Superkart Nationals Qualifying Report

by Mark Jones

Gary Pegoraro scorched around Mallala Motor Sport Park a second faster than his 2008 pole position to take the fastest qualifying position again in 2009 for the opening round of the Australian Superkart Championship, at Round 4 of the Shannons Motor Racing Championships.

Recording a 1:06.5744 lap time the Marron Excavations/Wizzer Race Engines driver proved the worth of the new Revision 1 Anderson Maverick chassis to qualify two tenths of a second clear of Yiani Harpas, and more than half a second faster than the first of his 2008 championship rivals, Warren McIlveen and the rest of the 35 strong Superkart grid.

Harpas took the best of his local knowledge to be the only other driver to lap faster than 1:07 to take second grid position, the same spot he too occupied on last year's grid sheet. The young Adelaide based driver in the Internode/Metaplanners/Davtec Zip-BRC over came mechanical dramas in the first quaalifying session to jump onto the front row. Last year Harpas' weekend turned sour once the races start so he is mindful that the important part of the weekend is still to come.

Warren McIlveen (Mac's Marine/Soundy's Electrical Stockman-Honda) was consistent over both sessions, dropping down to a 1:07.1991 lap in the second session to qualify third, four tenths up on Sam Zavaglia who is slightly frustrated getting the speed out of his Stockman-Yamaha.

Shane Price spun off the track early in the second session but his time from the first session was good enough for fifth position on the grid where he will start alongside his Safe Evolutions team mate Darren Hossack, the reigning champion overcoming a slipping clutch to climb onto the third row of the grid.

Anton Stevens (Dunlop/ART Motorsport PVP) and the Rockett Race Engines crew took four and a half hours rebuilding the engine after a main bearing failure to put the lanky New Zealander seventh on the grid after missing the first session. Ilya Harpas will start eighth in the second of the Internode/Metaplanners/Davtec Zip-BRC.

Robert Oakley (Stockman-Honda) and Dan Ramerman (Stockman-Honda) make for four South Australian drivers starting in the top ten, displacing Kris Stebbing and Russell Jamieson from the top ten during the second session.

In the 125cc class the front runners all improved by around a second a lap but Jeff Reed (Telgrit Stockman-Honda) hung onto his pole position, recording a 1:13.4298 lap time while under threat from Melbourne teenager Steven Tamasi (Domain Prestige Homes Stockman-Honda). John Pellicano (Giova Jewelry Design Avoig-Honda) improved to take third place away from Chryss Jamieson (Coach Design Stockman-Honda).

The Australian Superkart Championship will hold its first race this afternoon, a six lap journey around the 2.6 kilometre Mallala layout, ahead of three more races on Sunday.

Driver Quotes:
Gary Pegoraro (Marron Excavations / Wizzer Race Engines Anderson Maverick FPE) Pole Position 250 International class: "Can't complain with that, especially running the same tyres in the afternoon as the morning, I think we can race at that pace. They think there is a second a lap in the new Revision 1 Anderson Maverick I think this bears that out."

Yiani Harpas (Internode / Metaplanners / Davtec Zipe Eagle II BRC) 2nd 250 International class: "It's the same as last year a good start to the weekend. We'll take a look at the tuning now, we haven't had a chance to look at it yet. Really happy."

Warren McIlveen (Mac's Marine / Soundy's Electrical Stockman MR2 Honda) 3rd 250 International class: "Never completely happy, but it's OK. There is a lot more in the kart yet. Just need to sort out the gear ratios, it's been making it difficult to get out of corners."

Jeff Reed (Telgrit Stockman MR2 Honda) Pole Position 125cc class: "There must be some benefit in chasing the twin cylinder karts. Going really well, the kart is handling well, we've gotten over the mechanical issues of yesterday that caused a piston failure. Things are looking up."

Steven Tamasi (Domain Prestige Homes Stockman MR2 Honda) 2nd 125cc class: "Just trying to keep up with the 250s. Had a spin coming out of the hairpin missed a gear and too fast for the ripple strip. Picked up almost two seconds in the second session."

John Pellicano (Giova Jewellery Design Avoig Elise Honda) 3rd 125cc class: "Progressively getting faster as the weekend's gone on. Took a second off in that session."

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