Nevertheless, Chase remained firmly in the fight throughout both encounters, narrowly missing out on additional podium finishes with a pair of fourth-place results while remaining only a few tenths away from the outright race-winning pace. His consistency across the day ultimately secured fourth overall for Round 3.
Sunday’s fourth round followed a similarly encouraging trajectory. Chase again placed himself in contention from the start after qualifying fourth, before producing another mature and impressive drive in Heat 1 to finish second and collect his second podium finish of the weekend.
The remaining two heats saw the Kokoro Racing Academy driver continue to battle within the lead group, finishing fourth in both races in another highly admirable display. Although the final classification did not fully reflect his outright speed, Chase once again demonstrated that he possesses the pace to challenge the category frontrunners. His performance was highlighted by recording the second-fastest lap of the day, missing the fastest by a mere 0.077 seconds.
The GT Raceway weekend further reinforced the significant strides Chase continues to make in the OK-N category against vastly more experienced opposition. With every national outing, the young driver is rapidly establishing himself as a genuine contender capable of consistently fighting at the front of South African karting’s premier junior ranks.
