Novocastrians Set For CIK Championship

AKA press release

Newcastle kart racers Simon Roberts and Hayden McBride have confirmed their positions in the field for the 2009 Australian CIK Karting Championship, which kicks off at Newcastle’s Mt Sugarloaf Circuit on May 30/31.

The Australian CIK Karting Championship, the country’s equivalent to the European and World Karting Series’, is making a return to Australian circuits this year after a five-year hiatus and both Novocastrians are excited about the challenge ahead of them.

For Roberts (right, Ash Budd pic), this is the next step in his flourishing karting career.

After spending a number of years in the 100cc Clubman category he stepped up to the 125cc Leopard category 18 months ago and finished third at the recent National Championships in his division. Now, he is ready for the next challenge – the Australian CIK Championship.

Roberts first started his karting career aged seven at the Mount Sugarloaf circuit and raced continuously through until the age of 18. After spending a couple of years away from the sport Roberts has been a front-runner in the major events across Australia since making his return.

“This will be the first time that I have competed in the CIK Championship and it is something that I am really looking forward to,” said Roberts.

“All throughout my karting career I’ve always looked at aiming for my next challenge which is why I moved from Clubman into the Leopard class, now it is the CIK Championship as it is considered the most challenging class of karting across the world. It should be very exciting and I’m looking forward to many of the country’s top drivers getting behind the series.”

Above: Newcastle driver Simon Roberts in action behind the wheel of his CRG kart.
Pic: photowagon.com.au

Roberts will be compete in the opening round of the Australian CIK Series in his European-made CRG KT1 Chassis powered by an IAME Parilla KF2 specification 125cc engine, the same engine to used by all competitors in the series.

“The CRG KT1 chassis has been a strong performer for me over the past few months, so I’ll be simply bolting the faster engine and stickier tyres on and going racing,” said Roberts.

“For the first round we won’t be using the optional front brakes and be concentrating on getting the kart set up right, then taking it from there for the remainder of the series.”

McBride, who won the Australian Rotax Nationals in 2006, has spent much of the last few years gearing up to step into a CIK type class by competing in the European Rotax Series and a number of Formula 100 races throughout Victoria.

Like Roberts, this will be McBride’s first campaign in the Australian CIK Karting Championship.

Above: Hayden McBride competing in Formula 100

Some of the previous Champions of the Australian CIK Championship in the past have included V8 Supercar drivers Jamie Whincup, Mark Winterbottom and Tim Slade.

Further drivers in the Australian CIK Championship will be announced by Series Organisers over the coming weeks.

Competitors wishing to register for the Series should sign up by visiting www.rotax.com.au and go to the Pro Tour 2009 page. At the bottom of this, click the Registration button and in the class listing, choose "CIK-KF2”.

For technical and series information please contact Peter Galvin on 0433 042 900.

2009 Australian CIK Karting Championship
30th - 31st May Newcastle (State Title)
26th - 27th June VACC Park, Melbourne, Vic (State Title)
6th - 9th August Raleigh, NSW
24th - 25th October Ipswich, Qld (State Title)

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