RECORD NUMBERS FOR ROTAX NATIONALS AT GEELONG

Melbourne driver David Sera will start as one of the favourites in the Rotax Light category at next weekend's event. Pic: AF Images/Budd

Next weekend’s (September 3/4) 11th Annual Rotax Karting Nationals to be hosted by the Geelong Karting Club in Victoria has attracted a record number of entries.

With in excess of 160 entries having been received across the seven categories, three of which will be vying for a National Championship, the action will come thick and fast around the 754-metre circuit across the weekend.

Melbourne’s (Narre Warren, Vic) David Sera is the reigning and five-time champion in the Rotax Light category that has attracted no less than 40 entries. This is the largest number of competitors for the class since the 2002 event that saw 49 drivers take to Melbourne’s Todd Road circuit before Josh Arandt was victorious ahead of Ben Savage and Reif Corbett.

Aided with the knowledge that he is rarely defeated when he competes in the category, Sera is high in confidence entering next weekend’s event where he will be aiming to become the first driver to secure six Rotax Nationals crowns.

“I won my first Rotax crown at Geelong back in 2005, so I’ve got some pretty good memories there,” said Sera.

“It (the track) is renown for close racing, so qualifying well is going to be vital to good result as track position is more important at Geelong than almost any other track in the country.”

While confident, Sera is fully aware that the next generation of stars will be out to get one up on the Monster Energy-backed Arrow karts pilot in the event that he could almost claim as his own.

“Even though I’m only 23 years old I’m one of the elder statesmen of the Rotax class these days, there’s a lot of good young guys coming up through the ranks,” said Sera, who is one of the contestants in the Shannons Supercar Showdown television program on 7Mate.

“Young Josh De Maio won three state titles last year, (Tyler) Greenbury is a front-runner in any class he races and James Macken won his first Rotax Pro Tour event a few weeks ago, I’m sure they’ll all be tough to beat next weekend.

“The World Number Two in the category, Josh Hart from New Zealand is also making the trip back from Europe (where he is currently competing) for the event, I’m sure he’ll provide some tough opposition for us Aussies.”

In the corresponding event at Ipswich, Queensland last year it was Sydney’s (Ashfield, NSW) Simon Meyer who led home a CRG trifecta in the Rotax Heavy division. In the process Meyer ensured that the decade of titles in the Rotax Heavy category were ‘bookended’ the Meyer brothers.

Meyer will look to defend his title next weekend against the likes of former champions William Yarwood (Cornubia, QLD) and Matthew Wall (Sunbury, Vic) in the 31-driver field.

Sydney’s (Hichenbrook, NSW) Joseph Mawson has been undefeated in the Junior Max category in the opening four Rotax Pro Tour events of 2011. However, his arch-rival Pierce Lehane (Castle Hill, NSW) and fellow junior stars Michael Stewart (Bywong, NSW), Renee Gracie (Kuraby, QLD), Liam Morey (Cranbourne, Vic) and Jaxon Evans (Gold Coast, QLD) among others, will be out to inflict Mawson’s first defeat of the year at the category’s biggest event.

With competitors from every state of the country lining up, drivers and teams will begin arriving in Geelong on Wednesday ahead of practice on Thursday and Friday with qualifying and heat races to be contested on Saturday. The championship finals will be contested on Sunday.

The Geelong Karting Club is located at Beckley Park, Geelong Rd, Corio (Adjacent to the Geelong Trotting track, North of Geelong). Admission is free for spectators.

