Ayce Buckley, the son of Collingwood Football Club legend, Nathan, has taken his first major kart race wins at the third round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship under lights in Emerald, winning both of his heat races in stunning circumstances.
Buckley was under all sorts of pressure from Championship leader, Jack Szewczuk in the first heat and then took the second in fine style.
It is Ayce’s third season competing in the Championship. His brother, Jett has also been a regular campaigner in senior competition, finishing his heat races tonight with top 10s.
Bailey Sagaidak had a breakthrough in KZ2 by GoPro scoring the pole position for the new IKD Kosmic team and backing that up with the first heat race win. The story from the first heat was Championship leader, Joshua Fife not finishing after going for a big move on Australian Champion, Sam Dicker, however struck back in heat two with a comfortable win.
In KA2, Championship leader, Lewis Cordato took both heat races to extend his Championship lead.
Mika Lemasurier and Dominic Penman doubled up in their respective heats in KA3 Senior, while Championship contenders the likes of Benito Montalbano had an up and down day, while co Championship leader, Luca Belardo has been chasing his way forward after a difficult qualifying.
X30 Championship leader Brad Jenner pulled the move of the day on the last lap of the race in heat two to pass leader, Brodie Norris around the outside to win while Australian Champion, Jace Matthews took the other.
Norris had better luck in TaG 125 taking both of his heats, sharing the wins with Championship leader, Ben Holliday and Kiwi debutante Kianh Burt.
Championship aspirant Jack Larsen and Jay Kostecki shared Cadet 12, while Jarvis Hindle did his Cadet 9 title chances no harm taking the win in that category to close the gap to leader, Oliver Armitt.
The action will continue tomorrow and into tomorrow night again under the new $1 million lighting system at the Emerald Kart Club that the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship, presented by Castrol had the honour of christening tonight.