KARTING CHAMPS TO CONTINUE MOTORSPORT THEME IN IPSWICH

More than 220 entries have been received for Round Four of the Australian Kart Championship in Ipswich (Pic: Coopers Photography)

Fresh off the back of the City of Ipswich Winternationals drag racing spectacular, the motorsport theme will continue in Ipswich next week when the Australian Kart Championship comes to town.

Presented by Jayco and Castrol EDGE, the July 1-3 event will see more than 220 competitors from all across Australia along with visitors from Singapore, New Zealand, England and Italy in attendance.

In the elite junior class, KA2, drivers from South East Queensland occupy four of the top five spots in the standings entering the penultimate round in Ipswich.

Gold Coaster Jack Doohan, who dominated the previous round in South Australia, is leading the way with a 40-point buffer over Loganholme teenager Harrison Hoey. Wagga driver Cameron Longmore is third in the standings with the Gold Coast pair of Lochie Hughes and Broc Feeney fourth and fifth.

Hughes, who was leading the points entering the previous round, will head into the Ipswich round fresh off a six week campaign in Europe that saw him finish second in a round of the Italian Championship.

In the Senior ranks it has been Gold Coaster Brendan Nelson who has dominated the TaG 125 class and currently holds a significant lead in the Championship chase. Karalee teenager Nicholas Andrews secured the victory in the class at the corresponding round last year and will be out to stop Nelson’s run of victories.

Gold Coast-based Dutchman Marijn Kremers won his first round of the Championship in May with success in both the KZ2 and X30 classes. In the KZ2 class he led home a trifecta for the Patrizicorse team with Bundaberg’s Troy Loeskow and Chris Hays joining him on the podium. It was the first time a team has achieved a one-two-three finish in the 15-year history of the class.

A total of nine classes will be contested at the event with the youngest at seven years of age lining up in the Cadet 9 class.

Practice will be held next Friday (July 1) followed by qualifying and the heat races on Saturday (July 2) and the Finals on Sunday (July 3).