Challenge Competitors Praise Professional Series

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Next month’s third round of the 2012 CIK Stars of Karting Series presented by Castrol EDGE will provide an opportunity for Queensland karters to race in Australia’s most professional karting series in their own ‘back yard’.

With the event to be hosted by the Ipswich Kart Club on June 16/17, there will be Australia’s elite drivers competing in the Pro Classes – Pro Light (KF1), Pro Gearbox (KZ2) and Pro Junior (KF3) – while the Challenge categories cater for karters of a variety of levels.

The Australian Leopard Challenge, where Light and Heavy competitors compete in the same field but for different trophies and prizes, has been a big hit with Leopard competitors in the opening two rounds.

Queenslander Steve Lintott has travelled to both Adelaide and Newcastle to compete in the opening two rounds of the Challenge in the Leopard Heavy category.  He says that he’s never enjoyed his racing more than he has in the past few months.

Above: Queenslander Steve Lintott is competing in the Australian Leopard Challenge and says that he's never enjoyed his racing more than he has in the past few months
pic - AF Images/Carruthers

“The series is absolutely awesome, the amount of practice and racing laps that you get is unlike anything else in Australian karting, it’s fantastic,” said Lintott.

“The atmosphere at the track really makes you feel like you’re a part of a proper professional race meeting, not just another kart meeting.

“It offers great value for money, you can’t compare it to anything else.  Being able to race on your class tyre as well is very good.

“Even though we’re on the track at the same time as the Light guys, we’re racing ourselves and it’s a better spectacle for the spectators having more karts on the track.

“I’d suggest the Leopard drivers get their act together and support their class on the biggest stage in Australian karting.”

For James Greenwood, who has been simply dominant in the Yamaha Clubman Challenge so far, the series has helped him become a better racer every time he takes to the circuit.

Above: James Greenwood believes the series has helped him become a better racer
pic - AF Images/Carruthers

“I’ve been a part of the Yamaha Challenge for a couple of years now and it’s been a fantastic thing to be a part of,” said Greenwood.

“You know exactly when you’re on the track, you get more racing laps than any other event in the country in a race weekend and learn so much every time you take to the track.

“Competing in the series to get the longer races has certainly helped my racing when I come back and race at State Championships or other events, as the long races are far from daunting and you’re a lot smarter about your set-up and racecraft.”

Last round was the first time that a new format for the Junior National Challenge was staged with enormous success. There are two weight divisions, Light (120kg) and Heavy (140kg), competing on the circuit at the same time.  However, at the end of the weekend there will be a presentation for both the Light and Heavy categories.

Adding further interest in the Junior National category is the fact that there is now a trip to Japan to compete in the All Japan Yamaha SL Final on offer for the youngsters.  However, unlike the Clubman category – where the trip will go to the winner of the Challenge – the junior winner will come from a random draw.

All drivers who compete in three rounds will receive one entry into the draw, while any driver who has competed in four rounds will receive two entries into the draw.

With the CIK Stars of Karting Series continually looking at ways to improve the karting ‘experience’ for competitors, the Junior National category doesn’t form part of the Friday practice day (entry fee is reduced compared to Clubman and Leopard).  Drivers will instead have two warm-up sessions on the Saturday morning ahead of qualifying and three heat races.  Sunday’s format will consist of a pre-final and final.

With the prizepool for the Yamaha Challenge added to the $40,000 in prizes across the three Pro categories along with the KF engine and IAME Leopard engine in the Australian Leopard Challenge – there is now more than $100,000 in prizes up for grabs in Australia’s elite karting series.

The next round of the 2012 CIK Stars of Karting Series presented by Castrol EDGE will be held in Ipswich on June 16/17.

The Supplementary Regulations for the event are available by clicking here.

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