26th July 2016

Victorian Country Series Round Four Review

Wimmera Racing Kart Club welcomed the AUSTRANS Victorian Country Series to their 518 metre long track for round four and yet again the competition did not disappoint with a number of close finishes throughout the day along with seven new feature race winners for this seasons series, including Nicholas Schembri who broke the winning streak of Jaxson Cox in KA4 Junior Lights and Alexander Grutteria who did the same in KA4 Junior Heavy when he defeated Benjamin D’Alia after both Cox and D’Alia had won the first three rounds of this year’s competition.

Steven Malkin (TAG 125 Restricted Masters), Scott King (TAG 125 Heavy) and Brayden Flood (TAG Restricted Light) remain the only drivers to have won four finals from four after taking wins in their divisions this weekend.

The usually hectic qualifying sessions were affected by severe early morning fog before a vote to continue the day without the qualifying session using drawn grids instead.

KA JUNIOR LIGHT
Nicholas Schembri was able to successfully become the first driver in the series to defeat Jaxson Cox in a feature this season. After taking a huge heat one win of more than seven seconds over the series leader Cox who trailed in the middle of the field. For heat two as Rhys Kemp and Schembri fought to the line with Kemp finishing just .144 ahead of Schembri. Schembri started right at the rear of the field moving ahead of more than a dozen racers to secure second with Ethan Church in third.

Schembri in the final was never headed in the sixteen lap race whilst Cox who started in fifth took five laps to get past Church and chase Schembri to come just .196 behind at the line in an attempt to keep his winning streak rolling.

Schembri set a fast lap of 24.808 during the final with Kemp finishing third, then Nikki Watson and Kobey Sheedy.

Top three Results at Horsham: Nicholas Schembri, Jaxson Cox, Rhys Kemp

KA4 JUNIOR HEAVY
Alexander Grutteria was the next racer to break a streak with his feature race win over Benjamin D’Alia in the KA4 Junior Heavy class. Aidan Solomon got away to a great start in the first heat with a win over Grutteria by almost seven seconds before Grutteria secured a close one second victory over D’Alia in the second heat.

Starting from pole position in the final Geelong club member Grutteria proved too strong for the current points leader with an all the way victory whilst D’Alia had to get past Solomon early in the final to start his chase of Grutteria and despite setting the fastest one lap time for the class for the day of 25.207, D’Alia couldn’t get past Grutteria who won by just over a second at the finish. Solomon backed up for his second top three finish in succession with Henry Johnstone and Naomi Brady rounding out the top five.

Top three Results at Horsham: Alexander Grutteria, Benjamin D’Alia, Aidan Solomon

KA3 SENIOR LIGHT
Misfortune for Jacob Dowson; the rear wheel parted company with the Kart going through the sweeper robbed him of certain victory and handed Haiden Smith his first feature win of the series in the KA3 Senior Light final.

Dowson earlier won both heat races strongly over the forever consistent Giles Rogers and Haiden Smith respectively before the feature event.

In the final Dowson led Rogers and Smith right until lap thirteen. Wimmera racer Brayden Souter moved into the top three with Dowson’s demise as Smith recorded a win by just over a second on Rogers, Souter, Todd Chambers and Douglas Jackson. Dowson set a fastest one lap time during the final of 24.121

Top three results at Horsham: Haiden Smith, Giles Rogers, Brayden Souter

KA3 SENIOR HEAVY
Ryan Aitken and Bryce Woollard shared heat race victories in the KA3 Senior Heavy class before Woollard become the third winner of the season halting local Wimmera legend Remo Luciani who was trying to take a hat trick of feature wins in succession in front of his home track supporters.

Aaron Jackson had a consistent day finishing in the top three of all three of his events for and only narrowly missing out on a win in heat two finishing behind Woollard.

Woollard in a combined feature with the KA3 Senior Light class was lapping quick enough to cross the line fifth on track amongst the faster Light Karts in taking a win in the KA3 Senior Heavy from Jackson, Aitken whom Jackson passed on lap thirteen, then Luciani and Christopher Thomas. Woollard was three seconds ahead of Jackson at the finish.

Top three results at Horsham: Bryce Woollard, Aaron Jackson, Ryan Aitken

CADET 12
An amazing result for the Cadet 12 division showing the competitiveness of the youngsters with a fourth different feature winner of the series, this time to Joseph Fawcett who was able to defeat Bronson Boult in the final by the skin of his teeth with a .0098 difference between the two at the finish line.

The racing was amazingly close all day with all three races have less than .200 between first and second at the finish with Boult a winner in the first heat after coming from fifth with Fawcett in second before the result was reversed in the second heat race when Fawcett defeated Boult.

