The majority of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship categories have tightened after Saturday heat racing under incredible conditions in Coffs Harbour, NSW today.
The premier KZ2 gearbox class has seen Joshua Fife’s Championship lead cut by five points to seven. It all isn’t doom or gloom for Fife, who pulled out a vintage performance to win the third heat. His closest rival, defending champion, Sam Dicker won the second heat and going conservative on tyre conservation in heat one, left him vulnerable to fellow West Aussie, Nik Mitic who took that race – and in the third held onto second position.
The premier junior category, KA2 has been blown wide open. A second heat technical issue striking runaway Championship leader, Lewis Cordato saw Queensland champion, Isaac McNeill close the title gap to just four points heading to tomorrow’s fourth heat and final.
McNeill was supreme, taking all three of the heats after setting pole position in both KA2 and KA3 Junior.
The Evoheat-backed Queenslander had also set pole position in KA3 Junior, however that is not as clear cut. He won a heat and was defeated by Championship leader, Jack Szewczuk in their only clash in the oversubscribed class and was knocked back to second in his opening heat behind Annabel Kennedy after an infraction was handed down.
Szewczuk won all three of his heats, extending his lead to 31 points over McNeill, with Noah Enright winning the other.
One of the most seismic shifts came in TaG125 where defending Champion, Harrison Hoey, not only took over the Championship lead, but by virtue of his three wins opened up a 15 point margin over Jacob Dowson. Dowson won the final heat of the six this afternoon and was able to jump into second position over his fellow South Aussie, Ben Holliday. Holliday had been in trouble much of the day, a second heat non-finish crippling him with points in such a tightly run race.
Victorian, Brad Jenner – racing for Nick Percat’s JND Racing outfit – can be crowned Champion-elect in tomorrow’s final. He was upstaged today by defending champion, CXR’s Jace Matthews, who won all of the heat races after qualifying on pole. The gap Jenner held coming into the weekend – 102 points – remains the same tonight. Reigning KA2 Champion, Max Walton is a further 27 points behind.
Mika Lemasurier has extended his KA3 Senior title lead to 19 points after a stellar day, while those around him had mixed results. Benito Montalbano – equal second on points yesterday – has emerged in a clear second placing, 19 points behind BirelART racer, Lemasurier as Josh Elliston survived a third heat bingle – dropping to fourth in the title race behind Dominic Penman.
Oliver Williamson extended his lead in Cadet 9 to 16 points in his season long challenge from fellow Oliver – Armitt, while Jarvis Hindle dropped a further five points behind despite a heat two win.
Archie Bristow had possibly one of the most emphatic days in the always densely populated Cadet 12 field. Bristow’s perfect score extended his lead to 32 points over Jack Larsen with Jay Kostecki remaining in third spot despite what could be described as a disastrous day at best -scoring just five points.
Sunday, the final round of heats will take place at the Coffs Harbour karting circuit as part of the Coffs Harbour Sports Precinct before the finals which carry additional Championship points. The SP Tools Australian Kart Championship, presented by Castrol enjoys its fifth and final round August 31-September 2 at the Oakleigh Kart Club outside Melbourne.
Entry and parking for the Coffs Harbour event are free to the public or can be viewed at http://www.mysportlive.tv.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Saturday racing – Round 4, SP Tools Australian Kart Championship, presented by Castrol:
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