by Andrew Hayes (AHR MEDIA – on Facebook HERE)
Perfect weather has greeted 203 competitors as they took part in round three of the DPE Kart Superstore Victorian Country Series at Portland’s Yarraman Park Circuit.
The racing was intense, with several close finishes and displays of elite talent throughout the weekend.
The Portland District Kart club ran a faultless meeting with very few delays, and presented themselves and the facility in an impeccable way.
- LOTS more images from the event on Darren’s Sportography Facebook HERE
- full results on speedhive HERE
AHR Media (Andrew Hayes) trackside event wrap:
KA4 JUNIOR LIGHT (12 Entries)
KA4 Junior Light kicked off proceedings this round, and it was Xavier Avramides (40.254) continuing his strong form at Portland, grabbing pole position in qualifying. Avramides would back that up by taking out the opening heat, joined on the winners list by Angus Hall in heat two. The two looked set to fight it out in the final, before an extraordinary turn of events as Avramides retired after 2 laps with a broken axle. Hall opened up a handy buffer, but came under pressure as the race wore on from a rapid Hunter Salvatore. Salvatore’s challenge ended with 4 laps to go as he also retired with a mechanical issue. Hall cruised to a comfortable victory in the end, with an exciting battle between James Snaith and Lachlan Cutting to fill the podium, Snaith getting the better of the duel to lead both drivers to podium finishes. Warrnambool winner Josh Sacco finished fourth ahead of Akasha McEachran in fifth.
1st Angus Hall (OAK)
2nd James Snaith (OAK)
3rd Lachlan Cutting (OAK)
TAG HEAVY (6 Entries)
Tag Heavy was again a bit light on for numbers, however the field assembled was tightly packed and very competitive. Jayden Wallis (36.745) made it two poles on the trot, backing his Warrnambool pole up with another at Portland. The opening heat was won by Portland’s Scott King, whilst Nik Schmidt won the second, picking up the pieces of a King/Wallis skirmish late in the race.
King and Wallis renewed acquaintances for the final and set of on a close hard battle for the duration. It was King who led the majority of the race before Wallis took over with just a few laps remaining. Wallis was not headed from there, but despite crossing the line second, King was disqualified post race, handing second to Schmidt who had been equally impressive. Ray Dumesny capped a competitive weekend with a third place finish, ahead of Andrew Harvey and Paul Feely.
1st Jayden Wallis (ELKC)
2nd Nik Schmidt (BALL)
3rd Ray Dumesny (BALL)
VIC COMBINED MEDIUM (26 Entries)
The stakes appear to have risen more in Vic Combined Medium than any other class year on year, and once again the level of competition was red hot. Aidan Solomon continued to show blistering speed on his way to consecutive poles (37.865). It was a great start for Solomon who continued to head the pack, winning both heats, the second being the more challenging of the two.
Solomon led the field away, although it soon became apparent that he was not going to have this one all his own way. Alex Baker grabbed the lead on lap two, and fought off a spirited challenge from Beau Humphrey to win the class. Baker won the same event in the ill feted 2020 VCS. Humphrey was also under fire from Max Fahey, coming out ahead of the youngster, who settled for third and a second consecutive podium. Portland’s Angus Hollis finished his home round in fourth, ahead of Solomon who still banked valuable points.
1st Alex Baker (WIMM)
2nd Beau Humphrey (ELKC)
3rd Max Fahey (SWKC)
X30 LIGHT (18 Entries)
X30 boasted a smaller than usual grid at Portland, however David Sera was a welcome inclusion in a strong field. Sera wasted no time making his presence felt, grabbing pole position (35.233) by just three thousandths over youngster Will Harper. Matthew Hillyer and Jacob Dowson took the spoils in the two hard fought heat races, setting the scene for a big final.
Dowson made the most of the start to lead the opening laps of the final, as Jack Bell and Sera joined to make it a 3 way battle. Sera escalated to the lead by the mid point of the race, and went on to win the race. Dowson had to settle for second for the second consecutive round, whilst Bell grabbed his first VCS podium of the season. Hillyer was speedy in fourth, as was impressive SA youngster Parker Scott in fifth.
1st David Sera (GKCV)
2nd Jacob Dowson (GKCSA)
3rd Jack Bell (OAK)
VIC COMBINED LIGHT (25 Entries)
Gerry Westerveld has been the class of the Vic Combined Light field this series, and it was no surprise to see him at the top of the timesheets in qualifying when the clock stopped. His time (36.850) only just pipping Portland’s Todd Chambers. Westerveld fought off Chambers in the opening heat, before cruising to a heat two victory aswell.
Westerveld showed nothing but class as he completed the clean sweep in a race that was largely uneventful for the leaders. Nik Ryan drove beautifully to secure his first ever podium finish, finishing clear of Lachlan Hill, who was a fine third place. Local driver Luke Storer was home in fourth, ahead of Spiro Anagnostopoulos who had not completed qualifying.
1st Gerry Westerveld (ROCH)
2nd Nik Ryan (WBOOL)
3rd Lachlan Hill (WBOOL)
KA4 JUNIOR HEAVY (15 Entries)
Zach Findlay has been supreme in the opening two rounds of KA4 Junior Heavy, taking poles and race wins at his peril. Findlay again topped the timesheets (40.811) at Portland, however the margin had rarely been closer and it took the full session to settle the score. Findlay prevailed in both heats, although Thomas Patching looked a good match for pace.
Patching would shadow Findlay for much of the 16 lap final, with both drivers performing at their peak. Despite Patching’s best efforts, it would be Findlay taking the win in a photo finish, the official margin being 0.023 of a second. Jay Murray set the fastest lap on his way to a popular third place finish, and will surely be one to watch in the coming rounds. Amos Orr and Lachlan Sharpe rounded out the top five.
