On demand coverage from Saturday and Sunday’s events are available on 7+ here https://7plus.com.au/australian-kart-championship
Luca Auriemma crossing the line for his maiden round win in KZ2. (Pic: Pace Images)
Emotions ran high in Coffs Harbour at the opening round of the 2026 Penrite Oil Australian Kart Championship with new winners in numerous classes and history was made as the oldest ever round winner was crowned.
Kip Foster in Velcro Victory Lane at Round One of the 2026 Penrite Australian Kart Championship (Pic: Pace Images)
Australian karting legend Kip Foster added a KA3 Senior class win to his storied career. The West Australian was supreme in taking the win and at the age of 49 became the oldest ever winner of a multi-round Australian Kart Championship season.
He beat home Queenslander, Declan Matthews and 17-year-old Geelong racer, Zach Findlay. Findlay had led much of the final, however the masterful drive by Foster saw him hunt down the youngster through the 14-minute final and decisively move to take the win.
Foster’s fellow West Australian, Italian born Luca Auriemma could not hide the emotion as he took his CRG to the win in KZ2 – the brand’s first win in the category since 2015 and 15th round win in the Gearbox category in the history of Australian karting’s multi-round Championship.
It had been a weekend long fight between Auriemma and Reece Cohen and midway through the race, it looked as though it was going to be a five-way fight for the win. Cohen’s weekend came to a dramatic halt as Jac Preston – who joined the Flatout Karts team this year – overshot the final turn, colliding with Cohen, ending both their days.
Kiwi Jay Urwin, who had come from 12th on the grid to be in the five-way fight had his weekend come to an end after he and Jay Coul collected each other.
Levi Doessel enjoying the spoils of victory in the KA2 Class (Pic: Pace Images)
The Central Queensland town of Mundubbera, population 1120, could be heard in Coffs Harbour rising as one as their local boy, Levi Doessel took his first win in the KA2 Junior category. The entire town was tuned into the 7+ coverage this afternoon.
Being away from a major centre means little seat time for Doessel between races, however he dominated from the start of the final to take an emotional win.
He got there in front of North Queenslander, Jack Larsen – his first Junior podium – and South Australian, Riley Harrison.
In a stacked X30 field, no less than five Australian Champions occupied the first five positions in the final. Best of them all was defending Australian X30 Champion, Brodie Whitmore (the only current Champion defending his class victory). He won by 2.4 seconds over reigning KA3 Senior Champion, Christian Estasy, with former Junior Champion, Isaac McNeill completing the podium, followed by Jace Matthews and Mika Lemasurier.
Former Cadet 12 Australian Champion, Archie Bristow took his first KA3 Junior win in a fine drive this afternoon. The Victorian got to the line first in front of Queenslander Josh Williams and West Aussie Valentino Giorgella – who took the LenzoKart to the podium in its Australian return.
In a further great return for the LenzoKart brand, new recruit Kiwi Kianh Burt crossed the line first in TaG 125, he got to the line in front of two-time TaG Champion, Harrison Hoey and New South Welshman, Tim Colombrita.
There was some consternation during the race as officials had deemed Burt didn’t slow appropriately when the full course caution was displayed after a lap one incident. He was issued with a five-second penalty post-race handing Hoey the round win.
Hudson Petta was victorious in the Cadet 12 class (Pic: Pace Images)
On a great day for Kiwis, Max Gosling started the finals with his first win in Cadet 9 for Nick Percat’s JND Parolin squad. Cadet 9 were arguably the most entertaining class all weekend, however Gosling got the win by 1.2 seconds over rivals Hagan Moon and Harry Lack, the trio the class of the field all weekend.
In Cadet 12, Hudson Petta got the win. Despite extensive international experience at such a young age, the Sydney-sider had not won a round of the Australian Kart Championship until today.In devastation to the opposition, he won the race by 5.5 seconds over a rejuvenated Harlen Bell – who changed teams in the off-season and made a welcome return to the podium after a difficult 18 months. Completing the Velcro Victory Lane podium was Knox Black, he was however later penalised for passing under a yellow flag handing third place to Iver Spence.
The Penrite Australian Kart Championship will swing to Ipswich in Queensland in May, with the first round providing plenty of intrigue as the Championship continues across a further three venues before its conclusion at Bolivar in Northern Adelaide in October.
You can access full results here https://speedhive.mylaps.com/events/3427769
Championship points are here https://speedhive.mylaps.com/organizations/339882/championships
On demand coverage from Saturday and Sunday’s events are available on 7+ here https://7plus.com.au/australian-kart-championship
