Geelong's fickle weather will test Kel Treseder and the rest of the field at the CIK Stars Of Karting this weekend. Photo: AF Images
WHEN this weekend’s round of the CIK Stars Of Karting roars to life in Geelong, the practice, kart preparation and technical developments Kel Treseder undertook in the past month may come to nothing because of one thing: Victoria’s infamous weather.
The forecast for the weekend in Geelong is a maximum of 12 degrees with SOME sun and rain periods – a far cry from the dry running in which he has been practising.
Treseder is seventh on the pointstable going into the round and with the first-wet race meeting in 16 rounds expected, all tactics he planned might be left in the pits.
With an improved engine package in his Kel’s Karts and Parts machine thanks to mechanic Jon Target, Treseder was expecting big things. A poor result could see him slip from contention for the 2013 title, but with a wet track a few extra horsepower will mean nothing.
Treseder says the planning and preparation might go out the window and the conditions would level the field in the two days.
“It’s going to be the first wet round in four years and we (the drivers) will be relying on other people’s luck,” Treseder said.
“Driving a KZ2 kart in the wet is like driving a road car on ice with standard tyres.
“There will be full understeer going into the corner and on the way out I will have to be careful on the throttle to stop wheelspin.
“The results because of the weather mean this could be a championship-changing weekend.”
Treseder remains positive before the round and the only comfort he will have is the other drivers will be subjected to the same conditions.
