(Photo: Canadian Karting News)

The 2026 ROK Cup USA season kicked off this past weekend in Orlando, Florida, as nearly 200 ROKKERs came together to battle it out at the Orlando Kart Center (OKC). The home of the first two rounds in the three-race championship provided for some great wheel-to-wheel action as 11 drivers began their quest for Florida Winter Tour championships with victories.

After the opening event practice sessions, qualifying, heat races, and prefinals, officials changed the schedule on Sunday in the fear of threatening rain. Completing all the main events before noon was a great display of professionalism by teams, competitors, and the series in advancing the schedule.

“With temperatures dropping and rain coming in, we worked proactively to provide the best for teams and competitors,” explained ROK Cup USA’s Mike Burell. “In the end, it was a great Sunday morning of wheel-to-wheel racing as we crowned our first Florida Winter Tour race winners of 2026.”

ROK Shifter Masters

ROK Shifter Masters podium (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

Qualifying:

1. Cole Mathewson – 52.39
2. Matthew Sanford – 53.36
3. Skitchy Barnes – 1:08.24

ROK Shifter Super Masters

Qualifying:

1. Morne Van Taak – 53.00
2. Farshad Bagheri – 53.98
3. Ryan Coberly – 54.26
4. Brad Danoff – 54.73
5. Corey Eberhardt – 55.34

Final

ROK Shifter Super Masters podium (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

After three heat races and the prefinal, the grids were set for the ROK Shifter Masters and ROK Shifter Super Masters final, as they were the first group to hit the track Sunday morning. Skitchy Barnes (Maranello) started from the inside of the front row with Cole Mathewson (Rocket Racing Company) to his outside in the ROK Shifter Masters class. In the ROK Shifter Super Masters class, it was Morne Van Taak (VTM Racing Engines) who earned the pole position, just ahead of Brad Danoff (Maranello), Ryan Coberly (VTM Racing Engines), and Corey Eberhardt (VTM Racing Engines).

Mathewson got the jump at the start and rocketed to the lead with Barnes and Sanford following through in second and third. Van Taak got the jump in the ROK Shifter Super Masters class with Coberly and Brad Danoff in tow in the 14-minute plus two lap main event. Mathewson had opened a small gap early, but after only four minutes of racing, Barnes was closing the gap to Mathewson. Van Taak had opened a three-second gap over Coberly as he was pulling away from the Super Masters field. With eight minutes to go, Mathewson had opened the lead to nearly one second as it was a two-kart battle for the win in the ROK Shifter Masters division, while Van Taak had a four-second lead over Coberly, and Edgar Ortiz, who was now in the third position. Barnes went purple with five minutes to go to close the gap to half a second as any mistake by Mathewson could open the door for Barnes. With the front two trading fast lap after fast lap, Mathewson had opened the gap to eight tenths of a second before Barnes decreased it to half a second again. Mathewson set the fastest lap of the races with just a few minutes to go as he was answering the call of Barnes’ challenges. Van Taak continued to pace the ROK Shifter Super Masters class, as it was now his race to lose, with a huge gap to the second- and third-place drivers. Mathewson went on to win ROK Shifter Masters from Barnes and Sanford while Van Taak was the victor in ROK Shifter Super Masters over Coberly and Ortiz.

KZ Shifter

Qualifying:

1. Matheus Morgatto
2. Dominik Karai – 51.035
3. James Andress – 51.894
4. Paulie Hart – 52.118
5. Christopher Girem – 52.435

Final

KZ Shifter winner Matheus Morgatto (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

After dominating the weekend by earning the pole position, three heat race wins, and a pre-final victory, it looked as if Matheus Morgatto (Sodi USA by Velocity Racing) would start the main event from the pole position, but trouble in post-race technical inspection after the pre-final relegated him to sixth on the results sheet. Domini Karai (Sodi USA by Velocity Racing) was the biggest benefactor as he was awarded the pre-final win, and pole position for the main event. To his outside was James Andress (AWS/VTM Racing Engines), while Paulie Hart (Maranello) and Christopher Girem (AKT) occupied row two ahead of Joao Alves (D2 Motors) and Matheus Morgatto in row three.