Fawcett then led from the drop of the green flag to the chequered in the final with Boult right behind every step of the way. Jake Cuschieri was secure in third spot with series regular Matthew Domaschenz battling with Anton Hortis. Fawcett the victor from Boult with a feature race fast lap of 26.231 on the very last as he tried to work past the leader. Cuschieri, Domaschenz and Hortis rounded out the top five whilst former round winner Jaxon Johnstone tagged along in sixth.

Top three results at Horsham: Joseph Fawcett, Bronson Boult, Jake Cuschieri

TAG RESTRICTED LIGHT
Defending series champion Brayden Flood then gave us more of the same when he secured his fourth feature win of the series in taking a win ahead of Tom Owen in the TAG Restricted Light class.

Flood won the first heat ahead of Owen before local racer Ashley Mitchell took out heat two from Alexander Barallon and a fast moving Flood who had come from seventeenth in the field to third by the drop of the chequered flag.

Joseph Clough and Michael Clemente’s points took a hit when both of the drivers failed to be finishers in the final.

Flood led the feature race right from the beginning and was never headed despite a desperate effort by Tom Owen who had to move forward from fourth early in the race behind Mitchell and Lachlan Hill. With a fast time lap on lap eleven of 24.389 Flood took victory from Owen, Hill, Jack Nolan and Mitchell giving the Wimmera club their third top five finisher of the meeting so far.

Top three results at Horsham: Brayden Flood, Tom Owen, Lachlan Hill

KA3 JUNIOR
Jordan Dudfield backed up his victory at Warrnambool in round three when he was able to secure a win ahead of Domenic Romeo at Horsham in round four for the KA3 Junior class.

Dudfield defeated Nicholas Schembri (who was competing in two classes for the day) in the first heat when the two front row starters went the twelve laps with Schembri in front for the first three then Dudfield the leader from their on. In the second heat Romeo took the win over Jay Coul and Taine Venables.

Dudfield started the final from first place and went on to win by .329 of a second over Romeo and Coul. Coul had passed Venables on lap eight to move into third, finished his fourth feature of the series in a top three place then Venables and Henry Johnstone. Dudfield set the best one lap time of the day on lap seven with a 23.976

Jackson Rees had a meeting to forget after being a round winner at Portland in round two. He finished eleventh in both his heats before finishing tenth in the final.

Top three results at Horsham: Jordan Dudfield, Domenic Romeo, Jay Coul

TAG 125 HEAVY
Scott King got some hurry up from Aaron Hindle both in the first heat and the final in TAG 125 Heavy before King secured his fourth straight feature win in the class.

King led all the way to a win in heat one with Hindle working through from sixth place trying to get to the leader, Ryan Aitken then secure a win in the second heat with King coming from last to secure second place in the second heat.

Adam King brother of Scott, had an off weekend after securing top three placings in the first three rounds and was only able to record a fifth, seventh and a non-finish from his events. Later this was explained that he was having neck trouble on the clockwise circuit, in the summer King races Sprintcars and only turns anti-clockwise with massive forces due to the 900hp at his feet.

In the final Scott King was quick early recording a 24.203 lap time on lap five before settling down with Hindle chasing. They finished first and second with Aitken third then Daniel Rethus and Aaron Jackson.

Top three results at Horsham: Scott King, Aaron Hindle, Ryan Aitken

TAG 125 RESTRICTED MASTERS
Steven Malkin continued his strangle hold on the class with yet another win making it four from four for him this time managing to hold off Andrew Stubbs.

Anthony Warner whom had been a winner at Warrnambool in TAG Restricted Heavy, took the first heat win moving from the second row to pick of Malkin on lap ten in a close .378 result with local Leon Forrest back in third place. In the second heat Ronald Taylor came out on top with Forrest again in the thick of the action this time in second.

Malkin after a second heat seventh place result, began the final in fifth and early he was behind Taylor and Warner. After Warner dropped out on lap six when a front sprocket came loose resulting in spin on the clutch drum, Malkin moved to second before taking the lead on lap eleven. Malkin from Andrew Stubbs, Taylor, Forrest and John Page who was getting around quickly with a time of 26.079 on lap six.

Top three results at Horsham: Steven Malkin, Andrew Stubbs, Ronald Taylor

TAG 125 LIGHT
Ashley Lear continued his great form this season with a fourth top three result for the season however it would be Bradley Marsh-Stepney who would go home with the spoils securing a second feature win in the class for the series so far.

