Preview: Rotax Pro Tour, Round 4
| press release | 9 April 2014 |
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“Focus switches to rankings at Pro Tour season halfway point”
The fourth round of the Rotax Pro Tour sees the series’ return to the tight and technical Lithgow Kart track in the Blue Mountains of NSW. With it being the midway point of the 2014 Rotax rankings season, and just three rounds of the Pro Tour remaining in addition to the Rotax Nationals, attention is turning towards crucial rankings points to secure a ticket to the Rotax Grand Finals.
Karting World’s Adam Hunter currently holds a comfortable lead on the DD2 Masters rankings and since switching to the Lewis Hamilton (LH) brand chassis, the Sydney driver has secured three final wins from three starts in the opening rounds of the series. Steve Ellery’s first ever Pro Tour podium in Dubbo has helped his chase towards the Grand Finals as the Gold Coast driver currently sits second under 200 points ahead of Lee Adams. Albury’s Danny Wright and former World Finals entrant Jose Ruiz currently sit fourth and fifth and well within striking range of the elusive top three.
Above: Karting World’s Adam Hunter has taken three wins from three rounds in DD2 Masters
pic - IKD
While the Sodi Junior Max Trophy Class do not contest for a Grand Finals seat, they still earn rankings points towards securing their whole package for free. West Australian Brooke Redden has stunned his opposition since joining the series at Pro Tour Melbourne where he took victory with his podium result then replicated in Dubbo by taking second, thus he now leads the rankings points. Dubbo round winner Liam Ford will be out for a repeat performance in Lithgow and help boost his rankings points to close the gap to Redden. In his first season in the Pro Tour, Marc Tulloch is closing in on Ford and will be seeking another strong result to help his chase towards the top.
Above: West Australian Brooke Redden will be seeking a third podium from his third start in the Sodi Junior Max Trophy Class
pic - IKD
Victorian Brad Jenner currently leads the highly competitive Rotax Light class rankings and the RK Kart driver will be hoping to extend his points lead over fellow Victorian Andrew Carey. The Formula K driver is yet to secure a round win and will be hopeful that the neutral turf of Lithgow may provide the opportunity for him to stand on top of the podium. Despite Pierce Lehane currently sitting third in the rankings, the Sydney driver has since moved to the UK to take up a full-time drive with Dan Holland Racing in the Euromax series, opening up the opportunity for Queenslander Ryan Kennedy to move inside the top three. Both Reece Davidson and Stefan Stankovic will be hoping a home state advantage helps them move their way up the order for the season.
Above: RK Kart’s Brad Jenner currently leads the rankings in Rotax Light
pic - IKD
Sydney’s Jayden Ojeda currently leads the Junior Max Rotax rankings, however the Exprit driver holds just a twenty point lead over Queenslander Callum Walker who makes the switch to the Project X Racing Exprit outfit for this weekend. The pair hold the top two placing’s comfortably and will be sure to be the ones to chase, with the fight for third in the rankings points well and truly going down to the wire. G-Force Karting’s Zane Goddard currently sits third, just 600 points ahead of Darwin’s Bryce Fullwood and Birel driver Mitch Maddren. With Junior Max again having the largest field of the event, the competitiveness is sure to be at a premium right from the outset.
Above: Exprit’s Jayden Ojeda will be hoping to continue his trend of victories in Junior Max
pic - IKD
With Victorian CRG pilot Jason Pringle leading the DD2 Rotax rankings he remains a key favourite within the class for this weekend’s event, however consistency from fellow statesman Troy Woolston who has claimed two podium results from the opening three rounds sees him in second and strong challenger to eat into Pringle’s lead. Following his victory on debut in the DD2 category in Albury, Jordan Boys currently sits third making it two Praga’s inside the top three alongside Woolston. Boys will again contest both Rotax Light and DD2, while Formula K’s Adam Lindstrom sits fourth and well within striking distance of stepping into the top three, while after his win in Dubbo, Travis Millar remains a strong possibility of moving his way up in the DD2 rankings.
Above: Praga’s Troy Woolston will be out to reel in the lead of Jason Pringle in the DD2 rankings
pic - IKD
To follow the event online throughout the weekend, Like Rotax Pro Tour on Facebook, Follow Rotax Pro Tour on Twitter and tune into the live audio commentary via Ustream at www.ustream.tv/user/internationalkarting.
- The race program for Round 4 at Lithgow is now online HERE
