WA State Champions Crowned In Bunbury
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Fourteen drivers had the honour of being crowned champion in their respective category at the 2012 Nash Bros. Western Australian State Championships in Bunbury today.
Denmark youngster Keb Evans dominated preliminary proceedings in the Cadets category, for drivers aged as young as seven, but in the 22-lap final he was challenged for the victory by Queenslander Harrison Hoey.
The pair exchanged the leading on a number of occasions throughout the race before Evans held on for a narrow victory. It is the first state championship for the youngster from the Albany City Kart Club.
“It’s a pretty good feeling to be the state champion. Racing with Harrison like we did made it the most rewarding and thrilling race that I’ve ever been a part of,” said Evans.
Above: Keb Evans leading Harrison Hoey in the final of the Cadets category
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“I’ve been racing for four years now and it feels great to finish my career in Cadets off as a state champion before moving into the Rookies (the category for the next age bracket) at the start of next year.”
Kalgoorlie’s Anthony Martin was another to claim his maiden state championship at this weekend’s championships with a win in the Clubman Light category. Martin made the most of his opportunities in the early laps of the final to find his way to the front – a position that he never relinquished.
Finishing second behind Martin was Geraldton’s Nathan Davis who fended off a hard charging Scott Foster, who was forced to come from the rear of the field dur to not finishing yesterday’s pre-final.
“It’s the first state championship that I’ve won, so I’m pretty stoked,” said Martin.
“Nathan Davis was just behind me for the majority of the race, but I managed to get a bit of a gap on him midway through the race which I was then able to extend as the race went on. With about five or six laps to go I knew the win was mine if I could just put in another few consistent laps.”
Above: Kalgoorlie's Anthony Martin on his way to victory in the Clubman Light category
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The top five in the Junior Clubman final were separated by mere centimetres for the majority of the 22-lap journey. Perth driver Jesse Elliott led the early running before Nicholas Rowe moved into the lead on lap five.
James Allen went from third to first in one move on lap 11 before immediately opening a four kart-length lead. This gap closed over the final stages with Allen, Elliott and Rowe dicing it out. In the end it was Elliott who claimed the win while Rowe made a last corner pass on Allen for the runner-up placing.
Allen went two better in the Junior National Heavy ranks when he claimed the win. The national champion and Nicholas Rowe swapped the lead on numerous occasions during the early laps, allowing Jesse Elliott into contention. When Rowe dropped a chain on lap six if left him to wonder what could have been.
Allen then opened a handy buffer as Chad Pittard moved into second and Tayla Dicker charged her way into third place. A lap later, Dicker moved into second place and set her sights on the rear of the national champion in the lead. In the end Allen proved too good to claim a comfortable victory ahead of Dicker, Elliott and Pittard.
Above: James Allen was victorious in the Junior National Heavy category
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The Top Five finishers in each category can be found below, along with some race notes outlining how each of the championship finals panned out.
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2012 Nash Bros. Western Australian State Championships
Bunbury, WA
RESULTS: Final – Top Five
Rookies
1. Cooper Murray
2. Ethan Patience
3. Jordan Caruso
4. Samuel Dicker
5. Jesse Thomas
Race Notes: Dino kart driver Jordan Caruso got the jump from the outside front row at the start of the Rookies final to lead the early running. Polesitter Cooper Murray shadowed his fellow Victorian before moving to the front on lap six of the 22-lap race. As the pair diced, it allowed Ethan Patience and Sam Dicker to make it a four-way battle at the front. After numerous position changes it was Murray who crossed the line first ahead of Ethan Patience.
Above: Cooper Murray leading Jodan Caruso and Ethan Patience during the Rookies final in Bunbury
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Clubman Super Heavy
1. Lee Foster
2. Ashley Pittard
3. Anthony Higgs
4. Chris Griffiths
5. Wayne Harris
Race Notes: In the battle of the big boys, Kosmic driver Ashley Pittard used pole position to his advantage to lead the field away in the Clubman Super Heavy final. Ace Karting’s Lee Foster was right on his tail during the early laps as they pulled away from the field. Foster moved into the lead at mid race, but Pittard never let him get out of sight. Anthony Higgs was the big mover after failing to finish the pre-final.
Junior Clubman
1. Jesse Elliott
2. Nicholas Rowe
3. James Allen
4. Thomas Schou
5. Bayley Mickler
Race Notes: The top five in the Junior Clubman final at the WA State Championships in Bunbury were separated by mere centimetres for the majority of the 22-lap journey. Former National Champion Jesse Elliott led the early running before Nicholas Rowe moved into the lead on lap five. James Allen went from third to first in one move on lap 11 before immediately opening a four kart-length lead. This gap closed over the final stages with Allen, Elliott and Rowe dicing it out. In the end it was Elliott who claimed the win while Rowe made a last corner pass on Allen for the runner-up placing.
