A Top Weekend At Lithgow
Tweetpress release
Last weekend’s club meeting, supported by the TAG SUPER SERIES, provided no less than 232 enthusiastic Karters with the usual quality racing and country styled hospitality of this great club.
The weekend also saw the club provide live timing displayed on a screen on the clubhouse’s veranda for the first time. While the all new computer system provided some minor hiccups, it was well received by the drivers and should be a huge asset during all future club meetings.
The club’s decision to also utilise the CM:S pre entry system, coupled with a pre entry express lane for race registration, was appreciated by those who took advantage of the benefit which will be available to all entrants at all future CDKC Race Meetings. A very BIG “WELL DONE” needs to go to the club’s system developer, Robert Stead, and all the helpers who worked, and will continue to work tirelessly, to ensure the system works as it should.
Now on to the racing.
The TAG racers are to be congratulated for their attitude towards their racing; just a great group of people that enjoy their racing and fellowship in a manner that this sport can provide, well organised by their leader Phil Warder, and a testament to the enjoyment of what enthusiasm and respect for your fellow Karter can provide.
Down to business, and a large field of Clubman Lights went to the starter for the usual 3 heats, pre final and a hard fought final that saw some of the very best of competition by all the entrants. Young JOSHUA SEIFFERT is starting to appear on the result sheets more and more these days and is making his transition from the junior ranks something to prove the worth of our CDKC junior karting. On this occasion he was chased all the way by IAN BEERAZ, the usual run-away winner of Clubman Light at Lithgow, who not only had to work at Joshua, but had DARREN FOLEY right behind him. Also, anyone of the next half a dozen contenders that contained Mitchell HUDSON, Stephanie SANDRONE, Mitchell CROKE and Leigh WRIGHT could have been in the top three - you could have thrown the proverbial blanket over all of them at the final flag fall.
27 starters faced the flag in the TAG RESTRICTED LIGHT field, with MICHAEL SIEDERS leading home MITCHELL WEBSTER and MICHAEL BARTLEY in the Final. But, once again the famed Lithgow track layout kept the field together and allowed some really first class racing all day.
Not to be out-done, no less than 30 TAG heavy weights went to the starter for another exciting round of racing. Although it was STEVEN VEIGH that did the fastest qualifying trick, he was unable to keep MICHAEL OSMOND, CHRISTOPHER WHITE and DEREK LANE from filling the podium places.
Although a little short on numbers the SUPER HEAVY TAG guys were no less enthusiastic and with SHANE TATE leading LEE GARDINER and DAVID JONES home to the podium, the entire field enjoyed their racing.
And then there were the SPORTSMAN. WOW!! are these Guys and Dolls getting it all together. What a great spectacle and the Lithgow circuit is no place for the feint hearted - so some excellent racing was the end result. ANDREW MITCHELL, ANTHONY HULM, and LIAM FERRY led the light field home while MATTHEW ENDRES was the outstanding player in the heavy field. Matthew was the fastest qualifier and never missed a beat in any heat or final; although BENJAMIN RITCHIE and SAM TAYLOR tried all day they had to settle for the minor placing's.
The other classes on the Saturday were, CADETS, ROOKIES, JUNIOR NATIONAL LIGHT and SENIOR NATIONAL LIGHT, all these classes made it a very long day, however all the participants were enjoying such tremendous racing they were happy to go the distance even though the meeting concluded a bit later than the club usually likes to finish up.
The CADETS and ROOKIES always provide big fields at Lithgow and this meeting was no exception,
LUCAS LICHTENBERGER, ZAC LOBKO and TRAVIS WORTON led the CADET field home with the usual creditable performances by all of the entrants. In the ROOKIES, who is going to take it away from CODY BREWCZYNSKI, who keeps on providing high quality performances even though JOSHUA CARR and ZAC RADDATZ are always there and ready to pounce.
