South Pacific Titles Revived

Orange Kart Club’s highly anticipated South Pacific Titles made a triumphant return across the weekend, marking the revival of a long-standing event with an electrifying weekend of racing.

• scroll to the bottom for extra pics
• lots more photos by Nic Pic NSW: around the pits HERE, track shots HERE, Presentations HERE and HERE.

Club President Matt Hayes expressed his excitement, saying, “This event has been a long time coming, and it’s fantastic to see Orange Kart Club pushing karting into an exciting new era.”

After struggling with low entry numbers in recent years, the club was thrilled to welcome 73 competitors across nine classes, proving that karting’s competitive spirit in the region is well and truly alive.

Adding to the excitement was the club’s first-ever $10,000 prize pool, featuring cash, tyres, and two highly sought-after MyChron 6 systems – a milestone moment that sets the stage for even bigger events in the future.

The South Pacific Titles has deep roots in Australian motorsport, originating as a road racing event at Gnoo Blas from 1955 to 1959. In the 1970s, Max Stewart secured the rights to the event name for Orange Kart Club, cementing it as a staple in the club’s racing calendar.

With perfect weather and a pristine track, the weekend delivered edge-of-your-seat racing across all categories.

4SS Heavy saw an intense sibling showdown between the Dickson brothers, Kurt and Brent, who qualified first and second using a clever slipstream strategy. Their long-standing rivalry escalated in the final, with Kurt emerging victorious—and claiming a coveted bottle of four-stroke oil as his prize.

The Junior Light class featured a nail-biting duel between Noah Taylor and Bobby Burns, with Burns executing a dramatic last-lap pass at Sweeper to clinch second place behind dominant winner Chase Milton.

Rookie racers stole the spotlight with an electrifying three-way battle between Raffi Davis, Max Goodman, and Stanley Drooger, separated by just half a tenth for most of the weekend. In a landmark moment, Davis secured his first-ever win, making for an unforgettable celebration.

In TaG Restricted Mid, Chris Goodman, Richard Drooger, and Jeff Cooper delivered relentless action. Goodman pulled off a brilliant move in the pre-final and carried that momentum into the final, securing a dominant win over Drooger.

The Novice class provided excitement at both ends of the field. Veyron Yuen and Zade Hamilton fought fiercely at the front, with Yuen taking the win. Meanwhile, P-platers Finn Hutchison and Brandon Cleary engaged in a gripping contest at the back, with Cleary making numerous attempts to pass but ultimately falling just short.

4SS Mid delivered its usual brand of high-intensity racing, with a thrilling multi-lap battle between Ross Jones and Andy Sandlin, allowing Michael Micallef to close the gap by the final laps. However, Jones held firm to take the win, followed closely by Sandlin and Micallef.

Junior Heavy was all about homegrown talent, with George Miles, Jordan Robinson, and Jack Morgan repeating their impressive form from the heats into the pre-final and final. With Miles and Robinson racing on home turf, the victory was even sweeter.

The event concluded with Senior Performance Mid, where local favourites Anthony Gaeta and Jack Hayes engaged in a hard-fought battle for the win, with Gaeta emerging on top. Further back, Luke Ilic and Lewis Gurney fought tooth-and-nail for third place, with Ilic sealing the podium finish despite picking up an injury along the way.

The Orange Kart Club extends a huge thank you to all competitors, sponsors, officials, and volunteers who made the weekend a resounding success. With planning already underway for the 2026 event, the club encourages racers and fans alike to mark it as a must-do on their calendars.

If this year was anything to go by, the South Pacific Titles is well and truly back – and the future of karting at Orange Kart Club has never looked brighter.

Video of presentations

RESULTS

Novices presented by Elite Driver Academy
1^st: Veyron Yuen
2^nd: Zade Hamilton
3^rd : Elijah Guetaya

Rookies presented by A1 Auto Parts and Paint Supplies
1^st: Raffi Davis
2^nd: Stanley Drooger
3^rd: Nate Robinson

Junior Light presented by Burcher EFI and Service Centre
1^st: Chase Milton
2^nd: Bobby Burns
3^rd: Noah Taylor

Junior Heavy presented by KDC Concrete Pumping
1^st: George Miles
2^nd: Jordan Robinson
3^rd: Jack Morgan

Senior Performance Mid presented by KDC Concrete Pumping
1^st: Anthony Gaeta
2^nd: Jack Hayes
3^rd: Luka Ilic

TaG Restricted Mid presented by GB Auto
1^st: Chris Goodman
2^nd: Richard Drooger
3^rd: Jeffrey Cooper

4SS Light presented by Orange Real Estate
1^st: Jack Hayes
2^nd: Ryan Parkinson
3^rd: Shih-Hung Lee

4SS Mid presented by Ben’s Auto Repairs and Service Centre
1^st: Ross Jones
2^nd: Andy Sandlin
3^rd: Michael Micallef

4SS Heavy presented by Dominos Pizza Orange
1^st: Kurt Dickson
2^nd: Brent Dickson
3^rd: Lloyd Hamblin

all pics – NicPicNSW