(Photo: CKN - Cody Schindel)

The 27th season for the Florida Winter Tour presented by ROK Cup USA is underway following Round One contested at the Orlando Kart Center. The Orlando, Florida facility welcomed nearly 200 entries over the eight categories competing over the three days of action. Rain washed in over the Saturday and Sunday, causing a delay during the Sunday main events. All the action was completed, however, with the eight winners decided to open up the new season.

206 Senior podium (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

Dylan Amundsen (VLR) dominated the action in the Briggs 206 Senior class, with a complete sweep. The first class in the order saw Amundsen take the top spot in all on-track sessions. He set fast time in qualifying with a 1:04.96 lap time to clear the eight driver field by over a second. He won all three heat races and the Prefinal to remain with the pole position for the main event. Dylan led all 16 laps of the Final to claim the Round One victory. Luca Albanese (Orioli Kart Performance) and Eric King (LowKey Racing) completed the podium with Stefano Morice (AM Engines) fourth and Sam Philippe fifth.

ROK GP Pro podium (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

Next in the order was the ROK GP Pro division, featuring 14 drivers. Blake Nash (Nash Motorsportz) open the event with fast time in qualifying, a 52.28 to clear the field by just over two tenths. Nash won the opening heat race before rain Saturday morning hit Orlando. Canadian Lucas Nanji (HM Propela) took advantage to secure the race win in Heat #2. Conditions dried out for Heat #3 as Senior rookie Diego Ardiles (Speed Concepts Racing) grabbed the race win. Nash returned to the top of the order in the Prefinal to claim the pole position for the Final. Rain returned Sunday morning for the main event with Nash leading the first three laps before getting shuffled down the order. Nicolas Fuca (AM Engines) took over the point, leading the remainder of the race to take the checkered flag. Nanji was close at the line for second, however a penalty put the gap at just over 10 seconds. Caden McQueen (Energy Corse Americas) crossed the line in third, yet he was removed from the results following tech, promoting Ardiles to the third spot on the podium. Nash worked his way back into the top-five but a three position penalty for contact dropped him down to sixth. That promoted Ludovic Sabourin (HM Propela) to fourth and Arnaud Sabourin (Prime Powerteam) in fifth.

ROK GP Junior podium (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

Several drivers were in contention on the weekend in the ROK GP Junior class that welcomed 24 drivers. Alexander Vanchev (Rolison Performance Group) led the way in qualifying with a 53.29 lap. Vanchev retired in the opening heat race, allowing Edward Kennedy (Energy Corse Americas) to earn the win. Fellow Canadian Cole Medeiros (Racing Edge Motorsports) won in the wet Heat #2 after provisional winner Victor de Alencar (AM Engines) was removed from result for track width. Vanchev retained the top spot in the final heat before Sarah Bradley (Speed Concepts Racing) jumped out to grab the win in the Prefinal. Rain returned for the Final as early shuffling led to Vanchev to secure the top spot. By lap eight, de Alencar took over the lead. He powered away to claim the victory by over eight seconds ahead of Vanchev. Canadian Nathan Dupuis (LowKey Racing) ended up third ahead of Bradley and Kennedy.

ROK Micro (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

A diverse international field of 26 drivers made up the ROK Micro division. Dutch Westbrook (Team Benik) opened up the event with fast time in qualifying with a 1:00.27 lap. He went on to win all three heat races in different weather conditions before crossing the line first in the Prefinal. A two-position penalty for tram line infraction at the start dropped him to third, promoting Zev Godschalk (Team Benik) to the win and pole position for the Final. After leading the opening circuit in the wet conditions, Alvaro Medeiros (Orsolon Racing) took over the point. From there, Medeiros led the remainder of the 14-lap main event, securing the victory. Godschalk crossed the line in second ahead of Mauro Nario (Orsolon Racing). Cam Becker (Orioli Kart Performance) was fourth with Cesar Augusto Barradas (AM Engines) placing fifth.

ROK Mini podium (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

Similar to ROK Mini, 26 drivers made up the competitive field on the weekend. Mini rookie Santiago Orioli (Orioli Kart Performance) was able to edge out Alex Chandler (Iron Rock Motorsports) by three hundredths with a 59.00 lap time in qualifying. Orioli won the opening two rounds of heats before Chandler came out on top in the third. Orioli went wire-to-wire in the Prefinal to lead the field to the green flag for the Final. Starting fourth, Mini rookie Cameron Johnson (Team FMS) was able to emerge with the lead through the opening lap. From there, Johnson led all 11 laps to claim the victory. Orioli settled for second over Dominic Gaddis (MPG Motorsports). Asher Pavan (Parolin Motorsport USA) was fourth with Cooper Lorenzo Lopez in fifth.

ROK VLR Masters podium (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

Former FWT contender Scott Falcone (Orsolon Racing) returned for the first time in many years, claiming the victory in ROK VLR Masters. Mark Pavan (Parolin Motorsport USA) led the way in qualifying, clearing the nine driver field by over two tenths with a 56.62 lap. A spin in the opening lap of Heat #1 put him at the tail of the field, allowing Gabriel Alvarez (AM Engines) to grab the win. Pavan returned to win the final two heat races before Alexander dal Bon (LFB Racing) won in a great Prefinal battle. Starting fifth, Falcone was able to take advantage of the wet weather, as dal Bon retired on lap two. Falcone grabbed the lead on lap four from Alvarez, leading the remainder of the race for the victory. Alvarez crossed the line second, however, multiple penalties dropped him to eighth in the order, moving Pavan and Kevin Ye (Goodwood Kartways) to third. Sebastian Perez (LFB Racing) and Andrei Isac (Tecno Kart USA) completed the top-five.

ROK VLR Senior podium (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

The largest category of the weekend was the ROK VLR Senior class at 44 drivers. Alan Isambard (Rocket Racing Company) led the way with a 54.62 lap. Diego Ramos (PSL Karting) won a great battle with Caden McQueen (Energy Corse Americas) in Heat #1 with Ramos took the top spot once again in Heat #2. Ramos retired after eight laps in Heat #3, allowing McQueen to earn the race win. Isambard maintained the top spot in the Prefinal over McQueen and Ramos to lead the field to the green flag in the Final. Isambard was shuffled out of the top-five after the opening lap of the main event as Ramos moved to the lead. From there, Ramos led McQueen the entire 14 laps in the wet conditions for the provisional win. A pushback bumper penalty for Ramos took the victory away, handing the top step of the podium to McQueen. Louie Westover (Energy Corse Americas) made it two UK drivers on the podium in third. Isambard ended up fourth with Senior rookie Chace Gassiot-Lee (Nash Motorsportz) in fifth.

ROK VLR Junior podium (Photo: CKN – Cody Schindel)

Alexander Vanchev (Rolison Performance Group) produced the second sweep of the weekend, dominating the action in ROK VLR Junior. Vanchev put down a 54.830 lap to top the charts in qualifying over the 41 driver field. Vanchev won all three heat races and the Prefinal to remain on the pole position for the Final. In the main event, Vanchev led all 15 laps, driving away to a 2.9-second advantage for the victory. Theo Salomao (Orsolon Racing) was second with Canadian Nathan Dupuis (LowKey Racing) up eight spots to third. Junior rookie Alessandro Truchot (Parolin Motorsport USA) was fourth with Eli Steinbruch (Orsolon Racing) rounding out the top-five.

The second stop for the Florida Winter Tour presented by ROK Cup USA is slated for February 14-16, returning back to the Orlando Kart Center in Orlando, Florida.

Share on Facebook

Tweet