Vic Country Series Round 4

words – Andrew Hayes, AHR Media
images supplied by – Darren Isaac, Darren’s Sportography

The Warrnambool Kart Club has hosted Round 4 of the DPE Kart Superstore Victorian Country Series at its Lake Gillear circuit over the weekend.

134 entries took to the seaside track, with mixed weather conditions.

full results on Speedhive HERE
scroll to botom for photo gallery
more photos on Darren’s Sportography Facebook HERE

Saturday’s proceedings were held in beautiful sunshine, before a bit of everything on Sunday, starting and finishing in the wet, with sunshine in between.

It was a weekend of entertaining racing, and great achievements, here’s the rundown:

VIC COMBINED MASTERS (10 Entries)

For the fourth consecutive round, a new pole winner was crowned in Masters. Already a two time round winner in 2024, Neil Mcauley powered to his first pole of 2024 (34.384).

Mcauley continued his rich vein of form in the heats, out pacing his rivals in each encounter, despite being constantly shadowed by Heath Jelbart.

The final loomed as Jelbart’s chance to overhaul Mcauley, but the veteran had other ideas as he continued to put together a stellar season. Mcauley simply too consistent and clean, not giving Jelbart any opportunities. Mcauley the winner, Jelbart home second. The battle for third was intense as Mark Heemskerk and Leon Forrest went at it. The pair ruffled each other in the heats, and whilst Heemskerk started the better of the pair, it was Forrest finding form to land in third on the podium. Heemskerk settling for fourth ahead of Andrew Moore in fifth.

1^st Neil Mcauley (ELKC)
2^nd Heath Jelbart (BEN)
3^rd Leon Forrest (WIMM)

CADET 9 (8 Entries)

After finding the podium in the previous round at Portland, a huge pole achievement came for the quickly emerging Jonathan Testa (37.675) in Cadet 9 qualifying.

When the heat racing started it was the recently crowned NT State Champion Beau Chambers who took control of proceedings, winning all three editions, despite one of the races of the weekend against Testa in one of the Saturday heats.

Chambers came out breathing fire in the final, and remarkably took his first VCS round win in a comprehensive performance, winning by 4.8 seconds. Zac Ismaili had some serious pace throughout the weekend, and harnessed it in the final to take a fine second, just three rounds after taking the encouragement award at Cobden. Testa didn’t have the pace to match the top two in the final, but banked another third place and a heap of important points. Gemma Phillips and Leo Waters rounded out the top five.

1^st Beau Chambers (PORT)
2^nd Zac Ismaili (OAK)
3^rd Jonathon Testa (GKCV)

KA3 JUNIOR LIGHT (17 Entries)

Jai George has been running hot in KA3 Junior Light, winning the previous two rounds, also taking pole at the first of those wins in Ballarat. It would by pole again (33.320) for the hungry George at the undulating Warrnambool track.

The heat races were hotly contested, with multiple drivers taking turns at the front, but in the end it was George who showed class to always rise to the top when it mattered, winning each heat.

George led the field to the starting line, and proceeded to lead the opening section of the race. As an entertaining battle for second between Hudson Hughes and Aiden Schweikert heated up, it released George to build a handy little buffer, on that he never relinquished. A hat trick of round wins for the number 47 driver. Schweikert would eventually prevail for second over Hughes, the pair having been in close proximity all weekend. Xavier Cain stormed from tenth to fourth at the flag, followed home by Riley Gee in fifth.

1^st Jai George (ELKC)
2^nd Aiden Schweikert (OAK)
3^rd Hudson Hughes (OAK)

TAG LIGHT (10 Entries)

Following on from a podium at the previous round at Portland, Warrnambool’s own Jay Coul claimed a strong pole position (32.304) on return to his home circuit.

Coul prevailed in the opening two heats, using his ROK engine to his advantage, before Ryan Morgan took the chocolates in the third event.

Heartbreak for Coul at the start of the final, the polesitter failing to leave the grid as his engine would not fire. This opened up the field as they set of on the 15 lap distance. Dallas Greene and Ryan Morgan took the reigns early as Dave Menzel and Curt Sera came together, leaving two podium contenders playing catch up. Greene eventually got the better of Morgan to claim the win, however the positions were reversed as stewards served a starting infringement on Greene. Morgan now the winner, Greene home in second. Sera drove an epic recovery drive to eventually pass Andrew Rae for third with three laps remaining. Rae had a solid weekend to finish fourth, ahead of Greg Dunmore who saved his best for the final.

