Gladstone Fires Up For Founders Day

press release

Formula K Raceway came to life with the smell of petrol and the sound of roaring karts for the first time this year when the Gladstone Kart Club held their annual Founders Day race meeting on Saturday afternoon, Feb 7, to kick off the 2009 season. Results were:

The club is gearing up for a big year with some of the best karters from the state and country heading to Gladstone in the next few months. Events like annual Gladstone / Rockhampton “2 Track Challenge” in May, which last year hosted over 200 competitor from across the state, as well as the 2009 Supercheap Auto Kart Series which is run in conjunction with Ipswich, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Warwick kart clubs with series prizes which include V8 Supercar factory tours, Performance Driver Training and V8 production car test drives. This along with the club's regular major meets - the Double Direct and Port Curtis Titles - will mean the local racers will need to keep their skills and kart setup just right to fend off the challenge from traveling competitors.

The track, located in South Trees Estate just past Glen Eden, is one of the most highly regarded by both local and visiting drivers due to the undulating nature of the circuit's design which incorporates fast sweeping corners as well as tight, technical chicanes.    

With local stars John Grother out with a shoulder reconstruction and Cian Fothergill focusing on state and national level competition, the door is left open for the next local rising stars to etch their name on the GKC championship trophy.

Karting in Gladstone is a family affair with cousins Josh and Norton Rogers, father and son pairings of Ian Jnr & Ian Snr Wogandt, John and Josh Krahenbring along with brother combinations of Brock and Jethro Ten Bensel as well as Marty and Trevor Emerson all involved in the local karting scene. Former club President Denis Bulter also brings his tribe along to the track to race each meeting with Denis and his 3 sons all taking part in a day at the track.

The Midgets class will be looking for a new champion this year with 2008 winner Josh Rogers stepping up to the older Rookie class along with the likes of Conner Smith and Dylan Wakefield who will be challenging 2008 champion Nathan Derboben.

TAG100 is a class on the rise amongst local competitors with the new class attracting one of the biggest fields at the last meeting of 2008.

The most popular senior fields in Gladstone though are the Leopard and Rotax classes. Theses 125cc powered, centrifugal clutched, electric start, water cooled machines reach speeds of up to 120kph and blast around the track at a lightning pace providing plenty of action for the spectators.

Practice starts from 12pm with racing from 3pm and running into the night with the finals run under the lights. The club has its bar and canteen facilities running which prove to be a great vantage point to watch all the action.

For more information check out the club's website at www.gladstonekartclub.com.au

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