Bendigo Racers Chasing State Title This Weekend

AKA press release

Bendigo’s best kart racers will be taking on some of the top drivers from across the country when they compete in the Victorian Open Sprint Kart Championships at the Hume International Raceway at Puckapunyal this weekend (May 8-10).

Teenagers Jarrod Egan (right - Ash Budd pic) and Daniel Valentini will be two of the drivers flying the Bendigo flag in the Junior categories while Craig Arnett, Tyler Cramer and Brenton Mountjoy will compete in the Senior categories.

Egan is fresh from a strong campaign at the National Championships where he finished a creditable fifth place in the highly-competitive Junior Clubman category, an effort made more impressive given the fact that he started from the back of the grid for the Championship Final.

The 15 year-old is currently competing in his sixth year of karting and is the reigning South Australian State Champion in his category.

“I’m really looking forward to taking on the best drivers from across the country this weekend and am confident that I can be one of the front runners for the Title,” said Egan.

“I had some good speed at the Nationals but when I failed to finish the Pre-Final it meant that I had to start from about grid 30 for the final, so to get up to fifth at the finish was a pleasing result.”

Egan, who was inspired to start his karting career by Aussie Formula One star Mark Webber, thoroughly enjoys the competitive nature of the sport.

“Karting is a great sport to be involved in, I love the competitive nature of the sport but also the friendships that you make from all across the country,” said Egan.

“I’ll be sitting for my road licence later this year but I’ve already been driving karts for six years and learning all about car control and driving techniques which means that I won’t be overwhelmed when I get behind the wheel of a car.”

Above: Jarrod Egan on his way to victory in the 2008 South Australian Championships
pic - photowagon.com.au

Arnett, who returned to the kart track after several years competing in Speedway, is this weekend competing in his first State Championship in ten years – a challenge that he is looking forward to.

“I’ve been around karting in one form or another for most of my life and with my son getting closer to the age where he can start racing I’ve traded my Speedway licence back in for a karting one so we can start to enjoy the sport together,” said Arnett, a two-time state karting champion during the 1990's.

“This weekend’s Championships are more for me to find out how competitive I can be, with the knowledge that I’m taking on the best drivers from across the country on a track that I know quite well.”

Arnett believes the affordability of karting is one of the most attractive things about the sport.

“I always knew that karting was a reasonably economical way to go motor racing but it is not until you go and try other forms of motor racing that you realise how affordable karting really is,” said Arnett.

Qualifying for the Championships will begin on Friday followed by Heat Races on Saturday and the Championship Finals on Sunday.

The Hume International Raceway is one of the best in the country. In 2004 the venue played host to the National Championships and next weekend’s Event will act as a precursor to next year’s Nationals that will be contested at the venue.

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