ROTAX PRO TOUR HEADS TO IPSWICH NEXT WEEKEND

The first member of Australia’s team heading to the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Final in Brazil will be crowned next weekend at Willowbank’s kart raceway with the latest round of the Rotax Pro Tour, which will also double as the Queensland State Championship.

The DD2 category will have its first Team Australia member announced at the completion of the weekend. Ipswich Kart Club-based driver, Ryan Kennedy convincingly leads the Title chase heading to his home track and will be the favourite to maintain that lead and book his flight to Brazil come November.

Competitors from across Australia and New Zealand will be at the event – the third of a six round national series.

Kennedy will have some strong competition against him, including Australia’s leading female racer, Taylah Agius from Palm Beach on the Gold Coast. She will make a move into the DD2 category.

Current World DD2 Masters Champion, Troy Woolston is aiming to build on his Series lead, but will have tough competition from last round winner, Jason Pringle and local driver, Scott Howard who is always strong at Ipswich.

The battle in Rotax Light continues with the top two from the previous round – New Zealand racer Josh Hart and Victorian Leigh Nicolaou heading the pointscores and looking to resume their battle. Gold Coaster, Adam Mercer steps back into the category and rapid junior racer, Kade Vink will be hard to beat. Another local, Troy Morrissey will be looking to get his Series back on track.

In Junior Max, son of a gun, Oscar Targett moves into Junior Max for the first time and will be up against a stacked field of Australia’s best junior racers, including James Wharton and Christian Mansell, both of whom are fresh from the first round of the European Rotax Challenge, where they made the final in Belgium against 50 competitors just last weekend.

Rotax Heavy will be a battle of Queenslanders when the dominant force from this season so far – CRG’s Lane Moore – will have Chris Farkas up against him, along with the Van Leeuwestyn brothers from Newcastle and a healthy field of competition.

In Micro Max, James Anagnostiadis will be making his debut at the Rotax Pro Tour. His mother, Barbara and sister Aiva will also be racing throughout the weekend in DD2 Masters and Mini Max respectively.

Goulburn’s Costa Toparis is looking to continue the good run that sees him head the Rotax Rankings points in Mini Max – buyt Sydney-sider Cody Maynes-Rutty and the only Kiwi in the field – Sebastian Manson will be looking to give him a run for his money.

The Sunday events of the Rotax Pro Tour will be livestreamed via the official Facebook page of the Series – www.facebook.com/rotaxprotour – with support from a number of industry sponsors that have come aboard to ensure it can happen.

The category sponsors are as follows:

Micro Max: Manson’s TCLM (Property Development NZ)
Mini Max: Freem Karting Australia
Junior Max: Shamick Racing
Rotax 125 Light: Dieci Telehandlers
Rotax 125 Heavy: Dieci Telehandlers
DD2: Howards Concreting
DD2 Masters: Tom Williamson Motorsport

Practice gets underway on Friday with Qualifying and heat racing Saturday from 8am and the completion of heats and finals on Sunday from 8am.

Entry to Ipswich Kart Club is free to the public. It is located on Champions Way, Willowbank.