Project X Racing had a team of six drivers across six different classes take on the final round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship.
The Project X Racing team had taking four round wins over the championship with Patrick Buckley and Jai Brown taking the spoils.
With Buckley looking to take out the championship, Brown looking to come home in third and Cadet 9 driver Blake Haigh also looking to come home in third, the team were in for a nerve racking weekend of racing.
Buckley went into the weekend looking to take out his maiden Junior Australian championship.
Buckley qualified seventh and was consistent across Saturday’s three heats taking a fifth, eighth, and seventh place finish.
Patrick came out in heat 4 and drove the wheels off his Eos kart with the championship on the line.
Buckley was able to take victory in the fourth heat and clinch the Australian Kart Championship.
Buckley unfortunately ended up on the side lines in the final but he had already done enough to be the KA4 Junior Australian Kart Championship for Project X Racing.
Project X Racing’s youngest driver Blake Haigh took on the Cadet 9 category.
Haigh qualified just outside the top five in sixth and while battling illness was able to take out seventh in Heat 1, third in Heat 2, and eighth in Heat 3.
Blake came to race on Sunday with his Tecno kart working well and his driving at a top level to win Heat 4.
Haigh was in a front pack battle in the all important final and looked a shot at victory.
Haigh was able to come home on the podium in a brilliant drive in second spot.
Haigh was able to clinch third in the championship in a great season.
Will Marshall was one of the two senior drivers for Project X Racing taking on the TAG 125 class.
Marshall qualified in 27th overall and moved up five spots in Heat 1 and a further 8 in Heat 2.
Marshall raced around the top 25 in his remaining two heats before taking his best result of the weekend in the all important final in 18th overall.
Seth Huth was another young driver in the Project x Racing team, this time in Cadet 12.
Huth qualified 27th overall and was busy in his opening two heats making up spots, with nine places gained in Heat 1 and six gained in Heat 2.
Seth raced on the edge of the top 15 in his remaining two heats with 17th in Heat 3 and 18th in Heat 4.
Huth left his best race until last making his way into the top-15 and crossing the line in 13th.
Isaac Mcneill was the sole Project X Racing driver in the premier KA2 Junior class.
Mcneill qualified inside the top 10 in eighth.
Isaac was consistent across all four heats finishing 11th in Heat 1 and 3, 10th in Heat 4, and eighth in Heat 2.
Mcneill started outside of the top 15 for the combined final but was able to move his way forward into 15th overall by the chequered flag.
Jai Brown was the final Project X Racing driver competing for 3rd in the championship in KA3 Senior.
Brown qualified in the top five in fourth but had a poor opening heat, finishing in 13th.
Jai bounced back as being the devil racer he is, finishing second in Heat 2 and fourth in Heat 3 to close Saturday.
Brown was able to finish Heat 4 in sixth and was going into the final battling for third in the championship.
Brown raced hard in the top five and crossed the line just off the podium in fourth position which was enough to clinch third in the Australian Championship.
Project X Racing owner William Yarwood spoke post weekend on the team’s championship results.
“Newcastle has always been good to me on the track and it looked to do the same for our drivers in Project X Racing,” Yarwood said.
“It’s not the easiest track to get your head around but once you understand the principles to making lap time here it really rewards.
“For half our team this was their first look at the Sugarloaf circuit and while this was portrayed in their lap times on Friday, we turned that around over the weekend, so for that I am proud of them.
“Young Blake was all but out with sickness Friday but by Sunday he was fighting for the win, this fight back secured him his third place for the Championship.
“Jai Brown also secured 3rd in his class for the championship with the points going down to the wire, he raced hard all weekend in a highly completive class.
“But defiantly my highlight for the weekend was watching young Patrick Buckley seal his first Australian championship.
“We have been involved with this family since Pat Snr and I were racing together as kids so to see this full circle it’s fantastic.
“AKC was overall a win in our books as we weren’t going to enter the team’s championship to nearly making the podium was beyond expectations with our small group.
“So, look out for us in 2023 as we aim to better our 4th place and aim for the #1 spot.
“We now move our attention on to our club day formats and the State cup in October, plus, we have a small group heading to the Supernats in Las Vegas.
“Thanks to my customers and team partners with Parolin kart, Eos kart, and JT Motorsport”.