CHRISTOPHER SANDRONE was closely chased all day by HAYDEN SUNDERLAND and GLEN ORMEROD who filled the podium of JUNIOR NATIONAL LIGHT. I am sure this group will provide some tremendous racing at the forthcoming Closed State Titles at the circuit.
The final class for the Saturday was the SENIOR NATIONAL LIGHTS. Now that this class is being contested by many of our previous junior champions, the racing is the very best you can imagine. BRAYDEN PRITCHARD seems to have a slight edge over the other guys at the moment and went on to lead home AARON GIUNTINI and WILLIAM POWERS in the final. But as usual, a strong ALEXANDRA LAWRENCE was right behind them and continues to keep the boys honest.
Sunday dawned with a very thick fog in place. A sure sign of a usual lovely Lithgow day to follow which eventuated and a glorious day was enjoyed with some spectacular racing by good numbers of karters in all classes.
The new invigorated CLUBMAN OVER 40’S has just grown into a very well attended class with 12 of the very best of the “Older” gentlemen enjoying their preparation for the Coffs weekend. The racing was superb with BRIAN SCIBERRAS, Skippy to his Mates, showing in his return to racing in his beloved “S” that he has lost nothing and left MICHAEL MICALLEF and JEFFREY COOPER to fill the minor placings, with some of the usual front runners a bit further back in the pack.
NICHOLAS COOLEY led home, JEREMY ATKINS and STEPHEN ZERAFA in the final of the SENIOR NATIONAL HEAVY class, while SCOTT HARRIS kept JEFFREY RAHALEY and SAMUEL SCWARZ at bay to win the JUNIOR NATIONAL HEAVY Class and both classes had respectable entrant numbers.
The SENIOR NATIONAL OVER 40’S saw some back up from the clubman over 40’s and a lot of very tired members of our “Older” generation appeared at the presentation. ANTHONY BORG continues to be the leader in this class and no doubt will be trying to improve on his performance of last year at the Coffs over 40’s. However WARREN HODDER and BRIAN SCIBERRAS followed him home on this day. But I have no doubt they will be looking to find some more “GO” for their encounter at Coffs.
It was great to see Wollongong’s DOMENIC MARCIANO lead the CLUBMAN HEAVY class to the final chequered flag, however JAMES TAYLOR and the ever present RUSSELL BECKER were not far behind and even DAVID KERMOND who eventually filled the 4th sport was in there all the way. Some really great performers were among the very big strong field.
And still the SUPER HEAVY NATIONAL field continues to grow and provide some really great racing. This meeting, JOHN HORSBURGH saw fit to join in and was really untouchable with all “1’s” in his performance boxes. However, don’t count on the second placed TOM HEARN continuing to accept that position; and with ANDREW CURTIS right in there behind them. KEEGAN BRAIN is growing in ability and confidence with every meeting. With the PIPERS, Maurice, and Ben, who were not at this meeting, but will certainly return in the near future, being up front in this class in the future will require a huge effort by those that want to be there.
With the clubs usual efficiency this saw all proceedings over and karters on their way home before the 4.30pm time which the clubs works hard to achieve to enable people to get home from Lithgow at a reasonable time.
The next meeting on 26th and 27th May is a round of the New South Wales State Cup, where you can gain points for inclusion into the Closed State Titles scheduled for the 13th 14th and 15th July.
The 23rd and 24th June meeting is a scheduled meeting of the SYDNEY KART RACING CLUB, open to all Karters. And you can come along and hear the “Hard Luck” stories from the Coffs meeting??
Also in May on the 11th 12th and 13th, CDKC will host the VINTAGE AND HISTORIC KART CLUB OF AUSTRALIA’S gathering and demonstration. Karts and Karters from our past have already booked in and already have bookings from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and even Western Australia. Some of the Karts of yesteryear will amaze you with their simplicity and performance. Spectators are more than welcome and there is no entry fee to the circuit.
As an aside, all future meetings of the Combined Districts Kart Club will have PRE ENTRIES with a PRE ENTRY EXPRESS LANE available to all participants. This will be a huge benefit to all those that wish to use this facility.