Race Car Drivers Use Karting To Stay Sharp

AKA press release

It is a well publicised fact that karting is where all of the world’s top motorsport stars, such as Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton and current V8 Supercar Champion Garth Tander, started their careers.

However, these days karting is being used not only being used as a stepping stone in a motorsport career but assisting drivers to stay on top of their game.

WOW Racing’s V8 Supercar driver, Cameron McConville is one such driver who regularly uses karting to stay in shape, and even more so recently with a test drive of a Honda Formula One car coming up on November 25 in Motegi, Japan.

Above: Cameron McConville
pic - Edge Photographics

The V8 driver come Network Ten motorsport commentator will drive the 2008-spec F1 car as a part of a story to be broadcast during Network Ten’s coverage of the 2009 Australian Grand Prix.

As a part of his preparations for the test drive McConville has spent a few days at the tight and twisty Oakleigh circuit in Melbourne aboard an Arrow kart powered by a 125cc Rotax engine to sharpen his reflexes.

“I have been doing a bit of karting at Oakleigh recently to get into shape for the test. I'd been given the advice that a go-kart was the best thing you could do to sharpen up your reflexes in preparation for the test drive,” said McConville, who started his motor racing career at the age of eight in a go-kart.

Another group of drivers who are regularly behind the wheel of karts are American motor racing stars Buddy Rice, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Scott Speed and AJ Allmendinger.

Above: Ryan Hunter-Reay
pic - IndyCar Series Media

After competing in an endurance kart race at the NewCastle circuit near Indianapolis two months ago the American stars will contest the third Annual All-Stars Kart Race produced by Snap-On Stars of Karting at the 21st Annual Performance Racing Industry Trade Show in Orlando, Florida next month.

Tim Macrow, who won the Australian Drivers’ Championship in 2007, is this weekend returning to the wheel of a go-kart for the first time since 2001 when he competes in the Formula 100 Nationals at Victoria’s Geelong Karting Complex.

Above: Tim Macrow
pic - F3/Klynsmith

The Formula 100 Nationals will see competitors from all across the country compete in the spectacular Formula 100 category, which is the fastest class of sprint karting in Australia. With their karts powered by 100cc reed and rotary valve engines the drivers will reach speeds in excess of 120km/h along the main straight on the 754-metre circuit.

“This year things haven’t quite turned out the way I would have planned and I haven’t done much racing so I thought I’d get back behind the wheel of a kart to have some fun and stay in shape,” said Macrow.

“I drove a kart for the first time in over six years last week and it was quiet hard getting out of a racing car and back into a go-kart, everything happens a lot faster in relative speed and the braking points are a lot closer to the corners.

“I’m under no illusions about this weekend, the competition is very tough – Australian karting has some top young drivers coming through. I’d probably emphasise the young bit as well because some of the names I saw on the entry list were racing Rookies when I went to race Formula Fords at the end of 2001.

“For me, this weekend is about putting some fun back into my racing and enjoying it for what it is.”

The Formula 100 Nationals will be run in conjunction with the Val & Joyce Findlay Memorial meeting with qualifying and heat races will be held on Saturday followed by the Final on Sunday afternoon.

The Beckley Park Raceway is located at Beckley Park, Geelong Road, Corio – adjacent to the trotting track, north of Geelong, Victoria.

2008 FORMULA 100 NATIONALS ENTRY LIST
Geelong Karting Complex, Geelong, Vic
November 15/16

Formula 100 Light
1 Jason Burns
4 Hayden McBride
6 Peter Klein
7 Ben Albanese
8 Zeke Edwards
10 Steven Pettaras
10 Simon Bindley
15 Matthew Wall
16 Chris Fathers
16 Kristopher Trotter
17 Reece Kawitzki
18 Mark Domaschenz
22 Peter Richards
23 Peter Nowlan
23 Sarron Caddy
25 Tim Macrow
26 Dion Vella
32 Cameron Thorpe
38 Scott Purdie
39 Clinton Purdie
42 John Grother
44 Chris Stern
51 Trent James
51 David Frizziero
52 Matthew Hayes
56 Dean Foster
58 Aaron Ivermee
64 Adam Hughes
90 Daniel Richert
96 David Sera
Russ Occhipinti

Formula 100 Heavy
3 Scott Webb
5 Dominic Albanese
6 Kristian Hanley
12 Bobby Bourke
15 Steve Williamson
24 Andrew Findlay
25 Sam Albanese
39 Gary Pegoraro
40 Michael Tancredi
41 Ray Rodgers
46 Jiani Mazza
50 Lachie Frampton
52 Neil Torode
55 Brenton Hunt
60 Craig Widgery
66 Andrew Quinn
68 Andrew Purcell
70 Andrew McNamara

 

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