Superkart Nats - Final Practice, Friday

press release

The www.artmotorsport.com.au Australian Superkart Championship completed the first day (Friday) with 27 of the 30 kart entry taking to the track at Sydney's Eastern Creek Raceway at Round 6 of the Shannons Motor Racing Championships.

The leading contenders were eyeing each other in practice with all the front runners setting lap times as they prepare for the final four races of the Australian Championship. Series points leader Sam Zavaglia set the fastest time, slipping into the 1:30 bracket, just two seconds away from Warren McIlveen's lap record, with his closest points rival Darren Hossack matching him for pace by the end of the day.

Mechanical reliability issues plagued some teams, but the hardship brought out the best in competitive spirit amongst competitors. Queensland racer Vince Livaditis had a incident packed day driving the Top Dog Advertising PVP at his Australian Championship debut. A misfire was traced split cases in his PVP, and without the resources to repair the kart himself he was considering the long drive back to Brisbane without turning a lap until series front runner and engine builder Gary Pegoraro, assisted by Troy O'Brien were able to get the kart rebuilt. Livaditis subsequently had a tyre failure in Eastern Creek's famed turn 1 without harm, and is ready for tomorrow morning qualifying.

The story was typical of pit lane with several competitors having to overcome mechanical problems during the day. Pegoraro himself and his RMR Superkarts team mate Colin McInytre both had engine problems but both were operating again by the end of the day. Melbourne based New Zealander Anton Stevens also had a trackside engine rebuild for the www.artmotorsport.com.au PVP, as did V8 Supercar racer Shane Price in his Anderson-SAFE. The reigning champion Safe Evolutions team turning around the Price's kart in short order.

The biggest setback though has been suffered by the Domain Prestige Homes team of sixteen-year-old racer from Melbourne, Steven Tamasi. A nasty piston failure aboard Tamasi's Honda powered Stockman MR2 will leave the team with an overnight engine rebuild. Team owner, Daniel Tamasi tried his hand racing a Superkart himself. Daniel, having raced Eastern Creek many times before as a Sports Sedan competitor in his Chevrolet powered Opel Calibra, was one of three competitors making their Australian Championship debut today. Tamasi Snr is racing one of Brian Stockman's Stockman-Honda 250 International kart but is still learning the kart.

It was good to see some familiar faces trackside today, multiple title winner, most recently in 250 National division, Jason McIntyre was back trackside after being too ill to travel to Mallala, Jason was working with the RMR Superkarts team today helping to get the team's Andersons back on track again. Category manager David Bellenger was also a happy figure in the paddock having recovered almost completely from a heart attack after the Mallala round. While not present, South Australian team owner Nick Paul is recovering well from the heart attack he suffered at Mallala, his Stockman-Honda driven by Robert Oakley was circulating well today.

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