Gold For Gee
press release
The Yamaha powered Harrington Doyle Junior National Heavy driver Mitchell Gee captured yet another Junior Title on Queen’s Birthday weekend, when he won the inaugural Caloundra Body Works “Cooloola Junior Gold” Karting event for the class at Gympie.
pic - DRK Team Archive
The 12yo Caloundra Schoolboy netted a near perfect event result sheet when he qualified fastest in both separate Qualifying sessions on Saturday at the 890 metre Gympie Gold Raceway and went on to win all but 1 of his following races. His overall best qualifying lap time of 43.181 seconds (average speed of 74.2 Kph) around the undulating Gympie circuit was impressive and sufficient to put him at the front of the field as Fastest Qualifier.
The Sunshine Coast youngster driving for the Yatala based Doyle’s Racing Kartsport Team had arrived at the track brimming with confidence on Friday, knowing that this was essentially his home track, even though he and his family spend most weekends at interstate Karting venues.
During both following Heat races on Saturday, Gee began to show an emerging “Gold” streak as he won the first heat clear of Oliver Etter, Ethan O’Farrell and Benjamin Harm. The racing was assertive and exceptionally close with the leading bunch racing inches from each other for much of the race.
Above: Harrington Doyle Directors, Dean Harrington & Craig Doyle with Mitchell Gee after his Cooloola Junior Gold win
pic - DRK Team Archive
Heat 2 was to be an easier 10 Kart length win for Gee as he broke away from the pack to establish a lead over his nearest rival. Although the others drove hard, their continued dicing only allowed Gee to maintain his stronghold on the race. Harm eventually crossed the line in second, with O’Farrell, Etter and Blake Worboys behind him.
With Gee out of the Pole for the PreFinal as Top Points Scorer, the other Junior National Heavy drivers knew that they would have to lock Gee down early in the race. Etter, Harm, Gee and O’Farrell all tussled going into the first corner and continued to dice for the next 15 laps of the PreFinal. The lead was changing multiple times each lap and the race was pulling the spectators to the fence, as lap after lap the order changed. Etter would ultimately emerge victorious in the last few corners and deny Gee of a perfect sweep of the results for the weekend. Benjamin Harm finished second, with Gee millimetres behind in third and O’Farrell right on his hammer.
After the PreFinal the Stewards of the meeting counselled all four of the Top Junior National Heavy drivers as a group, as to importance of maintaining professional driving standards in such close and competitive racing. You could see that the collars were up and that there was a title on the line. The crowd that had come to watch the Cooloola Junior Gold event knew that the Junior National Heavy drivers were going to make it an exciting afternoon Final and provide thrilling racing.
Starting from third place on the grid behind Etter and Harm, Gee knew that he had to drive a calculated and patient race if he was to win a 2nd successive coloured plate within a month. With an inside line to the first corner he drove a clear defensive Turn 1, following pole sitter Etter through and out the other side. Harm and O’Farrell quickly began to counter in the ensuing laps and the four swapped places time and time again. Eventually on Lap 10 as Etter came out of the bottom Spray Tech Corner heading up the main straight, he and O’Farrell touched and Etter spun toward the infield up the dirt embankment. Unfortunately for Etter this would end is challenge and in the next few laps allow Gee to make a small break on the field. Gee continued to build on his break and raced toward the Chequered Flag to claim the inaugural “Cooloola Junior Gold” Title win for the Junior National Heavy class, 1.881 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.
Above: Gee established a 1.881 second gap in the final stages of the 18 lap feature race for Junior National Heavy
pic - DRK Team Archive
“It was great to be here to witness Mitchell’s continued good form in recent weeks,” said Doyle’s Racing Kartsport Team Manager, Craig Doyle. “Michael and his family’s commitments to the sport are clearly evident, as they are also the major sponsors of today’s event. We’re very proud to be associated with Caloundra Body Works both at the track and in business. I know it’s very satisfying to Michael, Maree and Mitchell’s Grandparents to have seen him win in some terrifically close and exciting racing with Oliver, Ben and Ethan today.”
“My own heart was pumping pretty hard there, lap after lap, and all of the drivers should be very proud of the entertainment they delivered to us today,” said Doyle. “The Cooloola Club and all of their supporters should also be immensely proud of the event. I’m sure that if it hasn’t already, it will soon become one of the premier junior events in Queensland. The Club has adopted a great V8 Supercar style event format of Race all Day and Rock all Night. It’s great to see that as a sport we are finally learning how to promote events such as this. There was absolutely something for everyone this weekend.”
As Mitchell currently holds second place in the East Coast title Junior National Title as part of the 2010 CIK Stars of Karting, he and his family now head back to Eastern Creek Raceway this Thursday in preparation for the weekend’s Round 3 of racing, 18th to 20th June, 2010.
