Pierce Lehane on his way to victory at the 2012 Rotax Nationals. (Pic: AF Images/Budd)
More than 170 kart racers will have their lives revolve around the action at the Port Melbourne Karting Complex over the next three days with the Rotax Pro Tour event being held at the Victorian venue.
Along with many of Australia’s top drivers, there will also be competitors from New Zealand and Laura Tillett from England, who is a special guest of Event Promoters International Karting Distributors, competing at the event.
There will be six categories contested across the weekend – Junior Rotax, Rotax Light, Rotax Heavy, DD2, DD2 Master and the Junior Max Trophy Class, where all drivers compete aboard identical Sodi Kart Chassis.
Sydney racer Joseph Burton-Harris recently announced that he will compete in the entire Euro Rotax Series, he will start as one of the favourites in the Junior Rotax category. However, the likes of local drivers Liam McLellan and Jordan Boys will be out to steal Burton-Harris’ thunder.
Fresh from a fifth placing at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals last month, Pierce Lehane will aim to continue his good run of form in the highly competitive Rotax Light category. With more than 40 others lining up to steal the victory from Lehane, it should be produce some scintillating racing across the weekend. Some of the drivers expected to figure prominently will be Daniel Rochford and Thomas Randle, both who also competed alongside Lehane in Portugal last month.
The DD2 category will see karting veteran Matthew Wall make his debut in the ranks while fellow local Jason Pringle will start as one of the favourites for the weekend. Former V8 Supercar driver Steve Ellery will make his first start in a major karting event for more than two decades when he lines up in the DD2 Masters category.
Darwin’s Bryce Fullwood was dominant in the debut of the Junior Max Trophy Class, however, he will not be competing in this weekend’s event allowing a new star to shine in the one-make category.
Practice will be held tomorrow ahead of qualifying and heat races on Saturday, the pre-final and finals will be contested on Sunday.
