It was a double header weekend for the final event of the ROK Sonoma Presented by Titanium Sports Nutrition this past weekend at the famed Sonoma Raceway. With championship battles coming down to the wire and large grids that aimed for some additional track time before the ROK Cup USA ROK Vegas event next week, intensity was high as wheel-to-wheel racing got underway on Saturday morning. With Saturday providing the backdrop for round eight of the nine race championship, drivers returned Sunday for the final round as champions were crowned.

125cc Shifter LTD presented by Altwell

A familiar name returned to the top of the results sheet in the 125 Shifter LTD class as Patrick Beckley was the first driver to reach the checkered flag, adding another win to his race resume. Travis Bowles would push him along the way but came up just short in the end to be the days’ bridesmaid. Samuel Gluss was third overall in the #88 machine as he was unchallenged by the fourth-place runner of David Conyers and the eventual fifth-place finisher of Greg Abate.

Junior & Master 100cc

It was a new name at the top of the Junior 100cc timesheets as Max Altman was the driver to beat. With the fastest lap in the day’s final. Altman took a commanding five-second victory in the first race of a doubleheader weekend. Perennial front runner Anthony White had an epic battle with Hudson Sharp edging Sharp for the second position by .001 for the second step on the block. Sharp settled for third on the results sheets as Valen Venkatesh and Casey Moyer rounded out the top five.

Carlos Calderon continued his winning ways in the Master 100cc class as he was able to score a commanding six-second victory in the day’s eighteen-lap final. Flexing his muscles and pulling away from the field, Calderon was joined on the podium in second and third by Stephan Gaudreau and Scott Formanek. It was Kieron James that narrowly missed the third and final spot on the podium coming home fourth, just ahead of Savion Ragster in the fifth position.

Mini & Micro ROK presented by SSI Racing

The Mini ROK podium was made up of 50% of the last name Guidera as Gabby and Matt Guidera finished second and third respectively in the penultimate Mini ROK round. Finishing behind the eventual race winner of Mateo Calderon, it was Calderon who celebrated on the top step of the blocks next to the Guidera duo. Erik Doan finished 12.5 seconds in arrears of Calderon in the fourth position as Julian Sanchez crossed the line in fifth. The Micro ROK podium was completed by Landon Cordero Dolph who dominated the day to take the win with Jimmy Fogarty and Kylie Johnson finishing P2 and P3.

Senior 100cc presented by OPI Builders

It was a seventeen-kart-strong Senior 100cc field of drivers and none were faster than eventual race winner Dustin Salaverria. Salaverria, who was the fourth fastest driver on track, was able to take the honors by just over a second ahead of Roman Madrigal who outpaced Gino Sandoval by more than six seconds. With Salaverria, Madrigal, and Sandoval on the podium in first, second, and third, Christopher Martin and Michael Michoff finished fourth and fifth on track. Fast lap honors went to the tenth-place finisher of Eddie Shimmon who was nearly three-tenths of a lap quicker than the rest of the Senior 100cc field of drivers.

Pro ROK Shifter & Master ROK Shifter presented by Altwell

The Pro ROK Shifter race was won by former NTT INDYCAR Series driver and Andretti Autosport Formula E competitor Oliver Askew as he returned to karting to take the win. Preparing for his assault in the ROK Cup USA ROK Vegas event, Askew scored the win ahead of fellow podium finishers Brian Keck and Kevin Woods. With the top five shifter kart drivers separated by less than five seconds when the checkered flag flew, it was Aiden O’Neill and Ryan Martin who completed runs into the top five. On the Master ROK Shifter side of the program, Alan Morte took the win ahead of Patrick O’Neil.

Senior ROK & Master ROK

It was all Dan Jones in the Master ROK main event as he was able to pilot his #614 entry to the top of the results sheets and take the overall victory by just over two seconds. Hunter Hagenbuch was the best of the rest in P2 while Fred Clark rounded out the podium in the third and final position. David Palic edged Mario Blanco Gonzalez for the fourth position as Gonzalez rounded out the top five. On the Senior ROK side of the program, it was Torsten Olsen that earned the victory.

With the final event of the weekend setting the stage for round eight and round nine, stay tuned for the round nine race recap in the coming days.

For more information, visit ROK Sonoma online via their Facebook page by searching ROK Sonoma or at their website www.roksonoma.com

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