eKartingNews.com is proud to present our Preview Series for the ROK Vegas 2025 presented by ROK Cup USA. Leading up to the on-track action scheduled for October 29-November 2 outside the Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, EKN will preview each of the 11 categories with four articles, including the provisional entry list for each division.

Trackside coverage is set to begin on Tuesday, October 28 with Paddock Insider and social media content. Coverage continues into Wednesday as karts hit the track for the first time. EKN Live begins Thursday, October 30 with qualifying. Listen LIVE to the four rounds of heat races and LCQs throughout Friday and Saturday. That sets the stage for the action on Sunday with nine main events for the 11 divisions. Listen at eKartingNews.com/live and eKartingNews.com/radio

Complete coverage of the ROK Vegas 2025 can be found at the EKN EVENT PAGE.

ROK GP Junior

Florida Winter Tour champion Cole Medeiros seeks another title to add to 2025 season (Photo: ROK Cup USA)

A talented field of 26 drivers will be in action for the ROK GP Junior category that has seen a lot of notable former winners. An eighth different winner will be crowned on Sunday outside the Rio after the five days of competition have been completed.

Five drivers are returning from last year’s event, all finishing inside the top 15. Sarah Bradley (RPM / Sodi Kart) was on the podium a year ago in third. The Florida driver is coming off vice-champion finish at the Florida Winter Tour while placing top five in the standings for SKUSA and USPKS, in what will be her last year in the Junior ranks. Panama driver Jose Alejandro Halphen (RPG / Kosmic) finished fifth a year ago, with Canadian Nathan Dupuis (Nash / EOS) placing sixth in 2024. Both are returning along with Colombia driver Jeronimo Coral (RPG / Kosmic) and Cole Anderson (GFC Karting) who finished inside the top 15.

The only driver in the field with a win at ROK Vegas is Isaac Malcuit (MDR / OTK). The driver from Ohio won the ROK Mini division in 2022. He is coming off victory at the RMC US Trophy Final in New Castle. Cole Medeiros (REM / Kosmic) is the 2025 Florida Winter Tour and the Canadian will make his ROK Vegas debut in the category.

A strong crop of Junior rookies are in the field coming off top 10 results in ROK Mini last year at ROK Vegas. Marco Sammut (BJR / LN Racing Kart) was on the podium last year, coming off a successful full season in the Junior ranks. Braydon Wagner (GFC Karting) was sixth a year ago in Mini, Cason Hodge (SSM / OTK) and JohnJohn McLellan (Nash / EOS) were seventh and 10th.

Drivers with wins on the 2025 season in the ROK GP Junior field include Erik Doan, moving to PSL Karting / Birelart, Tristan Murphy (RPM / OTK), Theo Salomao (Orsolon / Tony Kart), Travis Pettit (RPG / Kosmic), and Luca Popescu (RPG / Kosmic).

ROK Vegas Stats

1 – Former ROK Vegas event winner in field

4 – Drivers graduating from ROK Mini in 2024

5 – Returning drivers from last year’s event

6 – Different countries represented

19 – Drivers running both ROK GP and ROK VLR

ROK Vegas ROK GP Junior Winners

Sebastian Montoya (2018)
Enrico de Lucca (2019)
Alessandro de Tullio (2020)
Ayden Ingratta (2021)
Jorge Ortiz (2022)
Augustus Toniolo (2023)
Diego Ardiles (2024)

ROK VLR Junior

Momentum is on the side of Isaac Malcuit, coming off two big wins in the last two months (Photo: EKN)

The ROK VLR Junior category is among the big three classes of the ROK Vegas event, welcoming 47 drivers in the field. While this class did not run in 2018, this category will crown a sixth different winner with Alexander Vanchev moving up to the Senior ranks.

Four drivers are returning from the top 10 in 2024, led by Isaac Malcuit (MDR / LN Racing Kart). Malcuit was one spot away from the podium and is coming off victory at the RMC US Trophy Final event. Jose Alejandro Halpen (RPG / Kosmic) finished top 10 in both Junior categories, seeking to repeat in 2025. Challenge of the Americas champion Erik Doan (PSL / Birelart) finished eighth one year ago. Drew Jensen (Nash / EOS) placed 10th last year.

Aside from Malcuit, there is only one other former ROK Vegas winner in the field. Last year’s ROK Mini victor Nico Orbezo (IRM / Tony Kart) has moved up to the Junior ranks in 2025, leading the Cadet graduates in this year’s field. Valentino Santillan (Parolin Motorsport USA) was fourth, Braydon Wagner (GFC Karting) sixth, Cason Hodge (SSM / OTK) seventh and Troy Ferguson (Team KartNick / Tony Kart) eighth are among the leaders of the graduated squad.

Many of the same drivers in contention for ROK GP will be in the hunt for ROK VLR. Nathan Dupuis (Nash / EOS) was vice-champion in both USPKS and SKUSA competition in 2025. Canadian Cole Medeiros (REM / Kosmic), Travis Pettit (RPG / Kosmic) and USPKS champion Theo Salomao (Orsolon / Tony Kart) will be notable drivers to watch competing up front.

ROK Vegas Stats

2 – Former ROK Vegas event winner in field

7 – Different countries represented

9 – Drivers graduating from ROK Mini in 2024

13 – Returning drivers from last year’s event

19 – Drivers running both ROK GP and ROK VLR

ROK Vegas ROK VLR Junior Winners

Jorge Ortiz (2019)
Thomas Annunziata (2020)
Jesus Vasquez Jr. (2021-2022)
Steven Miller (2023)
Alexander Vanchev (2024)

Provisional ROK GP Junior Entry List

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