Desmond Harral has started his assault on the Karting South Australia Festival State Cup over the weekend. Harral, who has moved to the Cadet 12 ranks over the off season, took on the opening round at the Barossa Kart Club. Desmond was continue his partnership in 2022 with the Tecno Karts Australia team and with twelve other Cadet 12 drivers to contend with, the young driver was in for a fun and tough weekend of racing!
Desmond hit the track for qualifying and was looking to get as far up the grid as possible for the all important heat races. The JK Tuning backed entry established himself in the top ten fairly quickly and was looking to push his way towards the top five. Harral put everything he had into qualifying for the session and settled inside the top ten in position seven overall. Desmond was only a couple of tenths going inside the top five and now look to the opening heats to continue his improvement!
Harral looked to heat one and with his dad looked to make improvements and gain positions. Desmond didn’t quite get the start he was after, dropping back a position on the opening lap to position eight. The TorzoShine for the tires backed entry moved back into position six in the early stages and set about getting inside the top five. Harral put an improved effort from qualifying with much strong lap speed and only being a tenth outside the top five by races end in position six.
Heat two was up next with young Desmond once again looking to move forward. Harral slotted into position seven in the first half of the race showing good pace. The Tecno Karts Australia supported entry made a move into position six mid race and was stalking position five and four. In another encouraging display, Desmond came across the line in position six but moved up to position five due to a post-race penalty.
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Due to his consistency from the opening two heats, Harral was off the outside of the second row for heat two in position four. Desmond got a consistent start and landed in position five for the early stages. The JK Tuning backed entry dropped back to position six on lap three but was showing his strongest pace of the weekend. Harral was nearly a second faster from his qualifying pace and once again put in a strong sixth position gaining more valuable points for his championship.
Desmond was once again out of position five and settled into this spot in the early stages of the fifteen lap final. The Tecno Kart Australia was setting personal bests for the weekend and was running inside the top five and looking strong. Harral dropped down to position six in the back end of the race. Harral rounded out the weekend with another consistent and improved sixth position grabbing valuable points for his championship.
Desmond spoke post-race of the difficulties of the jump in class. “Cadet 12 is so much more competitive then Cadet 9. I did the best I could but need to make some on track improvements”
Harral will be one to watch in South Australia as he moves up the grid order in 2022.
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