Pierce Lehane bolsters CRG's KZ2 stocks

Pierce Lehane will be back aboard a CRG this weekend

European Rotax Max Karting Champion, Pierce Lehane has moved back home, joining Team CRG Australia’s KZ2 outfit for the remainder of the 2016 Australian Kart Championships.

The five times Australian karting Champion won three of his Australian Championships in the orange and black of CRG and now joins the world renowned chassis manufacturer that is aiming for four consecutive KZ2 Gearbox Championships.

Lehane will couple his KZ2 efforts with Rotax racing later in the year and some select TaG events, where he will utilise the PRD-Galaxy – produced by Team CRG Australia importer, St George Kart Centre. That engine qualified on pole position at the opening round of the Australian Kart Championships in Dubbo last month.

The Sydney-sider – who has also dabbled in dirt track Speedcars over recent times – is looking forward to the challenge of the KZ2 Championship and piloting the six-speed gearbox behemoths.

“I am really excited to be back racing with CRG, the chassis which I won back to back KF3 National Titles and X30 National title,” said Lehane. “CRG is the place that I started my karting career so it is really great to be back.

“With CRG having the best KZ2 chassis having won three Championships in the last three years, I’m really looking forward to utilising the full potential of the kart.

“I’ve had much success with CRG in the past when racing Rotax and TaG with the PRD Galaxy, so to add that to the KZ2 racing really forms a pretty big program that I can’t wait to get into.”

St George Kart Centre Principal Christopher Dell was delighted with the news that Lehane would be joining the team.

“Pierce is a quality competitor recognised the world over and it’s great to have him come back home to CRG,” said Dell. “From when he emerged on the national scene in 2009 as a junior, it was clear he would be a force in the sport for many years. CRG has been with Pierce through many of his great achievements and we’re hopeful this will be the beginning of many more.

“The decision to use the PRD Galaxy in TaG is very pleasing. As current European Rotax Champion, he is one of the best exponents in the world at this TaG style of racing, so the feedback he has on the PRD will be invaluable in its continued development.”

Lehane’s first appearance in the Team CRG colours will be this weekend at the next round of the Australian Kart Championships, presented by Jayco and Castrol EDGE at the Puckapunyal karting facility in Victoria.