Kervers Strikes Gold At Strathalbyn
| by Phil Michell Motorsport Media | 16 August 2016 |
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On Sunday 7 August the Angas Go Kart Club at Strathalbyn (SA) hosted their biggest race meeting of the season with the running of the KT 100cc Gold Cup.
The event attracted a line-up of 26 competitors from across the state and Western Australia but it was local club member Jake Kervers who dominated the meeting, leading all 20 laps in final following his two earlier heat victories.
Above: Victory lap for Jake Kervers
In fact, the only driver to defeat Kervers on the day was runner-up Jacyb Sharman, who set the quickest time during time trials and then edged out Kervers in the top 8 dash.
Third across the line in the decider was Jake's teenage sister Jenna, who put in the drive of her career to join her brother on the podium.
Fourth place went to Western Australian visitor Mark Davis with Brad Geerts rounding out the top five. Sixth place went the way of two-time Gold Cup Champion Mark Burford, who was surprisingly off the pace all afternoon, while Oscar Suursaar, Rylan Furler, Keaton Szach and Joseph Caruso completed the top ten.
The tenth placed result for Caruso was not a reflection of his pace all day but a late race spin in the “Crouch Chicane” cost him a potential top three result.
Above: Mark Burford ahead of Ryland Furler, Jenna Kervers and Jayden Dawson
The event featured a Speedway inspired format, that is quite rare in Dirt Karting, with the day consisting of hot laps, time trials, two rounds of heats, a B-Main and a winner take all 20 Lap Final.
The morning started off in great fashion for Sharman as he drove his #57 to quick time in qualifying as he lapped the 415 metre track in 23.701 seconds with Kervers being the only other driver in the 23 second bracket with a time of 23.852.
The opening round of heats saw the fastest to the front with Sharman winning heat one ahead of Caruso and Burford with Kervers winning heat two with Geerts and Josh Ryan in behind.
Heat one saw a red light stoppage on the opening lap as Tim McNamara rolled his machine after contact in the Crouch Chicane.
Above: Jakyb Sharman posted fastest time
The second round saw a complete reversal with the fastest to the rear with Oscar Suursaar winning from the front. But heat four was the best of the day as starting from the back didn’t stop Kervers from charging from position 13 to the front and a result finished as the top qualifier.
Despite starting on the pole position Kervers was unable to win the 6 lap dash as Sharman got the better of him with Caruso, Davis, Furler, Jenna Kervers, Burford and Kirk Rasmussen completing the 8 kart field.
The 10 lap B-Main saw the top four drivers transfer to the back of the final with Melissa Crouch, Jayden Dawson, Keaton Szach and Tim McNamara making it through to contest the final.
Above: Gold Cup podium
Above: results
Above: Push out - Elliot Suursaar (15), Damien Smith (95) and Kirk Rasmussen (991)
Above: Jake Kervers
Above: Mark Burford's menacing black Australia #2
