Wet Winter Warrnambool VCS Round

by Andrew Hayes, AHR Media

The full set of weather conditions greeted competitors as they took on Round 3 of the DPE Kart Superstore Victorian Country Series over the weekend at the Warrnambool Kart Club in south west Victoria.

Saturday afternoon saw the majority of the racing events conducted in cold and wet conditions, whilst Sunday presented a wet track, but little rain. The track took a lot longer to dry than many expected, leading to many risky tyre choices in the changeover.

Damp track, Ryan Cook leads TaG 125 Heavy (pic – Darren’s Sportography)

Approximately 170 entries took to the 747m seaside circuit, with some phenomenally close results ensuing. Roll overs in Tag Restricted Light and Medium on Sunday slowed an otherwise smooth event, with organisers keeping the event moving nicely despite the conditions.

Full credit to the Warrnambool Kart Club who put on a great meeting.

full results on speedhive HERE
scroll to bottom for pic gallery
lots more photos on Darren’s Sportography HERE

KA3 SENIOR MEDIUM (11 Entries)

SA’s Matthew Nietz became the third different driver in three rounds to take a pole position in KA3 Senior Medium, stopping the clock in 34.099.

Perfectly showcasing the competition in the class, it was also three different winners in the heats, Nietz capatalising on his pole to win heat one. Series returnee Taine Venables claimed heat two, with Ben Mouritz doing the business in heat three.

Matthew Nietz heads the KA3 Senior Medium field (pic – Darren’s Sportography)

Mouritz took an early lead in the 16 lap final, and was never headed, edging away to a breakthrough 2.8 second victory. Zach Findlay had his best run of the weekend at the perfect time to claim second ahead of the ever present Nietz in third. Venables was prominent in fourth ahead of a rebounding Seth Burton in fifth.

1^st Ben Mouritz (OAK)
2^nd Zach Findlay (GKCV)
3^rd Matthew Nietz (GKCSA)

VIC COMBINED MASTERS (15 Entries)

Anthony Pethebridge proved that he is the king of qualifying in 2023, claiming a third consecutive pole position in Vic Combined Masters (34.283).

Pethebridge converted his pole into a heat one win, before Heath Jelbart put on a masterclass to win heat two. Jason Domaschenz made it three different winners from three heats by claiming heat three.

Vic Masters, Ron Taylor (92) ahead of Health Jelbart (14) (pic – Darren’s Sportography)

Domaschenz was the early leader in the final, and was still leading as the laps wound down. The race was soon to be turned on its head though, as a very aggressive attempted move from Peter Gigis for the lead ended the race of both he and Domaschenz. Pethebridge was the big benefactor as he streamed through to claim the victory, holding off Jelbart who was a strong second. Matt Crane claimed third after running there in the opening laps. Mark Heemskerk and Ron Taylor were home in fourth and fifth.

1^st Anthony Pethebridge (ELKC)
2^nd Heath Jelbart (BEN)
3^rd Matt Crane (HAM)

CADET 9 (6 Entries)

Cobden winner and Hamilton pole sitter Alana Gurney picked up where she left off in Cadet 9, taking another pole position (37.671) at Warrnambool.

Jarvis Hindle took the first heat win, before Gurney claimed the second and third encounters.

Hindle led the early laps of the final, before Gurney made the pass for the lead on lap 6. Unfortunately Gurney’s run came to an end on lap thirteen as she retired at the bottom of the hill. From there, it was all Hindle, as he romped away to a massive 9.5 second victory. Local lads Jaxon Boyle and Lawson Effingham had a day out, taking home silverware in second and third. VCS newcomers Logan Rethus and Luca Greene acquitted themselves well in fourth and fifth.

Cadet 9 winner, JArvis Hindle (pic – Darren’s Sportography)

1^st Jarvis Hindle (ELKC)
2^nd Jaxon Boyle (WBOOL)
3^rd Lawson Effingham (WBOOL)

KA3 JUNIOR LIGHT (19 Entries)

Another SA driver claiming pole position at Warrnambool was Noah Enright (33.709), claiming his second consecutive pole by just over two tenths.

