Decent Turnout for Bolivar's First Historic Grand Prix
| 8 May 2017 |
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Karting calendars are featuring more and more vintage events. After a successful first-time running on the weekend, the Bolivar Historic Grand Prix will be a popular annual get-together for the vintage fraternity.
Anthony Harradine has provided KartSportNews with his take on the happenings in South Australia.
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Above: Nicholas Holmes-Karavas, Era 4 (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
Mark it in your diary: first week in May, 2018 - Bolivar Historic Grand Prix. The first one has just been run - here is a little of what it was about. If you were not there you missed a great event.
Happy days at Bolivar, at the inaugural Bolivar Historic Grand Prix. Together, the travellers from NSW, Victoria, Mount Gambier and the locals made up the about-50 entries.
The loads of old karts present ensured the track was very busy and the good times were many.
The honour of having your kart in the "official" photo went to locals Jamie Carter (1998 Junior Piston Port National Champion) and Darryl Tolmer (1987 Clubman Light National Champion).
Jamie presented his punctiliously restored Era 4 Kali (#25, above). It is as close to perfect as one could get - a wonderful job and he has reset the restoration bar - it is that good!
Darryl presented an Era 5 Jolly kart (#71, above) - a neat survivor, and he steered it like a champion.
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Above: Darryl Tomer, Era 5 (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
Engines were wide and varied in type and power; Victa, Bultaco, Maico, BM, Mac, Komet, Parilla, Rotax, Vortex...
Best Presented kart was awarded to Greg Brewer for his pristine Parilla twin.
Fastest in Era 4 was the amazing Robert Hunter in his twin Excell bullet (fastest recorded time of the event, 35.2s - pretty slick).
Fastest 100cc Era 4 was the Birel/Rotax of Roger Goss (under 37s and third in the Top X shootout).
Fastest Era 5 was Matt Hall in his CRG (35.5, 35.3 in qualifying) followed by Dave Harradine and Nicholas Karavas. Tim Harral was fast in Era 5 and looked "Jolly" good in that suit and helmet as did Nicholas Karavas in the Tecno colours - so much colour.
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Above: Jamie Carter, Era 4 (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
If there was an award for the hardest-at-it crew it would have gone to the Matchoss-Donnison crew - truly unbelievable. They ran about 12 karts (many times each) and they went around almost faultlessly. William Donnison took second in the Era 4 shoot out.
There was a push buggy event - Mount Gambier vs Adelaide. Big win to the Mount buggy driven by Mitchell Cutting (I could make excuses, or dis Kabelitz engineering, but I won't …) - we will get them next time! Seriously we thank Burkhard for his creation of the push kart that stood up to the test and did the job all weekend. And thanks greatly to John Cutting for bringing his push kart to help out.
Above: Craig Owens' DAP/Rotax (pic -Mario Storti)
An event like this, as always, is made by all who come and spend time on the track and in the pits trying to either make their kart go, or go faster:-
Craig Owen with his newly acquired Rotax - perseverance personified - and it looks like it will be a flier; John Karavas spannering away so the youngsters could fly around; Jarrod Uchtman and Damien Robertson having a great mates' weekend and lapping with style.
Above: And hello to you... push kart was kept busy (pic -Mario Storti)
Many father and son combos were living the dream as they did years ago:- Mark McKeddie and Mr. McKeddie (80 years young) co-carrying their B-bomb powered kart to the track together and sharing the drive all weekend; Karavas and son; Matchoss and son; Donnison and son; Carter and son; Harral and son and... I think this was maybe the best aspect of the meet.
But then we had Wardy and Col having a weekend in the float, the whole Buch family having a grand family outing, the two little Fortanier midgets helping out on the grid all day with hammers and spanner and... the next generation right there.
Above: Peter Ward's Era 2 machine (pic -Mario Storti)
Trevor Apps and his mates from NSW provided real inspirations for us younger guys to keep at it. Dr. Jim Caudle, who I saw do more laps on Saturday than I have in the last few years - he had the Kali/TT75 singing like a bird, ably supported by Mary - you lucky man Jim.
Of course none of it could have happened unless the Southern Go Kart Club decided to put on the event and organise the canteen, the timing, the trophies, the... So, to Brett Fortanier and the wonderful group of hard working helpers, a big thank you and we hope you will do it all again next year. The word is they will - so mark it in your diary now - the first week in May 2018, come to Bolivar and be at the 2nd Bolivar Historic Grand Prix - lets make it 100 entries.
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Above: Cris Buch, Era 4 (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
Above: DAP twin with front brakes (pic -Mario Storti)
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Above: Tim Harral, Era 5 (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
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Above: Jim Caudle, Era 4 (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
Above: Peter Buch, Era 4 Demon X8 (pic -Mario Storti)
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Above: Peter Glastonbury, Era 5 (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
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Above: Peter Goss, Era 4 (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
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Above: Burkhard Kabelitz, Era 4 (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
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Above: Twin-engined DAP (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
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Above: Matt Hall, Era 5 (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
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Above: Nicholas Karavas aboard a Jenson Button replica Tecno (pic - Glenn Davidson, Reverse Photography)
(pic -Mario Storti)
(pic -Mario Storti)
(pic -Mario Storti)
