by Matt Payne, Acclaim Media
Port Macquarie Kart Club has hosted the highly successful Dee Vine Estate Wines Karting Australia New South Wales Karting Title, presented by Port Macquarie Hastings Council with a number of well known and new winners now counting themselves as State Champions.
Nearly 300 competitors from every state and territory around Australia descended on the Mid-North Coast seaside town for the event. Throughout the course of the event week, it is estimated that around $1 million had been invested in the town, which has been lauded as the biggest motorsport event ever held in the area.
- full results are on Speedhive HERE
- On-demand video from both days on mysportlive HERE or just watch the Finals HERE (requires subscription)
- lots more photos by Pace Images – Friday HERE, Saturday HERE, Sunday HERE
After isolated showers during practice and heat racing, the weather fined for finals that generated some tremendous racing.
Sydney-sider, Liam Carr took his first major KA2 junior victory. After a tough weekend in the wet, the dry weather conditions suited Carr and he was able to work his way through the field, ultimately mowing down race long leader, Ayrton Dalmaso to take the State Championship win. Hamish Campbell – who yesterday had a mechanical failure in sight of the finish line in heat two – worked his way forward to claim the final podium position in the latter stages of the race.
Newcastle racer, Logan Lalas became a first time State Champion in KA3 Junior Heavy. He withstood a race long battle with Joel Lammers to walk away with the Blue Plate after starting on the pole position. Queenslander, Ky Burke ended up third.
In his KZ2 Gearbox debut event, former junior star, Isaac Demellweek emerged Champion post race. Wollongong racer Matt Parker was second while it was disaster for Scott Chaston. Chasten had won the race dominantly, however a post race bodywork infringement dropped him to third.
CRG driver, Tyler Howard took an emotional win for TF Racing in TaG Light. It was a four way fight between several of the top Sydney teams – ultimately emerging the way of Howard. Zac Heard pushed through for second for TWM and Oscar Priest – who won all of the heat races completed the podium for Top Gun Racing.
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Perennial front-runner, Max Walton emerged on top in KA3 Senior taking a strong victory continuing his good form in the category. He led from the pole position. Finishing second in his first senior race was Ayce Buckley. Buckley – who won two junior state Championships in South Australia after Christian Estasy received a post-race penalty. Will Thompson ended up third – like Buckley only fresh into senior competition.
Thomas Williams grabbed another State Title in TaG Restricted Light in solid fashion taking the win over Queenslander Robert Mortensen with veteran ACT racer, Tim Monte.
Kel Goesch added to his 2024 State Title tally with the win in TaG Restricted Medium. He got home in front of Gaven Whitmore and Dakoda Daniels.
Former Australian Champion, Jace Matthews won the X30 category after a strong fight to get to the front. He beat home Will Thompson who scored a double podium for Nick Percat’s BirelART by JND squad with double Junior Australian Champion, Isaac McNeill scoring third on Senior debut.
Jackson Souslin-Harlow added to his 23 state titles by taking a narrow victory in TaG 125 Heavy. In completing a veteran podium, multiple Australian Champion, Matthew Waters finished second and Reece Cohen ended up third.
Young Queenslander, Jye Flynn grabbed KA3 Junior Light winning by 1.4 seconds over Braxton Regan. The race for third was a battle royal with around five karts fighting it out. Ultimately, Ryan Reid withstood some extraordinary pressure to claim the final step on the podium over Paddy Buckley and Riley Harrison.
In Cadet 9, a fair amount of the field succumbed to a rain squall that hit two laps into the final while all were on dry weather tyres. Dominic Lorimer was able to drive well beyond his years to win the youngest category on the State Title bill, taking a solid win over Luke Robinson and Cooper Djemil.
In Cadet 12 – Koda Singh got his first State Title in the category in the closest finish of the weekend – getting home by 56 one-thousandths of a second in a six kart race that was decided on the exit of the last corner. Hunter Pearce had an epic Sunday to come home in the second position with Jensen Damaschino ending the final in third.
Ultimately, the Dee Vine Estate Karting Australia NSW State Championships, presented by Port Macquarie Hastings Council proved to be an incredible success and has created a strong mark on the sport on the mid-North Coast of New South Wales.
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