Jake Drew has led the way over the opening two days in the new ROK SV Pro category (Photo: EKN)

Chase Hand won two of the four heat races in the ROK VLR Senior category (Photo: EKN)

The first full day of racing for ROK Vegas 2025 took place on Halloween outside the Rio Hotel & Casino with two full rounds of heats contested on Friday. Picture perfect weather for Las Vegas greeted the over 300 entries in the 11 categories competing on the day.

Jake Drew (FW / GFC) has shown the way in the new ROK SV Pro category featuring 49 drivers on track at the same time. After securing the fast time in qualifying on Thursday of 40.568, he went on to win both heat races on Friday. The opening heat was a 1.785 margin over British driver Caden McQueen (Velocity / Sodi Kart) who wrecked in qualifying despite putting down the fourth quickest time. Canadian Gianluca Savaglio (REM / Kosmic) was third with USA driver Dean Pedersen (Soren / Kart Republic) fourth. Frankie Mossman (SCR / CS55) was fifth but a pushback bumper penalty dropped him one spot, moving Gianmatteo Rousseau (AM / Exprit) to fifth. Drew led all 14 laps of Heat #2, pressured late by McQueen in what was a very messy heat with multiple drivers smashing barriers around the course. Drew won by only 0.119 after holding a big lead until the end. Mossman won the fight for third ahead of Pedersen and Savaglio.

Adrian Renaudin came through for the win in Heat Two for ROK Shifter Pro (Photo: EKN)

The 61 driver field for ROK VLR Senior was led on Thursday in qualifying by Jonathan Portz (NRC / Exprit) with a lap of 42.458. The field was broken up into ABCD groups for the heat races, as Chase Hand (GFC Karting) came out of Friday with two of the heat race wins. Hand was able to take the win in AvsB with Portz slipping back earlier but working his way up to second while Senior rookie Alexander Vanchev (RPG / Kosmic) was third. Sebastian Garzon (Orsolon / Tony Kart) won the CvsD heat race in what was a very competitive 14 lap battle. Alessandro de Tullio (RRC / LN Racing Kart) subbing for Alan Isambard started P1 but ended up second with Jose Carlos Hernandez (Orsolon / Tony Kart) in third. The second round of heats was led by Jeremy Fletcher (MMK / CS55) and Hand. Fletcher was able to work past Portz on the final lap of the AvsC heat to score the win with Hernandez in third. Hand walked away from the field in the BvsD heat race as Collin Lloyd (Velocity / Sodi Kart) and Jesus Vasquez Jr. (GFC Karting) were second and third.

The fight in ROK Shifter Pro is a four driver battle after the opening day of racing. Top qualifier Jacob Gulick (GFC Karting) with a lap of 39.568 showed the way in the opening heat race ahead of Frenchman Adrien Renaudin (Velocity / Sodi Kart) and Cooper Becklin (NRC / LN Racing Kart). The lead pack was four in Heat #2 as Renaudin took the lead over the opening circuit and went on to score the win over Gulick with Massimo Valiante (IM / Italkart) in third over Becklin.

ROK GP Junior had been led by Leonardo Serravalle over the opening two days (Photo: EKN)

Canadian Leonardo Serravalle (REM / Kosmic) has led the way over the first two days in ROK GP Junior. The top qualifier was able to win the opening heat race over Travis Pettit (RPG / Kosmic) with Sarah Bradley (RPM / Sodi Kart) up to third. An opening corner incident shuffled up the field in Heat #2 as Serravelle drove away to a 2.5 second advantage in the 14-lap race. Bradley was second with Royce Vega (RPG / Kosmic) up to third from P9.

Three different drivers won the four heat races in the ROK VLR Junior category on Friday. Isaac Malcuit (LEM / OTK) took the top spot in AvsB ahead of Cole Medeiros (REM / Kosmic) and top qualifier Leonardo Serravalle (REM / Kosmic). Jackson Gibson (NRC / Exprit) was the other winner in the opening round as he edged out Luca Popescu (RPG / Kosmic) and Jose Halphen (RPG / Kosmic) in a fight that went down to the wire after Ryker Margo (JMF / OTK) led the way for most of the race. Medeiros took the top spot in the AvsC heat with a big pack behind that was led by Serravalle and fellow Canadian Edward Kennedy (SCR / CS55). Malcuit led all 14 laps of the BvsD heat race for his second win on the day. Magro drove to second while Erik Doan (PSL / Birelart) gained two spots to third.

Isaac Malcuit doubled up in heat race wins for ROK VLR Junior (Photo: EKN)

The ROK VLR Masters and ROK VLR Super Masters field was very competitive on the opening day of racing. Top qualifier Renato Jader David (Orsolon / Tony Kart) secure the opening round heat win ahead of Ben Cooper (RPG / Kosmic) and Kyle Hayner (HRT / Kosmic). Scott Falcone (Orsolon / Tony Kart) was fourth overall and won the Super Master class ahead of Mario Barrios (RPG / Kosmic) in fifth with Tim Meyer (Atomic / Kosmic) third in class, ninth overall. Things shook up on and off the track in the second heat with Cooper able to work past RJD on the final lap for the race win while Laurentiu Mardan (Tecno Kart USA) worked up to third from P6. Falcone was there as well, winning provisionally in Super Masters until he was removed from the results following tech. That promoted Barrios to the win, Erik Jackson (VemmeKart) to second and Alexader Dal Bon (LFB Racing) into third.

Kevin Woods (RWR / CRG) lead overall on the day in the ROK Shifter Masters / ROK Shifter Super Masters race group. The top four were Super Masters drivers as Woods won the opening heat race ahead of Morne Van Taak (VTM / RS Kart) and Patrick O’Neill (RWR / CRG). O’Neill was able to finish second in Heat #2, putting on the pressure to Woods with Van Taak right there in third. Hunter Hagenbuch (GFC Karting) lead the way in Masters over Luis Quinone (LFB / OTK) and Sergio Rodriguez (LFB / OTK) for both heat races.

Maxwell Macha worked up to the point in both heats for ROK Mini (Photo EKN)

Maxwell Macha (Parolin Motorsport USA) shined in the opening two rounds of heat races. Top qualifier Christian Damianidis (Parolin) was shuffled back and eventually reitres after making contact with a barrier. Macha went on to win by 1.5 seconds in the opening heat race over Nico Salazar (Orsolon / Tony Kart) with Santiago Orioli (Velocity / Sodi Kart) in third. Macha led wire-to-wire in Heat #2 as Orioli moved up to second and Luis Martinez (Position-One / Croc Promotion) gained four spots to third.

The opening heat race for ROK Micro was a six driver battle that went down to the wire. Liam Francisco (RPM / Nitro Kart) went from third to first in the final few corners to claim the win ahead of Jack Kotowski (PSL / Birelart) and Lenox Lockhart (Velocity / Sodi Kart). It was Lockhart that jumped out to the lead in the second heat race, taking the top spot by just over seven tenths with a group led by top qualifier Alvaro Medeiros (Orsolon / Tony Kart) and Chase Riddering (Position One / Croc Promotion).

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