2nd October 2011

KARTING KINGS SLIDE TO DUAL VICTORIES AT NEWCASTLE (inc. video highlights)

Top Five Results and Video interviews below

David Sera and Matthew Wall showed why they are considered two of the All-time Greats in Australian karting with both claiming dual victories in the New South Wales State Championships at Newcastle today.

With torrential rain soaking the Mount Sugarloaf circuit overnight and throughout the day, conditions were extremely tough on the competitors with the most talented drivers rising to the top.

Sera, a 12-time National Champion, proved too good for his opposition in the Clubman and Leopard Light categories while Wall secured the wins in in the Clubman and Leopard Heavy categories.

Joining Sera on the podium in Clubman Light was Warren White and James Sera while Cian Fothergill and Jake Spencer finished second and third in Leopard Light.

“The conditions were very tough out there.  I had the speed in the dry in both classes, so it was a bit disappointing to see the weather come in the way that it did but I was able to adapt the best,” said Sera.

“Newcastle is a very technical circuit, there is a big variety in the corners and it is a very demanding track but it is one that I really enjoy.”

For Wall, today’s victories were the third and fourth state championships that he’s secured in 2011.

“I woke up this morning and wasn’t too  happy to see it raining, I’ve been struggling a bit with my set-up in the rain lately but luckily I found some pace when it mattered most,” said Wall.

“The team at Arrow Karts and Anthony Bartolo of J&A Tuning have done a great job again this weekend and without them these two wins wouldn’t have been possible.”

Sera and Wall will go head-to-head in the battle for the Pro Gearbox (KZ2) championship, which will be decided at the Mount Sugarloaf circuit in two weeks time (October 15/16) during the final round of the CIK Stars of Karting Series.

In the junior categories it was Damon Strongman who was victorious in Junior National Light ahead of a hard charging Michael Saller, who went one better in the Junior National Heavy category.

Joseph Mawson won the Junior Clubman category while Victorian Liam Morey proved too good in the Junior Max category.

In the youngest class of the weekend, Rookies, it was Isaac Vaccarella who won his first state championship ahead of Jayden Ojeda and Cody Gillis.

Of the local drivers Nathan Sinclair finished as the best with a third placing in the Senior National Heavy category.  The Thornton driver finished one place ahead of Nelson Plains’ William Foot.

“It feels really good to have finished third, it was a shame about the rain today but it was the same for everyone,” said Sinclair.

“Overall it was a good weekend, while I would have like to have won (Sinclair won in 2008) it is great to have snared a podium finish.

“The racing was really good all weekend, it was hard but very clean.”

To view a notebook containing some of the behind the scenes action please click here.

2011 New South Wales State Championships Hosted by the North Shore Kart Club at Newcastle

RESULTS: Top Five

Clubman Super Heavy
1. Bradley Moody
2. Scott Simpson
3. Ben McKinlay
4. David Endres
5. Nigel Stones

Race Notes: OTK Racing’s Scott Simpson led the first half of the Clubman Super Heavy final but a mistake while negotiating the final corner on the rain soaked circuit mid race it allowed Bradley Moody to move into the lead.  Despite Simpson’s best efforts, he couldn’t reel in Moody as the CRG driver went on to claim his second state championship of the year.

Rotax Light

1. Tyler Greenbury
2. Dale Corbett
3. James Macken
4. Macauley Jones
5. Shay Mayes

Race Notes: Polesitter Chris Hays jumped into the lead at the start of the 11-lap Rotax Light final to open a slender gap over Tyler Greenbury and Macauley Jones.  After several laps of pressuring Hays the Intrepid pilot moved into the race lead on lap four.  Greenbury wasn’t pressured throughout the remainder of the race and then when Hays stopped on the circuit it moved Dale Corbett into second place.  Corbett’s drive from 29^th place to second was an impressive one.

Leopard Heavy

1. Matthew Wall
2. Jason Hryniuk
3. Aaron Lawrence
4. Daniel Stein
5. Kris Walton

Race Notes: The top four drivers swapped positions on a number of occasions throughout the opening few laps of the Leopard Heavy final before Matthew Wall emerged as the race leader ahead of Jason Hryniuk.  Exprit driver Daniel Stein moved into second place and Kris Walton followed him past Hryniuk several laps later.  While Wall held onto his lead, the battle for second was intense between Kris Walton, Daniel Stein and Jason Hryniuk.  Stein spun on lap seven while Walton then spun several laps later in the torrential conditions.

Junior Clubman
1. Joseph Mawson
2. Justin Francis
3. Joshua Seiffert
4. Luke Marquis
5. Nicholas Rowe

Race Notes: The Junior Clubman final was a two-part affair with torrential rain causing officials to red flag the event after only a couple of laps.  Shortly after the restart, leader Anton De Pasquale slid off the circuit handing the front running to Joseph Mawson.  At mid race distance second placed runner Jake Coleman ran off the circuit elevating Justin Francis into second behind Mawson.

Clubman Heavy

1. Matthew Wall
2. Aaron Borg
3. Leigh Nicolaou
4. Adam Hunter
5. Peter Galvin

Race Notes: Polesitter Brendan Nelson’s Clubman Heavy championship campaign ended in turn one of the 11-lap final.  The race for the lead was then between CRG driver Jason Hryniuk and Shamick Racing’s Matthew Wall. When Leigh Nicolaou moved past three-time and defending champion Hryniuk, it allowed Wall to open a commanding lead.

