KARTING | Cronje Fourth at Rain-Affected ROK Regional Opener

Reigning National Bambino Champion Noah Cronje finished an impressive fourth overall on Saturday, 18 February, at the rain-affected opening round of the MSA Northern Regions Regional ROK Karting Championship held at the Formula-K Kart Circuit, Benoni.

Competing in only his second Kid ROK event since claiming a triple crown in the Bambino class in 2022, Cronje astounded many with a skilled performance in wet conditions. It was, however, in the dry that the young Pretoria driver did not get the desired results. After qualifying in fifth during the morning session, Cronje retained his starting position throughout an uneventful race to round out the top five finishers.

Cronje’s best result would, however, be in the rain-affected race, where he exhibited superb skill to finish second and claim his first podium of the season. After starting in fifth, a less-than-desired opening lap saw him drop back to seventh before he bounced back to make his way back up through the field. At the midway mark, Cronje had claimed fifth and closed the gap ahead. With a lap remaining, the Sparco ambassador made his final pass to move into the second position, ahead of the chequered flag.

The final heat would see Cronje err on the opening lap, falling to the back of the pack. While he rejoined the race, he had no realistic chance of scoring a good result and crossed the finish line in sixth. The result saw him claim fourth overall on the day to end a challenging weekend.

“It’s been a tough day,” said Cronje. “But I know these days are part of the learning and building process. There is much we can take from today, and we have. The wet race was exciting, and I could find grip where others couldn’t. So to walk away with my first podium in only my second Kid ROK race is positive. We will continue our preparations as planned, focusing on the upcoming national round in Port Elizabeth.”

Cronje thanks Easy Life Kitchens Faerie Glen, Easy Life Kitchens Zambesi and Sparco for the support.

Cronje returns to the circuit on 24-25 March for the national opening round of MSA’s National Karting Championship (ROK Cup), scheduled for a return to the Celso Scribante Kart Track, Gqeberha.