words – Russell Innes, Ipswich Kart Club
pics – Ronan Morgan, RGM Photography
Ipswich Kart Club rounded off a very successful racing season with the Capri Cup and End of Year Presentations on Friday evening the 3rd of December and Saturday the 4th of December. 170 entries were received for the end of year Capri Cup and then well over 200 members attended the 2021 Club Championship Awards Presentation.
Ipswich Kart Club chose to run the Capri Cup in the now traditional Reverse K Track configuration, which has proved a popular configuration with drivers.
All classes did a 12 Lap Heat under lights on Friday evening, followed by another 12 Lap Heat Saturday morning and then a long 18 lap Final, with racing finished by 3.30pm so everyone could sit and watch the Top 10 from Bathurst on the big screen, before the Dinner and Presentation evening commenced at 6.00pm.
Cadet P’s were once again on the programme to accommodate the huge numbers of new Cadets coming into racing at Ipswich this year. 18 starters did 2 x 10 Lap Heats and then a 12 Lap Final and Leo Wicks, Jack Sydenham and Campbell Dawson were the first 3 Cadet 12 P’s home in the Final, with Kenichi Morita, Leighton Thorley and Zachary Simonelli the first 3 Cadet 9 P’s. The Cadet P’s class ha been fantastic for the development of these kids in the latter part of the year and with huge numbers of new cadets coming through from the Ipswich Kart Club Come and Try Day program, this class will continue to be offered in 2022 and will have great numbers.
Riley Curtis, Gabriel Elkayam, Caylen Burke and Hunter Fischle were amongst the placings in Cadet 9 during the Heats, but Elkayam led all the way in the Final for a comfortable win from Burke and Blake Haigh getting his first podium result at Ipswich.
The usual frontrunners of Basilo Micale, Ky Burke, the Burns twins Jaxson and Jenson, Cooper Folley and Sebastian Bennet filled the placings during the Heats in Cadet 12. In the Final Jaxson Burns led early ahead of Burke, Jenson Burns and Bennet fighting for the placings. As the race wound down, both Burke and Bennet ended up getting past Jaxson Burns and in the tense battle over the last few laps, Bennet came out in front, with Micale grabbing 2nd and Folley 3rd.
Finn Woodley, Henry and Charlie Stratford were the pacesetters in 4SS Junior during the Heats, but Woodley had a huge win in the 18 Lap Final by over 7 seconds from Jack Doessel and Henry Stratford. 4SS Junior racing at Ipswich this year has been sensational to watch and with a lot of new Juniors expected to join the field next year, the 4SS Junior racing will continue to be exciting to watch.
Armand Hamilton, Luke Rinaldi, Isaac McNeill and Ryan MacMillan were amongst the placings in the Heats of KA4 Junior Light, but MacMillan went to the front early in the Final to win from Hamilton and McNeill.
Max Walton continued his recent dominance of KA3 Junior with 2 convincing Heat wins. Brodie Norris, Maddison Feather and Dean Silcock were amongst the placing in the Heats. Walton was challenged in the Final by Feather to score a narrow win, however Feather incurred an on track infringement and would drop to 4th place, with Norris elevated to 2nd and Liam Thomson in 3rd.
advertisement
Timothy Baker and Andy Mann were the only 4SS Senior Medium entries and Baker won both Heats and the Final comfortably from Mann.
Kobe Barton, David Vogel, Noel Smyth and Craig Balke were amongst the placings during the Heats in TAG Restricted Medium. Vogel led early in the Final before Barton took the lead and eventually a comfortable victory, 2 seconds in front of Vogel and James Hogan getting his 1st podium result in this class.
Scott Gray won Heat 1 in TAG Restricted Masters from Peter Virgulti and Noel Smyth. Smyth taking the win in Heat 2 from Gray and Virgulti. Gray led all the way in the Final for a strong win from Smyth and Virgulti.
All the youngsters, Jack Munro, Keegan Fraser, Zane Rinaldi, Kurtis Tennant, Lachlan Platten and Jacinta Hoey grabbed the podium placings in the Heats of TAG Restricted Light and continued on the dominance in the Final by the younger drivers with Fraser winning from Tennant and Rinaldi.
Most of the normal frontrunners in KA3 Senior were missing as they were doing AKC the following weekend so only Will Marshall and newcomer Boston Wheeler had entered. Marshall comfortably won both Heats and the Final.
Likewise, TAG Light was a bit light on for numbers as many were doing the AKC Round. Hamish Fitzsimmons, Dylan Rudd and Brock Plumb podiumed the 1st Heat, with Fitzsimmons also winning Heat 2 from Plumb and Jacques Goodman. In the Final Fitzsimmons led again early but a rare DNF from him saw Rudd take over the lead and go on to win from Plumb and Goodman.
Brendan Nelson, Christopher Williams and Matt Greenbury, shared the placings in the 2 Heats of TAG Heavy. Nelson led all the way in the Final ahead of an entertaining battle for the minors, Greenbury getting past Williams early on and securing 2nd from Williams.
A big Open Performance field saw Jac Preston, Bailey Sagaidak, Scott Sorensen, Leorra Devisser and Dan Hutchinson, share the placings in the Heats. Sorensen winning the Final comfortably from Brett Wells and Hutchinson.
With the passing of the great man Alf Capri during this year, the Capri Cup was extra significant this year and it was wonderful to have Maureen Capri and the rest of the Capri family in attendance to present the Capri Cups to a Junior driver and a Senior Driver. Recipients of the Capri Cups for 2021 were Zachary Simonelli (Junior) and Jack Stimson (Senior).
advertisement