Atlantic Oil Ladies Trophy 2017
| from Russell Becker | 24 January 2017 |
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The Annual Ladies event was held at Lithgow City Raceway on January 20/21. Many of the girls were at the track in the days before the event to gain some valuable practice on the tricky Lithgow circuit.
This is the only all girls event in Australia and also raises funds for the National Breast Cancer foundation. The club coordinates a charity princess event and runs a charity auction at the event. $20 from each entry is also donated.
Above: The Ladies Cup class winners with their trophies and pink plates (pic - supplied)
The Charity Princess was won this year by Maddison Hill who raised over $14,000! The auction was supported by Remo Racing and Paul Feeney Group with engines up for grabs along with lots of other great items. Total raised for this year is over $21,500 bringing the total raised over the years to well over $200,000.
Friday was qualifying day and the heavens opened part way through the morning practice, so a wet qualifying was the order of the day.
Above: Charity Princess Maddison Hill (pic - supplied)
Dunlop Kartsport KA3 Junior had strong field of 8 with Paige Raddatz showing her taking pole and heat 1. Zoe Walker took the win heat 2 and Maddison Hill heat 3. Paige jumped to the front at the start of the Pre Final and controlled the race start form the front for the Final. Paige got a clean start in the final to lead in to turn 1 followed by Mia Bolton and Maddison Hill. On lap 5 Maddison made her move to take second place. On the chequered flag Paige Raddatz had pulled out to clear win from Maddison Hill 2nd, Mia Bolton in 3rd followed by Chloe Cosis, Zoe Walker, Kiana Toon, Maddison Jess and Hannah Tailby.
Bridgestone Cadet 9 was a race in 3 with Alice Buckley from Queensland making a clean sweep, taking pole and every race win. Grenfell’s Lana Aylen was second and Canberra’s Rhylee Jackson having her first ever race was third.
Dunlop Kartsport KA3 Senior Light was our biggest field with 11 starters. The wet qualifying was a close affair with the top of the time sheets changing constantly. Courtney Becker took pole from Sarah Collins and Jess Martin 3rd. Heat 1 Melissa Whitmore showed her speed to move from 4 to take the win from Sarah Collins and Courtney Becker. Heat 2 Sarah Collins reversed front row with a win from Mellissa Courtney. Heat 3 mixed things up with Coutney Becker buried in the gravel and lucky to be able to make it back on the track and Mellissa Whitmore earning a 10 second penalty handing pole for the pre final to Sarah Collins who took the heat 3 win. The Pre final was a close battle with Sarah Collins leading bit Melissa Whitmore again showing the speed and passing her on lap 3 to take the win. Courtney Becker was able to move up from grid to give her a shot at the pink plate in the final.
From the start of the Final Sarah Collins jumped in to the lead with Melissa Whitmore right on her bumper and Courtney Becker keeping within striking distance. On lap 6 Mellissa made her move coming on to the straight, the battle continued up the main straight when there was a touch of wheels. When the dust had settled, Becker was leading, Whitmore 2nd Elise Paix 3rd and Collins facing the wrong way. Mellissa was able to close the gap to Courtney but the Kosmic driver took the win to make it back top back Pink Plates for KA3 Light. Mellissa Whitmore 2nd, a great drive from Elise Paix for 3rd from Jess Martin, Emma Brown, Finlay Burnett, Tabatha Badger, Sarah Collins, Monique Millmore, Grace Gilbert and Amanda Branson.
Dunlop Kartsport KA3 Senior Medium saw Olivia Bell make it back to back pink plates, the only blip over the weekend was a faulty transponder in qualifying. Lauren Townsend drove well all weekend but was just not able to match Olivia’s speed.
Bridgestone KA4 Junior Light saw another back to back winner and the double with Paige Raddatz taking the KA4 class win for the second year in a row and backing up from her KA3 win. Paige took a clean sweep of all races with Jacinta Hoey 2nd and Tillie Dunbar in 3rd. Victoria Lopes had a DNF in the final after strong 2nd in qualifying and Macey Cluderay also had a DNF in the final.
TaG 125 Restricted Light saw a clean sweep for Melissa Whitmore. She was just too fast for the other girls. Some great racing through the day for the minor placings finished with Erin Lucietto 2nd,Lees Jones 3rd, Amy Bregonje 4th followed by Madelyne Czubara and Keely Branson.
Dunlop Kartsport TaG 125 Restricted Heavy had only 1 entrant, Sarah Burt who raced with the Lights. Sarah wasn't able to match the pace but drove great and never stooped smiling.
Bridgestone KA4 Junior Heavy saw some great racing with Jacinta Hoey qualifying fastest and taking pole for the final. Last years champ Sharnay Seal had a shakey start in the wet but worked her way to grid 2 for the final with Chloe Cosis on grid 3. Sharnay Seal jumped to the lead at the start but Jacinta was never far away and made a move of the lead on lap 5. Chloe Cosis held on to 3rd place at the start but was overpowered by Madisson Jess. At the completion of the race Jacinta Hoey had taken the Pink Plate. Sharney Seal 2nd, Maddison Jess 3rd followed by Chloe Cosis, Tillie Dunbar, Taylah Chancellor, Kiana Toon, Hannah Tailby and Georga Boegheim.
MG Tyres TaG 125 Light and Heavy saw Ashley Chabaia take pole from Bethany Simpson and Courtney Becker. Elle Brydon was the fastest Heavy and 3rd outright followed by Olivia Bell. Heat racing was close with Courtney Becker taking heat 1, Bethany Simpson heat 2. Courtney Becker took heat 3 and the Pre final to secure pole for the final. Bad luck story of the event saw fastest qualifier Ashley Chebaia out of the Pre final with a broken fuel filter.
In the Final Courtney Becker jumped to the lead and was closely followed by Bethany Simpson and Sheridan Cavanaugh with Ashley Chabaia moving thorough the field to get to 4th by lap 3. The position remained the way until the end of the race with Courtney Becker taking her second pink plate for the day followed by Bethany Simpson in 2nd, Sheridan Cavanaugh 3rd, Ashley Chebaia, Tabatha Badger, Elly Morrow, Simone Bisgrove and Nariko McDonnell. TAG Heavy Winner Olivia Bell was too strong in the final for fast qualifier Elle Brydon and made her weekend a double Pink Plate weekend.
Bridgestone Cadet 12 had a strong field with Akash McEaachran taking pole. Heat wins went to Ruby Gibson heat 1 Annabelle Rolfo heat 2, Ruby Gibson heat 3. Annabelle took the pre final win from Ruby and Tahnee Blair in 3rd setting the fastest lap. The start of the final ended in tears for last year’s champ Ruby Gibson and Zali Green both going out at turn 1. Ruby was able to resume but too far back to challenge. At the front Annabelle Rolfo set about building a lead from Tahnee Blair, Alasha McEachran moved up to 3rd and that was the way the top 3 remained followed by Kiara Edwards, Charlee Richardson and Ruby Gibson.
Above: The fastest qualifiers (pic - cdkc)
