Gqeberha kart racer Jack Moore underlined his status as one of SA’s brightest prospects by defending his national OKJ title at the final round of the ROK SA Championship at Red Star Raceway in Delmas on Saturday.
The OKJ class caters for drivers from the year of their 11th birthday to the year of their 14th birthday.
Going into the last round with a 10-point lead in the championship standings, Moore knew that he needed a consistent performance to clinch the title, which he achieved by remaining calm and staying out of trouble and claimed three second-place finishes to seal his second OKJ class championship win.
A delighted Moore said: “It feels incredible to win again and defend my 2024 OKJ title. This season wasn’t just about winning every race but rather being smart and consistent.
“There were no dropped points allowed, so the final round was critical with four races and no drops, so I had to race carefully because any penalty could have cost me the championship.
“It’s not in my nature, but I listened to my team and my Dad and raced conservatively and made sure that I came in 3kg overweight in every race.
“I’m grateful to my team and sponsors for all their support. To come away with another national championship title is really special.”
The wealth of overseas experience that Moore has gained over the last season has certainly helped his performance this year by only missing out on a podium finish in just one of the 13 races that make up the National Championship.
Moore’s overseas campaign is far from over for the year.
With his title win, Moore once again secures himself a spot in the FIA Karting Junior Academy that is reserved for the 2025 National Champion as well as a ticket to compete at the ROK Cup Superfinals at South Garda in Italy later this year.
The FIA Karting Academy European Championship Trophy takes place over three rounds, with the next and final round being in Cremona, Italy, from September 25-28.
Moore has shown exceptional speed in the previous two rounds, often setting lap times during the qualifying heats that put him in the top three, but has been let down by a few underperforming engines in the finals.
The engines are all drawn from a pool and then redistributed throughout the weekend.
The Herald
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