The factory karting team of Australian F1 star, Daniel Ricciardo has dominated opening day proceedings at the Australian Kart Championships in Newcastle.

The predicted heatwave hit the facility with a vengeance, forcing the abandonment of this afternoon’s final four heat races.

A stacked field of X30 drivers – including 18 times Australian Champion, David Sera, defending Champion Adam Mercer, V8 Utes Champion Kris Walton and Kiwi Dylan Drysdale – has been shown the direction around the Newcastle track by Queenslander, Marc Tulloch.

Tulloch swept to pole position aboard his Ricciardo Kart in qualifying, then from there has kept the field at bay.

Jace Matthews has made his senior debut in the KA1 category in perfect fashion, the Queenslander taking his Ricciardo Kart to pole position this morning and then two convincing heat race wins.

The Gold Coast’s Lachlan Hughes – who returns to the blue and white of the Australian Formula 1 star’s team this season – has been at the fore of KA2 Junior, ending his run today with a second heat race win.

The elite Junior category got underway with debutant Reece Cohen taking the pole position and the opening heat race win.

Bundaberg-based European Championship regular, Troy Loeskow won the opening KZ2 Gearbox heat in his #17 Ricciardo Kart, before Canberra’s Joshua Fife took the second heat race in his Tom Williamson Motorsport Energy Kart.

Brendan Nelson, local Zac van Leeuwestyn and pole-sitter Josh Davey shared honours in TaG 125, while Kody Garland dominated the KA3 class.

Victorian James Wharton shared victories in Cadet 12 with Adrian Haak while Brock Barber with two wins and Harry Arnett took the spoils in Cadet 9.

The last of heat racing and finals take place Sunday in Newcastle.