Energy Corse Australia looked to finish their 2023 SP Tools Australian Kart Championship at the recent final round at the Go Kart Club of Victoria. 12 drivers across 6 different classes donned the red, white, and blue Energy Corse Australia colours, with Cadet 12 superstar looking for championship gold and former national champion Ky Burke looking to take 3rd in the premier KA2 Junior class.
Burke was the sole driver in the KA2 Junior class for the Energy Corse Australia team and he started with a bang, qualifying on the front row in position 2! Ky was able to put in 4 blistering heat performances with 3 victories and a 2nd, putting him off pole position for the all-important championship decider.
Burke put in another stellar performance crossing the line in position 1 but in absolute heart break received a 10 second post-race penalty for a restart infringement. Ky was classified in position 9 overall and just a whisker off 3rd in the championship standings. Burke after a brilliant 2023 season will be back in 2024 to try and take his 2nd Australian Kart Championship!
Cadet 12 had a 4-driver attack in state champion and championship round winner Lana Flack, championship podium place getter Jack Larsen, Caylen Burke and Joel Blackman. In a near 70 driver field Flack and Larsen both put in strong performances in qualifying inside the top 15 in position 13 and 15 respectively. Burke and Blackman were a little bit down the order in position 41 and 59 and were looking to move their way forward.
Flack led the way in the heat races coming away with 4 top 10 finishes and was going into the final still in the hunt to be Australian champion. Both Larsen and Burke were racing hard inside the top 15, with Blackman battling on the edge of the top 20 in the split heat races.
Flack put in the fight of her life in the championship final but in gut wrenching circumstances came away in position 10 overall which landed her in 2nd position overall in the championship. Larsen finished just outside the top 20 in position 24 while Burke and Blackman both just missed the final outside the top 36. Flack came away with 2nd in the championship put but in another breakout season with podiums in the opening 2 rounds, victory at round 3 at Newcastle and being the first 2-time Ladies trophy winner!
Joel Jamieson was another single driver attack for Energy Corse Australia, this time in the KA3 Senior category. Jamieson didn’t quite have the pace in qualifying landing in position 25 but went to work in his heat races. Jamieson was able to come away with 3 brilliant top 10 finishes with 5th in heat 4, 7th in heat 2 and 8th in heat 1.
Joel started out of position 12 in the final but was unfortunately involved in an opening lap incident. After dropping to the rear of the field, Jamieson was able to charge his way back up into the top 20 to come home in position 19 overall!
The youngest field in the championship, Cadet 9, had a triple Energy Corse presence in Paige, April and Chelsea Flack. All 3 drivers qualified inside the top 20 with April in position 11, Chelsea in position 16 and Paige in position 17. Chelsea and Paige were both able to make their way into the top 10 with a 6th and 9th for Chelsea and 8th and 9th for Paige. April had a tough DNF in heat 1 which had her on the edge of the top 10 results.
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Paige led the way in the final coming home in position 10, with April and Chelsea not far behind in position 12 and 13 respectively.
KA3 Junior had a double driver Energy Corse Australia presence in Annabel Kennedy and Luca Wasley. Kennedy and Wasley both stopped the clock just outside the top 20 in qualifying in position 24 and 28 overall. Kennedy worked inside the top 15 and on the edge of the top 10 in all 3 of the opening heats before a brilliant 8th in heat 4. Wasley was on the edge of the top 15 in all heats with position 11 in heat 3 the standout race.
Both drivers were able to make the super competitive championship finale. Both drivers raced hard and came home inside the top 25 in position 23 and 25 respectively.
2022 KA2 Junior championship runner up Toby Dvorak made his move to the senior ranks and debut in the premier KZ2 gearbox category. Dvorak put in a stellar opening qualifying session inside the top 10 in position 8 overall.
Toby had mixed opening heats with an 11th in the opening heat but a DNF result in heat 2. Dvorak moved forward to position 16 and 14 in the next 2 heats before a rewarding top 15 finish in the championship final! Dvorak will be a driver to watch in the 2024 ranks.
Team owner / manager Cian Fothergill spoke post weekend on the up and down weekend in Melbourne. “It was a tough weekend for our crew. Hats off to Lana, she put in an amazing 2023 championship. To come away in 2nd is tough but I’m super proud of her and look forward to having another crack in 2024.
“Ky put in a near perfect weekend with a small restart mistake costing him victory and 3rd in the championship. We know we’ve got the pace in KA2 and we’ll be back to have another crack next year.
“The whole team continues to develop across all classes and we look forward to the remainder of season 2023”.
Fothergill and his Energy Corse Australia team will be looking for a bigger and better 2024 SP Tools Australian Kart Championship campaign!
- pics – Pace Images
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