Rotax Nationals Honour Roll

Rotax Light
2001 – Matthew Wall (Vic) – Arrow
2002 – Josh Arandt (Vic) – Arrow
2003 – Bart Price (Vic) – Arrow
2004 – Scott Auld (Qld) – Arrow
2005 – David Sera (Vic) – Arrow
2006 – Hayden McBride (NSW) – Gillard
2007 – David Sera (Vic) – Arrow
2008 – David Sera (Vic) – Arrow
2009 – David Sera (Vic) – Arrow
2010 – David Sera (Vic) – Arrow

Rotax Heavy
2001 – Damien Meyer (NSW) – CRG
2002 – Brett Davidson (Vic) – Arrow
2003 – William Yarwood (Qld) – Arrow
2004 – William Yarwood (Qld) – Arrow
2005 – William Yarwood (Qld) – Arrow
2006 – William Yarwood (Qld) – Arrow
2007 – Kel Treseder (Qld) – Top Kart
2008 – Kel Treseder (Qld) – Kosmic
2009 – Matthew Wall (Vic) – Arrow
2010 – Simon Meyer (NSW) – CRG

Junior Max
2009 – Ben Jurczak (Qld) – Redspeed
2010 – Jonathan Venter (NSW) – Kosmic

Previous Venues
2001 – Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway, Sydney, NSW
2002 – Todd Road Karting Complex, Melbourne, Vic
2003 – Mt Sugarloaf Raceway, Newcastle, NSW
2004 – Ipswich Raceway, Ipswich, QLD
2005 – Beckley Park Raceway, Geelong, Vic
2006 – Mt Sugarloaf Raceway, Newcastle, NSW
2007 – Ipswich Raceway, Ipswich, QLD
2008 – Todd Road Karting Complex, Melbourne, Vic
2009 – Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway, Sydney, NSW
2010 – Ipswich Raceway, Ipswich, QLD

2011 ROTAX NATIONALS ENTRY LIST

ROTAX LIGHT – 40 entries
1 David Sera (VIC)
4 Geoff Connell (NSW)
6 Troy Bretherton (QLD)
7 Matthew McNeill (VIC)
9 Matthew Bode (QLD)
12 Scott Sorensen (QLD)
13 Marc Townsend (NSW)
14 Macauley Jones (VIC)
16 Shay Mayes (QLD)
17 Liam Bellamy (VIC)
18 Matthew Chahda (VIC)
19 Samuel Breen (VIC)
21 Stephen Jones (VIC)
23 Kieran Morling (VIC)
29 Rhys Harrod (VIC)
31 Dale Corbett (NSW)
35 Luke Rochard (VIC)
36 Daniel Rochford (VIC)
40 Michael Powell (VIC)
44 Dean Whittome (WA)
45 Alistair Dyson (VIC)
46 Michael Ambelas (VIC)
49 Glenn Croxford (VIC)
51 Gary Burns (VIC)
54 Brett Mullavey (VIC)
57 David Whitmore (NSW)
58 Stelios Triantafillidis (VIC)
61 Darren Anderson (VIC)
66 Trent Rogers (NSW)
68 Mitchell Hewitt (NSW)
70 Dean Monik (VIC)
79 Brittany Smith (VIC)
83 Ashley Quiddington (VIC)
85 Andy Simpson (VIC)
87 Christopher Hays (QLD)
88 Josh Dorn (QLD)
89 James Macken (QLD)
94 Bradley Jenner (VIC)
97 Tyler Greenbury (QLD)
98 Joshua de Maio (VIC)

ROTAX HEAVY – 31 entries
1 Simon Meyer (NSW)
7 Lane Moore (QLD)
8 Zeke Edwards (VIC)
9 Troy Woolston (VIC)
10 Paul Rodgers (VIC)
11 Grant Dooley (NSW)
13 Nick Karmalis (NSW)
14 James Reynolds (VIC)
15 Matthew Wall (VIC)
16 Shay Mayes (QLD)
17 Reece Broady (VIC)
22 Danny Wright (VIC)
24 Adam Hunter (NSW)
29 Todd Davey (NSW)
33 Rick Pringle (VIC)
34 Brandon Stillwell (SA)
35 Jason Pringle (VIC)
41 Christopher Gillette (NSW)
43 Christopher Board (QLD)
44 Jacob Goodluck (TAS)
57 Trent Moore (QLD)
58 Anthony Caiazzo (VIC)
69 William Yarwood (QLD)
70 Brendan Nelson (QLD)
72 Brock Green (VIC)
77 Nathan Chapman (WA)
78 Bradley Wyatt (VIC)
84 Richard Lacey (VIC)
88 Daniel Stein (NSW)
92 Lee Mitchener (VIC)
98 Joshua Willett (VIC)

