Riley Jabke is a young driver looking to make a name for himself in 2021, undertaking in his first full season in the senior ranks!
Riley had an interrupted 2020 due to the Covid pandemic after an exciting conclusion to his junior driving career with multiple open meeting wins. Jabke has joined the highly competitive AWC Motorsport team for 2021 Australian Kart Championship with his championship starting at the weekend just gone at Todd Road.
Friday Practice was the starting point for Jabke in the highly competitive X30 field with a full field of karters racing for winning glory. Jabke in his PCJ Data & Electrical sponsored entry had a tough start to practice being outside the top thirty in both practice one and two. Practice three the PCJ Data & Electrical entry had his best session finishing in position twenty eight only half a second of the fastest time, showing the high class and competitive nature of the X30 class. Practice four and five were timed sessions to set up the starting order for qualifying with the AWC Motorsport driver back outside the top thirty.
Saturday came around and Jabke backed by Nankang Tyres Australia was looking to have an improved effort on his practice position. Jabke went out and again struggled to improve on position coming home in position thirty one in qualifying. The AWC motorsport driver drove the wheels off his X30 but dad Paul noted they missed the set up window in a hectic qualifying session.
Heat 1 came around and bad luck continued to riddle the weekend for the Shinners Plumbing sponsored Jabke. After heading out to form up for the opening heat Jabke unfortunately had a mechanical failure on the second formation lap, putting the Shinners Plumbing backed entry out of contention before the opening heat started.
Jabke got a great start in heat 2 jumping up places but had contact made and unfortunately lost the advantage he had made off the start, putting himself once again to the rear of the field. The Black Tie Toilets sponsored driver had much better pace than his earlier sessions and made his way inside the top thirty drivers starting to challenge for places. Jabke came home in position twenty seven his best result of the weekend!
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The weather gods decide to throw another trick in the day by rain coming for heat 3. Jabke in his Berwick Taxation Services entry headed to the grid with only light rain falling. When the rain started to come down harder it heavily affected the AWC motorsport driver as their full wet set up hadn’t been applied. The Berwick Taxation Services backed entry was able to move up four spots from his starting position coming home in position thirty one.
Sunday come around with a new day and hopeful of some new luck. Jabke started out of position thirty five and had a great start moving up positions immediately. Jabke’s Bartlett Integrated Towing Solutions sponsored entry continued to move up through the field and make positions. The AWC Motorsport driver made up six positions coming home in a respectable position twenty nine with a positive approach being taken to the final.
They say save the best until last and that was exactly what Jabke was able to do in his final. Jabke in his Dandenong Gate Company sponsored entry got another good start and had a much better kart underneath him to fight in the final! The AWC Motorsport driver continued to make up spots and push through the field! Jabke had a minor altercation mid race but his Dandenong Gate Company backed entry came home with his strongest finish of the weekend in position twenty three!
Driver Riley and dad Paul spoke of the challenges of the weekend and overall satisfaction. “It’s been a huge jump for me after only competing in one national event in seniors in 2020 due to the Victorian lockdown” noted driver Riley. “I have a lot to learn but know that I will do so with my new team at AWC Motorsport Academy and from the calibre of drivers in this field. All in all it was a hard weekend on me”.
Dad Paul was happy with Riley’s progress over the weekend. “Really proud of how Riley drove and communicated with Chris on what the kart was doing and what he needed. A big thank you to Chris, his Dad John and the team at AWC Motorsport Academy and CS Pure Racing for all of the assistance and coaching”.
Jabke will return to the track this weekend in TAG light at the second round of the Golden Power Series at the Goulburn Valley Kart Club.
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