1st July 2012

LUKE MARQUIS DOES THE DOUBLE IN THE TOP END

Fast Femme Kasey Fullwood leads the local charge

South Australian Luke Marquis enjoyed an almost perfect preparation for his National Championship campaign with a pair of victories at the Northern Territory Karting Championships in Darwin on the weekend.

Marquis, who also won at the corresponding event last year, won the Junior Clubman and National Heavy categories to now have a total of four state championships to his name.

Marquis was simply dominant in the Junior Clubman final, cruising to victory ahead of Kosmic Racing New South Wales driver Dimitri Agathos. Queenslander Mitchell Gee made a last corner pass to snare third place from Lachlan McHugh.

In the Junior National Heavy category the South Australian led the early running and was then able to open a commanding lead when Nicholas Rowe and James Allen battled for the minor positions. Marquis crossed the line well clear of Allen while Damon Strongman had a lonely race on his way to third. Rowe recovered from the ground lost during the early battle to claim fourth.

“It’s pretty amazing to think that 12 months ago I hadn’t won a state championship and now I’ve won four,” said Marquis.

“It is my second time up here to Darwin, and I just love the place. The track is one of my favourite circuits and I think that it’s one of the best in the country.”

In last year’s National Championships, Marquis finished runner-up in the Junior National Light category. After the weekend’s performance he’s aiming for the top step this weekend.

“I came so close in last year’s nationals, hopefully I can go one better this year,” said Marquis.

“To win two categories on the weekend is a great way to prepare for this weekend’s national championships (also being held in Darwin), hopefully I can repeat this performance in that event.”

Knuckey Lagoon’s Kasey Fullwood took the challenge to the boys in the Rookies category on her way to claiming popular podium finish when she crossed the line second behind Bunbury (WA) youngster Brock Kenny.

Victorian Cooper Murray had been the pacesetter all weekend and in the final he was joined in a two-way battle for the lead by Brock Kenny. The pair battled for the top spot before Kenny took over the front running with four laps remaining. Kenny held strong to claim the win while a last lap attempt by Murray ended in the dirt.

Behind the leading duo, Fullwood was battling with Western Australians Sam Dicker and Samuel Boley along with Victorian Thomas Bennett for the remaining podium positions. The 12 year-old fended off the challenges from the interstate competitors before crossing the line in second place.

“To finish second feels unbelievable. I came into the weekend aiming for the podium and I achieved this goal, so I’m very happy,” said Fullwood, who won the NT Closed Titles last year.

“Racing is so much fun, I like beating the boys – don’t underestimate the girls!”

Joining Fullwood in the podium club for the local drivers was Darren Chilton who finished second behind Queenslander Shane Leahy in the Clubman Over 40s category.

Matthew Wall added to his State Championship trophy cabinet in the Leopard Heavy Final, comprehensively defeating Brendan Nelson and Western Australia’s Brad Fitch. It was the first State Title win and quinella for the brand new Arrow X-2 Chassis.

Sydney-sider, Pierce Lehane took out the Clubman Light final amid moments of insanity during the course of the 16-lap race. Lehane was able to hold strong to take the win in his first major Championship in the class, beating home Matthew Waters and Luke Flynn.

Waters has set himself up nicely for next weekend’s Australian Championships in Darwin by taking out the Senior National category. With three National Titles in the class already, Waters proved dominant beating home fellow Sydney-sider Aaron Borg and Victorian Nicholas Ellen.

The youngest racers in the event, the Cadets category provided some of the best entertainment of the day. Jordyn Sinni, who had been dominant for the weekend was battling for the lead with Jack Doohan before running wide and hitting the tyre barriers hard. This paved the way for Nathan Herne to assume the lead. He and Doohan swapped the lead at will with Queenslander Harrison Hoey keeping the pair honest, before Herne was able to claim the Title from Doohan.

There is little time to rest for the Australian karting community with practice for this weekend’s 50th National Sprint Kart Championships, also being contested at Hidden Valley beginning on Thursday.

