from karting.net.au
Local driver Harrison Hoey was the big winner at the 2023 Australian Rotax National Cup hosted on the Ipswich Kart Club on Saturday night.
Hoey was victorious in both the DD2 and Rotax Light Class in a dominant fashion.
In only his second start aboard a DD2-powered kart, Hoey overcame a mechanical issue in qualifying to record a pair of second placings behind Jonathon Marcusson in the opening two heats before taking victory in the third to secure pole position for the final.
After getting into the lead at the start, Hoey wasn’t challenged on his way to victory and crossed the line 3.7 seconds clear of Marcusson with New Zealander Oscar Jackson finishing third.
In the Rotax Light class, despite remaining undefeated aboard his Parolin Australia entry, Hoey was pressured all weekend by Tom Williamson Motorsport pair Jack Webster and Zach Heard.
Continuing his sensational form of 2023 was Hoey’s Parolin Australia younger team-mates Max Walton and Corey Carson.
In the Junior Max ranks, Walton fended off spirited challenges from Isaac McNeill, James Anagnostiadis, Hamish Campbell and Maxim Kirwan across the weekend to round out his time in the junior ranks with a victory. Despite his best efforts, McNeill was forced to settle for second ahead of Anagnostiadis.
Basilio Micale crossed the line first in Mini Max but a technical infringement handed Carson the victory. Second-generation racer Aston Mills, who qualified fastest on Thursday evening, was second ahead of third-generation racer Tommy Hart.
In the DD2 Masters division, it was a battle royale between three of the most experienced Rotax racers in Australia – Scott Howard, Terry Hanly and Troy Bretherton. The trio diced it out for the win before Bretherton came out on top aboard his BirelART entry ahead of Howard and Hanly.
The winners of the event had all amassed enough points in the Rotax MAX Challenge Australia qualifying events and National Cup to secure the number 1 red plate awarded to the Series winner.
Australia’s representatives for the 2023 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Bahrain on the first weekend of December will be announced next week.
The 2024 Australian Rotax National Cup will be hosted by the Ipswich Kart Club on the weekend of August 16-18.
For the full results, please visit https://beta.speedhive.com/events/2416222