Sorensen crisscrosses Gafrarar in final corners to win Mini ROK - 2019 ROK The Rio
With four lead changes on the final lap, Kai Sorensen (Supertune USA / Tony Kart) emerged from the scrum with the lead in the penultimate corner over Caleb Gafrarar (PSL Karting / Birel ART).
Gafrarar led for the first half of the 18-lap Mini ROK final before Sorensen was able to track down the North Carolinian and take the lead with nine laps to go. The two leaders played lead-follow for the remaining laps before they went at it over the final half of a lap. Gafrarar was into the lead as the two come off the hairpin corner after the straight, but the Birel ART driver left the door open for Sorensen to get back by. Gafrarar dove back under the Californian into the penultimate turn 11, but went well wide on exit, killing his momentum and allowing Sorensen an easy path around.
Riccardo Ianniello (NF / Kosmic) ran the full race in third comfortably. Sebastian Garzon (AM / Exprit) climbed nine spots to finish fourth ahead of a quartet of karts that battled throughout the final. Anderson Leonard (Supertune / Tony Kart) was 1-tenth of a second back in fifth, just ahead of his teammate Enzo Deligny.
Race Results - Top Five
2019 ROK The Rio Mini ROK Final
| Rnk | # | Driver | Gap | Best Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 115 | KAI SORENSEN | 53.855 | |
| 2 | 144 | CALEB GAFRARAR | 0.516 | 53.83 |
| 3 | 195 | RICCARDO IANNIELLO | 2.399 | 54.097 |
| 4 | 109 | SEBASTIAN GARZON | 7.342 | 53.843 |
| 5 | 181 | ANDERSON LEONARD | 7.456 | 54.106 |
Full standings
| Rnk | # | Driver | Gap | Best Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 174 | ENZO DELIGNY | 7.885 | 53.987 |
| 7 | 105 | AYDEN INGRATTA | 8.366 | 54.011 |
| 8 | 123 | MICHAEL COSTELLO | 10.515 | 54.231 |
| 9 | 112 | CHRISTIAN QUIJANO | 11.264 | 54.204 |
| 10 | 198 | SEBASTIAN WHELDON | 11.353 | 54.213 |
| 11 | 142 | CARLOS HERNANDEZ | 22.38 | 54.49 |
| 12 | 171 | ANTHONY WHITE | 22.599 | 54.622 |
| 13 | 155 | LEONARDO ESCORPIONI | 25.857 | 54.72 |
| 14 | 126 | ADAM FREIRE | 31.214 | 55.164 |
| 15 | 120 | DANE IDELSON | 33.669 | 54.28 |
| 16 | 133 | XANDER REED | 22.861 | 54.7 |
| 17 | 159 | WYATT VIDOVICH | 35.954 | 54.988 |
| 18 | 100 | DIEGO ARDILES | 36.425 | 55.107 |
| 19 | 117 | FRANKIE ESPOSITO | 25.746 | 54.728 |
| 20 | 116 | BEN CORKERY | 27.744 | 54.881 |
| 21 | 136 | ALEX RANTALA | 36.68 | 54.866 |
| 22 | 199 | BECKHAM TOUPIKOV | 37.581 | 55.059 |
| 23 | 101 | CADENCE PRESLEY | 37.745 | 55.215 |
| 24 | 177 | CASEY MOYER | 41.515 | 54.99 |
| 25 | 196 | CALEB CAMPBELL | 47.993 | 55.487 |
| 26 | 191 | CALEB KECK | 48.36 | 55.655 |
| 27 | 149 | ALEXANDER GEVORKYAN | 2 Laps | 56.018 |
| 28 | 111 | PATRICK MOLNAR | 3 Laps | 55.153 |
| 29 | 122 | TRESTIN MOORE | 37.899 | 55.439 |
| 30 | 134 | KEAGAN KAMINSKI | 4 Laps | 55.397 |
| 31 | 145 | REAGAN KERR | 6 Laps | 56.39 |
| 32 | 129 | LIAM FLANAGAN | 12 Laps | 54.405 |
| 33 | 121 | JOSEPH LAUNI | 5 Laps | 54.976 |