The Top Five results and race notes from the Northern Territory Championships are available below with the full results on the Australian Karting Association’s Results system that can be viewed by clicking here (Link: https://app.austkarting.com.au/aka/results/view/NT/Darw/2012-07-01/)

The Australian Karting Association’s Twitter page (twitter.com/karting_net_au) and Facebook (facebook.com/AustralianKartingAssociation) page was being updated all throughout the weekend.

2012 NORTHERN TERRITORY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Hidden Valley, NT
June 30/July 1

RESULTS: Final (Top Five)

Junior Rotax
1. Jordan Murphy (SA)
2. Mitchell Gee (QLD)
3. Andrew Kahl (NSW)
4. Tyler Morrison (SA)
5. Jake Klein (SA)
Race Notes: As he had all weekend in the Junior Rotax category, Andrew Kahl took advantage of his pole position to lead the field into turn on. When Mitchell Gee passed Kahl on lap two, the New South Wales driver went from first to ninth. The lead was then assumed by Jordan Murphy. Despite some heavy pressure from Gee during the latter stages of the 16-lap final, Murphy held on for the win.

Clubman Super Heavy
1. Scott Simpson (QLD)
2. Ben McKinlay (QLD)
3. Anthony Higgs (WA)
4. Lee Foster (WA)
5. Hayden Dodman (VIC)
Race Notes: FA Kart team-mates Scott Simpson and Ben McKinlay showed the field a clean pair of heels during the early running of the Clubman Super Heavy. Behind them, three-time Australian champion Anthony Higgs charged his way towards the front and was in third place by half race distance. McKinlay shadowed Simpson for the majority of the race but was unable to stop Simpson from claiming the 22nd State Championship of his illustrious career.

Senior National
1. Matthew Waters (NSW)
2. Aaron Borg (NSW)
3. Nicholas Ellen (VIC)
4. James French (WA)
5. Jordan Hounsfield (WA)
Race Notes: Three-time Senior National Australian Champion Matthew Waters made a break early in the running of the 16-lap final to lead Aaron Borg and Nicholas Ellen. While Waters drove off into the distance the battles behind him were intense with Borg claiming the runner-up placing ahead of Ellen. Fourth went to James French ahead of Jordan Hounsfield.

Junior Clubman
1. Luke Marquis (SA)
2. Dimitri Agathos (NSW)
3. Mitchell Gee (QLD)
4. Lachlan McHugh (QLD)
5. Jake Coleman (NSW)
Race Notes: South Australian Luke Marquis was simply dominant in the Junior Clubman final. As Marquis cruised to claim the third state championship of his flourishing career Kosmic Racing NSW driver Dimitri Agathos showed some good speed to secure second position while a last corner pass enabled Mitchell Gee to snare third place from Lachlan McHugh.

Clubman Over 40s
1. Shane Leahy (QLD)
2. Darren Chilton (NT)
3. Wayne Gough (WA)
4. Adam Bourke (VIC)
5. Julian Laws (QLD)
Race Notes: Queenslander Shane Leahy was simply unstoppable on his way to victory in the Clubman Over 40s category. The Arrow Karts driver led home Northern Territory’s Darren Chilton while Kalgoorlie driver Wayne Gough finished third.

Leopard Heavy
1. Matthew Wall (VIC)
2. Brendan Nelson (QLD)
3. Bradley Fitch (WA)
4. Kris Walton (QLD)
5. Jason Hryniuk (NSW)
Race Notes: Ten-time Australian Champion Matthew Wall used all of his experience to dominate the Leopard Heavy final. Behind the Arrow Karts driver there was an intense battle between Wall’s Arrow Karts stable-mate Brendan Nelson, Kommitted Motorsport’s Brad Fitch, Queenslander Kris Walton and New South Wales driver Jason Hryniuk. Nelson got the better of that battle to make it an Arrow Karts one-two in their new X2 chassis.