1^st Ryan Morgan (SGKC)
2^nd Dallas Greene (GKCV)
3^rd Curt Sera (GIPP)

TAG RESTRICTED MEDIUM (13 Entries)

The Sot, Andrew Sotiropoulos has been perfect in 2024, and he added a fourth consecutive pole (34.069) to his growing collection in Restricted Medium.

The perfect scorecard is difficult to keep, and only gets harder the deeper you get into the season, and whilst The Sot won the first and third challenges, it was Jackson Hodgetts breaking his perfect run. Hodgetts was super fast and causing some headaches for the Sot after some great racing right through the field in the heats.

The final was poised to deliver an epic race and did not fail to entertain. Sotiropoulos led early, with Hodgetts snatching the lead just after the mid point, although Sot made the move right back the lap after. Jack Ryan came hard in the late stages, and held the lead for a couple of laps at the business end. But in the end it was Sotiropoulos leading when it mattered to keep his perfect win rate up in 2024. Ryan crossed the line second, but was hit with a post race penalty, promoting Ben Peverill to second after a stellar drive in the final. Jono McKean would claim the final spot on the podium over Hodgetts, ironically after the two came together late in the race costing them both a chance at home victory. Grady Hutchesson completed the top five.

1^st Andrew Sotiropoulos (OAK)
2^nd Ben Peverill (BALL)
3^rd Jono McKean (WBOOL)

KA3 SENIOR MEDIUM (10 Entries)

Since moving to KA3 Senior Medium Spiros Anagnostopoulos has threatened to pull off a big result in VCS competition, and Pole Position (33.807) at Warrnambool was the breakthrough the multiple series champion was looking for.

Zach Findlay emerged as the man to beat in the opening heat, as he continued his dazzling run from previous rounds. Ben Mouritz was victorious in the wet heat two, before Findlay regained the top spot in the third and final heat.

The final started with Mouritz pacing the field before things got crazy as changing conditions shook up the field. After Spiros briefly peaked in the lead, it was Warrnambool’s Seth Burton who steadied at the front and looked to run away with the race. But Spiros showed his never say die attitude, despite sitting fifth after the halfway point, storming to the race lead late, driving a superb charge to a fine victory! Burton nabbed another podium for Warrnambool in second after getting better and better all weekend. Matthew Nietz claimed the final podium spot after being thereabouts throughout the weekend. Findlay would have been disappointed with fourth, but still a solid points haul, ahead of Robbie Turmine, who drove maturely for fifth.

1^st Spiros Anagnostopoulos (ELKC)
2^nd Seth Burton (WBOOL)
3^rd Matthew Nietz (GKCSA)

KA3 JUNIOR HEAVY (15 Entries)

A couple of fast young South Aussie drivers duked it out for supremacy in Junior heavy qualifying, with Levi Jones (34.073) prevailing to grab a close pole over Sam Spiteri.

Jones was at his best in the heats, winning each encounter comfortably, including an incident packed third heat which required several laps under yellow lights.

Jones was all class again in the final, as he led every lap on his way to a third round win in 2024. But it was the spirited chase by Jake Ristell that kept Jones honest, as Ristell got as close as anyone all weekend. Ristell is a big improver, and is a podium contender each round at the moment. Josh White drove well all weekend to collect his best finish of the season, a third place podium finish. Spiteri was made to fight to finish fourth, ahead of impressive local Kelly Carman in fifth.

1^st Levi Jones (MGKC)
2^nd Jake Ristell (OAK)
3^rd Josh White (BALL)

TAG RESTRICTED LIGHT (8 Entries)

The top four drivers in Restricted Light were covered by less than a tenth in qualifying, and taking a career first VCS pole was Ballarat’s Ash Johnston (33.513).

Max Fahey drove superbly in the heats and had three consecutive wins in sight, taking two of them, the other was snatched by Ben Kilsby with some last lap heroics.

