Home > News > Latest News > Karting Australia News > TIGHT TUSSLES DURING QUALIFYING IN WARWICK

1st July 2011

TIGHT TUSSLES DURING QUALIFYING IN WARWICK

James Macken

James Macken qualified fastest by 0.001 of a second in Rotax Light. Pic: AF Images

It was a case of every thousandth of a second counting at the Sandy Creek Raceway, located just outside of Warwick, during qualifying at the Queensland Sprint Kart Championships today.

Queensland pair James Macken (Gold Coast, QLD) and Tyler Greenbury (Toowoomba, QLD) were separated by a mere 0.001 seconds at the top of the timesheets during qualifying in the 125cc Rotax Light category.

Highlighting the competitiveness in the category, the next three of Ashley Quiddington (Ballarat, Vic), Bradley Jenner (Melbourne, Vic) and Michael Robson (Sydney, NSW) set times within 0.03 seconds of each other around the 993-metre circuit.

“It’s extremely close, you can’t actually get any closer than Tyler and myself at the top of the timesheets,” said Macken.

“We’ve had a bit of a rivalry going for a while now, so to get one up on him – even if it is only in qualifying – is a good feeling.

“I knew I had some good speed to be able to up near the front but to snare pole position was a bit of a surprise. The competition in Rotax Light is very tough and I’m really looking forward to some great racing across the weekend.

“The Warwick Kart Club have done a fantastic job getting the track to where it is and the recent extensions to the layout has been a great addition.”

Forest Lake teenager Brock Plumb secured a pair of pole positions during today’s qualifying action. In his first major event aboard an Australian-made Arrow kart Plumb set the fastest time in Junior Clubman ahead of Mitchell Gee (Sunshine Coast, QLD) and Mawson.

Plumb backed this performance up in Junior National Heavy when he outpaced National Champion Anton de Pasquale (Melbourne, Vic) and James Golding (Warragul, Vic).

Joseph Mawson

Joseph Mawson on his way to pole position in Junior Max today. Pic: AF Images/Carruthers

Fujitsu Cool Scholarship driver Joseph Mawson (Hinchenbrook, NSW) snared pole position in the fastest Junior category – Junior Max. The Sydneysider was the only driver to break the 44-second bracket in the category with a time of 43.977 seconds.

Toowoomba driver Sean Butcher qualified fastest in the Senior National Light division ahead of Darren Harris and Chris Farkas.

In the Senior Clubman categories it was a Harrington Doyle Racing domination with Brooke Topp and James Greenwood claiming pole positions in the Clubman Light and Clubman Heavy categories respectively.

Garry Humphries, Department of Communities Regional Manager – South West Region, and Rugby League Legend Shane Webcke officially opened the proceedings at the championships.

Webcke, who was born in nearby Toowoomba and currently resides in Leyburn, was in awe of the championships.

”I’ve been coming past here (the Sandy Creek Raceway) my entire life but have never seen such a big event here – it is an amazing set-up,” said Webcke.

“It is a real credit to the club and all of the volunteers who have put this event together.

“As a local, you don’t even have to be a fan of motorsport to be a fan of this event and the flow on effect it is having for the local region.”

Opening Ceremony

Garry Humphries, Department of Communities Regional Manager – South West Region, and Rugby League Legend Shane Webcke officially opened the proceedings at the championships. Pic: AF Images/Carruthers

Webcke was also amazed by the sophistication in the karts and the speed in which they race around the Sandy Creek Raceway.

“They really motor around here, it’s an amazing sight. I’ve been on the hire karts down in Brisbane a couple of times and they’re nothing like this,” said Webcke.

Heat races started this afternoon and will continue throughout tomorrow with the championship finals to be contested on Sunday.

The Sandy Creek Raceway is located on Sandy Creek Road, just outside of Warwick. Admission is free for spectators.

Results are being posted on the AKA results system as soon as possible at the completion of every session.  To view these results please click here, select QLD in the drop down menu followed by the Warwick Kart Club.

2011 Queensland Sprint Kart Championships

Warwick, QLD

Qualifying – Top Five

Junior Max
1.         Joseph Mawson         43.977
2.         Liam McLellan           44.140
3.         Pierce Lehane            44.140
4.         Cameron Hill  44.173
5.         Matthew McLellan    44.187

Rotax Light
1.         James Macken           43.696
2.         Tyler Greenbury       43.697
3.         Ashley Quiddington  43.916
4.         Bradley Jenner          43.917
5.         Michael Robson         43.942

Rotax Heavy
1.         Kris Walton    44.622
2.         Brendan Nelson        44.658
3.         Ben McKinlay            44.696
4.         William Yarwood       44.749
5.         Brett Sinkins  44.847

Clubman Over 40’s
1.         Bevan Garioch           46.399
2.         Remo Luciani 46.539
3.         Neville Honeychurch            46.658
4.         Brett Llewellyn          46.791
5.         Paul Baxter    46.795

Junior Clubman
1.         Brock Plumb  44.841
2.         Mitchell Gee   45.118
3.         Joseph Mawson         45.182
4.         Luke Marquis            45.190
5.         Jake Coleman 45.262

Senior National Light
1.         Sean Butcher 49.628
2.         Darren Harris            49.709
3.         Chris Farkas   49.815
4.         Luke Caputo  49.833
5.         Jarryd Ebzery            49.835

Clubman Super Heavy
1.         Bradley Moody          47.351
2.         Scott Simpson            47.349
3.         Joshua Herne 47.439
4.         Jamie Penningh         47.466
5.         Ben McKinlay            47.554

Leopard Heavy
1.         Daniel Stein   43.729
2.         Kris Walton    43.859
3.         Lucas Price     44.273
4.         Patrick Mather          44.315
5.         Travis Martin 44.360

Junior National Heavy
1.         Brock Plumb  49.419
2.         Anton de Pasquale    49.702
3.         James Golding            49.770
4.         Jordan Boys   49.776
5.         Joshua Smith 49.864

Clubman Light
1.         Brooke Topp  45.245
2.         Chris Farkas   45.279
3.         Cian Fothergill           45.290
4.         Macauley Jones         45.298
5.         Ben Stewart   45.305

Senior National Heavy
1.         Darren Harris            50.347
2.         Oliver Etter    50.448
3.         Todd Stevens 50.533
4.         Joshua Crossingham 50.536
5.         Jeremy Landt 50.563

Midgets
1.         Chase Wooley            51.456
2.         Ryan Suhle     51.474
3.         Cooper Murray          51.526
4.         Jordan Caruso           51.586
5.         Joseph Black  51.714

Junior National Light
1.         Jordan Boys   48.807
2.         Roland Legge 49.018
3.         James Abela   49.078
4.         James Golding            49.093
5.         Justin Francis 49.101

Leopard Light
1.         John Grother  42.867
2.         Cian Fothergill           42.894
3.         Ben Stewart   42.933
4.         Kyle Ensbey   43.104
5.         Luke Lane      43.248

Clubman Heavy
1.         James Greenwood     46.009
2.         Shane Price    46.170
3.         Clinton Marcon          46.243
4.         Zeke Edwards            46.298
5.         Brendan Nelson        46.334

Rookies
1.         Jayden Ojeda 50.055
2.         Damon Ash 50.091
3.         Jordan McGregor       50.114
4.         Joshua Wood 50.172
5.         Rhys Wooley  50.233