The driver to watch would be Morgatto, as he was set to start shotgun in the small field and would look to drive his way to victory. Morgatto was up three spots off the start and then another position by the time he made it to turn four to move into second behind Karai. Taking the lead by the end of the first lap, Morgatto was back to the point and would look to pull away from the rest of the KZ Shifter field. Karai settled into the second position ahead of James Andress, Paulie Hart, and Joao Alves, who rounded out the top-five. With Morgatto lapping nearly half a second faster than any of his rivals, the gap was already more than two seconds after just a few laps. It was equally spaced up front as the closest battle on track was the battle for fourth between Hart, Alves, and Girer, who were separated by less than two seconds on track. At mid-race distance, Morgatto led by four seconds as Girer was by Alves for the fifth position with a bold move in the Junkyard Turn. Morgatto drove to the victory by seven seconds over Karai, Andress, Hart, and Girem, who was able to hold off Alves over the final lap to secure a top-five result.

AM Engines – ROK SV

Qualifying:

1. Blake Nash – 53.428
2. Alan Isambard – 53.442
3. Sebastian Vanegas – 53.471
4. Jose Alejandro Halphen – 53.578
5. Caden McQueen – 53.635

Final

ROK SV winner Alan Isambard (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

After qualifying fifth on Friday, McQueen (SODI USA by Velocity Racing) made a statement by steadily moving his way through the three heat races and taking the win in the pre-final of ROK SV Pro. The win secured the pole position for Sunday’s final, but the ever-fast Chace Gassiot-Lee (Team Benik) would line up to his outside. In row two was a pair of Brazilian drivers, Enzo Vidmontiene (SLA Karting) and Andre Nicastro (Rolison Performance Group), while Alan Isambard (Rocket Racing Company) and Davin Roberts (Privateer) slotted into P5 and P6.

McQueen was in the lead from the start as Gassiot-Lee and Vidmontiene followed through to close the top-three after lap one. Andre Nicastro slotted into the fourth position with Isambard into fifth. Just a lap later, Gassiot-Lee and Vidmontiene pushed by McQueen, bringing Isambard with them and pushing McQueen down to fourth as it was an all-out battle up front. Gassiot-Lee led but was on defense as he aimed to keep a hard-charging group of drivers behind him. Isambard was able to sneak by Vidmontiene for second as he aimed to take it to the Team Benik driver, Gassiot-Lee, for the win. Blake Nash, who was disqualified after the prefinal for weight, was up 13 positions in just four laps to run 11th. Isambard sat behind Gassiot-Lee as the top-two looked to pull away from the field, as Nash was in the top-ten in tenth. Isambard got by Gassiot-Lee with the two trading the position again a lap later. Isambard wanted to lead and he was able to get back to the point with Nash up another three positions and into seventh. Nicastro was third behind the top-two, with McQueen fourth, and Davin Roberts in the fifth position. With under five minutes to go, Isambard led by half a second. Nash had set the fastest lap of the race as he moved into the sixth position, less than three seconds behind the leader Isambard. Nicastro was by Gassiot-Lee for the second position as at 44 years of age, Nicastro was looking to challenge for the win in SV Pro. Gassiot-Lee dropped to fifth after being hung out to dry late in the race as Isambard was now up front by just over a second. Nash was into fifth with three laps remaining, but it was all Isambard up front. Isambard went on to take the win for Rocket Racing Company as Nicastro defended for second, ahead of Roberts who crossed the line third ahead of Nash and McQueen.

