Benjamin Classon tackled the Goulburn Valley Kart Club circuit and the Victorian Golden Power Series for the first time over the weekend. Classon started to make some waves in the back end of 2021 taking out multiple round wins at the Eastern Lions Kart Club Championship series.
Classon after showing great pace a week earlier was looking to gain more track experience and race experience. The young driver used the two Saturday morning practice sessions to gain time before Saturday afternoon qualifying! After gaining as much practice and set up as possible from the two opening practices Classon headed out for Saturday afternoon qualifying. Ben immediately jumped inside the top ten and was trying to push the top five for time and get as far up the grid as possible. Classon was squeezing everything he had out of his Kosmic package and was only tenths off the front guys. Ben did a great job qualifying at the circuit for the first time and coming away with a very competitive seventh position.
Starting off the inside of the fourth row Classon was looking to heat one to move forward. Classon got a clean get away in the opening heat and was able to move up to sixth position and was pushing on the back of the top five drivers. Classon was able to make up another position and burst into the top five on and was looking to continue forward. Ben had great pace matching all the karts in front of him and finished only two tenths off position four in the opener. A top five finish was a great start to the weekend and Classon now looked to Sunday to continue his great weekend.
Sunday morning was upon the junior driver and he was looking once again to move forward up the field. Classon got another clean get away, moving up to position six on the opening lap. Ben was able to make the move for position five in the opening lap and continued to push forward and hot on the heels of the front group. Classon, try as he might couldn’t make any more moves forward and finished with another strong top five finish in heat two.
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Classon was starting out of position four on the outside of the second row due to his earlier heat results. Ben dropped back one spot of the start but stayed in the top five and was continue to push to try and move back forward. Classon was running inside the top five but unfortunately got shuffled back a couple of spots in the middle stages, dropping back to position seven. Ben tried as hard as he could to pick the spots back up but had to settle for position seven overall in the final heat.
Ben was out of position five for the final and was excited to finish a great weekends racing on a high. Classon dropped just outside the top five on the opening lap, dropping back to position six. The Kosmic karter unfortunately dropped back to the edge of the top ten in eighth spot, with work to do after a rough start to his final. Classon gave it everything he had moving back into position six overall and getting within hundredths of a second of fifth place.
Ben’s dad Paul spoke post weekend of the great racing. “We had a really good weekend and enjoyed the opening round of the Power Series. We had strong pace and had pace strong enough for position two”.
Classon will be back on the track next month to continue his 2022 season.
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