31st March 2014

Opening round at night fitting way to launch series - From the Queensland Times

FLAGGING SUCCESS: Kyle Ensbey celebrates his KZ2 win at the CIK Stars of Karting meeting at Willowbank.

NEW faces came to the fore at the opening round of the Castrol EDGE CIK Stars of Karting Championship at Willowbank.

A pair of masters also continued their all-time win battle in KZ2.

In the KF2 division, former Ipswich Kart Club champion Scott Sorensen continued his good form.

He was the fastest qualifier and winner of the opening heat on Friday, before winning the two remaining heats on Saturday.

In the first final, he had an intense tussle with Bundaberg driver Troy Loeskow, who ended up sneaking home in front to win three Stars of Karting finals in succession.

In the second final though, the Harrington Doyle Racing squad wouldn’t be denied, firing Sorensen home to win by more than five seconds from Loeskow and the super impressive Nathan Tigani.

Tigani staged a dramatic forward surge from deep in the grid during the first 10 laps of the final to finish third.

Sydneysider Jayden Ojeda came into the weekend as a relative unknown in the KF3 Junior division. However, he leaves Ipswich having shown a level of dominance that has not been seen for some years in the elite junior division of Australian karting.

He topped every session from qualifying onwards and put the exclamation mark on the weekend by winning the final by more than six seconds. He beat fellow debutant in Zane Goddard and Exprit team-mate Christopher Sandrone.

It looked like a podium full of debutants until late in the race when Aaron Cameron’s kart expired.

In KZ2, the all-time Stars of Karting final victories statistic will stay locked between 2013 champion Joey Hanssen and Sunshine Coaster Kyle Ensbey, after they shared victories on Saturday night.

Hanssen had mirrored Ojeda and Sorensen by winning all three of his heats and then stormed away in the first final to take the win over 15-time Australian champion David Sera.

Off the start of final two, however, it was mayhem during the opening few laps with Ensbey emerging at turn two in the lead, having started fourth.

Hanssen was the big loser, being shuffled back to fourth.

The action that ensued guaranteed this was one of the most memorable KZ2 finals.

Ensbey skipped away at the front to the tune of a two-second lead, while the swapping and changing behind continued.

Sera battled with Gold Coaster Chris Hays. Ultimately, that battle ended with Hays taking second place and charging to within 0.9s of Ensbey at the end of the race. Hays finished third, with Hanssen holding off a charging Kel Treseder to come home in fourth and score some more solid championship points.

A memorable opening round held under lights was a fitting way to get the championship underway.

The next round is scheduled for May 4-5 at Adelaide’s Bolivar Raceway.