Rocket Racing Company – ROK GP Junior

Qualifying:

1. Tristan Murphy – 54.21
2. Nico Orbezo – 54.29
3. Josh Bergman – 54.39
4. Achilles Siperko – 54.50
5. Andres Salazar – 54.57

Final

ROK GP Junior winner Nico Kotowski (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

It was all Nico Kotowski (Trinity Karting Group) in the ROK GP Junior prefinal as he took the win by almost two seconds and locked down Sunday’s main event pole position. Tristan Murphy (Ryan Perry Motorsport) pushed him hard early on in the prefinal but could not keep pace, settling for second and the outside front row starting spot. Behind them, Josh Bergman (MPG Motorsports), Nico Orbezo (Iron Rock Motorsports), Clayton Stiles (Iron Rock Motorsports), and Brandon Shor (Norberg Karting Academy) held positions third through sixth for the start of the final.

Kotowski held on to the lead from his pole position with Bergman in second ahead of Murphy. As Bergman and Murphy were being feisty early, Kotowski was more than a second ahead after only three laps. Orbezo ran fourth ahead of Achilles Siperko, who rounded out the top-five. Murphy went purple on lap four to keep the gap around one second, but Kotowski was super consistent up front. The top-five remained unchanged for several laps, as Kotowski continued to hit his marks and set fast lap after fast lap. Orbezo had caught the back of Murphy and Bergman as he looked to make a quick move and set his sights on Kotowski. Kotowski led by 1.7 seconds after eight circuits, as both Bergman and Orbezo were by Murphy to move into second and third. Orbezo was now the quickest kart on track and was by Bergman for second. With the gap to Kotowski 2.42, the charge was on. Closing the gap to 2.21 on just one lap, Kotowski answered the call a lap later, opening it back up to 2.34. With four laps to go, Kotowski maintained his gap up front ahead of Orbezo and Bergman. Eli Steinbruch gained two positions on lap 14 to move to fourth, moving Murphy and Siperko back to fifth and sixth. Siperko moved by Murphy a lap later into P5 but with two laps to go, it was all Kotowski up front. Kotowski went on to take the win as Bergman was able to get by Orbezon on the final corner to steal the second step on the podium. Orbezo was third ahead of Steinbruch and Siperko. Following post-race penalties, Kotowski, Bergman, and Orbezo held onto their positions with Steinbruch pushed to fifth behind Siperko.

Orsolon Racing – ROK Micro

Qualifying:

1. Jack Kotowski – 1:00.96
2. Franco Schiavo – 1:01.23
3. Max Santana – 1:01.44
4. Enzo Ramos – 1:01.50
5. Romeo Ferrante – 1:01.56

Final

ROK Micro winner Jack Kotowski (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

Maintaining his pole position in qualifying through the main event, Jack Kotowski (Trinity Karting Group) started in the premier position Sunday courtesy of his prefinal victory on Saturday afternoon. Max Santana (Team Benik) was the best of the rest and would line up second for the start of Sunday’s final, while row two saw the likes of Franco Schiavo (TW Racing) and Braxton Shiflett (GFC) ahead of Tre Sanders (Nash Motorsportz) in fifth.

With the first start waved off, Kotowski got a poor start but threw it into the first corner to maintain the lead ahead of Shiflett and Schivao, with Santana closing lap one in the fourth position. The top two ran bumper-to-bumper as they had opened a half-second gap on Schiavo. Shamir Licairac was in the fifth position, but he and the fourth-place runner of Santana had lost touch with the lead trio and were more than five seconds in arrears. Schiavo closed the gap on Shiflett and was able to begin his charge to the point as the top-three were separated by less than two-tenths of a second. Licairac was by Santana for fourth, bringing Charlie Skrzypkowski with him, and into the fifth position. Skrzypkowski continued his charge and moved into the fourth position ahead of Licairac as the battle started to rage up front. Kotowksi led as Shiflett and Schiavo swapped second and third on a few occasions on lap seven as the fight was on for the win. Licairac fell way down the running order on lap 11 brining Tre Sanders into the fifth position. With two laps to go, the gloves were off, and it was time to fight for the win. Kotowski did not defend the opening part of the lap, as the front three remained in line and bided their time. With the last lap flag displayed, Kotowski defended into turn four with no changes.  Kotowski did not need to defend down the back straight as he went flag to flag for the win ahead of Shiflett, Schiavo, Enzo Ramos, who gained 16 positions, and Skrzypkowski, who was up 12 positions.

