Bermuda’s Scott Barnes secured a hard-fought second-place finish at the 28th anniversary of the Florida Winter Tour, while back home, over 40 drivers took to the track for a packed day of domestic racing.
At the Orlando Kart Center, the final of the ROK Shifter Masters Division was moved forward to 08:50 local time to evade an incoming storm. Starting from pole after his dominant Saturday, Barnes suffered a sluggish launch off the line which saw him drop to second. Despite a valiant effort to regain the lead over the 18-lap final, the Maranello Karts USA driver was unable to find a way past.
"I think I was still not fully awake cause second was all I had today," Barnes admitted. "I ran the fastest times of the final, but a bad launch put me in second and that is where I stayed. I made two good runs at the leader, but a couple of small mistakes were the difference."
On island, the Bermuda Karting Association (BKA) hosted Race #9 of the Rubis Energy Karting Championship. The L206 Senior class provided the biggest grid of the day with 14 competitors. Jason North claimed the top spot on the podium, followed by Robert Wheatley and Owen DeCosta.
The midfield provided the most intense drama of the afternoon, particularly in Heat Three. A five-way battle for sixth place saw Jessie Moniz lead Lucas Bridges, Justin Lindo, Chris Smith, and Matthew Smith across the line in quick succession. The class also celebrated two successful debuts, with Jonathan Smith and Sir DeVent completing all three heats in their first competitive outings.
The KZ Shifter class—the fastest category on the calendar—saw 14 karts reach blistering speeds. The opening heat was marred by an early incident that forced one driver to withdraw from the remainder of the event.
International guest driver A.J. Myers, hailing from North Carolina, showed his class by winning Heat One ahead of Blake Horseman and Ryan Burgess. However, the momentum shifted in the later rounds, with Ryan Rebello and Stephen Corrado joining Horseman in the top three for the final two heats. In the KZ Masters division, Jason DeCouto was the model of consistency, winning all three heats ahead of William Dunkley.
The Cadet and Junior classes showcased the next generation of Bermudian talent. Tanner Correia enjoyed a perfect day, winning all three heats in the Cadet class ahead of Jacob Garrett, before also leading the field in the TAG Junior division. Syah Pedro, Alondro Albouy, and Jonathan Linberg followed Correia home in the TAG Junior standings.
In the TAG Senior Division, the hierarchy remained largely unchanged for the first two heats, with Ryan Burgess, Blake Horseman, Jorja Thomas, and Jonah Moniz locking out the top four. Horseman finally broke Burgess’s streak in Heat Three, taking a hard-earned victory to close out the weekend.
Click Here to see the Full 2026 Race #9 of the Rubis Energy Karting Championship Results
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