Patrizicorse has had a busy 2022 and they continued this by heading down to Victoria for the 36th running of the Panduit City of Melbourne Kart Titles last week with a team of 6 drivers across 4 classes, ranging from Cadet 12 to the senior ranks in X30 Light.
With the talented Las Vegas Super Nationals winner Kip Foster, Queensland state champion Xavier Avramides and SP Tools Australian Kart Championship front runner Mika Lemasurier all hitting the track, the teams hopes were high of a strong weekend.
Mika Lemasurier and Armand Hamilton were first to hit the track in the premier KA2 Junior class. Lemasurier led the way in qualifying landing in position 3 on the inside of the second row. Hamilton was just outside the top 10 and looking to gain spots across the heats. Both drivers had a strong Saturday with second position and a win for Mika, while Armand was able to move just outside the top 5 in both heats in position 6.
Lemasurier’s final heat unfortunately ended on the opening lap with a DNF, while Hamilton was shuffled down the field off the start and regrouped for position 10. Lemasurier put in a storming drive in the final to charge through from the rear of the field and finish with a stella podium place in 3rd. Hamilton raced on the edge of the 10 throughout the final and came home with position 12 overall.
Multiple time state champion Kip Foster was next to hit the track in the X30 Light class. In what many looked at as the premier class of the weekend, Kip was able to qualify inside the 10 in position 9. Foster put in some mega driving over his 3 heats to move up positions in each race. Foster finished in position 5 in heat 1, position 6 in heat 2 and position 4 in heat 3, setting him up for the final. Kip gave it his all in the final racing strongly across the 17 laps in the top 10 drivers. Foster came home in a respectful position 8 overall in a massive effort coming from his home state in Western Australia!
Zack Hilder and De’argo Stewart were the youngest drivers to hit the track for the Patrizicorse team in Cadet 12. Hilder led the charge in qualifying coming inside the top 10 with Stewart just inside the top 10 and looked to drive his way forward. Both drivers moved forward across their Saturday heats with Hilder getting as high as position 6 and Stewart as high as position 9. Hilder started out of position 7 but had an unfortunate end to heat 3, finishing up on the side lines in lap 2. Stewart was able to finish the race coming home inside the top 15.
advertisement
Stewart put in a great drive in the final moving from position 15 inside the top 10 to be position 7 by the chequered flag. Hilder also drove the wheels off his Patrizicorse entry, coming from the rear of the field and making his way into the top 10 at the completion of the championship final!
Queensland state champion Xavier Avramides was the final driver to hit the track in KA4 Junior Light. Avramides qualified on the front row of the grid aboard the all new Ricciardo Kart AR28 junior kart and never left the top 3 on Saturday with a brilliant position 3 in heat 1 and position 2 in heat 2 in an epic battle for victory. Xavier backed up his fast start to the weekend with position 4 in heat 3. Avramides took the lead in the final and looked a huge chance for victory when a mid-race contact took him out of contention, robbing him of a potential City of Melbourne title!
Trent Mercer from Patrizicorse spoke post weekend on the teams weekend of racing. “Really good to be back racing in COM after 2 years of border closures for this event. We brought down a strong group of kids in the junior and mini classes, all the team competed well inside the top 5 amongst a very strong event with over 320 competitors.
“To enter Sunday with a chance to take out both junior classes and a strong showing in Mini we take a lot of positives from it.”
Patrizicorse will be back on circuit this weekend for the final round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship at the Newcastle Kart Club.
advertisement
