Brothers Kristian and Lukas Janev returned to a race track together for the first time in a number of years! Kristian has been a regular front runner across state and national level at junior and senior level while Lukas hasn’t raced karts in a number of season.
Both brothers took to the fourth round of the Golden Power Series in the ultra-competitive TAG 125 Light class! With both brothers keen to race against each other for the first time, the weekend was set to be filled with action and thrills.
Both drivers headed out for qualifying in the near thirty kart field, looking to get their way as far up the grid as possible. Kristian was able to inset himself straight into the top ten, while Lukas was continuing his improvement and working his way into the top twenty. Kristian was pushing on the edge of the top five and in an extremely close and hard fought session was able to qualify in position seven. Lukas continued to set faster times as the session went on landing in position eighteen overall.
Both drivers were ready for their opening heat on Saturday afternoon and looking to move forward through the field. Kristian’s opening heat was unfortunately over at the first corner, after getting hit from behind and ending up beached in the turn one gravel trap. While this was hard luck for Kristian. Lukas was able to get a clean start and make his way forward through the field. Lukas was able to move his way into the top ten making up nine spots in eight lap race, coming home in position nine overall!
Heat two was the final race on Saturday and while Kristian was looking to bounce back from heat one, Lukas was looking to continue his charge forward! Kristian got a brilliant start moving up to second spot in the opening lap but a mechanical issue brought his charge and Saturday to an abrupt end. Lukas was able to get his head down and much like heat one, was able to make his way forward in the field. Lukas was once again able to make up nine spots in eight laps and come home with his second consecutive top ten in ninth spot!
Sunday morning came around and Lukas was starting out of position nine for the third heat with Kristian off the rear of the field. Lukas was able to get a clean get away and keep his position inside the top ten. Kristian got an excellent start and he was able to start charging his way forward through the field and making up spots hand over fist. Lukas was able to come home with his best finish of the weekend in another consistent result in eighth spot. Kristian in a blistering performance was able to make his way to edge of the top ten in position eleven making up nearly fifteen spots in eight laps!
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Lukas and Kristian were both going into the twelve lap final looking to move forward and challenge further up the field. Lukas got another clean get away and was pushing as hard as he could to chase after the top five and front group. Kristian was once again on a charge through the field and was making up spots hand over fist. Lukas finished his consistent weekend on a high note coming home just outside the top five in seventh position overall, in a brilliant return to the kart track! Kristian was able to charge his way into the top ten and finished right behind his brother in a brilliant eighth spot, right behind his elder brother.
Lukas and Kristian’s father David Janev spoke post weekend on his son’s racing. “It was a bit of mixed weekend for the boys. Kristian had one of his worst days at a kart track on Saturday but charged back through for a top ten. It was an awesome fightback by him but it’s disappointing as I believe he would have been challenging for the win.
“Lukas on the other hand had a near perfect weekend returning to the track. To make his way inside the top ten for every race in the competitive class was a great result and I can’t wait for his next weekend”.
Both Janev brothers will be back at the City of Melbourne Titles in August with Kristian heading to the sunshine state this weekend for the fourth round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship at the Emerald Kart Club.
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