2020 was a long year for DJM Race Engineering and Karting Central owner Dylan McLellan. No Australian Kart Championship, no state titles and no full Golden Power Series. 2021 has come around and while COVID tried, the Golden Power Series got underway over the weekend at the Rochester Kart Club. McLellan had 16 drivers under his umbrella with some great results had!
KA3 Senior Light DJM Race Engineering represented Bodhi Bright, multiple time state champion Joshua D’Ambrosio, Isaac Woodhouse, Natasha Emmins and local driver Adam Campbell. Bright led the charge racing hard at the front all weekend with State Champions Joel Macherpson, Nicholas Sacco and multiple time national champion James Sera. Bright ran as high as third throughout the weekend but came home just off the podium in position 4. D’Ambrosio ran around the top 5 most of the weekend with his best result in the final coming home in the position 5. Campbell also saved his best race of the weekend to the final coming home in position 9, with Woodhouse just missing the top 10 coming home in position 12. Natasha Emmins fought in the mid pack battle most of the weekend coming home just outside the top twenty in position 21.
Brett Jenkin started his season in the best possible way by coming away with a clean sweep of the Restricted 125 Heavy class. Jenkin took a strong pole position and never looked back, taking all three heat wins and the final. Jenkins was challenged throughout the weekend by Marc Tune, Brent Opie and Joe Brancati but always had an answer starting his Golden Power Series in a dominant fashion!
TAG 125 Heavy had local driver Jayden Wallis representing the DJM banner in dominant fashion. Wallis who spent a long time out of the karting scene returned to racing last year and qualified position 3. Wallis came home in a podium spot in all three races including a strong heat 2 win to put himself up the front for the final. Wallis put in a great final battle coming home just of the podium in position 4 with great points gathered from the season opener.
TAG 125 Light had Isaac Woodhouse and Zane Bright looking to start their 2021 series in fine style. Woodhouse ran inside the top 10 on the edge of the top 5 in the heats with Bright just outside the 100 in the heats looking to break in. Both drivers showed great pace and maturity in the final to come home with strong results. Woodhouse powered home to position 6 with Bright fighting his way into the top 10 in position 9.
Junior National Light had a large flavour of DJM to it with Toby Dvorak, Chadd Moore, Nathan Emmins with some mixed results for team. Dvorak ran at the front of all his heats and looked a podium chance in the final until an unfortunate DNF end his final charge! Moore and Emmins both came home with fighting drives in position 10 and position 15 respectively. Stone and Mifsud had mixed results unfortunately missing the main final.
Andree Rendell and Harley Bright represented the KA4 Junior Heavy division with great results. Rendell drove the wheels off his kart being inside the top ten all weekend! Rendell left his best result for last just missing the top five coming home in position 6. Bright is having his first full season at open level and ran inside the top 10 throughout the weekend, showing his experience. Bright had an unfortunate mishap in the final resulting in a DNF but showed he will be one to watch in 2021.
Gustav Edgal was the final driver for DJM Race Engineering in Cadet 12 and race beyond his experience and time in the kart! Edgal still on his P plates race inside the top 10 of the oversized Cadet 12 class. In a remarkable effort Edgal not only made the final but come home inside the top ten in a remarkable position 9! A kid on the rise and certainly on to keep an eye on.
DJM Kart owner Dylan McLellan was happy to be back at the track with some great results. “It’s great to be back at the track and racing again! Brett was a huge highlight in Restricted Heavy. Jaydo in TAG 125 Heavy was also really competitive! We have drivers at different stages of their racing but 2021 should be a fantastic year”. DJM Race Engineering and Karting Central will next be at the track at the Go Kart Club of Victoria Club day this weekend.