TYLER GREENBURY WINS YAMAHA KARTING SHOWDOWN

James Duckworth snares the Junior National win

Tyler Greenbury on his way to victory in his CRG kart (Pic: Quick Pixels Photography)

Queenslander Tyler Greenbury showed tremendous poise to secure victory in the Yamaha Karting Showdown at the Eastern Creek International Karting Raceway in Sydney this evening.

After qualifying 16th aboard his CRG kart, Greenbury moved to sixth in the heat race, which was won by his team-mate Jason Hryniuk ahead of Nick Agland.

The 20-lap final was one of the most intense Clubman races ever seen with the top seven drivers, including Kris Walton who started 30th in the highly competitive field after failing to finish the heat race, battling for the top honours.

After numerous lead changes, it was Greenbury who emerged as the victor to claim the $2,000 winners cheque. Walton completed the Queensland quinella by securing the $1,000 runner-up prize while Aaron Borg finished third ahead of Hryniuk and Kosmic Racing Australia’s Matthew Waters.

Such was the intensity of the battle at the front, Ben Stewart went from second to seventh in one corner with two laps remaining. While Victorian Jordie Ford, who had a transponder issue in qualifying relegating him to 30th, charged to eighth in the heat race only to be caught up in an number of incidents which dropped him to 14th at the finish.

A couple of the hard luck stories also went the way of Agland (lap one incident dropped him to dead last) and fastest qualifier Pierce Lehane (mechanical failure).

James Duckworth with his winner's cheque from the Yamaha Karting Showdown (Pic; Quick Pixels Photography)

James Duckworth steered clear of the battles that eliminated two of the front runners, Cody Gillis and Dimitri Agathos, in the Junior National category. Duckworth led home Daniel Sayre and Harrison Morabito.

Just as hotly contested as the regular karting categories was the battle in the V8 Team/Media Challenge. Fifteen drivers lined up representing a variety of teams and media outlets with Paul Morris leading home V8 Team Owner Charlie Schwerkolt for the victory. Schwerkolt took the battle right up to Morris, even giving him a hurry up on a few occasions, but in the end Morris’ experience prevailed.

Former Grand Prix Motorcyle rider, turned SPEED TV Australia host, Kevin Magee made a last corner pass on Dick Johnson Racing’s Scott Jennings to snare the final podium position. Auto Action’s Alex Inwood, who was tutored by Mark Winterbottom in the days leading up to the event, was the first journalist home in fifth place.

The full results can be found by clicking here.