by Mitchell McLellan, MMS Commentary
Eastern Lions Kart Club held their second successful open meeting in two weeks for the second round of the Victorian Metro Karting Series.
With around 130 competitors taking to eleven class the stage was set for brilliant racing under cold chilly conditions.
- full results on speedhive HERE
KA3 Junior
KA3 Junior Victorian State Champion Peter Bouzinelos took pole position for the premier junior class on Sunday morning. Bouzinelos took pole position over fellow Australian Kart Championship front runners Aiva Anagostiadis and Jake Santalucia and the stage was set for some brilliant racing.
Bouzinelos took a close heat one victory over Anagastiadis but Jesse Lacey was the big mover coming from position eight on the grid to position three in heat one. Lacey was able to fight back even more in heat two and take victory over Bouzinelos and Anagostiadis.
The stage was set for an epic final but contact between Lacey and Anagostiadis at the first turn put Lacey to the rear of the field and Aiva out of the race. Bouzinelos led but Jake Santalucia chased hard and wouldn’t give up. The Victorian Champion showed why taking the final over Santalucia and Joshua Hee Keng rounding out the podium. Lacey fought his way back up to position seven setting the fastest lap in the final.
1 Peter Bouzinelos
2 Jake Santaluca
3 Joshua Hee Keng
Cadet 12
The Australian Kart Championship Cadet 12 points leader showed why he was currently the countries best, taking a clean sweep in the Cadet 12 class. Lewis Francis had challenges from Joanne Ciconte, Jack Jenkins and Harrison Strik throughout the heats.
Jenkins took the fight to Francis in the earlier stages of the final but Francis held margin and showed why he is one of the country’s best. Francis took the round victory over Jenkins and Ciconte rounding out your podium.
1 Lewis Francis
2 Jack Jenkins
3 Joanne Ciconte
Cadet 9
Cadet 9 was one of the races of the day with up to six drivers in the fight to win the final in the latter stages. Victorian State Champion James Flynn was able to take a super close pole position over Cruz Kelly and round one podium place getter Jai George.
Heat one was a super close affair with Kelly taking the lead over Flynn and Lucas Rickard joining the battle at the front. Only four tenths separated the top three in heat one. Heat two was a very similar story with only being two tenths between Kelly, Flynn and Rickard.
In the final the top three broke away from the pack but as the battle heated up it became a six-kart battle at the front. In a grand stand finish Kelly over Cayden Beacham and Victorian Champion Flynn in third.
1 Cruz Kelly
2 Cayden Beacham
3 James Flynn
KA3 Senior Medium + TaG 125 Light
KA3 Senior Medium and TAG 125 Light were on the track at the same time due to the lower numbers in the class. Maximus Chudasko was the sole TAG 125 Light competitor taking the weekend with his pace strong enough to be running top ten from the high standard Golden Power Series the weekend before.
1 Mazimus Chudasko
KA3 Senior Medium was a close battle all day between Samuel Gibson and Justin Bonachi. Gibson was able to take the final and the round breaking away in the later over Bonachi and Chloe Henderson rounding out your podium.
1 Samuel Gibson
2 Juston Bonacci
3 Chloe Henderson
KA3 Senior Light
KA3 Senior Light was another class that was ran with high class and competitive racing. Robbie Graham took pole position over challengers James Lodge, Taine Venables and Walkinshaw v8 supercar driver Bryce Fullwood.
advertisement
Once racing began it was hot and ferocious, with Lodge taking the open heat over a challenging Fullwood. Lodge was able to take another close victory in heat two over Fullwood and Victorian Champion Venables.
Fullwood was unfortunately involved in an incident on lap one of the final, putting him out of contention. Lodge was able to drive away and take a comfortable victory while the podium place battle raged on behind. Venables came home in second spot with Robert Graham rounding out the podium and setting the fastest lap.
1 James Lodge
2 Taine Venables
3 Robert Graham
Vic Combined Masters
Former Victorian champion Ian Branson was able to take a clean sweep in the Victorian Masters category. Branson was able to take easy victories in heat one and two but had a close battle with Gary Haywood in the final. Haywood took the lead in the middle stages of the race with Branson able to fight back. In one of the closest finishes of the day, Branson was able to hold onto the round win by fifteen thousands of a second over Haywood and Dan Srirtana rounding out the top three.
1 Ian Branson
2 Garry Haywood
3 Dan Sriratana
KA4 Junior Heavy
Amos Orr was able to take a strong pole position in qualifying over state champion Zach Findlay, Benjamin Classon, Jarrod Bottomley and Thomas Patching. Findlay was able to fight back and take both heat wins but Orr was right there dragging him to the finish in each one.
Findlay and Orr had a race long battle in the final and going into the last lap, it was anyone’s final. Findlay in a drag to the line was able to hold off a fast-finishing Orr and Patching rounding out the podium.
1 Zach Findlay
2 Amos Orr
3 Thomas Patching
Vic Combined Medium
Vic Combined Medium was one of the most exciting finals of the day. With only five drivers in the field, all five were nose to tail and had a lead of the race.
Nathan Lucas was able to take pole position over Kyle Pettenhofer and Dylan Stubbings. Stubbings was able to take heat one in a close finish with Nicholas Flodstrom. Pettenhofer was able to fight back in heat two and take victory over Flodstrom and Stubbings.
In a close final with many lead changes early weekend pole sitter Nathan Lucas was able to come out of the carnage with the round win over Flodstrom and Stubbings, who rounded out the podium.
1 Nathan Lucas
2 Nicholas Flodstrom
3 Dylan Stubbings
Vic Combined Light
Spiros Anagnostopoulos took pole position in the Vic Combined light category. Anagnostopoulos shared the front row with Eden Foik and P-plater Jake Dixon out of position three.
Foik was able to fight back in heat one and take victory over Dixon and Anagnostopoulos. Anagnostopoulos was able to turn the tables back on Foik in heat two sharing the heat wins.
Anagnostopoulos was able to break away and take a strong two second victory in the final with Foik and Tyronne De Silva rounding out the podium for the round.
1 Spiros Anagnostopoulos
2 Eden Foik
3 Tyronne De Silva
KA4 Junior Light
KA4 Junior Light was a two-kart battle to start the day with Hunter Salvatore taking pole position over Xavier Avramides who seven tenths clear of James Snaith.
Avramides was able to turn the table in heat one taking victory over Salvatore and Snaith. Salvatore fought back in heat two to level up the heat wins with Avramides.
Salvatore was able to drive away to a clear victory, with Avramides having engine issues in the final. Salvatore took the round win over Snaith and Nate Yound rounding out the podium.
1 Hunter Salvatore
2 James Snaith
3 Nate Young
The final round of the Victorian Metro Series will take place at the Go Kart Club of Victoria on October the 24th where the series champions will be decided.
advertisement