27th May 2017

BREAKTHROUGH WINS IN MONARTO

Tate Frost leading the KA2 field (Pic: Coopers Photography)

The third round of the Australian Kart Championship has delivered breakthrough wins for a Tasmanian Junior competitor and a local in KZ2.

Tasmanian Tate Frost ended the day being the first Tasmanian in Championship history to win a heat race in the elite Junior KA2 category. No Tasmanian has won a round of the Championship in any category – a statistic Frost is keen to change tomorrow.

Frost and another Tasmanian, Lachlan Dalton have been super-fast throughout the day – the duo among the Championship fight between Broc Feeney and Lachlan Hughes. Feeney has had the speed advantage all day, winning the opening two races and then finishing behind Frost. That has cut Hughes’ championship lead to a handful of points.

Local driver Daniel Price qualified fastest in KZ2 (Pic: Coopers Photography)

In good news for local fans, Daniel Price ended today’s second heat for KZ2 with a heat race win – his first for Team CRG Australia. Adelaide’s price recorded his maiden pole-position in qualifying. He was denied a strong result in the opening race after an early race collision, but is looking strong heading into tomorrow’s final two heats.

The first heat race was taken out by TWM Energy driver, Joshua Fife. Fife, second in the Championship coming into the weekend was able to gain points on double round winner, Troy Loeskow who didn’t finish either of his heats. This meant that Fife has shut the 38 point lead Loeskow had coming into the weekend down to just 16.

Australian KA3 Senior Champion Matt McLean protected his two point Championship lead coming into the weekend with two heat race wins, with Leigh Nicolaou taking the middle heat of the day – however young female racer Tayla Heath was able to qualify on the front row, taking the fight to the likes of McLean, Nicolaou and multiple Australian Champion, James Sera.

Cody Gillis crossed the line first in all three TaG 125 heats, however was handed a post race 10 second penalty after heat one, which handed the win to a rapid Joshua Car. Championship leader, Brendan Nelson has looked out of sorts for much of the day in both TaG 125 and X30, however by the end of the day, the speed began to return for the Aussie Champion.

The X30 field has produced some impressive racing (Pic: Coopers Photography)

In the X30 category stacked with international talent, Jace Matthews took two heat race wins in his Ricciardo Kart before local Tony Kart driver, Jacob Dowson converted a front row start to a comprehensive third heat win.

Former World Champion, Tom Joyner had a difficult qualifying session – ending it in 15th. He’s battled his way forward throughout with a pair of 10th placed finishes and a 15th, meantime, Dutch Patrizicorse BirelART driver, Marijn Kremers ended a with a second, a sixth and a seventh.

Matthews – who is the runaway leader in KA1 hasn’t had it all his own way in that category today. He’s ended the two races in sixth and fourth, whilst defending Aussie Champion, Scott Sorensen has struck back to form in his HDR Arrow Kart in the most devastating way, taking two heat race wins. The Queenslander has been superb in his performance – whilst Daniel Edmonds has been quick with a pair of thirds, the second race behind a determined Kyle Henry-Smith’s PCR.

The four Championship combatants in KA4 Junior have been at the top of the category today. Kai Allen has taken all three race victories in his Corsa Kart, but it isn’t cut and dried with JC Kart’s Zac Crichton, defending Australian Champion Cooper Webster and Jay Hanson hot on his heels. Hanson and Webster had a spirited battle right throughout the third heat, which will be one to watch come tomorrow’s finals.

In Cadet 12, Championship leader, James Wharton has extended his 39 point Championship lead through a string of victories today. He was forced to start from the outside front row though when Marcos Flack placed his Visper Racing #11 on pole late in the session. The 40 kart strong field have once again produced phenomenal racing with the likes of Adrian Haak and round one winner Rhys Smith all among the head of the field.

Cadet 9 is being closely fought as well. Ben Holliday took the first heat race by a mere 62-one-thousandths of a second over Emerson Vincent – who later copped a post-race 10 second penalty. From there, it has all been Toby Dvorak. Not making the start in time to take up his front row position in heat one, Dvorak struggled from the rear however recovered to be credited with 11th position.

Championship leader, Harry Arnett, Lincoln Taylor and last round winner Cadel Ambrose have been among the action, whilst Australian Champion, Ryan Tomsett is battling – having qualified in 13th position.

Tomorrow, action begins at the Monarto Karting facility on Old Princes Hwy Monarto (South Australia) from 8am. Livestreaming of each race will commence at 8am on www.karting.net.au.