1st Zach Findlay (GKCV)
2nd Thomas Patching (OAK)
3rd Jay Murray (GKCV)
KA3 SENIOR LIGHT (19 Entries)
There was a state of origin feel about KA3 Senior Light, as drivers from South Australia, Tasmania and the home state waged huge battles at the pointy end of the field. Joel MacPherson has become a fixture at the front of this class, and he didn’t disappoint, grabbing pole (35.556) as the top four was separated by just over a tenth. MacPherson went on with it in the heats, heading the field on both occasions.
The final again went the way of MacPherson, as he won his third consecutive round in fine style. Nikki Watson and James Sera enjoyed a great battle for second, with the South Australian Watson getting the upper hand in that battle, leading Sera home for second and third. Bronson Boult had a quiet round by his standards, finishing in fourth ahead of Tasmanian jet Gemma Wyllie, who once again impressed.
1st Joel MacPherson (OAK)
2nd Nikki Watson (SGKC)
3rd James Sera (OAK)
CADET 12 (20 Entries)
The results of Cadet 12 are currently under appeal.
KA3 JUNIOR (20 Entries)
There was strong numbers in the elite junior class this weekend, and it led to some thrilling action throughout. After narrowly missing the victory in Warrnambool, Jake Santalucia struck the first blow in qualifying, taking a strong pole position (36.474). Leo Iannella and Matthew Domaschenz were hard fought winners of the heats, both taking narrow wins.
Domaschenz and Iannella waged a willing battle in the opening laps, changing positions multiple times. Their battles brought Aiva Anagnostiadis and Anthony Capobianco into the equation, as Iannella began to drift down the order. On lap 11, Aiva grabbed the lead, as Domaschenz and Capobianco gave chase. It all came to a thrilling climax as Domaschenz led through the last corner, only to be pipped in a drag race to the line by Anagnostiadis in another thriller. Capobianco was a close third, ahead of Ben Holliday and Peter Bouzinelos.
1st Aiva Anagnostiadis (GKCV)
2nd Matthew Domaschenz (PORT)
3rd Anthony Capobianco (SGKC)
KA3 SENIOR MEDIUM (13 Entries)
The quality of racing in KA3 Senior Medium is as good as any other class, bar none. Whilst numbers aren’t always the highest, the same cannot be said about the quality of the competition. Qualifying was no exception, as the top four were separated by 0.084 of a second. With Mitch Mackay seemingly hanging onto pole, Remo Luciani had other ideas and snatched the top position (38.287) right as the clock stopped on qualifying. Luciani wasn’t headed in the heats, holding off the chasers to bank maximum points.
Luciani was under intense pressure in the final, as Todd Chambers and Matthew Nietz gave chase. Lap after lap they ran nose to tail, but couldn’t dethrone the Master from Horsham, as Luciani completed the perfect weekend. Warrnambool winner Chambers was home in second, with Nietz also adding the fastest lap to his third place. Remarkably the top five all finished in their starting positions, including Mackay and Chris Thomas who held stern in fourth and fifth.
1st Remo Luciani (WIMM)
2nd Todd Chambers (PORT)
3rd Matthew Nietz (GKCSA)
CADET 9 ( 9 Entries)
Chad Edwards put in one of the most dominant, and superb performances of the weekend in the Cadet 9 class. The young Tasmanian was in a league of his own, beginning with taking pole (43.074) by a whopping 7 tenths of second. Second to fifth was separated by less than a tenth of a second. Edwards continued on his merry way in the heats, recording 7 second victories in both encounters.
The field made some inroads in the final, but it wasn’t enough to deny Edwards another comfortable win, and the perfect weekend. Cobden winner Domenic Mercuri recovered after a roll around accident in heat two to claim second place, ahead of Jai George, who gathered his second consecutive third placing. Ballarat’s Archie Bristow and Kurtis Polkinghorne rounded out the top five.
1st Chad Edwards (NWKC)
2nd Domenic Mercuri (SGKC)
3rd Jai George (OAK)
VIC COMBINED MASTERS (20 Entries)
Anthony Pethebridge rocked the establishment in Masters qualifying by pipping the perennial favourite Phil Smith by 0.005 to secure his first VCS pole position (37.378). Smith and Ash Mitchell have been combatants in the previous two rounds, and they split the heat wins, with Pethebridge looming large with fastest laps in both races.
Smith and Mitchell were again at the head of the queue in the final with the pair exchanging the lead on multiple occasions. Mitchell appeared to have speed on the straights, whilst Smith was superior in the turns. Smith made the decisive move for the lead late in the race and held on to win despite Mitchell’s best efforts. Pethebridge continued his strong form to sneak by Mitchell for second on the last lap as Mitchell challenged for the lead. Peter Gigis and Garry Haywood completed the top five in an entertaining display.
1st Phil Smith (GKCV)
2nd Anthony Pethebridge (ELKC)
3rd Ash Mitchell (WIMM)
The DPE Kart Superstore Victorian Country Series is set to continue on July 17/18 at the Wimmera Kart Club.
Thankyou to the following Series Sponsors:
- DPE KART SUPERSTORE
- REMO RACING / IAME
- DUNLOP KARTSPORT
- ALLSTAR GRAPHICS / 365 APPAREL CO
- KFC
- TONYKART AUSTRALIA / BARON ENGINE DEVELOPMENTS
- PATRIZICORSE / VORTEX ENGINES / BRIDGESTONE KART AUSTRALIA
- MELBOURNE KART CENTRE
- CHAMBERS PORTABLE LINE BORING
- AHR MEDIA
- DARREN’S SPORTOGRAPHY
- PRO KARTING
- LS DESIGN
- BENDIGO BANK