Aussies In Vegas - Friday Report

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To follow what's happening in Vegas:

• ekartingnews Trackside Live Page (live audio and results) HERE
• Official discussion thread HERE
• Full results of all sessions on mylaps.com HERE
• Some more images from the event on kartcom HERE
  

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Some eyes and ears in Vegas tell us that...

Friday saw things heat up on track at the SKUSA SuperNats at the Rio Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. With qualifying over and heat races running some big guns fired, and some others didnt.

Above: Night heat race form up under lights

The KZ2 qualifying saw Anthony Abbasse edge out Bas Lammers by 0.002 of a second, with former world champion Marco Ardigo 4th. Macauley Jones was fastest of the Australians in 19th, with Jordie Lindstrom not far behind in 23rd. After an up and down few days which saw him time as high as second in the practice sessions, Matt Wall fell to 32nd on the official qualifying sheet. It was a difficult session also for fellow Aussie Matt Hunt who qualified 37th in the field.

Above: Video of KZ2 heat 2 start

Above: Matt Wall's Aussie pit area, dad John doing the spanner work

When the racing started the top stayed the same with Abbasse crossing the line first with Ardigo jumping to second, Rick Dreezen claimed 3rd and Lammers 4th. Jones was again the best of the Aussies finishing 13th, Wally gained some ground into 18th, as did Hunt into 25th and Lindstrom directly behind in 26th. It is a star studded field, with numerous current and former European and world champions fighting it out for the title.

Above: It's not just Australian drivers in Vegas. Arrow has a strong presence with many Americans using the Melbourne-built karts

Amongst the deep TAG Senior field are Aussies Adam Levi and David Kermond, both qualifying in the P1 group, finishing 22nd and 42nd in their group. Levi had a blistering run in the first heat finishing an impressive 5th behind Phillip Orcic, Andre Nicastro, Felipe Fraga and Danny Formal. Kermond climbed to 26th in the other heat group.

In the Masters class Kip Foster battled to 19th in qualifying, before setting the fastest lap time on his first lap in the first heat only to record 2 laps in the race before recording a DNF.

Kiwi Daniel Bray could only managed one lap in qualifying and subsequently finished at the bottom of the field, but battled from 23rd to 5th in the first heat race putting his rivals on notice.

Jake Kostecki finished 3rd in his TAG Cadet qualifying group, finishing 11th in his first heat race behind Arrow driver Juan Correa Manuel who runs for Florida Arrow outfit SKS.

Above: Huuuuge Tony Kart tent

Brother Kurt finished 7th in his qualifying group but recorded a DNF in his first heat race, which was also won by an Arrow driver, Austin Self of Texas.

It's pleasing to see the Australian drivers taking on the best of the world and impressing, and also the Australian made chassis competing against the huge factory teams from across the world and more then holding its own.

It makes you proud to be an Australian, stay tuned for more updates from the event and best of luck to the drivers (and chassis) representing our country! 

Above: Indycar driver Jay Howard

Above: Arrow drivers all the way from Trinidad and Tobago!

Above: Jay Howard with Eric and Brand Jones helping an Arrow junior driver

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