Australia Third In Nations Cup At Rotax Grand Finals
Tweet| 2 December 2012 |
AKA media
A pair of top fives by Australian drivers at Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals
Australia has finished on the podium in the Nations Cup at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals for the second year in succession.
Above: Post event wrap & interviews
Australia's team of 12 drivers finished behind the United Kingdom and Canada in the rankings from the 53 countries participating at the Kartodromo Algrave in Portimao, Portugal.
During the pre-finals it was James Golding who lead the way for the team by winning the Junior Max pre-final. In his first international event, Golding mixed it with drivers a lot more experienced than him to take victory in the 11-lap event. The Victorian then led the way during the early laps of the final, mixing it with the likes of British drivers Harry Webb and Ross Gunn along with Dutch driver Janneau Esmeijer at the front of the field.
Above: James Golding started on pole position in the final of Junior Max
pic - Babel Photos
As the race continued, Golding was unable to show the same pace from the pre-final and crossed the line in seventh place - a creditable finish for his international debut. After scraping through into the main event through the last chance qualifier race yesterday, Joseph Burton-Harris started the pre-final from 31st place. He would charge his way to 13th at the chequered flag before moving further forward in the 18-lap final to record a top ten finish in ninth place finish.
“I came into the week aiming just to do my best, there wasn’t much pressure on me as I only just made it here, to start of pole for the final and finish seventh is a great achievement,” said Golding.
“I’m really happy with how it all went and it’s a great thing to have on my resume. I’ve really enjoyed it.
Above: Joseph Burton-Harris recorded a top ten finish in Junior Max
pic - Babel Photos
“I’ve had a lot of support from back home, especially my sponsors Arai, JUCE, Precision Karting, Wright Karts, Gippsland Body Builders, A1 Engines and GoPro along with Brett Arnett who helped me out all week.”
Webb won the final ahead of Esmeijer and Canadian Parker Thompson.
In the DD2 Masters category, Hamish Leighton has led the way throughout the week for Australia's drivers. After recording a solid 11th place, elevated to 10th following a post race penalty for another driver, in the pre-final an incident on the opening lap of the final dropped him to outside the top 20. He was then involved in another incident as he was clawing his way back through the field, which led to him finish 30th. Brent Coghlan recorded a 21st place finish in the pre-final before crossing the line 19th in the 21-lap final.
Above: Brent Coghlan flew the Australian flag in the DD2 Masters category
pic - Babel Photos
Cristiano Morgado successfully defended his DD2 Masters victory, to become the first driver to win three Grand Finals. Canadian Scott Campbell was second.
Scintillating, that was about the only word that could be used to describe the Senior Max final. Pierce Lehane led the way early before being challenged by Irishman Charlie Eastwood, Japanese driver Ukyo Sasahara and British driver Ed Brand. The four battled intensely for the duration of the race before Eastwood managed to open a slender lead, which he never relinquished. Lehane was strong all throughout the race before recording his second top five finish at the event in three years. Joseph Mawson showed gritty determination to claw his way from 13th to sixth.
“I had great speed all weekend and I thought I had a gap in the final there but the first time I opened the door going up the straight Ukyo (Sasahara) went by me, the draft here is so massive. Then I made a move back on him and he came across me and I think my front end was bent from there,” said Lehane.
Above: Pierce Lehane on his way to a top five finish in the Senior Max category
pic - Babel Photos
“I struggled from then on and tried to make up as many positions as possible and it was great to finish fifth.
“My Mum, Dad and Sister have all been here supporting me along with Lorraine and Troy Farley, my European race team Dan Holland Racing has helped a lot with kart set up and data as well. We should we’ve got the pace but we just need a bit more luck in the finals but that’s racing sometimes, we’ll come back next year and have another crack.”
Kyle Ensbey drove the race of his life in the DD2 final. After charging from 16th to fourth in the pre-final, the Queenslander led the way at several points during the race before separate incidents dropped him back to sixth. He then made a last lap pass for third place. Ensbey was later given a 0.35 second (effectively one place) penalty for the minor contact on the last lap of the race, relegating him to fourth. Jason Pringle was another Australian to impress, coming all the way from a disappointing 64th in qualifying to narrowly miss out on a top ten finish in the final by crossing the line 11th.
Above: Kyle Ensbey finished as the highest placed driver in the Australian team in fourth place in the DD2 category
“It was a very hectic race and then Xen’s (Xen de Ruwe) engine died and I went back a long way before coming back to get third. It was a very crazy race, probably the most crazy race that I’ve done,” said Ensbey.
Canadian driver Ben Cooper won the DD2 category ahead of Latvian Konstantins Calko and Belgium driver Mathias Detige.
To view videos about the Australian contingent please visit the Karting.net.au's You Tube page here.
To view the full results for the event please click here.
