Doonside Racer Aiming For The Top

AKA press release

Doonside kart racer Craig Stauner is gearing up to take on the Nation’s best drivers in the Rotax Karting Nationals at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway this weekend.

After catching the ‘karting bug’ while working at Eastern Creek Hire Karts three years ago Stauner has developed into one of the real characters of the sport around New South Wales.

Above: Doonside driver Craig Stauner behind the wheel of his Top Kart
pic: photowagon.com.au

“I’d always wanted to race something but never really got the opportunity, so when I started working at the hire karts it ignited my senses for racing karts,” said Stauner.

“While the racing gets pretty serious at times I try to make sure it is always enjoyable and that everyone is having a laugh. It is a real good fun sport to be involved in.”

This weekend’s event will be the 26 year-old’s third tilt at a National Championship, his previous best finish coming in 2006 with an eighth place finish when the corresponding event was held in Newcastle.

“This is the third time that I’ve raced at a Nationals and after a couple of good results in State Titles (2nd in the NT Championships) and Rotax Pro Tour I’m confident that I will be able to mix it right up the front of the pack,” said Stauner.

“I’ll be going out to race my own race and try not to worry too much about what the other guys are doing. Sure there will be the best of the best from all around the country racing, including the likes of Kel Treseder and William Yarwood – who have won the last six titles between them, but I’ll be out there to win.”

If successful in his quest for victory Stauner will become the first New South Wales driver to win the Rotax Heavy crown since Damien Meyer won the inaugural Championship in 2001.

Stauner, who is a plumber by trade, will be joined on the 33-driver grid by fellow Western Sydney residents in the Rotax Heavy division, Daniel Baker and Daniel Stein.

All drivers at the Rotax Karting Nationals will be competing aboard 125cc Rotax-powered karts reaching speeds in excess of 100 km/h while racing only centimetres apart on the 1024-metre circuit.

Practice will be held on Friday followed by qualifying on Saturday with the Championship Finals scheduled for Sunday.

The Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway is located on Peter Brock Drive at Eastern Creek.

This weekend’s event kickstarts a double-header of action for karting in the Western Sydney region with Oran Park hosting the New South Wales State Championships the following weekend (October 2-4).

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