Australian & NZ Nationals Countdown For Team IPK
| press release | 26 March 2013 |
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A big Easter is coming up for Praga and OK1 drivers with the team spread across both the Australian and New Zealand Nationals that are both on track over Easter.
Our Australian and New Zealand drivers have had extensive race prep and their strong results at recent events have the team raring to go.
Australian drivers Lane Moore (OK1) and Melbourne’s Ricky Capo (Praga) will be joining the top drivers in New Zealand in the IPKarting / Lascom Motorsports camp for the GoPro backed New Zealand Sprint Kart Nationals being held at the Kartsport Wellington raceway on the North Island against some 200 entries.
Above: "No Speed Limit" Ricky Capo tests the Praga KZ at Todd Road before heading to New Zealand
In New Zealand recently the team took out convincing wins in all major classes for Round 2 of the Yogg Rotax Max Challenge of New Zealand.
IPKarting working in conjunction with NZ retailer Lascom Motorsports dominated JMAX, Rotax Light and Rotax Heavy at the meeting held at the impressive new racetrack at Rotorua.
Up and coming JMAX star Dylan Drysdale hit the track on Friday in his new Praga Dragon for the first time. It took the youngster some time to settle into the new kart sitting around 3rd fastest at the end of practice on Friday. With some changes to the kart on Friday night the team was able to find a better balance in the chassis for Drysdale for the start of racing.
Drysdale qualified 3rd in the 1st run and 2nd in the second run after the two qualifying runs he started the heats out of P4. A less than favourable start in heat 1 dropped Drysdale to 6th but he recovered with tremendous pace to grab 2nd place and set the fastest time on track by nearly 2 tenths.
Heat 2 Drysdale placed 3rd. Drysdale went onto win the Prefinal in spectacular fashion again setting the fastest lap and crossing the line 3.6 seconds clear of the field. In the Final, Drysdale’s hot form continued again taking line honours and again setting the fastest lap and crossing the line 1.8 seconds ahead of the field.
Above: Jordan Boys aboard Praga #8 in Junior MAX at the Victorian Championships
pic - Coopers' Photography
In Rotax Light it was an all Kinsman affair with the two Kinsman brothers Daniel and Matthew dominating racing across the weekend. Praga global ambassador Daniel Kinsman in his Praga Dragon took out pole for the start of racing.
With the long-time support of Auckland kart retailer Lascom Motorsports, Daniel continued his impeccable race form by clean-sweeping the heats in a spectacular display of driving and then proceeded to win the Prefinal and the Final. Brother Matthew placed 2nd in both the Prefinal and the Final.
After the race Daniel said, “Our results this weekend are a huge confidence boost to myself and the team, we have a great package to get the job done at the upcoming NZ Nationals over Easter and for when we head back to Australia for the next round of the Australian Pro Tour at Newcastle. The kart continues to impress me greatly with its responsiveness and race pace.”
Returning from Australia, Lane Moore was in dominant form in Rotax Heavy in his OK1 Cruiser M2, qualifying on pole and then going on to take out all Heats, Prefinal and Final. He was in a class of his own winning both the Prefinal and Final by a 7 second margin.
Unfortunately due to a technical ruling unique to New Zealand on the reed block stopper spacing, which is not part of the World Rules, Lane was excluded from the Final. Whilst disappointed that a technical infringement spoilt a stunning victory, Lane has his focus now firmly set on the NZ Nationals over Easter in Wellington.
Lane said “The team and I are disappointed to be ‘teched’ out on such a minor discrepancy but the rules are the rules, and on a positive note we discovered that one of the reed petals was broken so we are confident that once fixed we will be even more competitive for our next outing, which is the big one at Easter.”
As a team we couldn’t ask for better results taking out top results from our many drivers in Praga and OK1.
Back in Australia IPKarting’s top young drivers took to the track for the Victorian Open at the Eastern Lions Kart Club in Puckapunyal.
In Cadets Queensland’s Lockie Hughes (Praga) had his best race of the weekend driving from 18th to 8th in the pre-final, but engine tuning problems in the Final let him down for a 14th place finish amongst the 29 racers. Shout out to Vic-racer Sammy Downing aboard his OK1 coming in at 19th in one of his first big race meets.
The outstanding drives of the meet were in JMAX and Rotax Light with CC-Racing drivers Jordan Boys, Liam McLellan, Matty Smith and Matty McLellan all having a red hot go.
Above: Matty McLellan leads Matty Smith in the orange OK1s
pic - Coopers' Photography
In JMAX the dynamic duo of Jordan Boys (#8) and Liam McLellan (#26) finished the Pre-Final in 1, 2 place. So it was Praga in P1 and Ok1 in P2 for the Final.
The fast and furious hard charging JMAX racing saw the boys finish up with Jordan Boys (Praga) 3rd and Liam McLellan (OK1) 5th.
Zane Morse (#90 OK1) also came back in the Pre-Final with an impressive 11th place finish after DNF’s in both Heat 1 and 2, driving from 21st to 11th in the Pre-Final and finishing the Final with a 17th. Sanae Meyland (#55 OK1) didn’t muck about and came home with a promising 7th in Heat 1, followed up by an unfortunate DNF in Heat 2 a 15th place finish in the Final.
Above: Zane Morse leads Sanae Meyland
pic - Coopers' Photography
In Rotax Light, Victorian Matty Smith (#47) for OK1 has been making a big impact this year since his shift from JMax. His Vic Open campaign continued that trend and saw him racig amongst the front-runners all weekend and included a P2 start in Heat 2 alongside Dave Sera. He traded spots all weekend with fellow OK1 driver Matty McLellan (#71) and the boys finishing the weekend with Matty McLellan 3rd and Matty Smith 4th in the Final. Great effort to the two young Rotax Light drivers against experienced racers Dave Sera and Jenner.
The Victorian-based team supported by CC Racing then backed up for the Round 1 event of the Golden Power series at Gippsland Kart Club, Morwell.
Matty Smith this time took on Clubman Light in his OK1 Cruiser M2 and a 9-kart pile up resulted in a DNF in Heat 1. Matty came home strong to place 3rd in the Final.
Above: Liam McLellan at the Victorian Championships
pic - Coopers' Photography
Matty McLellan raced in the TaG 125 Light class and started strong with a 3rd finish in Heat 1, Heat 2 was a DNF and he placed 5th in the Final.
Racing was also hot in Queensland with some of our youngest drivers racing in Cadet and Rookie classes at Bundaberg and Warwick Kart Tracks.
Special mentions to P-Plate cadet driver Jett Johnson 3rd and Jayden Gollan Rookies 3rd in Bundaberg and in Warwick Cadet driver Jac Preston 1st P-plate home (6th overall). Welcome to Joshua Rodgers into OK1.
Wrap up of Statewide Series in Tasmania and the drivers from Tassie retailer Wrigley Karts and Parts finished up ‘all smiles’ with podium finishes for Brodey Lovett, Matt Clark, Justin Murphy and Steven Wrigley.
Above: Sanae Meyland on the grid
pic - Coopers' Photography
Above: Liam McLellan and Jordan Boys on Vic Open JMax Final Grid, P1 and P2