AUSSIE RACE RESULTS
Junior Max
#133 – James Golding
Heat 1 (C vs D) Started 12th – Finished 9th
Heat 2 (B vs D) Started 12th – Finished 7th (elevated to 6th following a post race penalty)
Heat 3 (A vs D) Started 12th – Finished 5th
Position after the heats - 7th (Grid #7 for pre-final)
Pre-Final - Started 7th - Finished 1st
Final - Started 1st - Finished 7th
#118 – Joseph Burton-Harris
Heat 1 (A vs B) Started 15th – Finished 8th
Heat 2 (A vs C) Started 15th – Finished 17th
Heat 3 (A vs D) Started 15th – Finished 26th
Position after the heats - 32nd (Grid #4 for second chance race)
Second Chance Race - 3rd (Grid #31 for the pre-final)
Pre-Final - Started 31st - Finished 13th
Final - Started 13th - Finished 9th
#157 – Thomas Randle
Heat 1 (A vs B) Started 8th – Finished 10th
Heat 2 (B vs D) Started 12th – Finished 28th (relegated to 30th by a 3 sec post race penalty)
Heat 3 (B vs C) Started 7th – Finished 5th
Position after the heats - 7th (Grid #7 for Pre-Final)
Second Chance Race - 13th (Top Six made the transfer to the pre-final)
Senior Max
#241 – Pierce Lehane
Heat 1 (A vs B) Started 1st – Finished 1st
Heat 2 (A vs C) Started 1st – Finished 1st
Heat 3 (A vs D) Started 1st – Finished 1st
Position after the heats - 1st (Grid #1 for Pre-Final)
Pre-Final - Started 1st - Finished 4th (elevated to third following a post race penalty)
Final - Started 3rd – Finished 5th
#246 – Joseph Mawson
Heat 1 (A vs B) Started 16th – Finished 14th (Elevated to 13th following a post race penalty)
Heat 2 (B vs D) Started 15th – Finished 9th
Heat 3 (B vs C) Started 15th – Finished 12th
Position after the heats - 14th (Grid #14 for Pre-Final)
Pre-Final - Started 14th - Finished 13th
Final - Started 13th – Finished 6th
#258 – Daniel Rochford
Heat 1 (A vs B) Started 28th – Finished 27th (Elevated to 26th following post race penalties)
Heat 2 (B vs D) Started 27th – Finished 13th
Heat 3 (B vs C) Started 17th – Finished 14th
Position after the heats - 31st (Grid #3 for second chance race)
Second Chance Race - DNF (25th)
DD2 Masters
#434 – Hamish Leighton
Heat 1 (A vs B) Started 3rd – Finished 5th
Heat 2 (A vs C) Started 3rd – Finished 8th
Heat 3 (A vs D) Started 3rd – Finished 6th
Position after the heats - 11th (Grid #11 for Pre-Final)
Pre-Final - Started 11th – Finished 11th (elevated to 10th following a post race penalty)
Final - Started 10th – Finished 30th
#418 – Brent Coghlan
Heat 1 (C vs D) Started 13th – Finished 13th
Heat 2 (A vs C) Started 14th – Finished 16th
Heat 3 (B vs C) Started 14th – Finished 12th
Position after the heats - 25th (Grid #25 for Pre-Final)
Pre-Final - Started 25th – Finished 21st
Final - Started 21st – Finished 19th (elevated to 18th following a post race penalty)
#449 – Jose Ruiz
Heat 1 (C vs D) Started 18th – Finished 15th
Heat 2 (B vs D) Started 18th – Finished 17th
Heat 3 (A vs D) Started 18th – Finished 31st
Position after the heats - 43rd (Grid #15 for second chance race)
Second Chance Race - 8th (Top Six made the transfer to the pre-final)
DD2
#323 – Kyle Ensbey
Heat 1 (C vs D) Started 8th – Finished 8th
Heat 2 (B vs D) Started 8th – Finished 5th (Relegated to 11th due to a six second post race penalty)
Heat 3 (A vs D) Started 8th – Finished 13th
Position after the heats - 16th (Grid #16 for Pre-Final)
Pre-Final - Started 16th – Finished 4th
Final - Started 4th – Finished 3rd (relegated to 4th following a post race penalty)
#345 – Jason Pringle
Heat 1 (C vs D) Started 32nd – Finished 20th
Heat 2 (B vs D) Started 32nd – Finished 15th
Heat 3 (A vs D) Started 32nd – Finished 10th
Position after the heats - 25th (Grid #25 for Pre-Final)
Pre-Final - Started 25th – Finished 12th (relegated to 20th following a post race penalty)
Final - Started 20th – Finished 11th
#368 – Troy Woolston
Heat 1 (A vs B) Started 26th – Finished 19th
Heat 2 (B vs D) Started 25th – Finished 31st
Heat 3 (B vs C) Started 25th – Finished 17th
Position after the heats - 42nd (Grid #14 for second chance race)
Second Chance Race - 8th (Top Six made the transfer to the pre-final)