Enright was rapid in the opening two heats and won them comfortably. He led the third until the final lap, where a mistake saw him overtaken by Mathew Basso, who went on to win.

There was plenty of chaos at the start of the final, Jayden Dellar setting the early pace. Basso ascended to the race lead by lap four, where he was joined by Enright who had dropped down the order on the opening lap after running off the track whilst leading. The two went to work in an entertaining encounter, until Basso went on a forced encounter across the grass on lap 13. From there Enright cruised to his second successive round win. Cooper Frith was amongst the action all weekend and was rewarded with second ahead of Dellar in third. Hudson Hughes and Xavier Cain rounded the top five.

1^st Noah Enright (SGKC)
2^nd Cooper Frith (OAK)
3^rd Jayden Dellar (BALL)

TAG LIGHT (18 Entries)

Less than a tenth separated the top five in TaG Light qualifying, and the driver at the top of the list was Matthew Domaschenz (32.360).

Domaschenz dominated the opening heat, before Ryan Morgan and Jaxon Johnstone split the second and third events.

SA’s Parker Scott led the opening lap of the final before Jaxon Johnstone made his move for the lead on lap two. Gunning for a third consecutive round win, Johnstone paced the field, coming under big pressure from Domenic Romeo in the closing stages. In the end it was Johnstone keeping his unbeaten run in finals going, ahead of the pacey Romeo in second. Morgan claimed third position, ahead of a recovering Domachenz and Scott in fourth and fifth.

1^st Jaxon Johnstone (WBOOL)
2^nd Domenic Romeo (GKCV)
3^rd Ryan Morgan (SGKC)

TAG RESTRICTED MEDIUM (17 Entries)

It was turning out to be a good day for the SA drivers, as Jack Ryan nailed down his second pole position of 2023 (34.393).

Max Lumsden was looking to convert his 2023 speed, and took wins in heats one and three. Jeremy Kiensrod finally had some luck in heat two and used it to claim the win.

Restricted Medium winner Max Lumsden leads Jack Ryan and Jeremy Kiensrod (pic – Darren’s Sportography)

Ryan and Lumsden went to war in the opening laps of the final, exchanging the lead on multiple occasions. By Lap 7, Lumsden was in the lead with Kiensrod moving into second behind him. A scary roll over for Chris Wright on Lap 9 would see the race declared, Lumsden claiming the breakthrough win he has threatened in the opening three rounds. Kiensrod claimed his best result for a long time in second, whilst Ryan had to settle for third. Darryl Henman and Hamilton winner Kobe Trigg completed the top five.

1^st Max Lumsden (SWKC)
2^nd Jeremy Kiensrod (WBOOL)
3^rd Jack Ryan (MGKC)

TAG RESTRICTED LIGHT (18 Entries)

Given his dominance in the class over the past 18 months, it was surprising that Spiros Anagnostopoulos hadn’t claimed a pole in 2023. Until he did the business in Warrnambool. (33.675).

Spiros was the man to beat in the heats, claiming all three, including the final heat which was shortened by a lap after a nasty roll over for Paul Creevey.

Andrew Sotiropoulos leads Restricted Light winner Spiros Anagnostopoulos (pic – Darren’s Sportography)

Spiros was sensational once again in the longer final, as he did not relax for a second as he cruised to his second round win of 2023. Max Marriner took three laps to ascend from sixth to second, a position he held until the finish. Andrew Sotiropoulos returned to the class after missing Hamilton and snared the trophy for third. Mitch Sires finished fourth after a 12 year hiatus from the VCS, ahead of Matthew Elliot in fifth.

1^st Spiros Anagnostopoulos (ELKC)
2^nd Max Marriner (BALL)
3^rd Andrew Sotiropoulos (OAK)

KA3 JUNIOR HEAVY (5 Entries)

A small field of Junior Heavies took to the Warrnambool track, and it was Mathew Basso who took pole (34.525) in his second appearance in the class for 2023.

