With his 14th Australian Kart Championship round win today in Newcastle, Queenslander Troy Loeskow has equalled five time Australian Champion, Brad Jenner at the top of the all time round winner’s list.
Loeskow hasn’t won since an against-the-odds win in July last year in Emerald, however was back to his devastating best this weekend to take the third round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship.
The Bundaberg product got to the lead after series leader and BirelART team-mate, Dylan Guest spun early in the race. Loeskow was pushed all the way through this afternoon’s final by Albury-Wodonga racer, Scott Chaston – who very nearly claimed his first ever round win. Loeskow showed the grit that has taken him to three Australian Titles in his career to hold out Chaston, who claimed his first KZ2 podium. Completing the podium was Loeskow’s BirelART team mate, Jay Coul.
Guest got back to sixth and by virtue of his front running finishes all weekend – and a disastrous run for closest rivals, Australian Champion Sam Dicker, Jac Preston and Supercars star, James Golding – the West Australian has extended his lead heading to the next round in Ipswich.
Several drivers have pushed themselves to have one hand on the Championship trophy, while others have signalled their Title intentions.
Liam Carr was devastating in the premier KA2 Junior category, he topped qualifying and every single race in one of the most dominant performances seen in the AKC era. His dominance was such that he took the final win by over six seconds, his father, Peter quipping on a social media post that he has to “pinch himself” at how the young Sydney-sider has been performing this year.
Cadet 9 racer, Milan Sami took his third final win from three after a weekend that saw mixed heat race results, but it came his way in the final. His closest rival in the final, Felix Sim had his best AKC weekend dominating early heats on Saturday and finished a close second in the final.
Oliver Williamson took the lead in Cadet 12 after winning every time he hit the track. He was the benefactor of an uncharacteristic troublesome weekend from Jay Kostecki – who led the Championship coming into Newcastle. Local driver, Cooper Clavell claimed his first Australian Kart Championship podium, while former Cadet 9 Champion, Brock Nolan scored his first Cadet 12 trophy.
In a wonderful day for the Townsville-based Nolan family, Brock’s elder brother Luke claimed his first ever round win in the hotly contested KA3 Junior category in emotional scenes. He was pushed all the way by Paddy Buckley, but held tough to win.
What is so remarkable about Luke’s win is that last year, he struggled to make the 40 kart cutoff for the finals at many rounds. A renewed focus from Nolan and his driver coach, Luke Flynn – and joining Top Gun Racing under the tutelage of V8 SuperUtes round winner Cody Brewczynski and former Bend Motorsport Park Kartdrome boss, Leigh Harrison – has drawn him to today’s result. Braxton Regan, the round one winner claimed third after a stellar weekend which will almost certainly see him claim the Championship lead.
Jackson Souslin-Harlow was another to have a terrific weekend in a terse battle for the TaG 125 Championship. He grabbed a dominant win over closest Title rivals, Australian Champion, Harrison Hoey and New Zealander, Kianh Burt.
A new winner was crowned in KA3 Senior in Toby Spinks. He piloted his Parolin kart to victory narrowly over multi-round winner Zac Heard and Christian Estasy.
Brodie Whitmore seemingly made amends from a round one post race penalty to cross the line first in X30. Max Walton finished second with Jett Kocoski claiming third. There is an asterisk over Whitmore’s win though with technical officials entering a further investigation over a power unit component.
The next round of the Australian Kart Championship will take place in Ipswich, July 25-27.
Coverage of the SP Tools Championship, presented by Castrol is live and free on 7Plus, with the Newcastle event available on demand here.
VIDEO: Troy Loeskow joins the pantheon of legends in Australian Kart Championship history
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