Nelson 3rd In Australian Championship

press release

X-treme Racing Apparel supported Karter Brendan Nelson stepped up on to the Australian National Sprint Karting Championship podium in Puckapunyal on Sunday to take a well deserved 3rd place trophy.

The 18yo Griffith University Sports Management under graduate was on pace all weekend, setting the second fastest time in Friday’s official qualifying around the 1.064 km Eastern Lions Kart Track in Victoria. A second and fourth place in Saturday’s Heat racing ensured that he remained at the front of the 23 Kart pack for the Pre Final grid placings later that afternoon.  Starting from P3 behind Toowoomba’s Matt Greenbury and Victoria’s Lee Mitchener, Nelson quickly jumped to the front by the end of the first lap to lead the race.  He was passed by Greenbury again on Lap 5 of the 11 lap journey to the chequered flag.

The Pre Final racing was intense and the following lap Matt Wall took over 2nd.  Nelson held 3rd for the next few laps until Mitchener squeezed past on Lap 10, leaving Nelson to cross the line in 4th.  This result would automatically transfer Brendan to a P4 starting position in Sunday’s Final.

Energized, anxious and keen to do well in the Final, Brendan stuck to his routine low key preparations and kept his composure during Sunday morning’s Practice session.  Starting from the second row of the grid and having raced those around him on many occasions before, Nelson, the 2009 Toyota Leopard Shootout Champion knew that he had to get to the front as quickly as he could and make a break.    

He did exactly that on the Start and jumped Matt Greenbury to take P2 on the opening lap behind Lee Mitchener.  Greenbury fought back a few short laps later taking P2 back from Nelson whilst New South Welshman, Jason Hryniuk made a spectacular high speed exit on Lap 4.  Tucking in behind Greenbury for the next 5 laps, Nelson knew that the current Australian Champion, Kel Treseder from Bundaberg wasn’t going to rest long behind him in position 4.

On Lap 10 Treseder made his move and a lap later, Victorian Matt Wall followed to push Nelson down the order.  Only a lap later Matt Wall put his hand up, slowed and pulled into the pit with a broken exhaust flex.  Seeing this unfold in front of him, the 18yo Queenslander knew that his race was far from over and he set out to reel Australian Champion Treseder back in over the next 3 laps.

pics - photowagon.com.au

Executing his move on Lap 15 of the 16 lap Final, Nelson passed Treseder and went on to cross the finish line 2.361 seconds behind Mitchener and Greenbury, who had gapped the others whilst they were squabbling over the minor placings.

“It was a good race and we went alright this weekend.  I appreciate the support my parents and our Team Partners have given me to be here this weekend,” said Nelson. “Oh well, there’s only another 365 more days till I get another crack to put that green number 1 plate on my Kart,” he joked in good humour after the race.

The young Doyle’s Racing Kartsport driver had to stay focussed throughout the weekend, as he was also competing in the Clubman Heavy class.  Being the 3rd highest Point Scorer in Clubman Heavy after a Heat win and two 2nd placings, Nelson was also at the front of the elite field of competitors in this class.  A racing incident on Lap 3 of the Final however resulted in Brendan’s Kart suffering a bent rear axle and he fell down the order to finish a very credible 8th outright under the circumstances.

Brendan is travelling back to Queensland to be ready to compete with his fellow team mates, James Greenwood, Mitchell Gee and Callum Walker in this coming weekend’s first round of the six round Queensland 2010 Supercheap Auto Kart Series.  Brendan hopes to successfully defend his last year’s win of Supercheap Auto Kart Series.

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