SUNDAY NOTEBOOK FROM THE QUEENSLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

Queensland wins state battle…but only just
Home state drivers won the State of Origin battles in the Queensland Open Sprint Kart Championships in Warwick at the weekend.

Seven victories stayed in the Sunshine State with Victoria claim the next largest stake of victories with five wins. New South Wales drivers took home four victories with Luke Marquis claiming South Australia’s sole victory.

Arrow hits the target
The Australian-made Arrow chassis was right on target across the weekend taking out seven of the 16 categories on offer – five more than any other manufacturer.

The IKD imported Exprit chassis claimed it’s first state championship at the hands of William Yarwood with Daniel Stein also being provisionally classed as the winner of the Leopard Heavy category. Monaco drivers won two classes – as did Kosmic drivers. One win apiece went to the CRG and Wright Kart teams.

Interested onlookers
There were many interested onlookers across the weekend at the Queensland Open Sprint Kart Championships including some famous motorsport faces.

Three generations of the Johnson family dropped into the Sandy Creek Raceway with Dick, Steven and Jet Johnson seen trackside on both Saturday and Sunday. The Seton family also had three generations at the track with Bo Seton trackside with his son Glenn to watch young Aaron compete in Junior National Light.

Five-time 500cc Moto GP Champion Mick Doohan also dropped by to check out the action.

Big numbers in the State Championship ranks
Two of Australia’s most recognisable names in Australian karting, Remo Luciani and William Yarwood, continued to wrack up the blue plates at the Queensland Open Sprint Kart Championships in Warwick at the weekend.

Luciani’s victory in the Clubman Over 40s category was the 54^th state championship of his illustrious career while Yarwood’s win in Rotax Heavy was his 40^th. Yarwood’s most recent victory at a championship event was in Rockhampton during 2008.