Karting Heads to Paradise on the NSW North Coast

Multiple National Champion Matthew Wall once described the Port Macquarie circuit as the hardest track he’d ever raced on. A complete contrast from the Dubbo setting of round 2 is ahead for the 3rd 2011 event of the ever expanding Rotax Pro Tour.

The Mid-North Coast of NSW is often described as paradise, tropical weather almost all year round, spectacular beaches and the beautiful city of Port Macquarie is surrounded by rainforest. The 1052 metre Pacific Park circuit built just over a decade ago is regarded as one of the most challenging circuits in the country. Sure, you hear that said about every track, right? Except this one truly is. With the bitumen winding through the forest, many of the corners look the same which makes judgment hard at 115km/h whilst your neck and arm muscles are fighting against 3 times the force of gravity.

The true history of karting in the region goes back to the famed Trans Tasman Port Macquarie Street Grand Prix held through the streets of Port in the early 1990’s. The best drivers from Australia and NZ including soon to be World Cup Winner Darrell Smith, NZ National Champ Brendon Tordoff and future V8 Supercar star David Besnard raced through the streets. And after record events at the first two Pro Tour events in Melbourne and Dubbo, once again the best drivers from Australia and NZ continue Port’s racing history with the third event of the Rotax Pro Tour – now in it’s 3rd year.

After an Australian record entry of 28 drivers in Dubbo, a full field of the spectacular DD2 Rotax class will be an amazing sight on the fast Pacific Park circuit. The Senior Rotax classes will again be as competitive as ever with nation’s best drivers including Dubbo race winners Adam Lindstrom and Troy Woolston fighting for victory. Joseph Mawson stunned the karting world when he won the junior race at Dubbo from 27th on the grid and will definitely be a target for the nation’s top juniors again this weekend. With the Australian Karting Association holding it’s annual Yamaha based National Championships at Cockburn Raceway in Perth the week prior, many drivers will have an 8000kms round trip to compete in both events, although at the same time they will be as sharp as ever with so much national level racing over two consecutive weekends, some drivers in Port Macquarie will be racking up the hours being in a kart for 8 our of 12 days!

The Rotax Pro Tour is of course replicated in Rotax National Series across the world and Australia will send it’s best 10 Rotax racers to the 2011 World Finals in the UAE this November.

The Pacific Park International Raceway is located just off the Pacific Highway on Burrawon Forest Drive south of Port Macquarie. Competitors will hit the track for official practice for Race 3 of the Rotax Pro Tour on Friday the 29th with the Pro Tour finals on Sunday May 1.

For further info head to rotax.com.au/protour.