ROK Mini

Qualifying:

1. Izko Alonso – 59.39
2. Dutch Westbrook – 59.37
3. Leonardo Tavares – 59.39
4. Aidan Go – 59.43
5. Dominic Vera Roa – 59.44

Final

ROK Mini podium (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

Cooper Lorenzo Lopez (Privateer) started from the pole position Sunday, courtesy of his prefinal win with Vicente Aguilar (AM Engines) to his left and in the off-pole position. Hudson Hidalgo (Nash Motorsportz) slotted into third for the start, with Izko Alonso (AM Engines) to his outside, as Nico Salazar (Orsolon Racing) and Dominic Vera Roa (AKT) in row three.

It was a disaster for Lopez before the race even started, as an issue on the warm-up lap saw him pull his kart off track and retire before he even had a chance to compete. Vicente Aguilar would now lead the field to the green flag with Lopez on the sidelines. With some contact on the start and several karts spinning on the exit of turn two, it was Aguilar who emerged from lap one in the lead ahead of Salazar, Alonso, Hidalgo, and Colton Bruck. Hidalgo and Bruck moved into third and fourth on lap two, with Samuel Chaverri following through to the fifth position. Bruck and Salzar were by Hidalgo to follow Aguilar up front with Samuel Chaverri into fourth. Aguilar led by 1.24 after four laps over Bruck, Salazar, Chaverri, and Hidalgo, with Aidan Go moving forward to the sixth position. With five minutes plus two laps to go, it was calm at the front as drivers had started to work together and plan their attack over the last few circuits. Bruck was closing the gap up front and reduced it to just about seven-tenths of a second as the race moved into the final stages. Bruck closed it by another tenth on the next lap as it was on for the ROK Mini win. With the top-five separated by just two seconds, it was Aguilar who led Bruck, Salazar, Chaverri, and Hidalgo, with Aguilar going purple with the fastest lap of the race on lap ten. Aguilar went on to take the win ahead of Bruck, Salazar, Chaverri, and Hidalgo.

ROK VLR Senior

Qualifying:

1. Collin Lloyd – 55.55
2. Mauricio Hernandez – 55.56
3. Jose Alejandro Halphen – 55.57
4. Joaquin Gorlero Pizarro – 55.58
5. Sebastian Garzon – 55.60

Final

ROK VLR Senior winner Collin Lloyd (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

Collin Lloyd was awarded the prefinal win by just over two-tenths of a second and, in doing so, earned the pole position for Sunday’s ROK VLR Senior final. On the outside, Jose Alejandro Halphen (Rolison Performance Group) started his quest for victory from P2, while in row two, Mauricio Hernandez (D2 Motors), who took the win on track but was penalized, and Sebastian Garzon (Orsolon Racing) lined up side-by-side. Joaquin Gorlero Pizarro (SLA Karting) and Tiziano Rosso (Norberg Karting Academy) started fifth and sixth, respectively, as there were six different nationalities of drivers inside the top-six.

