From the Gympie Times (http://www.gympietimes.com.au/story/2012/04/11/oddie-on-podium-in-gladstone/)
YOUNG gun kart racer Harrison Oddie has had his most successful state championship to date, finishing third in Gladstone.
The Gympie driver’s result could have been better if his luck had held.
With just five laps to go he was in front and looked like taking his first state title.
But on lap 18, while leading the race, his tyres overheated and that allowed two drivers to pass him in a corner.
He stuck with them for the final five laps but didn’t have the power or opportunity to overtake again.
Oddie said he had led from the start of the race after qualifying second for the final.
Eventual winner Copper Murray and second-place getter Josh Rogers had settled in behind Oddie.
The three drivers quickly opened up a seven-second gap in front of the rest of the 23-strong field of racers.
“The race was going well until lap 18,” Oddie said.
“The tyres overheated and the engine started to lose power.”
Oddie said that was because his 100cc Tony kart was doing all the work in the first 18 laps.
“I was hitting the full force of the wind and they were driving in my slip stream, saving their karts,” Oddie said.
Once the two drivers passed Oddie on the first corner of the 19th lap, the 12-year-old St Patrick’s’ School student didn’t let them get away.
He stuck to them like glue but said his kart didn’t have enough left in reserve to overtake.
The three drivers crossed the finish line bumper to bumper.
Oddie said he was happy with a podium finish.
However he sounded a little disappointed that he could not hang on to the coveted first place.
“Third is a good result, being in the top 10 is a great effort,” Oddie said.
Oddie’s mother Alison said her son was gradually improving in his chosen sport.
His third place in the Queensland rookie class was an improvement on his fifth place last year and his seventh place in the Victorian State Championship more than a month ago.
“At a state championship the best drivers in Australia are racing,” Alison said.
Oddie is now hitting the Cooloola Kart Track preparing for the Young Guns event in Lismore in May.
