Ashleigh Stewart Top Kiwi At Aussie Nationals Final
| press release | 28 September 2016 |
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Ashleigh Stewart was the top-finishing Kiwi karter at the final round of the 2016 Australian Kart Championship at Melbourne's Todd Rd kart track over the weekend, the Wellington teen finishing 10th in the TaG 125 class Final.
Above: Ashleigh Stewart was Top Ten in TaG at Todd Rd
pic - Fast Company/Coopers Photography
Sister Madeline Stewart was also quick in the KZ2 class but an engine failure put her out of the Final.
The other Kiwi in the KZ2 class, Bradley Tremain, qualified 24th but worked his way up to 18th place in the Final. It was the first big meeting in Australia for Tremain, who crossed the Tasman at the beginning of the year to work for the Erebus Supercar team.
The fourth Kiwi competing at the meeting, Liam Sceats from Auckland, qualified 15th quickest in the Cadet 12 class and after a 24th in the first heat, dnf in the second and 27th place finish in the third heat, improved to a weekend-best 18th in the fourth heat and 20th place finish in the Final.
Above: Madeline Stewart pushes hard in KZ2
pic - Fast Company/Coopers Photography
According to their father and team manager Tony Stewart, this year's Australian Kart Championship campaign was very much a 'toe-in-the-water' exercise for the Wellington-based Stewart sisters. But all in the family are keen to go back for a full series campaign next year.
"We had no expectations going in this year, we were just doing it for experience," he said on Monday. "What we have found is that it (the Australian Kart Championship) is a great series to race in. There are big field and lots of big teams.
Above: Liam Sceats, Cadet 12
pic - Fast Company/Coopers Photography
"It's really amazing to see all the big trucks and top class setups some of the teams have. It's a lot like going to a professional car race meeting. So we'll do some practice over the off season and go back next year and try for some top 10 results."
Before that though the sisters will remain in Australia to contest the 2016 Australian Rotax Pro Tour's Grand Final meeting at Dubbo in rural New South Wales this coming weekend.
Above: Bradley Tremain, KZ2
pic - Fast Company/Coopers Photography
