Jets Motorsport Claim Successive Ipswich 24-Hour Wins
press release
Making their claim as the new ’24 Hour’ specialists; the # 1 Jets Motorsport team drove dominantly to take out the annual ‘Ipswich 24 Hour’ at the Ipswich Kart Track, near Ipswich in Queensland, over the June Long Weekend in what was back-to-back event victories for the NSW based team.
In a team that featured Formula Ford racer Nathan Morcom and Aussie Racing Car driver Richie Rapa; the # 1 Jets Motorsport, who are the current National and NSW Champions, managed to drive to victory in the ‘Ipswich 24 Hour’, which doubled as the second round of the National Championship and also the fourth round of the Queensland Championship, and at the fall of the chequered flag had won by a total of 27 laps.
Despite a comfortable victory in the end; the # 1 Jets Motorsport team certainly didn’t have it go all their way. Throughout the majority of the ‘Ipswich 24 Hour’ they had to battle it out with pole sitter # 5 Random Racing, which was a team made up of a lot of members of the Adrenalin Rush Karting team, only for them to fall out of the running and retired in the latter stages with ongoing brake problems.
The team that finished in second place behind the victorious # 1 Jets Motorsport was the # 661 PDS Grand Prix, who also finished as the highest placed Queensland based team too. Bolstered by V8 Supercar driver David Besnard and former Australian Production Car Champion Daniel Natoli joining the team for the ‘Ipswich 24 Hour’; the # 661 PDS Grand Prix outfit had a strong run and the former ‘Gold Coast 12 Hour’ winners were thrilled to pick up their maiden ’24 Hour’ event podium.
In what was one of the surprise packets of the event; # 22 Atlas Racing team have shown strong speed so far this year in the Queensland Championship. They drove consistently and also enjoyed a trouble free run to snare third place on the podium. This result has no doubt given the team added confidence for the remainder of this year’s Queensland Championship.
# 2 SCR Racing finished just off the podium in fourth place and in fifth after a fantastic run was # 152 Phantom Racing. # 42 KnK Scuderia placed back in sixth ahead of # 27 Resi Sales Racing, # 66 Team Kaos, # 5 Climatrol Racing and in 10th across the finish line was the # 51 Team 5150R.
Eighth place was a good fight back for # 66 Team Kaos after they were forced to undertake an engine change during the early stages of the ‘Ipswich 24 Hour’. In another similar tale to that of Team Kaos; last round Queensland Championship winners; # 51 Team 5150R suffered throttle issues during the race and it resulted in a lengthy unscheduled pit stop that cost them plenty of time and ruined any chance of contending for the winning spoils.
Other hard luck stories included - # 3 Jets Motorsport and Queensland Championship pace setters - # 50 Team 5150R. The # 3 Jets Motorsport, who were racing to support the National Breast Cancer Foundation, were right up there in contention for a spot on the podium and it was looking increasingly likely to be a 1-2 finish for the Jets Motorsport team. However in the latter stages the team were struck down by mechanical issues and it ultimately led to their retirement from the event. After qualifying for the ‘Ipswich 24 Hour’ in second place on the grid; # 50 Team 5150R ran strongly during the event only to eventually succumb to mechanical issues and be forced to retire.
In what was a credit to all the teams that competed in the ‘Ipswich 24 Hour’ there was no one safety car period called on for the entire distance.
The third round of the National Championship is to be fought out on the weekend of August 14 and 15 at Tamworth’s Oakburn Park Raceway in Northern NSW for the inaugural ‘Tamworth 12 Hour’. The fifth round of the Queensland Championship is going to the inaugural running of the ‘Rockhampton 12 Hour’ on the weekend of July 24 and 25 at Rockhampton’s Fitzroy Park Raceway.
