Kai Allen doubles up with AKC Round 1 win for CRG

The Shamick Racing CRG team-mates Kai Allen (26) and James Wharton kept it close throughout the AKC weekend! (Pic: Coopers Photography)

Team CRG Australia’s juniors have once again come to the fore at the opening round of the Australian Kart Championships at Dubbo’s Lincoln County Raceway, occupying four of the top 10 positions in the Cadet 12 class.

Kai Allen has taken his second major national event victory in succession, adding the opening round of the Cadet 12 category to his Mini Max win two weeks ago at the Rotax Pro Tour.

To show the strength of the CRG Hero product, his fellow Shamick Racing, James Wharton finished second. The pair swapped the lead on numerous occasions throughout the course of the final. Adrian Haak – who completed a top three CRG sweep of qualifying – fought strongly for 5th in the final, while Brody Sonter came home in ninth.

Zac Crichton recorded an excellent eighth placing in KA4, getting his Championship campaign underway in fine fashion.

In Senior competition, the weekend showed promise, however room for improvement exists.

Bundaberg’s James Litzow pushed himself to seventh in the KA3 Final.

In TaG 125, the PRD Galaxy engine produced by St George Kart Centre qualified on pole and won the first heat in the hands of Luke Van Herwaarde. Whilst running up the front, he was the innocent victim in an altercation with another competitor, which cost him a number of places, however was able to bring the PRD home for 10th.

Regular front-runner, Rick Pringle scored a rare DNF in the final, not getting past the first corner.

Jason Pringle was resplendent in the #1 but a late chain failure cost him a podium in KZ2 (Pic: Coopers Photography)

Rick’s brother, defending Australian KZ2 Champion, Jason Pringle had a podium position all but wrapped up in the feature KZ2 Gearbox category, when a chain broke mere laps from home. Pringle had been running in the top three and was among the top half dozen throughout the weekend. With points being secured at each stage of the weekend, Pringle was able to bag a number of good Championship points.

The new CRG KZ2 campaigners acquitted themselves well, with Sam Houston coming home 14th, followed by Matt Erdmann and Jarryd Ebzery in 15th and 16th respectively, while Tim Farrell finished 20th and Lachlan Saccardo 21st.

Fellow KZ2 front-runner, Kyle Ensbey withdrew from the meeting post qualifying with an injury.

The next major event for Team CRG Australia will be the second event of the Rotax Pro Tour on February 26-28 in Warwick, QLD before the Australian Kart Championships second round takes place at Puckapunyal, VIC over the weekend of March 25-27.

Cadet 9
Marshall Crofts – 8th

Cadet 12
Kai Allen – 1st
James Wharton – 2nd
Adrian Haak – 5th
Brody Sonter – 9th
Christian Mansell – 25th
James Piszcyk – 36th
Aaron Oliver – DNF

KA4 Junior
Zac Crichton – 8th
Zak Zamprogno – 16th
Brayden Everitt – 20th
Mak Holden – DNF

KA3 Senior
James Litzow – 7th
Brett Robinson – 13th
Jacque Isarin – 17th
Luke May – 29th

TaG 125
Rick Pringle – DNF

KZ2
Sam Houston – 14th
Mathew Erdmann – 15th
Jarryd Ebzery – 16th
Tim Farrell – 20th
Lachlan Saccardo – 21st
Jason Pringle – DNF
Kyle Ensbey – DNS