A PERFECT TEN IN GYMPIE THIS WEEKEND

Kyle Ensbey hopes that local knowledge will help lift him to victory this weekend in Gympie. Pic: AF Images

Motorsport fans on the Sunshine Coast are in for a real treat this weekend when the Cooloola Coast Kart Club hosts the Rotax Pro Tour at the Gympie Gold Raceway.

With no less than ten current or former Australian karting champions in action aboard the 125cc Rotax powered karts, the scene is set for some scintillating racing across Saturday and Sunday.

A total of 155 entries have been received across the six categories – Rotax Light, Rotax Heavy, Junior Rotax, Rotax Over 40’s, DD2 and DD2 Masters – with the local hopes set to rest with the likes of Kyle Ensbey (Glenview, QLD) and Shay Mayes (Sippy Downs, QLD). It is the first time the Rotax Pro Tour has visited Gympie, something that Ensbey hopes will play into his hands.

The 21 year-old, who is fresh off a victory in the opening round of the CIK Stars of Karting Series in Adelaide, will take on the likes of 2011 Rotax Nationals winner Jason Pringle (Melbourne, Vic), Gold Coast brothers Damian and Lucas Ward, three-time Australian Champion Tyler Greenbury (Toowoomba, QLD) and perennial front-runner Troy Woolston (Melbourne, Vic) in the DD2 category.

“Over my career, I’ve done thousands of laps around the Gympie track and I’m really looking forward to taking on Australia’s best drivers on my home track,” said Ensbey.

“The last couple of years I’ve spent most of my racing on tracks that have been everyone else’s home track, so to have the Rotax Pro Tour come to my home track will hopefully give me a bit of an advantage.

“The competition in the DD2 (two-speed engine) category is very tough. Although we might not have the big numbers of Rotax Light, the depth of drivers is just as good with any one of ten drivers having a realistic shot at winning this weekend.”

Of the ten current or former national champions competing on the weekend, five of them will be amongst the 43-drivers suiting up in the Rotax Light category – including two of the sport’s top junior drivers from the past few years, Pierce Lehane and Joseph Mawson.

Practice will be contested on Friday ahead of qualifying and the heat races on Saturday. The pre-finals and finals are scheduled to be contested around the 890-metre circuit on Sunday.

The Gympie Gold Raceway is located on Runge Road, Gympie. Admission is free for spectators.

To view the full entry list please click here.

Sippy Downs driver Shay Mayes will be one of 43 drivers lining up in the Rotax Light category at the event. Pic: AF Images