Rogers Takes Pole Position for non-Gearbox Superkart Titles

by Mark Jones

Melbourne based South Australian Michael Rogers has taken the first step towards defending his Australian non-gearbox Superkart Championship after taking pole position in the Ian Williams Tuning Arrow. Rogers circulated the four and a half kilometre track in 1:57.4818 lap time, half a second clear of the 36 kart field at Round 6 of the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championship.

Rogers was able to a time quickly in the morning qualifying session and trimmed a further couple of tenths in the afternoon to hold the gap over the Jones Kart Developments Viper of Tim Scarman.

In a trifecta for South Australian racers Shaun Jones (Viper Superkarts Viper) sits in thid position, although the front row are over a second faster than the field after the two fifteen minute qualifying sessions. The first of the Victorian racer is Darren Tyler in the Rocket Race Engines Birel. Jason McIntyre will start fifth in the Marron Excavations Arrow although the lap record holder was frustrated with a lack of horsepower after qualifying. Matthew Pannowitch will start sixth in his Viper ahead of the Suburban Accounting Phoenix of Kristian Stebbing who will start alongside his brother Brad who had struggled all weekend only to find pace in the final moments of qualifying.

Ryan Felmingham spent most of the second qualifying session on the side of the road after a collision with another kart ended his qualifying early but the time from the first qualifying session will see the Ian Williams Tuning Omega start from pole position. Fastest in the second session the KartsportNews.com Hypermax of Mark Wicks will start alongside ahead of this afternoon's five lap first race. Rod Clarke will start third in the Trimworld Racing/Raceline Seating Arrow with Ian Williams in the IWT Arrow alongside.

Sean Whitfield qualified fastest amongst the Junior division, a devastatingly quick 2:03.6948, but at a cost with the Wild Digital team losing an engine during the first qualifying session. The time stood as Rhys Newman's best time in the Ian Williams Tuning Arrow was over two seconds behind. Mitchell Abbott (AMG Racing Arrow) was third fastest.

The first of four races will be held this afternoon ahead of three race on Sunday to decide the Championships.

Driver Quotes:
Pole Position Rotax Light: Michael Rogers (Ian Williams Tuning Arrow): "We're pretty pleased with how we've gone so far the kart has behaved how we wanted it to and we're happy with the speed. Coming into the first race it's nice to know that you're on pole position but with Phillip Island there's a few guys who are within half a second. They're pretty close behind me. There will be a lot of drafting, a lot of position changes."

Second Rotax Light: Tim Scarman (Jones Kart Developments/St. James First Aid Viper): "Straight out of the trailer it went very well, we made a few chages from Qualifying 1 to Qualifying 2 and it seemd to get a bit more legs out of it, the chassis is handling really well so we're happy to be up the front."

Third Rotax Light: Shaun Jones (Viper Superkarts/Jones Kart Developments/St. James First Aid Viper): "It's more than I expected, so far so good. Hopefully we can go a bit higher in the race maybe to get up with Rogers and Tim Scarman, pick a tow and have a bit of a battle maybe get first or second."

Pole Rotax Heavy: Ryan Felmingham (Enzed/Ian Williams Tuning Omega): "Excellent way to start the weekend, I'm quite impressed with myself, it's only my third meeting now in a Superkart. I do a lot of Sprint Kart racing and thought I'd have a go at a larger track and see what it's all about."

Pole Junior Max: Sean Whitfield (Wild Digital Phoenix): "With the spare engine it's lost about 5 km/h down the straight. So my lap time has dropped a second almost, so it's going to be more of a battle now. With the rain coming tomorrow it will probably even up. It will be a challenge."

 

Home