7th July 2012

FARKAS UPSTAGES THE BIG GUNS IN QUALIFYING (inc. all qualifying results)

Queenslander Chris Farkas upstaged his more fancied rivals during Leopard Light qualifying (Pic: AF Images/Budd)

Queenslander Chris Farkas upstaged his more fancied rivals during qualifying at the 50th Australian National Sprint Kart Championships at the Hidden Valley Kart Raceway in Darwin today.

Farkas, who is competing in the Leopard Light category for the first time, set the fastest time during qualifying ahead of two-time Pro Junior (KF3) Champion Pierce Lehane and reigning champion Cian Fothergill.

While Fothergill went on to claim both 7-lap heat races, Farkas is excited about the prospect of mixing it with the best drivers in the country during tomorrow’s pre-final and final.

“It was a very last minute decision to enter for this weekend’s event and after running in Clubman for many years this is my first race in the Leopard category, so to get pole position against such high quality opposition I’m very surprised,” said Farkas.

“My parents and I travelled the 3,600km earlier in the week to get here and so far it’s been a great weekend. I came here aiming to qualify in the top ten, so to put it on pole is outstanding.

“We’re still learning a lot about this kart and engine package, hopefully we can continue to learn more and be close to the front tomorrow afternoon.”

Local driver David O’Dowd qualified just outside the top ten while Noonamah’s Royce Nott had a troublesome day in the Leopard Light category enduring a 14th place finish in heat one before he was eliminated in a lap one incident in heat two.  Palmerston’s Chris Gatt also battled with O’Dowd in the middle of the pack.

Brock Plumb continued the good run for the Queenslanders by setting the pace in Junior National Heavy (Pic: AF Images/Budd)

Continuing the good run for the Queenslanders during qualifying was Brock Plumb and Scott Simpson, who qualified first in the Junior National Heavy and Clubman Super Heavy classes respectively.

“It’s a great start to the weekend. I qualified second fastest last year and ended up finishing second for the event, so hopefully it’s a bit of an omen for the rest of the weekend,” said Plumb.

“I was quick in practice over the past couple of days but there was also a few there who were fast as well. So far I’m really enjoying the track, it’s very challenging and hard to keep the momentum up – you really have to be focused on every lap.”

Reigning champion Kip Foster secured pole position during qualifying in the Clubman Heavy category ahead of last weekend’s winner at the Northern Territory Championships, Shay Mayes.

50th Australian National Sprint Kart Championships
Darwin, NT

RESULTS: Qualifying (Top Five)
Leopard Light
1. Chris Farkas 47.702
2. Pierce Lehane 47.725
3. Cian Fothergill 47.726
4. James Sera 47.750
5. Nathan Davis 47.750

Clubman Super Heavy
1. Scott Simpson 51.993
2. Ben McKinlay 52.099
3. Anthony Higgs 52.173
4. Lee Foster 52.258
5. Hayden Dodman 52.293

Junior National Heavy
1. Brock Plumb 54.498
2. Jordan Boys 54.669
3. Nicholas Rowe 54.782
4. Jesse Elliott 54.793
5. James Allen 54.921

Clubman Heavy
1. Kip Foster 50.608
2. Shay Mayes 50.710
3. Lee Mitchener 50.744
4. Kris Walton 50.783
5. Adam Levi 50.793

Senior National
1. James Foster 55.063
2. Luke Jones 55.221
3. Matthew Waters 55.305
4. Nicholas Ellen 55.308
5. James French 55.372

Junior National Light
1. Luke Marquis 53.556
2. Bryce Fullwood 53.682
3. Tyler Morrison 53.840
4. Chris Burley 53.846
5. William Hawkes 53.866

Leopard Heavy
1. Lee Mitchener 47.890
2. Jason Hryniuk 48.152
3. Matthew Wall 48.152
4. Bradley Fitch 48.224
5. Brendan Nelson 48.374

Clubman Light
1. James Sera 49.267
2. Pierce Lehane 49.611
3. Jordan Ford 49.634
4. Michael Moore 49.665
5. Cian Fothergill 49.671

Junior Clubman
1. Thomas Randle 49.376
2. Jake Coleman 49.452
3. Mitchell Gee 49.579
4. Jake Klein 49.619
5. Luke Marquis 49.622

The results are being updated as soon as possible after each race here (https://app.austkarting.com.au/aka/results/view/NT/Darw/2012-07-08/)
Follow all of the action via the Australian Karting Association’s Twitter page (twitter.com/karting_net_au) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/AustralianKartingAssociation)

RACE ORDER/SPLIT
Afternoon classes
1. Leopard Light
2. Clubman Super Heavy
3. Junior National Light
4. Clubman Heavy

Evening Classes
1. Senior National
2. Junior National Light
3. Leopard Heavy
4. Clubman Light
5. Junior Clubman