Smithton Turns It On For Tasmanian Statewide Series Opener

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from Johnathan Males

Sunny skies greeted competitors at the Circular Head Kart Club’s Briant Park Raceway for the first round of the 2012 Tasmanian Statewide Series on the weekend, Jan 14/15.

113 entries were all vying for points toward the State Title which is up for grabs at the end of the fourth round. Stuart Wells, Tim Hinds, Colleen Hinds and their small but dedicated club always deliver a well run meeting and they certainly didn’t disappoint this time.

Above: Murray “Doodle” Dadson (14) made a welcome return to karting. Here he leads Mitchell Lovell (35) in Senior National
pic - Sam Jackson

Gus Robbins and Kelsey Sapwell were the class of the field in Senior National Light with Robbins taking out the final over Sapwell and Jackson Evans, the best of the rest in third. In the Senior National Heavy category the race wins were split two apiece between Danton Evans and Johnathan Males with Evans getting it done when it counted to take out the final. Michael Vaughan came in third.

Nathan Zuj debuted the blue plate he won recently in fine style by taking out Clubman Light against some of Tassie’s best recent junior category graduates in Brody Appleby and Alastair Lee. This will definitely be the class to watch in the ensuing rounds.

A small but talent-packed field of Clubman Heavy drivers was quite simply dominated by Tazzie Karts and Parts lead driver Troy Stone. Stone drove away from the field in the final to record a well deserved win over Zane Wyatt and Steven Wrigley.

Above: Jake Rice returns to the pits with a slight wheel alignment problem
pic - Sam Jackson

Deadly Dave Sherriff showed the rest of the TAG Restricted Light class how it’s done taking the win over Adrian Mitchell and Geoff Scaife. Whilst in the TAG Restricted Heavy class Michael Warren was simply too good for Matthew Clark and the comeback kid Andrew Walter.

Junior National Light was the largest field of the weekend and they failed to disappoint the crowd. Wade McLean, Xavier Todman, Morgan Jakobovski, Bodie Reading, and Gemma Wyllie were always at the front of the pack but it was Brodie Evans who got the job done in the final from Reading and Wyllie. Wyllie scored her first ever race win in the first race, much to the delight of her father Dion.

Keenan Slater proved his off season hamburger eating preparations to join the Junior National Heavy class were successful by dominating the class over Daniel Newman and Jairus Holmes.

Above: Bodie Reading (3) trying to fend off Brodie Evans (18) in Junior National Light
pic - Sam Jackson

Senior National Over 40’s Pro “rookie” Michael Vaughan and “veteran” Steve Crocker raced hard on and off the track over the weekend with Vaughan taking a debut win in the class over Crocker and the resurgent Peter Rogers in third. In the Senior National Over 40’s Super Heavy class in was Scott Wrigley who was victorious ahead of Greg Wood and Darren Williams.

Jackson Evans was the beneficiary of some last lap bash and crash to take out the final of TAG Light beating home the Swain Fitness driver Stephen Swain and Jade Waddington in third. In the TAG Heavy Final Jason Close was the only finisher but this didn’t deter him from punching out some pretty impressive lap times.

Tayla Heath made an impressive step up to the Rookies class by taking the win from Brock Evans and Zevie Eisentraut coming home in third.

Above: Part of the Senior National field preparing for a start
pic - Sam Jackson

Young Lachlan Dalton broke through for his first ever race meeting victory in the Cadets class but he by no means had it all his own way. Brock Lamont debuting his new Corsa Diablo kart and Declan Sherburd pressured him all the way to the flag. Mitchell Kerrison was unlucky in the final as he came together with another competitor whilst recovering from an early race spin. His pace will surely show through in the next three rounds.

With all the action coming to a close, all the competitors are now turning their attentions to the second round of the series to be held at the Southern Tasmanian Kart Club on February 11th and 12th. Entries for that event are now open on the AKA CMS System.

Above: Bree Hobden (86) leads Sam Jackson (15) in Junior National Light
pic - Sam Jackson

Cadets
1st        Lachlan Dalton
2nd        Brock Lamont
3rd        Declan Sherburd

Rookies
1st        Tayla Heath
2nd        Brock Evans
3rd        Zevie Eisentraut

Junior National Light
1st        Brodie Evans
2nd        Bodie Reading
3rd        Gemma Wyllie

Junior National Heavy
1st        Keenan Slater
2nd        Daniel Newman
3rd        Jairus Holmes

Senior National Light
1st        Gus Robbins
2nd        Kelsey Sapwell
3rd        Jackson Evans

Senior National Heavy
1st        Danton Evans
2nd        Johnathan Males
3rd        Michael Vaughan

Senior National Over 40’s Pro
1st        Michael Vaughan
2nd        Steve Crocker
3rd        Peter Rogers

Senior National Over 40’s Super Heavy
1st        Scott Wrigley
2nd        Greg Wood
3rd        Darren Williams

Clubman Light
1st        Nathan Zuj
2nd        Brody Appleby
3rd        Alastair Lee

Clubman Heavy
1st        Troy Stone
2nd        Zane Wyatt
3rd        Steven Wrigley

TAG Restricted Light
1st        David Sherriff
2nd        Adrian Mitchell
3rd        Geoff Scaife

TAG Restricted Heavy
1st        Michael Warren
2nd          Matthew Clark
3rd        Andrew Walter

TAG Light
1st        Jackson Evans
2nd        Stephen Swain
3rd        Jade Waddington

TAG Heavy
1st        Jason Close

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