51 Karts For Superkart Nationals Opener
from Mark Jones
A 51 strong entry list has been finalised for the opening round of the Australian Superkart Championship, to be held at Eastern Creek Raceway next weekend as part of the Shannons Motor Racing Championships.
The grid will feature 23 250 International karts at the front of the grid, ten 250 National division karts, and a big 18 strong grid of 125 gearbox karts.
After last year’s strong growth in 250 Nationals and the general improvement of 250 International over the last four seasons, the jump in 125 numbers is a boost for the class. Superkarts have topped 50 entries regularly in recent years for national championship events.
No less than 18 karts are travelling north from Victoria to compete against eleven karts from the host state New South Wales with strong contingents due to arrive from Queensland, South Australia and two each from the ACT and Western Australia.
The Victorians currently hold the national titles in all three classes through Darren Hossack (250 International), Martin Latta (250 National) and Steven Tamasi (125 Gearbox). Tamasi though will not be defending his title, the teenage racer graduating to a 250 International class Stockman MR2 for his third tilt at the national titles.
The absence of Tamasi, and 2010 runner-up Darren Dunn, leaves the class wide open, with former Superkart class title holders Brad Stebbing (2008 125cc Gearbox), Sean Whitfield (Twice Non-gearbox Junior), Jeff Reed (100cc Non-Gearbox) and Anthony Lappas (2001 80cc Gearbox) sure to be amongst the front runners.
In 250 National defending champ Martin Latta is very much the man to beat in his Anderson-Honda, supported again by front running British Superkart operation Viper Racing.
Luke May, who came so close last year, is back with a new Anderson running as part of a two kart team under the banner of fellow Victorian Matthew Palmer's STR Truck Bodies team. Meanwhile 1994 champion John Pellicano makes his return to 250 National division after spending most of the last decade of racing running in 250 Internationals and most recently in 125 gearbox promoting his self-built chassis design the Avoig Elise.
In 250 International there are a few changes. Tamasi joins the Stockman ranks in the top class, while a group of new European powered machinery joins the class.
Mid-pack runner Russell Jamieson recently debuted a new DEA powered Anderson Maverick at Morgan Park Raceway and smashed Warren McIlveen's lap record by 1.5 seconds. Carlo Chermaz, twice a third place finisher in the national titles and a top ten finisher in the European Championship in 2009 will debut his self-built SKE design as well. Plus the Anderson of Jason Smith showed much promise last year, and Gary Pegoraro has been the fastest Anderson in the country for three years.
It remains however impossible to look past the Stockmans of Warren McIlveen and Sam Zavaglia. The pair has owned Eastern Creek for the better part of a decade with only Darren Hossack having ever defeated them on home territory at a national series event. McIlveen only lost the 2010 title on a countback and will be hard to top again on the circuit the six-time 250 International class champion knows so well.
Practice begins on Thursday July 14 with qualifying to begin at 11:50 on Friday. Two races will then be held each on Satursday and Sunday.