Aiden Schweikert took on his biggest kart meeting to date running in the final round of the Australian Kart Championship over the weekend.
Aiden was originally entered for the Australian Kart Championship round at the Eastern Lions Kart Club which was scrapped due to Covid. Aiden and his father Justin decided to take on the final round at Monarto. Never racing at this level and never being on the track, Friday practice was a huge part of Aiden’s weekend. After setting a time fast enough for position twenty three in practice, Schweikert looked to Saturday to get his weekend underway.
Saturday morning qualifying was always going to be tough and young Aiden knew immediately the front drivers meant business, setting a lighting speed out front. The Carl Gibson motor was working well and young Aiden was putting in times on the edge of the top twenty. In a track with over thirty karts on circuit, it was difficult to get space for a clean lap. With improving pace Schweikert was able to qualify in position twenty two overall, with only just over a second separating the whole top twenty five drivers!
Aiden achieved a clean start in heat one and was in a big midfield pack trying to make up positions. The Haley Hire backed entry set improved lap speeds and made his way inside the top twenty with strong pace. Schweikert in a strong display crossed the line in position seventeen overall. Due to the drop down bumper rules Aiden was classified in position nineteen overall. After an encouraging opening heat, young Aiden was looking for another positive result in heat two.
It was much of the same in heat two as the G & L Motor Repairs and Performance backed entry was in a five kart train for majority of the race. With many positional changes and hard racing, Schweikert has made his way inside the top twenty looking quick. Aiden had his best result of the weekend thus far crossing the line in position seventeen and no penalties this time round.
Heat three and young Aiden didn’t quite have the luck of other races. Schweikert was pushed into another kart resulting in his bumper dropping down. The Carl Gibson powered driver battled on to cross the line in position twenty one, but was classified in twenty third due to the drop down bumper. This concluded Aiden’s Saturday racing and he was now looking to heat four on Sunday Morning.
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Sunday morning came around and young Aiden was looking to bounce back in heat number four. Unfortunately, the wheel literally fell off his kart at the third corner ending his race and fourth heat. Schweikert looked to the final and was looking to move forward as far and fast as he could in his sixteen lap final.
Starting on the outside the Haley Hire backed entry made up two spots on the opening lap moving up to position twenty one. Aiden drove his heart out moving forward in a big midfield pack and at one stage being as high as fifteenth! In his first Australian Kart Championship final, Schweikert crossed the line in position seventeen overall moving up six spots in the final!
Aiden and his father spoke post weekend of an amazing time they had at the Australian Kart Championship round. “There’s so many places that you can overtake here, I love it!” Aiden beamed with excitement. “The battles were so intense, you just can’t break away from anyone”.
Justin, Aiden’s father spoke of his young driver’s improvement. “I’m really proud of how Aiden raced all weekend, he’s improving every time he races. I can see that he’s really starting to develop his race craft and I’m really excited to see what he can achieve next year. We’d like to thank Aiden’s sponsors, G & L Motor Repairs and Performance, Mick from Haley Hire and Carl Gibson for the amazing engine also a big thanks to Grandma Di and Grandpa Greg (GPG), they travelled with us and helped the entire weekend”.
Without a doubt, 2022 could be a huge season for Aiden Schweikert!
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