After winning four National Championships and numerous State Championships Bundaberg kart racer Kel Treseder entered the 2010 CIK Stars of Karting Series because he wanted a new challenge in the sport he loves.
But after an extraordinary performance during the opening round in Newcastle last month the 25 year-old has raised the bar for what he wants to achieve this year – he’s got his sights set on the Pro Gearbox (KZ2) title.
Despite not having driven a six-speed gearbox kart prior to the start of the series, Treseder rapidly came to grips with the extra horsepower provided by the 125cc KZ2-specification engine before crossing the line in second place, just behind Victorian Matthew Wall.
“The six-speed gearbox kart is unbelievable to drive, it has got more power and a very different concept to any other kart that I have ever driven,” said Treseder.
“The CIK Stars of Karting Series is certainly a real highlight for Australian karting and I can see it helping move karting forward as it has provided us with an elite level of the sport once again.
“I was a little bit surprised by my results in the opening round as I’d done very little testing leading into the event but it has certainly given me a boost in confidence and I can’t wait to get to round two at Ipswich.”
Treseder has taken advantage of the eight-week break between the opening two rounds to spend time behind the wheel of his European-made CRG kart in an effort to take over the championship lead from Wall.
“At the first round we were very much running ‘by the seat of our pants’ as we came to grips with the Maxter engine on our CRG kart, so it has been good to have a decent break which has allowed us to test in between rounds,” said Treseder.
“We’ve also purchased a new IAME engine, actually the first one in Australia, and have been focusing on comparing it to our current Maxter engine to see how it goes.
“Wall and his team-mate Chris Hays are the obvious ones to beat. Wall because of his experience in all sorts of karting and Hays because he was fast in his Gearbox debut and Ipswich is his home track.
“I’ll be entering the round with the aim of qualifying inside the top five and then slowly creep up the order and look to be inside the top three by the end of the weekend to keep the championship points ticking over.”
Treseder will be in action for round two of the 2010 CIK Stars of Karting Series at the Ipswich circuit on May 7-9. Entering this round Wall is on 77 points, nine clear of Treseder in second place with Gold Coast’s Chris Hays in third – a mere one point further back.
