2.89 seconds was the winning margin, and three karts were on the lead lap after 4-hours of hard racing at the end-of-year Tag Enduro at Todd Rd yesterday.
The Energy Karts entry of Matthew McLean/James Golding took a narrow victory over David Sera/Anton De Pasquale, with Glen Wood/Trent Harrison third.
Glenn Riddell/Matt Wall won the Masters section, taking 8th outright.
- Lots more photos on Pace Images Facebook HERE
The key factors of the 4-hour were: two drives per team, three compulsory timed 10 minute stops, and closed pit entry whenever there was a full course yellow to retrieve karts. There were plenty of those and they had significant impact as the slower pace benefited those who were lucky enough to already be in the pits.
The X30-powered WA team of Kip Foster/Adam Levi qualified fastest ahead of Rotax engined locals Jason Pringle/Adam Lindstrom.
Kip took the KF Kart into the lead at the start. With four hours and 240+ laps ahead, you’d think turn one would be a conservative and straight forward affair. Not so…
Foster stayed in front for a number of laps before Harrison Hoey came through, leading for much of the first hour before pitting.
After that, the race lead was not much of a guide as to who was in contention, the 10-minute stops dropping each team about 11 laps – assuming the race stayed green.
With rain looming and the first ‘logically strategic’ pit window open, the leader board started to light up with mid-field and tail-end teams as they delayed their stops. Of course, it’s all swings and roundabouts and wasn’t until after everyone’s 3rd and final stop that the real order could be determined.
As the race entered it’s final half hour, and the Joe Pasquale/Tony Ciccone kart pitted from the lead, it was the Matt McLean/James Golding team that was in control.
McLean was surprised they had the lead. “I can’t believe it, not after a turn one crash and a fouled plug” he said. “We were lucky there was a really long safety car just after we pitted James, that got us back in it.”
Golding led the field to the final restart, and with second placed Dave Sera stuck in traffic at the back of the field, let some of the faster karts go, trying to stay out of trouble.
Meanwhile, Darren Hossack was waving a “Catch Golding!” pit board to Sera, and Dave was giving it everything he had, even sending it up the inside of other drivers in the horseshoe section.
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But in the end, Golding was mistake free, beating Sera by 2.89s
Third place went to The Smokey in the pack, Glen Wood/Trent Harrison. They very much flew under the radar, dropping way down the order early in the race but ended up third, on the lead lap and just 12 seconds off the win.
Having been on the pace and executing a clean race, the Foster/Levi combo would be frustrated with fourth. Kip was actually two laps down after the final round of stops, but recovered one of those by passing the leader.
In 5th was the strong combination of Harrison Hoey and Kris Walton. Like several others, they got through the race without any problems and did just their three mandatory stops. “We wanted Kris in the kart if the rain came because he’s the heavier driver” Troy Hoey said. “We managed that by pitting Harry at 50 minutes and had Walton do a double stint (when the clouds were threatening), then Harry finished it off.”
Rounding out the top 6 was Cody Brewczysnki/Fergus Symes, a solid effort considering Fergie has virtually no recent seat time or race fitness.
Final Result:
1 James Golding/Matthew McLean (Energy/X30)
2 David Sera/Anton De Pasquale (Sera/X30)
3 Glen Wood/Trent Harrison (FA/X30)
4 Kip Foster/Adam Levi (KF/X30)
5 Kris Walton/Harrison Hoey (Compkart/Rotax)
6 Cody Brewczysnki/Fergus Symes (Compkart/Rotax)
7 Morgan Feast/Christian Pancione (Arrow/X30)
8 Glenn Riddell/Matt Wall (Silhouette/X30) – 1st Masters
9 Chaz Mostert/Adam Mercer (Kosmic/X30)
10 Troy Farley/Tyler Howard (Tony Kart/Rotax)
- full results on speedhive HERE
- highlights video scheduled for release on Tuesday – see below for Dave Sera’s teaser…
Earlier in the day, Lewis Francis came out on top in the 30-minute combined Cadet enduro.
Jesse Lacey qualified fastest ahead of Harry Arnett, but in the end Francis won by almost 8 seconds over Miley Miller. James Anagnostiadis was third and best placed of the Cadet 9 drivers.
In the 45-minute Junior race, James Wharton was able to edge away from the field and, other than losing the lead during the pit stop cycle , was never headed. Wharton won by 8.9s ahead of Emerson Harvey and Kacey Mann.
Hugh Barter was strong in the early running, initially going away with Wharton at the start, but faded late in the race.
Starting P2, Harvey was shuffled back at the start but progressively worked back up the order, inheriting the lead when Wharton pitted. He sat second once the stops had been completed.
- Lots more photos on Pace Images Facebook HERE
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