Above: Former National Champion Jesse Eliott won Junior Clubman
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Clubman Heavy
1. Adam Levi
2. Brenton Magri
3. Simon Minton
4. Joel Gray
5. Jason Hounsfield
Race Notes: In a frantic start, Adam Levi led the field away while his fellow front row combatant Brad Fitch was shuffled down the order exited turn one. Midway through the opening lap Fitch was involved in a multi-kart incident which eliminated him and three others. Ben van Ryt slotted into second place but a mechanical issue dropped him down the order and provided Adam Levi with a race-winning lead. Brenton Magri held on for second ahead of Simon Minton.
Junior National Heavy
1. James Allen
2. Tayla Dicker
3. Jesse Elliott
4. Chad Pittard
5. Cory Hayes
Race Notes: Wherever you looked in the huge field of Junior National Heavy, there was plenty of action with arch rivals James Allen and Nicholas Rowe leading the way. The pair swapped the lead on numerous occasions, allowing Jesse Elliott into contention. Rowe dropped a chain on lap six leaving him to wonder what could have been. Allen opened a handy buffer as Chad Pittard moved into second and Tayla Dicker charged her way into third place. A lap later, she moved into second place and set her sights on the rear of the national champion in the lead. In the end Allen proved too good to claim a comfortable victory ahead of Dicker, Elliott and Pittard.
Cadets
1. Keb Evans
2. Harrison Hoey
3. Damon Papasergio
4. Nathan Williams
5. Mason Patience
Race Notes: Demark youngster has been the pacesetter throughout the championships in the Cadets category, however, someone forgot to remind Queenslander Harrison Hoey of this fact at the start of the final. Hoey led the early running before Evans moved into the lead. For the majority of the race it as a four-way battle at the front with Evans and Hoey joined by Damon Papasergio and Nathan Williams. Hoey shadowed Evans for the second half of the race but was unable to find a way past as Evans held on for the win.
Open
1. Jeremy Pitt
2. Peter Newland
3. Wayne Gough
4. Bryce Watson
5. Shane Ratcliffe
Race Notes: Geraldton’s Matt Davis had been the pacesetter in the Open category aboard his KTEQ-rentals backed twin, and the 22-lap final appeared as though it was going to be the same. However, Davis encountered a brake issue on lap 14 ending his race leaving Karratha’s Jeremy Pitt to inherit the lead and drive away with the victory. Peter Newland and Wayne Gough rounded out the podium in their KZ2-specification karts.
Over 40s
1. Rob Landsmeer
2. Kevin Offer
3. John Ray
4. Craig Ryan
5. Roy Tester
Race Notes: Polesitter Rob Landsmeer took full advantage of his front row start t lead the field away in the Over 40s final. The Arrow kart pilot was never challenged on his way to victory ahead of Kevin Offer, who fended off John Ray over the closing stages.
Rotax Heavy
1. Simon Gwilliam
2. Peter Newland
3. Joel Gray
4. Mathew Chambers
5. Nathan Chapman
Race Notes: Azzurro driver Simon Gwilliam dominated the 22-lap final of the Rotax Heavy category. Gwilliam was simply untouchable as he crossed the line one second clear of Peter Newland, who charged from the back of the pack after being handed a 10 second penalty for a starting infringement in the pre-final.
Leopard Light
1. Nathan Davis
2. Kip Foster
3. Adam Garnaut
4. Anthony Martin
5. Ben Stewart
Race Notes: The action came thick and fast in the Leopard Light final with the likes of Brad Fitch, Ben Stewart, Nathan Davis, Anthony Martin and Jake Klarich dicing it out at the front of the field. Fitch led the way aboard his Lotus kart while Stewart and Klarich had a coming together which dropped them out of contention for the victory. Davis showed great speed late in the race to move into the lead with a handful of laps remaining to take the win ahead of Foster. Garnaut put in a superb drive for third.
Above: Nathan Davis celebrating his win in the Leopard Light category
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Senior National
1. James French
2. Jordan Hounsfield
3. Brooke Beauglehole
4. Glenn Dickinson
5. Daniel Clark
Race Notes: In somewhat of a subdued affair, it was the national champion James French who dominated the 22-lap final in the Senior National category. Jordan Hounsfield had a lonely race for second, as did Brooke Beauglehole for third place.
Junior National Light
1. Nikola Mitic
2. Bryce Fullwood
3. Brodie Green
4. Shae Thompson
5. Thomas Schou
Race Notes: As the field sorted themselves out behind them, the top four of Bryce Fullwood, Nikola Mitic, Thomas Sschou and Brodie Green led the way in the Junior National Light final in Bunbury. The leading quartet ran race in close proximity for the first half of the race before Mitic opened a slender lead at mid race distance that despite his best efforts, Fullwood was unable to reduce.
Rotax Light
1. Joshua Merritt
2. Dean Whittome
3. Lewis Sutherland
4. Simon Gwilliam
5. Jace Daniel
Race Notes: Bunbury City Kart Club Members Joshua Merritt and Dean Whittome made it an an Intrepid one-two in the Rotax Light Final ahead of outgoing state champion Lewis Sutherland. After an opening lap fracas behind him, Merritt was never challenge on his way to victory.
Clubman Light
1. Anthony Martin
2. Nathan Davis
3. Scott Foster
4. Steven Scoble
5. Ben Stewart
