Driver PR Mathew Basso, AKC Round 2

Tony Kart Australia sponsored driver Mathew Basso headed to the second round of Australian Kart Championship. Basso was coming off a dominant winning display at the opening round of the Victorian Metro Series and was looking for another strong result!

Friday practice was the starting point for young Basso and due to the size of the highly competitive Cadet 12 field practice was set into two groups of drivers. The Tony Kart backed driver got off to a competitive start running in the top ten drivers in each of his first three sessions running as high as sixth in his second practice. Practice four and five were to determine the grid order to go out for qualifying with Basso putting himself in the upper 50%, landing in position eighteen overall for the start of Saturday morning qualifying.

Saturday morning hit and with mixed weather conditions expected qualifying would be crucial. Basso in his Tony Kart backed entry had again made the top half of the field in what was a highly competitive division. At the end of qualifying, Basso had put his Tony Kart in position twenty two overall. The young driver was disappointed but overall new lack of soft tyre preparation was the main reason.

(pic – Pace Images)

Heat 1 came around and young Basso made a strong start landing inside the top fifteen after the opening few laps. Basso had a hard battle in the middle stages of the race dropping back a few positions but continued to battle on for positions. The Tony Kart driver came home with a fighting performance in position eighteen with improvements and progression still looking to be made.

The rain had come for heat 2 and after a disappointing start to Saturday the Tony Kart driver was looking to make amends. Basso got a great start making up spots and being in the top ten after a few laps. The Tony Kart showed great speed and Basso was a man on a mission continuing to make up positions as the race went on. In a super fight back, Basso made his way into the top five coming home in fifth position while setting the third fastest lap of the race!

After a great turn around in the previous race, Basso was looking to continue the strong performance in heat 3. The Tony Kart backed driver got away well and was just racing on the edge of the top ten. Basso continued to battle throughout the middle of the race changing positions. The Tony Kart driver managed to come home just outside the top ten in position eleven in an improved showing from his early dry race.



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Sunday came around and Basso was aiming for a strong result. Unfortunately Basso didn’t get the start to his Sunday he was after with a mechanical issue halting his progress. Basso from the outset lost positions finishing down the rear of the field. Suspected water in the carburettor put the Tony Kart driver starting out of position twenty one in the final.

Due to the ultra-competitive nature of the Australian Kart Championship Basso had a mountain to climb starting outside the top twenty. The Tony Kart driver got away cleanly landing on the edge of the twenty in the opening few laps. Basso made his way as high as position eighteen through the middle stages of the race. He came home in a respectful position twenty overall in the final race standings.

Both driver Mat and father Paul said it was a race meeting of highs and lows.

“While I’m disappointed with my end result, my lack of soft tyre preparation really showed because I know I can run with the leaders on the hard tyre” driver Matthew noted. “In the wet race I showed great speed to finish fifth which was fantastic”.

Father Paul echoed Mat’s thoughts. “WOW what a weekend of highs and lows. The high being a fifth place in the wet weather race and the low being an engine issue which saw Mathew finish down the order in heat four. He always puts one hundred percent effort into his racing and when something like that happens, well, it’s just motorsport I guess”.

The Tony Kart Australia representative will be next on track this weekend at the second round of the Golden Power Series at the Goulburn Valley Kart Club.



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