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10th December 2020

IPSWICH TO LIGHT UP FOR AUSTRALIAN KART CHAMPIONSHIP OPENER

Dates for 2021 AKC, Race of Stars and Ultimate Club Racer II confirmed

The Ipswich Kart Circuit in Queensland will light up for the opening round of the 2021 SP Tools Australian Kart Championship presented by Castrol EDGE on January 22-24.

On Wednesday night, the Karting Australia Board ratified the schedule for the 2021 Championship with the iconic Queensland karting venue to host much of the opener under lights.

It is the first time since 2014 that a round of Australia’s multi-round National Championship has been contested as a night-time spectacle with all three days featuring on track action under lights.

Round Two of the Championship will be hosted by the Go-Kart Club of Victoria at the Port Melbourne circuit on March 12-14 – a week prior to the scheduled date of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Australia’s sporting capital.

The remaining three rounds are planned to be held in Adelaide (SA), Newcastle (NSW) and Seymour (VIC).  Confirmation on the order of the venues will depend on COVID-19 Restrictions in the various States but the rounds are scheduled for April 30-May 2, June 25-27 and August 27-29.  The final schedule will be advised in the coming months.

“We’re delighted to be able to confirm the schedule for the 2021 Australian Kart Championship and look forward to putting 2020 behind us to kick off with a great event in Ipswich in late January,” said Karting Australia Chief Executive Officer Kelvin O’Reilly.

“At the same time, we’ve excited about showcasing Australia’s brightest karting talent on the weekend prior to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

“The remaining three rounds are scheduled but are very much subject to change pending the progression of the COVID-19 restrictions as Australia over the coming months and the possibility of any Border restrictions that may arise.”

Within the Championship Regulations that have also been released today (click here to view), it is confirmed that a Driver’s best four pointscoring rounds from the five Events will count towards their overall standing in the final Championship.  An increase in testing restrictions has been implemented to encourage drivers to race locally and support their local Clubs while also linking the highest level of the sport with Events in a Driver’s local Club and region.  A control fuel will also be used for Drivers in the KZ2 Class.

After a hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19, the Ultimate Club Racer and Race of Stars Events are planned to return to the schedule for 2021 on November 5-7 and 25-27 respectively.  A venue for the Ultimate Club Racer II Event will be announced early in 2021 while the Race of Stars will be contested at the Xtreme Karting venue on the Gold Coast.

The dates, venue and structure for a Rotax Pro Tour (National Series) are still to be finalised and will be announced by the new Australian Rotax importer RaceMax and Karting Australia in the coming weeks

2021 SP Tools Australian Kart Championship presented by Castrol EDGE
Round 1 – January 22-24 – Ipswich, QLD
Round 2 – March 12-14 – Melbourne, VIC
Round 3 – April 30-May 2 – TBA*
Round 4 – June 25-27 – TBA*
Round 5 – August 27-29 – TBA*
*The Host Clubs for Rounds 3, 4 and 5 (in no particular order) are Eastern Lions Kart Club (Seymour), Newcastle and Southern Go-Kart Club (Bolivar).

Ultimate Club Racer II
November 5-7 – TBA

Race of Stars
November 25-27 – Gold Coast, QLD

**All dates and venues are subject to change at the discretion of Karting Australia**

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