28 drivers would take to the track for the ROK VLR Senior main event, with Lloyd having a tremendous start as he maintained the lead, with Halphen getting by Hernandez for P2 on the first corner. Halphen slotted into the third position ahead of Garzon and Pizarro in the 14 minute plus two lap main event. Hernandez was by Lloyd on lap two to take the lead as Bernal Valverde was by Pizarro for the fifth position. It was a five-kart breakaway up front led by Hernandez, as Lloyd was curb hopping to keep in touch with Hernandez. Valverde fell off the back of the five-kart train, making it four up front with Garzon sneaking by Halphen for third as he scored the fastest lap of the race. Garzon was the fastest kart on track and was quickly closing the gap on Hernandez and Lloyd as he asserted himself in the fight for the win. Lloyd made a bold move to get by Hernandez for the lead, with Garzon taking advantage of the battle up front to sneak by and take them both to find himself in the lead. Garzon now led Lloyd, Hernandez, Halphen, and Valverde. Lloyd jumped by Garzon on lap eight, but on lap nine, it was Garzon who was back up front. With five minutes plus two laps to go, Garzon led Hernandez, Lloyd, Halphen, and Pizarro. Garzon and now Hernandez were eight-tenths ahead of Lloyd now as they aimed to make it a two-driver battle for the win. Pizarro was by Halphen for fourth on lap 11 with Garzon and Hernandez still nose to tail up front. Hernandez was looking for a way by Garzon as Lloyd sat about half a second back and was watching with pleasure. Garzon led with two laps to go over Hernandez, Lloyd, Pizarro, and Halphen. Lloyd was by Hernandez in turn four on the penultimate lap, the Sodi Kart driver was aiming for the win. Garzon continued to lead, but it was still anyone’s race with one lap to go. Garzon defended into turns four and five, but in turn eight it was Lloyd who went back to the lead and drove to the win ahead of Hernandez, Pizarro, Garzon, who lost three positions on the final lap, and Halphen, who rounded out the top-five.

Rolison Performance Group – ROK VLR Masters

ROK VLR Masters podium (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

Qualifying:

1. Danillo Ramalho – 57.00
2. Laurentiu Mardan – 57.08
3. Sal Ditta – 57.16
4. Paul Elefonte – 57.19
5. Dan Devereaux – 57.59

Rolison Performance Group – ROK VLR Super Masters

Qualifying:

1. Gabriel De Lucca – 57.44
2. Scott Falcone – 57.58
3. Tony Palo – 57.68
4. Alexander Dal Bon – 57.91
5. Peter Cook – 58.71

Final

ROK VLR Super Masters winner Scott Falcone (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

Canadian Sal Ditta (Goodwood Kartways) jumped to the pole position for Sunday’s main event after winning the prefinal as he led the field to the green in his hope to stand atop the Florida Winter Tour podium. Looking to hold his rivals at bay, Dan Devereaux (DDR) started second with Paul Elefonte (Rocket Racing Company) and Ale Xavier (Orsolon Racing) in row two. In the ROK VLR Super Masters class, it was Alexander Dal Bon (LFB Racing) and Scott Falcone (Orsolon Racing) in the premier positions, with Peter Cook (PKE3) and Tony Palo (Privateer) in row two.

In the mixed class final, and a little bit of an aggressive start by drivers in the middle of the pack, Ditta led the ROK VLR Masters class with Scott Falcone leading the Super Masters class. Contact saw Paul Cook fall down the order, but it was clean and green up front. Ditta led Ale Zavier, Laurentiu Mardan, Paul Elefonte and Danillo Ramalho while Falcone led Alexander Dal Bon, and Tony Palo in the Super Masters class. Ditta continued to lead up front, but it had kicked off behind him with Mardan and Elefonte moving to second and third respectively, with Ramalho into fourth, pushing Xavier to fifth. Mardan was quicker than Ditta as he looked to close the gap with Ramalho by Elefonte for the third and final step on the podium on lap five. The top-three in the Super Master class remained unchanged, with Falcone, Dal Bon, and Palo occupying those three positions. Ramalho was much faster than Ditta and Mardan as he closed the gap from 2.9 to 2.5 in just one lap, and then to 2.1 a lap later with seven minutes plus two laps remaining. The race was on as by lap eight, the gap was reduced to 1.47 as Ramalho was definitely in the fight for the win. In the Super Master class, it was still Falcone up front ahead of Dal Bon and Palo, Gabriel De Lucca, and Peter Cook. Ramalho was by Mardan in the Junkyard Turn to move into second and less than one second in arrears of Ditta, despite making a pass. Ramalho was by Ditta as a kart was upside down in the Junkyard Turn, but Ditta was back to the point a few corners later to take the lead, bringing Mardan with him. Ramalho was by Mardan on lap 13 to assume P2 on track with Ditta leading by .31. Ramalho was aggressive into turn eight on lap 14 as he was on the bumper of Ditta in the fight for the win. Ramalho threw it inside in his bid for the lead, but Ditta was able to hold tough on the outside, all while Elefonte was by Mardan for the final podium position. With two laps to go, Ramalho was by Ditta for the lead. Ramalho drove away for the win with Ditta, Elefonte, Mardan, and Xavier rounding out the top-five. In the Super Master class, Falcone scored the win ahead of Dal Bon, Palo, De Lucca, and Cook. Following the race, Mardan was handed a five-position penalty that pushed him out of the top-five and put Elefonte on the podium in third ahead of Xavier and Devereaux.

