Hoey grabs first up win for Compkart

Harrison Hoey made an impressive debut for Compkart Australia and Z Corse by taking a comfortable victory in the KA2 category – Credit: Coopers Photography

After making the off-season switch to Compkart Australia through Z Corse for the 2016 Australian Kart Championship (AKC), Queenslander Harrison Hoey has taking a dominant victory in KA2 to kick-start the new race season, while a commanding performance in the final by Joshua Car earnt him a podium, delivering a successful beginning to the new AKC season for Compkart Australia.

The qualifying session on Saturday saw Hoey secure the fifth fastest time in the field of 23 with a 48.492. Harrison managed a consistent start to the weekend, finishing the first of four heat races in fifth, however from that point on, he would make his charge, taking second in heat three. A victory in heat four marked Hoey’s real foundation at the top end and he capitalised on this in the 20 lap final, taking a commanding 6.7 second victory, on his way to the chequered flag, also recording the quickest time with a 48.766.

Luke Wanless had a mixed beginning to the Dubbo event, qualifying 13th in KA2, he suffered a DNF in both heat one and two. A solid return to finish 11th in heat three, the final heat race then unfortunately saw Wanless record a DNF. The determined youngster then switched his attention to the longer final, working his way up to a very credible 9th after the 20 lap event, also earning himself the fourth quickest lap time of the race.

An impressive beginning for Joshua Car in his second National level event in Senior Karting saw him qualify in second in TaG 125 with a 49.424, just 0.02 seconds behind pole position. Despite a DNF in heat one and heat four, Car showed good pace, picking up the win in heat two and a second place finish in heat three. Starting 11th in the final based on points from the heat races, Car delivered a superb drive to come home in a comfortable second place, also picking up the second quickest time on the penultimate lap with a 50.561, one of just two drivers in the race to achieve a 50 second time.

Victorian Troy Woolston made his first outing in a Compkart in KZ2 at Dubbo, qualifying 11th, he managed an eighth and eleventh place result in heat one and two before moving up the order in the third sprint race, taking fourth. A ninth place finish in heat four, backed up with seventh in the final proved to be a mixed weekend for Woolston who experienced some technical issues which the Compkart Australia team worked hard on improving ahead of round two.

Kris Walton had a mixed start to the weekend, qualifying 24th, he then suffered a DNF in heat one before improving in the remaining shorter distance races, securing 14th, 16th and 14th for Z Corse. Working closely with the Compkart Australia team to overcome some technical dramas, Walton would unfortunately have an early exit in the final with a DNF on lap one.

The next major event for Compkart Australia is round two of the 2016 Australian Kart Championship that takes place at the Sandy Creek Raceway, Warwick, QLD from February 26-28.