Not for the first time for the day, there was more heartbreak to come in the final, as polesitter Fahey lost a wheel on the warm up lap, leaving him stranded at the top of the hill to spectate the final. From there it was Ben Kilsby who made all the running, but closely shadowed by Jakub Fitzsimmons. Kilsby eventually broke clear to win his first VCS round win since making his return to the sport, and also coming on the back of his SA Open triumph. Fitzsimmons was a contender all weekend, and he was thoroughly deserving of his second place. Jacob Dowlin was out of sorts by his standards, but came up with his best run of the weekend when it counted to finish third. Dion Antipas and Ollie Murphy finished in fourth and fifth.

1^st Ben Kilsby (PORT)
2^nd Jakub Fitzsimmons (WBOOL)
3^rd Jacob Dowlin (WBOOL)

TAG HEAVY (12 Entries)

Scott King had a point to prove after missing the podium at his home round, and he made it by claiming pole (32.890) by less than two hundredths over Aidan Soloman.

King was victorious in the first and last heat races, however it was a storming drive from Aidan Solomon that netted a heat two win, after gambling on slicks. A race that had the crowd on their feet.

As rain started to fall for the final, that word, Heartbreak popped up again. Starting from third and the only driver on new wets, Aidan Solomon was cruelled of a start with engine issues. The race started with many drivers on destroyed wets from heat two. Three laps in, and both the King brothers were back in the pits and out of contention. Ryan Cook took some getting going across the weekend, and come final time he was dynamite. His tyre condition was good, and he used it to perfect effect to grab a win at his home track, his second for the year. Nathan Rosenzweig was also on song in the final, and continued his improved pace to finish in second. Tag Heavy debutant Daniel Malcolm put in the drive of his life to take third, a result only made possible by his brothers unavailability for the weekend. Hopefully he stays in the class. Zach Morris and Ray Dumesny were next home in fourth and fifth.

1^st Ryan Cook (WBOOL)
2^nd Nathan Rosenzweig (GKCSA)
3^rd Daniel Malcolm (BALL)

CADET 12 (18 Entries)

Fresh from her international experience, Alana Gurney used her experience to claim a definitive pole position (36.487) in Cadet 12.

Kurtis Polkinghorne struck first in the opening heat to take the win, followed by two wins for Gurney. Heat one included a big rollover for Jaxon Boyle, who took no further part in the weekend’s proceedings.

Gurney and Polkinghorne renewed hostilities in the final, and ran nose to tail lap after lap. Polkinghorne was patient, and pounced on the final lap to snatch the victory from Gurney. A great race from the pair, and a big recovery from Polkinghorne who failed to finish heat three. Rossi Yau and Kasey Waters had a big battle for the final spot on the podium, and it came right down to the wire, with Yau prevailing for his second third place in as many rounds. Waters was gallant in fourth and surely a podium isn’t far away. Michael Mistriotis raced well to finish in fifth.

1^st Kurtis Polkinghorne (BALL)
2^nd Alana Gurney (OAK)
3^rd Rossi Yau (ELKC)

KA3 SENIOR LIGHT (13 Entries)

Tasmania’s Zane Wyatt was a welcome addition to the Senior Light field, and he certainly made the class take notice by storming to pole (33.227).

Dylan Hollis continued to rack up heat wins by claiming the first run, before Brocklan Parker stamped his name on the second and third. The win in the second heat came with a dramatic finish, Parker only taking the lead with a three wide move in sight of the line. Parker set the fastest lap in each heat to validate his results.

Conditions were miserable at the start of the final, and it was Parker who led the field through the early laps. Tasmanian Wyatt warmed to the conditions and took the top spot mid way through the 16 lap final, and stretched the margin to take a first up VCS win. Dallas Greene came on strong to snatch second from Parker on the final circulation, a result that culminated in an entertaining drag to the finish line. Akasha Mceachran drove one of the most impressive finals of the day, coming from thirteenth and last to finish fourth with the fastest lap of the race in a solid field. Dylan Sotiropoulos found the secret sauce in the final, running his best race of the weekend for fifth.

1^st Zane Wyatt (LKC)
2^nd Dallas Greene (GKCV)
3^rd Brocklan Parker (PORT)