AKA Nationals - Qualifying

AKA press release - WYATT TAKES THE CHALLENGE TO THE MAINLANDERS

Launceston driver Zane Wyatt is set to take the challenge to the ‘mainlanders’ after qualifying second fastest for the 46th National Sprint Kart Championships sponsored by Yamaha at the Southern Cross Archerville Kartway today.

Wyatt, who is a current state champion, finished as the best of the 84 Tasmanian competitors entered in the event in qualifying but understands there is a long way to go before he achieves his aim for the weekend - a national title.

Above: Zane Wyatt in action during the Leopard Heavy qualifying session
pic - photowagon.com

Wyatt’s time was a mere 0.026 seconds behind the fastest time in the Leopard Heavy class, which was set by Victorian Rick Pringle, the 2006 Australian champion. His second fastest effort is a career best for Wyatt in a national championship, his previous best was third fastest in 2002.

“It is a great way to start the weekend but there is still a long way to go yet,” said Wyatt.

“Starting from position two on this track is not the ideal place because you are on the outside for the opening turn, however, it is good to know I’ve got the pace to match it with the front runners.

“The aim now is to finish up near the front during the heats but it the final which is the one that counts.”

The battle for the Clubman Light crown is set to be a tightly fought affair with the top 25 drivers separated by less than half a second. Victorian Cian Fothergill set the pace with a 35.410 second lap in his Australian-made Phoenix kart ahead of West Aussies Deepal Kandola and Steven Scoble. Defending champion James Sera was fourth ahead of Matthew Hayes.

Above: Cian Fothergill has placed his Pheonix kart on the Clubman Light pole.
pic - photowagon.com

New South Wales driver James Kovacic was the pacesetter in the elite junior category, Junior Clubman. Kovacic recorded a time of 35.270 seconds around the 740-metre Southern Cross Archerville Kartway. Queenslander Ben Jurczak was second fastest with a time of 35.314 seconds followed by Adam Lindstrom, Scott McLaughlin and Launceston-born driver Chris Hays.

Above: James Kovacic is racing all three junior classes and has qualified in the top 3 of each. The Kart Force pilot is on pole for Junior Clubman.
pic - photowagon.com

In Junior National Light it was New South Wales driver Blake Sciberras who set the fastest time with a lap time of 38.518 seconds. Matthew Brabham, the grandson of three-time Formula One World Champion Sir Jack, finished the day second fastest with James Kovacic third.

The action continues tomorrow with the two heats races to be completed followed by the pre-final with championship finals will be contested on Sunday.

Above: Defending champ Scott Simpson is fastest in Clubman Super Heavy ahead of Canberra's Bruce Otter who has put in a top effort in the Stable Karting machine. Otter's time was matched to the thousandth of a second by Phil Straughen.
pic - photowagon.com

46th NATIONAL SPRINT KART CHAMPIONSHIPS sponsored by Yamaha

RESULTS: Qualifying (Top 5)
Junior National Light
1. Blake Sciberras – 38.518
2. Matthew Brabham – 38.560
3. James Kovacic – 38.593
4. Christopher Hays – 38.726
5. Christopher Farkas – 38.752

Junior National Heavy
1. Garry Jacobsen – 39.164
2. James Kovacic – 39.377
3. Tyler Cramer – 39.412
4. Blake Sciberras – 39.428
5. Nathan Morcom – 39.511

Junior Clubman
1. James Kovacic – 35.270
2. Ben Jurczak – 35.314
3. Adam Lindstrom – 35.395
4. Scott McLaughlin – 35.411
5. Christopher Hays – 35.459

Clubman Light
1. Cian Fothergill – 35.410
2. Deepal Kandola – 35.431
3. Steven Scoble – 35.456
4. James Sera – 35.505
5. Matthew Hayes – 35.631

Clubman Heavy
1. Peter Lawler – 35.978
2. Jason Hryniuk – 36.005
3. Shayne Piper – 36.097
4. Brendan Nelson – 36.140
5. Troy Hunt – 36.187

Clubman Super Heavy
1. Scott Simpson – 37.087
2. Bruce Otter – 37.169
3. Phil Straughen – 37.169
4. Nick Scidds – 37.256
5. Samm Harrington – 37.270

Senior National Light
1. Dominic Lostitch – 39.479
2. Brock Tenbensel – 39.539
3. Brendan Nelson – 39.542
4. Jack Cox – 39.606
5. Cian Fothergill – 39.611

Senior National Heavy
1. Matthew Waters – 39.735
2. Franky Costanzo – 39.821
3. Daniel Stein – 40.022
4. James May – 40.048
5. Mark Brown – 40.086

Leopard Light
1. David Sera – 33.545
2. Adam Hughes – 33.599
3. Grant Smith – 33.604
4. James Sera – 33.629
5. Jordie Lindstrom – 33.640

Leopard Heavy
1. Rick Pringle – 34.402
2. Zane Wyatt – 34.428
3. Daniel Stein – 34.474
4. Craig Stauner – 34.507
5. Justin Schneider – 34.508

Above: It can be busy on track in qualifying. Victorian Lee Mitchener heads a string of karts
pic - photowagon.com

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