When Aaron Borg made a move on the inside of Hryniuk mid-race for third place, Hryniuk ran out of track and ended up in the trackside river.  Using his wet weather prowess, Wall went on to dominate the event and claim his second state crown of the event.

Such was the rate of attrition, only 14 of the 26 drivers who started the race finished.  Jason Varley was one of those drivers who failed to finish after charging from 15^th to fourth – his race ended on the final turn.

Rookies

1. Isaac Vaccarella
2. Jayden Ojeda
3. Cody Gillia
4. Joshua Rogers
5. Zane Morse

Race Notes: Isaac Vaccarella was challenged early in the Rookies final before negotiating the tricky conditions superbly to drive away and claim his maiden state championship.  Jayden Ojeda crossed the line second ahead of a fast finishing Cody Gillis.  The leading trio finished well clear of the remainder of the field.

Senior National Heavy

1. Blake Sciberras
2. Corey Lean
3. Nathan Sinclair
4. William Foot
5. Matthew Pritchard

Race Notes: The championship final of the Senior National Heavy category was a battle between Corey Lean and Blake Sciberras.  When Lean ran off the circuit while negotiating the final turn it handed the win to Sciberras ahead of Jarrad Courney.  Courney was later excluded for a technical infringement.

Junior National Light

1. Damon Strongman
2. Michael Saller
3. Jordan Boys
4. Justin Francis
5. Joshua Buggy

Race Notes: Sydneysider Dimitri Agathos led the early laps of the Junior National Light final, only to slide off the circuit leaving Damon Strongman and Jordan Boys to battle for the lead.  Strongman opened a handy buffer over field while Michael Saller was the big mover coming from 20^th to second on the rain soaked circuit.

Rotax Heavy

1. Simon Meyer
2. Kris Walton
3. William Yarwood
4. Rick Pringle
5. Brendan Nelson

Race Notes: Exprit driver William Yarwood shows his wet weather skills during yesterday’s Rotax Heavy pre-final and jumped into the lead at the start of the final.  Mid way through the final Simon Meyer chased down Yarwood for the lead.  As the race continued Meyer benefited from Yarwood and Kris Walton battling for the minor positions.

Leopard Light

1. David Sera
2. Cian Fothergill
3. Jake Spencer
4. James Sera
5. Michael Carless

Race Notes: Starting from pole position David Sera was challenged early during the opening few laps of the Leopard Heavy final by Jake Spencer before clearing off into the distance.  Cian Fothergill claimed second ahead of Spencer.

Junior Rotax

1. Liam Morey
2. Joseph Mawson
3. Cameron Hill
4. Pierce Lehane
5. Jaxon Evans

Race Notes: Top Kart driver Cameron Hill upstaged his more fancied rivals during the early laps of the Junior Max final while Liam Morey, Joseph Mawson ,Pierce Lehane and Jaxon Evans battled for the minor positions.  With a handful of laps remaining to go Morey closed in on the race leader to take over the front running with three laps remaining and went on to claim the victory.

Senior National Light

1. James Foster
2. Blake Sciberras
3. Warren White
4. Jordan Nicolaou
5. Trent Rogers

Race Notes: A three-way race long battle for the lead equated to an exciting finish in the Senior National Light final with James Foster crossing the line first ahead of Blake Sciberras and Warren White.  All three had contact in the slippery conditions over the final few corners.

Junior National Heavy

1. Michael Saller
2. Anton De Pasquale
3. Jordan Zammit
4. Anthony Gamauf
5. Damon Strongman

Race Notes: The Junior National Heavy final was another one that went down to the wire with the race lead changing on no less than three occasions during the final lap.  In the end it was Anton De Pasquale who crossed the line first after a last corner pass on Michael Saller.  De Pasquale was later given a one place penalty for contact of karts, handing Saller the victory.

Open Performance for DD2

1. Kyle Ensbey
2. Thomas Macdonald
3. Travis Millar
4. Dale Verrall
5. Lucas Ward

Race Notes: Top Kart drier Kyle Ensbey was once again dominant on his way to victory in the Open Performance for DD2.  Thomas Macdonald was solid for second place while Travis Millar got the better of a battle with Dale Verrall for third place.  Tyler Greenbury endured a lap one spin before finishing 11^th.

Clubman Light

1. David Sera
2. Warren White
3. James Sera
4. Macauley Jones
5. Jaie Robson

Race Notes: After dominating the Clubman Light pre-final in wet conditions yesterday, David Sera was proved once again to be a dominant force on his way to victory in the final.  Sera crossed the line 2.6 seconds clear of Warren White in second place.  James Sera claimed third with Macauley Jones getting the better of a battle with Jaie Robson for fourth spot.

The Full Results can be found on the on the CM:S System by clicking here followed by selecting NSW and the North Shore Kart Club in the drop down menus.

Snippets of information were updated on the Australian Karting Association’s Twitter (@karting_net_au) and Facebook (facebook.com/AustralianKartingAssociation) throughout the day.