Battlelines drawn in Eastern Creek media kart race

Selected members of the media and V8 Supercars team members will battle it out in a one-off karting race at Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway tonight.

The Media Challenge is a support event to the Yamaha Karting Showdown, featuring a capacity grid of 40 drivers in each of the Junior National and Senior Clubman categories under lights.

Representing the V8 Supercars fraternity in the race include team owners Charlie Schwerkolt and Paul Morris, plus Dick Johnson Racing operations manager Scott Jennings and Ford Performance Racing’s commercial manager Mark Roworth.

Of the media contenders, Speedcafe.com’s Grant Rowley is expected to amongst the leaders, while V8 Supercars track commentator Chris Jewell is also tipped to be a contender.

Former 500cc world motorcycle rider and Speed TV expert caller Kevin Magee will compete, along with established motorsport media officianos Mark Fogarty (The Age), James Phelps (Daily Telegraph), Nick Deacon (Gold Coast Bulletin), Ed Jackson (AAP) and Stephen Ottley (Sydney Morning Herald).

Speedcafe.com can reveal that Auto Action deputy editor Alex Inwood was at the Eastern Creek kart track yesterday, receiving tips from 10-time Australian karting champ and FPR driver Mark Winterbottom.

The Media Challenge, put on by facility owner Garry Holt, will be held in Eastern Creek’s four-stroke ‘hire’ karts.

In the Clubman class, a star-studded field includes three-time national champions Cian Fothergill, Jason Hryniuk, Matthew Waters and Tyler Greenbury, joined by local stars Bryce Davidson, Aaron Borg, Nathan Tigani, Gordon Wilson, Jordan Zammit and karting veteran Nick Agland.

The junior category will also be fluttered with the likes of CIK Stars of Karting Series regulars Jayden Ojeda, Thomas Chitty and Dimitri Agathos being joined by Stephanie Stones, Torey Blanch and James Duckworth among the entries.

“To see such high quality drivers entered for the event is very pleasing and it should make for some fantastic racing on the Saturday night to highlight the future stars of Australian motorsport,” said Eastern Creek Karts’ Garry Holt.

“We’re expecting both the Junior National and Clubman fields will be filled to the capacity of 40 drivers as they come together in the condensed format to battle for some great prizemoney under lights.”

The prizemoney for the Clubman race is $2000 for the winner, with second and third place receiving $1000 and $500 respectively.

In Junior National, the winner pockets $750, the runner-up $500 and third place $250.

The Media Challenge winner will enjoy the spoils of victory, holding aloft the inaugural winners cup.

Entry list, Media Challenge