18th June 2014

WARWICK LOCALS LOOKING TO CHALLENGE AUSTRALIA'S BEST IN PRO TOUR RETURN

Nicholas Lane is hopeful of a top ten finish in Junior Max

With the Rotax Pro Tour making its return to Warwick’s, Sandy Creek Raceway for the first time since 2012, three of the town’s local drivers will be looking to take it up to the nation’s best Rotax drivers across the three day event, with Shane Roberts competing in Rotax Light and duo Daniel Plant and Nicholas Lane in Junior Max.

Rotax Light will feature Warwick’s Shane Roberts who will be hoping to use his home track knowledge and set himself in the upper end of the competitive field. With the drivers all vying for silverware on Sunday afternoon, Shane is hopeful that he can challenge for a place on the podium at the completion of the weekend.

“It will definitely be an advantage this weekend considering how many laps I have driven around the track, the competition is tough so I will need to be on my game from the outset but most of all I’m looking forward to racing in such a big meeting in my home town,” Roberts said.

Junior Max again features the largest field at this weekend’s Pro Tour and Warwick locals, Daniel Plant and Nicholas Lane will be hoping to use their home track experience to help themselves towards a strong result from the event. For both Plant and Lane, it will be their first time of the season competing in the Pro Tour and they are looking forward to competing against some of the nation’s best young drivers.

“I’m looking forward to challenge. It’s a chance to see how my skills are compared to theirs. I have raced against some of them but not all. At least I know my way around the track,” Plant said.

“It’s a great opportunity for me to go up against the best with the advantage of being at my home track,” Lane added

In a field full of budding young stars of the future, both Daniel and Nicholas admit the challenge will be tough with many of their category rivals holding both State and National titles in various categories, though the pair are confident they can bring home a good result for the Warwick community.

“It’s a big field and with help from William Yarwood of Project X Racing, I hope to finish in the top half of the field, but this is racing and anything can happen. I could be further up or further back, I’ll know by the end of the final on Sunday. I’ll be doing my best,” Plant added.

“It’s a very competitive field but I’m hopeful I can finish in the top half with a good run through the heats and the finals, it will be great to bring home a strong result in front of my home crowd,” Lane said.

Warwick Kart Club President, Peter Lane says the return of the Pro Tour will bring a healthy field of talented drivers to the track, with close and intense racing to be assured. With over 100 drivers in addition to pit crews and family will also bring in a strong economic return for the Warwick township which is an extra boost for the Queensland community.

“It is great that Warwick Kart Club has the opportunity to again host the best Karters in Australia at the Rotax Pro Tour. We have done a lot of work around the grounds in the last twelve months and to be one of the host clubs of a premier series in Australia is a reward that all club members are proud of. By all accounts, over the two days of racing there should be some good crowds there to witness the “best in the business” ply their trade.”

To follow the event online throughout the weekend, Like Rotax Pro Tour on Facebook, Follow Rotax Pro Tour on Twitter and tune into the live audio commentary via Ustream at www.ustream.tv/user/internationalkarting.