Australia's Fastest Heading To Melbourne This Weekend

press release

Australia’s most powerful karts will be heading to Melbourne this weekend as part of an event which has been labelled ‘Horsepower Heaven’ at the Todd Road circuit in Port Melbourne.

Such is the horsepower of the machines that will be in action this weekend, the karts in the KZ2 category – which uses a six-speed gearbox – will reach speeds in excess of 130 km/h around the undulating circuit.

Joining the 30-strong field of KZ2 drivers in the pit area at Port Melbourne will also be a large field of drivers battling it out for the Formula 100 Nationals along with competitors vying for victory in the IAME Leopard Challenge Final.

With the Formula 100 category split into a Light and Heavy division, the host state boasts the defending champion in both categories. Adam Hughes won the Light crown last year in Geelong and Caroline Springs driver Jason Stania took out the Formula 100 Heavy crown when it was last contested in 2000 at Mount Gambier, South Australia.

Above: Adam Hughes
pic - photowagon.com.au

In the Light division Hughes will be out to claim back-to-back crowns where he will line up alongside the likes of fellow Melbournians David Sera, Matt Hayes and Lee Mitchener along with recently crowned Australian CIK Champion Hayden McBride from Newcastle.

Stania will face tough opposition in his quest to remain the champion this weekend from the likes of Sunbury’s Matthew Wall, Geelong’s Dom Albanese, Queenslander Nathan Mills and West Aussie Brad Fitch.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve raced Formula 100 and this weekend is going to be very tough,” said Stania.

Above: Jason Stania
pic - photowagon.com.au

“I’ve been training a bit of late as driving a Formula 100 kart is a lot more physical than what I am used to. I’m sure that once I get back into the groove that everything will be fine.

“Over the past few weeks I’ve been doing some testing in my Kosmos kart with the team from City Karts which has been pretty positive and I’m looking to getting on the track this weekend.

“Over my many years in the sport I've raced at and seen a lot of events but this weekend’s ‘horsepower heaven’ event will be one of the exciting events in Australian karting for many years.”

The IAME Leopard Challenge Final will see over 35 of Australia’s best kart racers come together to compete in the 2009 Leopard Final Shootout aboard their karts powered by Italian-made 125cc IAME Leopard engines.

“This is the fifth running of the Toyota IAME Leopard Final Shootout and each year the caliber of drivers this event attracts improves, with 2009 seeing past and present Australian Champions entered," said Australian IAME Importer Remo Luciani.

At this weekend's event, no matter where they finish on the day, all Leopard Final Shootout entrants will go into a draw for a chance to win a Toyota Yaris.

This will be the ninth vehicle that Luciani and his Remo Racing operation has given away since the inception of the Leopard Final Shootout in 2005.

Other fantastic prizes that will be won this weekend are 3 overseas drives to compete at the 2010 IAME International World Challenge, a complete Monaco GP kart and X30 engine package, 2 complete Parilla X30 engines, plus many, many "random' draw prizes that will be drawn at the Leopard Final Presentation, giving all competitors a chance to win a prize.

The total prize pool for the Shootout event is valued in excess of $70,000.00.

The 200 Super category, where karts are powered by a pair of high 35-plus Hp engines, will also be making a rare return to the circuit to entertain the spectators throughout the weekend.

Practice will be held on Saturday morning followed by qualifying and heat races in the afternoon. The Finals will be contested on Sunday.

The circuit is located on the corner of Todd Road & Cook Street, Port Melbourne, Victoria.

Previous winners of the Formula 100 National Championship
2000 - 2008
2008 - Adam Hughes (Vic)
2007 - Jason Burns (NSW)
2006 - Matthew Wall (Vic)
2005 - Kristian Lindbom (NSW)
2004 - Matthew Wall (Vic)
2003 - Barclay Holden (Qld)
2002 - Michael Patrizi (WA)
2001 - Brendan May (NSW)
2000 - Neil McFadyen (NSW) – Light, Jason Stania (Vic) – Heavy

Previous winners of the Leopard Challenge Final
2008 - David Sera (Vic) - Light, Justin Schneider (Vic) - Heavy
2007 - David Sera (Vic) - Light, Hayden Stephenson (Qld) - Heavy
2006 - David Sera (Vic) - Light, Kel Treseder (Qld) - Heavy
2005 - James Sera (Vic) - Light, Mark Cowley (Vic) - Heavy

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