Junior National Heavy
1. Luke Marquis (SA)
2. James Allen (WA)
3. Damon Strongman (VIC)
4. Nicholas Rowe (WA)
5. Zachary Phillips (VIC)
Race Notes: After winning the Junior Clubman title earlier in the day Luke Marquis was high in confidence entering the Junior National Heavy final. The South Australian led the early running and was then able to open a commanding lead when Nicholas Rowe and James Allen battled for the minor positions. Marquis crossed the line well clear of Allen while Damon Strongman had a lonely race on his way to third. Rowe recovered from the ground lost during the early battle to claim fourth.

Cadets
1. Nathan Herne (NSW)
2. Jack Doohan (QLD)
3. Harrison Hoey (QLD)
4. Joel Jamieson (QLD)
5. Aaron Love (WA)
Race Notes: Queenslander Jack Doohan led the early running of the 16-lap final in the Cadets category but by mid race Jordyn Sinni moved his way into the race lead. While battling for the lead Sinni ran wide and hit the tyre barriers which allowed Nathan Herne to take over the race lead. As the race continued it became a three-way battle for the lead between Herne, Doohan and Harrison Hoey. In the end it was Herne who held on for the narrowest of victories.

Clubman Heavy
1. Shay Mayes (QLD)
2. Matthew Wall (VIC)
3. Kris Walton (QLD)
4. Trent Rogers (NSW)
5. Jason Hryniuk (NSW)
Race Notes: There was action of plenty in the Clubman Heavy final with multiple-time national champions Matthew Wall, Jason Hryniuk and Kip Foster being joined at the front of the field by Kris Walton, Adam Levi and Brendan Nelson. The latter’s race was over in a lap one incident while Levi and Hryniuk came together on lap three dropping them both well down the order. This left the trio of Walton, Wall and Foster to battle it out. When Walton climbed onto the back of Wall’s kart it allowed Foster a race winning lead. Further drama was to come post race when Foster went underweight, handing the win to Mayes.

Rookies
1. Brock Kenny (WA)
2. Kasey Fullwood (NT)
3. Sam Dicker (WA)
4. Thomas Bennett (VIC)
5. Samuel Boley (WA)
Race Notes: Victorian Cooper Murray had been the pacesetter all weekend in the Rookies category and in the final he was joined in a two-way battle for the lead by Brock Kenny. The pair battled for the lead before Kenny took over the front running with four laps remaining. Kenny held strong to claim the win while a last lap attempt by Murray ended in the dirt allowing local driver Kasey Fullwood to claim second place.

Leopard Light
1. Ben Stewart (QLD)
2. Adam Garnaut (WA)
3. Pierce Lehane (NSW)
4. Nathan Davis (WA)
5. Ryan Sherman (WA)
Race Notes: KTEQ Rentals driver Ben Stewart led the entire distance of the Leopard Light final to claim the win while Adam Garnaut benefited from Pierce Lehane getting baulked by lapped traffic to cross the line in second place.

Junior National Light
1. William Hawkes (VIC)
2. Nikola Mitic (WA)
3. Damon Strogman (VIC)
4. Brodie Green (NT)
5. Tyler Morrison (SA)
Race Notes: Victorian William Hawkes led the early running of the Junior National Light final ahead of Luke Marquis, who was aiming to claim his third win of the day. The pair exchanged the lead late in the race before Marquis spun on the final lap allowing Hawkes to secure the win. Nikola Mitic crossed the line second.

Clubman Light
1. Pierce Lehane (NSW)
2. Matthew Waters (NSW)
3. Luke Flynn (QLD)
4. Jordan Ford (VIC)
5. Magdeline Breed (NT)
Race Notes: There was no stopping Pierce Lehane on his way to victory in the Clubman Light category. The CRG driver left all of the carnage behind him in the 16-lap final to claim a dominant victory. Matthew Waters crossed the line second ahead of Anthony Martin, however, Martin was later excluded for short cutting the circuit at one stage during the race.