JUNIOR MAX – 36 entries
2 Pierce Lehane (NSW)
4 Cameron Hill (NSW)
5 Renee Gracie (QLD)
6 Jake Klein (VIC)
7 Blaine Densley (VIC)
8 Jordan Boys (VIC)
10 Ashlon Gardner (QLD)
11 Zachary Phillips (VIC)
13 Mitchell Gee (QLD)
14 Ryan Sponseller (QLD)
20 Caitlin Wood (NSW)
21 Christopher Anthony (NSW)
24 Thomas Randle (VIC)
27 Alex Nicholson (NSW)
29 Holly Patrizi (QLD)
31 James Golding (VIC)
32 Joseph Burton-Harris (NSW)
34 Luke Marquis (SA)
35 Chelsea Angelo (VIC)
41 James Allen (WA)
44 Thomas Mayer (VIC)
45 Mitch Wilson (VIC)
47 Matthew Smith (VIC)
48 Liam Morey (VIC)
51 Michael Stewart (NSW)
52 Isabella Thomas (VIC)
71 Matthew McLellan (VIC)
76 Liam McLellan (VIC)
80 Jason LeCocq (WA)
81 Luke Bergens (VIC)
83 Mitchell Griffin (QLD)
86 Anton De Pasquale (VIC)
89 Jake Dixon (VIC)
94 William Hawkes (VIC)
96 Joseph Mawson (NSW)
99 Jaxon Evans (QLD)

JUNIOR MAX HEAVY – 12 entries
1 Joseph Mawson (NSW)
2 Ryan Johnstone (WA)
5 Renee Gracie (QLD)
10 Ashlon Gardner (QLD)
11 Pierce Lehane (NSW)
14 Reece Bloomfield (VIC)
21 Christopher Anthony (NSW)
48 Jack Richardson (VIC)
75 Mitchell Kennedy (NSW)
81 Alex Griffiths (NSW)
86 Anton De Pasquale (VIC)
98 Dale Corbett (NSW)

DD2 – 14 entries
1 Damian Ward (QLD)
3 Lucas Ward (QLD)
5 Brent Coghlan (NSW)
6 Scott May (QLD)
9 Shannon McLaine (NSW)
10 Thomas Macdonald (NSW)
34 Kayne Hughes (VIC)
35 Jason Pringle (VIC)
38 Tony Prendergast (NSW)
44 Luke Wall (NSW)
51 Brinley Gread (NSW)
77 Jose Ruiz (NSW)
93 Travis Millar (VIC)
99 Jack Lindgren (NSW)

ROTAX OVER 35s – 19 entries
1 Michael Robson (NSW)
4 Shane Karandrews (QLD)
7 Darren Day (VIC)
15 Frank Falla (VIC)
19 Hamish Leighton (VIC)
29 Ross Wilson (VIC)
37 Andrew Jackson (VIC)
38 Stephen Hampson (NSW)
40 Dean Penrose (QLD)
41 Ray Rogers (VIC)
44 Luke Wall (NSW)
49 Kevin Legwidge (SA)
50 Lucas Burt (VIC)
55 Julian Watts (VIC)
62 Peter Jackman (VIC)
65 John Bailey (NSW)
70 Mark Newman (VIC)
75 Cameron Harch (QLD)
81 Malcolm Walker (QLD)

ROTAX SUPER HEAVY – 9 entries
1 Bruce Otter (NSW)
2 Anthony Ciccone (VIC)
15 Greg Williams (NSW)
25 Paul Rolls (NSW)
26 Eddie Ruiz (NSW)
27 Rodney Franks (NSW)
31 Billy Askew (VIC)
53 David Aldersley (VIC)
83 Owen Guthrie (NSW)