The 2026 Northern Regions ROK Karting Championship drew to a close at Formula-K Raceway in Benoni on Saturday, 24 October, with the sixth and final round producing some closely contested racing, unexpected setbacks and impressive performances across the Mini ROK, OK-J and OK-N classes.
With valuable championship points still at stake, competitors had one final opportunity to strengthen their positions before the season standings are ratified and the regional champions officially declared by Motorsport South Africa (MSA).
Mini ROK – Cronje Claims Narrow Victory
Mini ROK produced some of the closest racing of the day, with Noah Cronje, Riley van Staden, Maddox Mason, Kayde Cornofsky and Parker van der Molen all featuring prominently throughout the three heats.
Cronje set the early pace by securing pole position ahead of Cornofsky and Van Staden. The opening heat delivered a thrilling finish, with Cronje holding off Cornofsky by just 0.098 seconds to take victory. Mason completed the podium, followed by Van der Molen and Van Staden.
The second heat brought a dramatic change in fortunes. Cronje led the opening six laps before a charging Cornofsky attempted a pass that unfortunately left both crash out. While Cronje managed to rejoin, it was Van Staden who capitalised on the opportunity and claimed victory ahead of Mason and Van der Molen.
Cronje recovered strongly in the final heat, leading from start to finish to claim his second victory of the day. Van Staden finished as runner-up, with Van der Molen taking third. Cornofsky crossed the line fourth, while Mason was classified fifth following a five-second nose-cone penalty.
With two heat victories, Cronje secured the overall round honours ahead of Van Staden. Mason completed the overall podium, narrowly ahead of Van der Molen, while Cornofsky finished fifth.
Hunter North finished sixth overall, while Nicholas Fleming completed all three heats as the sole Mini ROK Under-10 entrant, gaining further valuable racing experience.
OK-J – Billau Finishes Season Finale on Top
The OK-J category saw Logan Billau emerge as the overall winner following two heat victories, although Mattao Mason initially appeared to be the driver to beat.
Mattao opened proceedings by securing pole position ahead of Billau and Diego Berardone. He converted that qualifying advantage into a commanding opening-heat victory, leading all ten laps despite sustained pressure from Billau. Berardone completed the podium, with Maddox Mason fourth.
The second heat provided one of the day's most interesting contests. Mattao led the opening nine laps before suffering a mechanical issue, allowing Billau to move ahead on the final lap to secure victory. Berardone finished second, while Mattao was classified third after receiving a five-second penalty for a nose-cone infringement. Maddox also received a five-second penalty and finished fourth.
Billau carried his momentum into the final heat, producing a controlled lights-to-flag victory to complete an impressive afternoon. Berardone again finished second, with Maddox taking the final podium position. Mattao and Jordan Klaasen did not start the third heat, bringing their respective weekends to an early conclusion.
Billau's consistency and two victories earned him the overall round win. Berardone finished second, having recorded three podium finishes, while Maddox secured third. Mattao finished fourth, followed by Klaasen.
Aidan Calitz was the sole OK-N competitor in the combined OK-J and OK-N field but demonstrated competitive pace against the OK-J entrants throughout the day.
Championship Honours Await MSA Confirmation
The Formula-K finale brought another Northern Regions ROK Karting season to an end, with the final meeting producing close finishes, changing race fortunes and several strong performances.
While the day's racing has established the provisional round classifications, the final championship standings remain subject to verification and ratification.
All results remain provisional, and the 2026 Northern Regions ROK Karting Champions will only be officially declared by Motorsport South Africa (MSA) following the completion of the necessary processes.
ROK Karting South Africa congratulates the competitors, teams, mechanics, officials and families who contributed to the championship throughout the season, bringing another year of regional competition to a close at Formula-K Raceway.