Nash Motorsportz – ROK VLR Junior

1. Nico Kotowski – 55.59
2. Isaac Malcuit – 55.63
3. Nico Orbezo – 55.97
4. Trsitan Murphy – 56.00
5. Eli Steinbruch – 56.08

Final

ROK VLR Junior winner Nico Kotowski (Photo: Canadian Karting News)

Not able to qualify inside the top-five, Maxwell Macha (Parolin USA) used the heat races and prefinal to advance forward and earn the pole position for the main event. Isaac Malcuit (BJR / MDD) and Nico Orbezo (Iron Rock Motorsports) held on to their positions from qualifying to start second and third in the final, just ahead of Darren Kidd (MDR Karting) and Tristan Murphy (Ryan Perry Motorsports).

Darren Kidd had a motor issue on the warmup lap and was out before the green lights turned on, forcing a pair of waved-off starts to remove his kart from the racing surface. Macha jumped to the lead on the start but was unable to hold on as Malcuit closed lap one as the leader. Macha was second on track ahead of Kotowski, Cole Anderson, and Murphy. Kotowski was by Macha on lap two and, as the quickest kart on track, was on the rear bumper of Malcuit in no time. Nico Orbezo had moved his way into the fourth position, just ahead of Maddox Ruiz in fifth. Kotowski made a bold move in turn eight to take the lead, pushing Malcuit to second as Macha ran third. Kotowski lost the lead to Malcuit on lap six with Macha following closely, and Orbezo started to close the gap to the top-three. Kotowski took the lead a lap later, bringing Macha with him into the second position as the top-four were now separated by less than seven tenths of a second. Orbezo was able to sneak by Macha for the second position on lap nine as he was looking to position himself to fight for the win. Macha continued to run third ahead of Ruiz, Malcuit, and Cameron Johnson, who was on a charge. Orbezo pounced on a small mistake by Kotowski to take the lead with two minutes plus two laps to go. Kotowski was back by Orbezo on lap 14 with Macha following through a few corners later. Macha pushed his way back to the lead on lap 15 as Kotowski fell down the order. With two laps to go, Macha led Orbezo, Malcuit, and Kotowski and Ruiz. Orbezo looked for the lead on the outside of turn nine before the white flag flew for the final lap of the day. Contact between Macha and Malcuit pushed them out of contention for the win. Orbezo defended on Kotowski but was unsuccessful with Kotowski scoring the win ahead of Orbezo, Malcuit, Ruiz, and Johnson. Ruiz suffered an on track penalty that pushed him to seventh in the results as Johnson and Macha were elevated to fourth and fifth.

The second round of the 2026 Florida Winter Tour will take place February 6-8, right back in the heart of Florida, at the Orlando Kart Center. Registration is already open, and you can complete the process HERE.

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