Basso took three heat wins as he proved that he meant business in this class, despite also focusing on Junior Light.

Mathew Basso, 1st in Junior Heavy, here leading Chelsea Humphry, Harrison Duske and Mia Mifsud (pic – Darren’s Sportography)

Basso was untouchable once again in the final, as he cruised to a 10 second victory. A great battle ensued between Chelsea Humphrey and Tasmania’s Harrison Duske, the two racing hard for much of the race. Humphrey crossed the line second, but was relegated to third after front to rear contact on Duske’s kart on lap 13. Duske would reclaim second place, whilst Mia Mifsud and Thomas Motta were closely matched in fourth and fifth.

1^st Mathew Basso (OAK)
2^nd Harrison Duske (STKC)
3^rd Chelsea Humphrey (ELKC)

TAG HEAVY (11 Entries)

Hometown hero Ryan Cook had a point to prove and took the pole position in Tag Heavy (32.915) for the second year in a row.

Three different winners in three heats in this hotly contested class, as Cook, Adam King and Scott King all staked their claim to the top spot.

Cook and Scott King lined up on the front row and led the field to the start, with King getting the best of the run to turn one. From there he edged away to a 3 second victory, claiming his third consecutive round win. Cook and Nik Schmidt were very evenly matched, and duked it out for the distance, Cook prevailing for second, ahead of Schmidt in third. Fourth belonged to Adam King, whilst Aidan Solomon finally had a trouble free run for fifth.

Kings of TaG 125 Heavy – Adam (3) leading eventual winner Scott (4) (pic – Darren’s Sportography)

1^st Scott King (PORT)
2^nd Ryan Cook (WBOOL)
3^rd Nik Schmidt (BALL)

KA3 SENIOR LIGHT (19 Entries)

Riley George broke through for his maiden VCS pole position (33.670) as the top four was separated by less than a tenth.

James Snaith showed his hand in the opening two heat races, as he greeted the chequered flag on both occasions. George got back on top in a tight heat three.

KA3 Senior Light winner Brocklan Parker heads Georgia Morgan (2) (pic – Darren’s Sportography)

George paced the field for the opening section of the final, with a queue of karts following closely. By the middle of the race Brocklan Parker had made his way to the front, relegating George on lap 8. Parker’s pace was undeniable and he went on to claim his first senior VCS victory. George finished in second, remarkably for the fourth consecutive time, dating back to the final round at Ballarat in 2022. Snaith finished off his good work to get his first podium for the season in third. Thomas Patching and Angus Hall rounded out the top five runners.

1^st Brocklan Parker (PORT)
2^nd Riley George (ELKC)
3^rd James Snaith (OAK)

CADET 12 (21 Entries)

The Warrnambool circuit delivered another cracking qualifying session in Cadet 12 with the top four once again separated by less than a tenth. Blake Purvis topped the session, his 36.698 good enough for pole.

Purvis was on fire in the heats crossing the line first on all three occasions, however he was relegated post race in the third, elevating Xavier Mifsud to heat three winner.

Blake Purvis took out Cadet 12 (pic – Darren’s Sportography)

There was plenty of great racing in the Cadet 12 final, and right through the field. Once again it was Purvis showing his class, claiming his second consecutive round win. Mifsud was rock solid all weekend, and was rewarded with second ahead of Dominic Mercuri, who recovered from mechanical issues in heat two to finish third. Oscar Corless and Kurtis Polkinghorne were worthy top five competitors in fourth and fifth. Special mention to the drivers in positions eleven through to eighteen, who were in an epic battle for the full race distance for the minors.

1^st Blake Purvis (OAK)
2^nd Xavier Mifsud (BALL)
3^rd Dominic Mercuri (SGKC)

The DPE Kart Superstore Victorian Country Series heads north for Round 3 at the Wimmera Kart Racing Club on August 12/13 2023.