Lear won the first heat of the meeting by almost six seconds as Marsh-Stepney worked the wheel coming from eleventh to finish second with Jordan Rae in tow after starting back in thirteenth. Warrnambool round winner Kyle Rethus took out a win in heat two with Jordan Pianezzola just .287 back in second and Marsh-Stepney clocking a 23.829 lap time the fastest in the class for the afternoon.

Marsh-Stepney then started the final alongside Lear and the two them embarked on sixteen fantastic laps which finished with a one second gap between the two with Rethus in third, then Maverick Benson and Pianezzola.

Top three results at Horsham: Bradley Marsh-Stepney, Ashley Lear, Kyle Rethus

CADET 9
Jesse Lacey backed up their win at Warrnambool when they took the win at Horsham ahead of Ben Holliday and Ruby Gibson despite Lacey not taking a heat win themselves.

Gibson won the first heat from Brocklan Parker (who was expected to figure in the feature race result later) by just .429 of a second then Holliday from fifth place won the second heat over Lacey with Toby Dvorak securing a second third placed result.

Starting in fourth Lacey quickly moved behind Holliday early and tried to find a way past beyond the half way mark before finally getting by on lap ten. Back in the amongst the chasers Dvorak was the fastest at 26.815 whilst Lacey led Holliday, Gibson, Dvorak and Fraser Carr to the finish in a super close .231 of a second result and Parker couldn’t get inside the top five finishing in sixth.

Lacey continues their push up the points table after a third and two wins in the last three rounds.

Top three results at Horsham: Jesse Lacey, Ben Holliday, Ruby Gibson

TAG 125 RESTRICTED SUPER HEAVY
It was Aldo Di Stefano’s day at Horsham after he took out a clean sweep of race wins, all at the line whilst under the hammer.

Aldo won heat from Michael Angwin by just .087 of a second before making it two from two when he won the second heat by .078 of a second in some incredible racing by the two. Andrew Harvey finished second in both heats. Angwin set a class fast time for the meeting of 25.330 in the second heat finish.

Di Stefano began from pole position in the final and despite early pressure, including a lap one lead for Angwin, Di Stefano managed to secure the lead and go on to win by .194 of a second from Harvey, Kevin Hitchcock, Ross Morgan and Andrew Hayes who surely is the series points leader.

For much of the race Angwin was on the tail of Di Stefano, however could not find a way past and eventually lined up a move in turn one, but caught a lot of the kerb resulting in his Kart dropping the chain allowing Hitchcock to pass.

Top three results at Horsham: Aldo Di Stefano, Andrew Harvey, Kevin Hitchcock

TAG 125 RESTRICTED HEAVY
Ben Armstrong become another driver amongst few who won all three events in their division when he won heat one, two and the final in the TAG 125 Restricted Heavy class with Luke McPherson leading the chasing pack.

Armstrong had a huge five second win in the first heat and a four second win in the second coming from sixth place in both to pass those in front of him. Whilst Matthew De Stefano was quick in the heats with a best time of 25.077 it only showed that the winner still could get more out of their times in the feature.

Armstrong picked up his first win of the series in the class with a four second win ahead of Luke McPherson with Armstrong clocking a 25.005 on lap nine. Floyd Kilpatrick came from thirteenth in the final to third with Wayne Armistead and Barry Clough the top five.

De Stefano attempted a passing move on lap fourteen that didn’t come off as he caught the rear of the Kart ahead of him pushing him sideways and coming to stop himself. This put him out of contention as it took some time to get going again and then coming together with the other driver.

New competitor to the series Ray Dumesny after showing great pace on Saturday practice was badly affected by the qualifying being cancelled as he had to start from the back of each of his races for being a P Plater, instead of being able to start where he qualified. In the final he was moving forward before a rear wheel came off due to a sheered bolt.

Top three for the day at Horsham: Ben Armstrong, Luke McPherson, Floyd Kilpatrick

KERBRIDER OF THE DAY
Congratulations to the Horsham round “Kerbriders of the day”

Congratulations to the KerbRider of the day winners at Horsham, Stewards voted for some of the standout performances of the day.

Cadet: Tyce Hodge (X’zuit Race Suit) and Rustyn Willett (Kerbrider Cap)

Junior: Jack Owen (X’zuit Race Suit) and Daniel Hookway (Kerbrider Cap)

Senior: Owen Edge (X’zuit Race Suit) and Raymond Dumesny (Kerbrider Cap)

Well done guys and girls, and thanks to Kerbrider

Round five will be at 675m long Ballarat Kart Club – Haddon Park Raceway on the September the 4^th.

Victorian Country Series wish to thank:
AUSTRANS Container Services
Kerbrider
RaceCulture Motorsport Design
KFC
Remo Racing
AllStar Graphics
Ballarat Bolts and Fasteners
Wimmera Design and Prinnt