Aiden Schweikert started a busy February by taking to the Australian Kart Championship Shakedown meeting at the Go Kart Club of Victoria over the weekend. Aiden started his season well at the opening round of the Todd Road Club Championship but had over twenty five Cadet 12 competitors to deal with.
Saturday morning qualifying was going to be extremely important for the Parolin karter and he was looking forward to getting out on circuit. The twenty six competitors hit the track and Aiden was looking to be up the front end of the competitors. The Link Airways backed entry was immediately in the top ten and was right in the thick of the battle against some of the best drivers in the country. Schweikert hovered around the edge of the top five and set a blister lap to put himself up into position six to start the heat races. In what was a fast and hectic qualifying session, Schweikert now looked to heat one to continue to build on his pace.
The Cadet 12 ace got a good start in heat one from the outside of the front row slotting into position seven. The G & L Motor repairs and performance backed entry stayed on the edge of the top five in the early stages, before a mid-race incident shuffled the young driver back outside the top ten in twelfth. Aiden battled on the edge of the top ten for the majority of the race coming home in position twelve.
Schweikert was disappointed to get shuffled back in heat one and looked to heat two to bounce back. Unfortunately, the Jeremy Cross Physio sponsored entry was taken off at the first corner. Aiden rejoined at the rear of the field and with that, put his head down and tried to move back up through the field. Schweikert drove like a young man possessed passing go karts at ease and making his way back up into the top twenty then top fifteen. In an amazing recovery, Schweikert finished the heat just outside the top ten in position twelve in what was a massive recovery drive for young driver.
Sunday morning came around and Aiden was out of position thirteen due to his opening two heat results. Schweikert got an excellent start, jumping up for spots on the opening lap moving up to position nine. The Link Airways sponsored entry moved up as high as eighth throughout the race and looked on for his best result of the weekend. In the final few laps Aiden was unfortunately involved in an incident, which dropped him down to position seventeen in a disappointing finish to a mega heat three drive.
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The final was always going to be tough for young Aiden starting in the middle of the pack. Schweikert ended the opening lap in position seventeen and was looking to move forward. In a scintillating open half of the race, Aiden moved up eight spots bursting into the top ten and chasing down the drivers in front of him. Aiden came home in position nine overall in the final in a great drive, matching the pace of the front running drivers in the second half of the race.
Aiden’s dad Justin spoke post weekend of the tough level his son is up against. “He’s got the speed, now it’s combining that with race experience to stay with the front group every race. Saying that he certainly gained experience this weekend racing against the best Cadet 12’s in the country, all getting ready for AKC”.
Aiden will hit the track again in two weeks for the opening round of the Golden Power Series at the Goulburn Valley Kart Club.
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