26th August 2023

CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLES SET FOR FINAL SHOWDOWN ON SUNDAY

After a dramatic day at Melbourne’s Todd Road Circuit, all but two SP Tools Australian Kart Championship categories are up for grabs on Grand Final day tomorrow, with four of the classes seeing top runners separated by six points or less.

Jace Matthews became Champion-elect in X30 for the second consecutive year this morning, amassing enough points to not be headed come tomorrow afternoon’s final; joining KA2 Champion-elect Max Walton – who wrapped up the elite junior title at our last round.

The KZ2 Championship sees title front-runners, Sam Dicker and Jake Klarich separated by just 16 points heading into the last heat and final of the season tomorrow.

Both didn’t finish heats two or three from the lead respectively – Klarich suffering a blown engine early in heat two and then in heat three, it was Dicker’s dramas,

exiting from the lead when a radiator hose came adrift which saw him pushing on, however without coolant, the engine ended his run, ironically on the same corner as his fellow West Aussie the race before.

Sydney-sider Reece Cohen still has a mathematical shot at the title, some 33 points behind Dicker.

Jackson Souslin-Harlow’s lead in the TaG 125 Championship has been whittled down to just three points after a blistering run by Harrison Hoey this weekend. Hoey not only qualified on pole, but went on to win all of his heat races throughout. Souslin-Harlow has battled after qualifying down the order with results of fourth, eighth and third.

Defending Champion, Zachary Heard is 12 points off the pace after a heat race win and a pair of seconds and local, Jake Spencer is hanging on 23 points behind after two first lap non-finishes and a more consistent third placing this afternoon.

KA3 Junior sees round two winner, William Thompson holding a four point margin over opening round winner Pip Casabene the pair of them right in the fight throughout the day, with Victorian James Anagnostiadis a further 12 points behind Casabene heading into Grand Final day.

The Cadet 12 race just continues to see-saw between Corey Carson and Lana Flack. Aside from Carson winning his third heat, neither have been convincing with the title points race changing after each race. Basilio Micale and Riley Harrison have mathematical chances at being Champions at 29 and 35 points off the top of the ladder respectively.

Cadet 9 has continued to deliver in 2023 and this weekend is no exception. Jay Kostecki sits five points in front of Brock Nolan; this despite a startline infringement yesterday which dropped him to 18th position in that race. Carter Grother’s Championship was done early in heat one after a spin that ended his race.

In KA3 Senior, Keegan Fraser is in the box seat sitting 24 points in front of Benito Montalbano. Consistency during heat races have been the hallmark of the Queenslander’s year and a technical failure that saw Montalbano retire from a heat race lead earlier today certainly swung the points in favour of Fraser.

Although KA2 has seen Max Walton crowned Champion-elect, the battle for the podium is on with Mika Lemasurier sitting second 16 points in front of Ky Burke; who has Brad Majman and Ben Holliday nipping at his heels for the final spot on the Championship podium. The same can be said for X30. While Brad Jenner has all but wrapped up second in the Championship, Harrison Mitchell holds onto third by the narrowest of margins from Tyler Howard and Jacob Dowson.

Tomorrow, action gets under way from 8am at the Todd Road facility with free entry from Cook Street, Port Melbourne.

If you cannot be there live, tune into all the action via http://watchmysportlive.tv. In the nine years since its inception, it is the closest that the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship, presented by Castrol across all categories.