Thunder Thumps VCS Finale

words – Andrew Hayes, AHR Media
images – Brad McLaren, BPM Photography

The South West Kart Club hosted the final round of the DPE Kart Superstore Victorian Country Series in challenging conditions over the weekend.

Competitors arrived to find the pits already soaked, with the weather holding out for most of Saturday before a deluge changed the complexion of the second round of heats.

Wets on the karts, rain suits on the drivers! (all pics – BPM Photography)

Sunday Morning saw more rain, which was followed by thunder and lightning. The meeting was suspended for some time, and looked set to resume for Cadet 12, however a fork of lightning lit up the venue as they were on their roll around, suspending the meeting once more. The decision was eventually made to abandon the meeting, leaving plenty of sorting for series organisers and competitors alike.

215 Entries took to the Cobden circuit, many preparing for the Victorian State Cup in early December, when hopefully conditions are more favourable.

full results can be found on Speedhive
more images by BPM Photography – Friday HERE, Saturday HERE, Sunday HERE

Ryder Dahler (55) wheel to wheel with Zach Findlay, KA3 Senior Light

Here is the AHR Media rundown:

KA3 JUNIOR LIGHT (24 Entries)

Ballarat’s Archie Bristow continued his sizzling end to the 2025 VCS by backing up his Hamilton pole position with another at Cobden (43.329).

The heat races all saw a different result, with Bristow and Aiden Schweikert saluting on Saturday, before the Australasian champion Michael White claimed the Sunday morning race in terrible conditions. No Final was completed.

1^st Archie Bristow (BALL)
2^nd Michael White (OAK)
3^rd Aiden Schweikert (GKCV)

The 2024 VCS Champ Jai George made it back to back KA3JL series wins, his hot start and overall consistancy getting the better of a fast finishing Archie Bristow. Riley Gee showed huge potential on his way to third.

VCS:
1^st Jai George (GKCV)
2^nd Archie Bristow (BALL)
3^rd Riley Gee (WBOOL)
4^th Oscar Corless (ELKC)
5^th Austin McPherson (WBOOL)

TAG LIGHT (22 Entries)

Dallas Greene landed the first dagger in Tag Light, taking his third pole position (41.384) of 2025, after being fastest at Ballarat and Warrnambool.

The heat races saw Zach Findlay avenge a qualifying session which was tough by his standards, to absolutely dominate all three heat races. No Final was completed.

1^st Zach Findlay (GKCV)
2^nd Alexander Yoannidis (ELKC)
3^rd Dallas Greene (GKCV)

Despite Zach Findlay dominating the series with wins in four of the rounds, the points tally was tight. Findlay just overcoming his good mate Dallas Greene to be crowned Champion. Angus Hall was a hard earnt third place.

VCS:
1^st Zach Findlay (GKCV)
2^nd Dallas Greene (GKCV)
3^rd Angus Hall (OAK)
4^th Curt Sera (GIPP)
5^th Ryan Morgan (BAR)

TAG RESTRICTED MEDIUM (14 Entries)

SA star Paul Pittam had some added competition in Restricted Medium this weekend, but he stood tall at the pointy end of the session to take pole position (43.850).

Pittam was off and racing in Saturday’s heat races, winning both. When conditions soured on Sunday morning, Trent Meadows stepped up and denied Pittam a sweep, claiming the third heat in an enthralling battle. No Final was completed.

1^st Paul Pittam (SGKC)
2^nd Trent Meadows (ELKC)
3^rd Ella Dealy (GVKC)

Pittam had been the dominant force right through 2025, taking victory in all six rounds. He was also a comfortable winner in the overall pointscore. Ella Dealy and Phil Hobbs were both big improvers across the series to claim second and third.

VCS:
1^st Paul Pittam (SGKC)
2^nd Ella Dealy (GVKC)
3^rd Phil Hobbs (WIMM)
4^th Jeremy Kiensrod (WBOOL)
5^th Jamo Park (PORT)

KA3 JUNIOR HEAVY (23 Entries)

Fresh from his breakthrough VCS win at Hamilton, it was Lucas Rickard claiming pole position (43.771), his third of 2025.

There was no stopping Rickard on Saturday, as he steamed to back to back heat race wins. Sunday morning though, belonged to SA’s defending VCS champ Levi Jones, who was sublime in terrible conditions, claiming a fine third heat win. No Final was completed.

1^st Levi Jones (MGKC)
2^nd Lucas Rickard (GKCV)
3^rd Chelsea Humphrey (ELKC)

After finishing second in 2024, it was Chelsea Humphrey who was crowned as the 2025 Victorian Country Series Champion. Humphrey winning by a tiny points margin over Lucas Rickard. Rickard was fast all season in second, ahead of the 2024 champ, Levi Jones in third.

VCS:
1^st Chelsea Humphrey (ELKC)
2^nd Lucas Rickard (GKCV)
3^rd Levi Jones (MGKC)
4^th Sam Spiteri (BAR)
5^th Jake Ristell (OAK)

TAG RESTRICTED LIGHT (25 Entries)

It was tight at the top of Restricted Light qualifying as the top four were separated by less than a tenth, Madi Bickerton showing the way with her maiden VCS pole position (43.063).

Bickerton paced the field in both heats on Saturday, claiming two impressive wins, her first in VCS competition. Sunday morning’s heat saw Ryan Dealy storm to the lead and win by a dominant 4.1 seconds over Bickerton. No Final was completed.

1^st Madi Bickerton (GKCV)
2^nd Ryan Dealy (GVKC)
3^rd Ash Johnston (BALL)

Ryan Dealy was a comfortable winner on the Restricted Light pointscore, taking his first VCS championship. The often speedy Josh White claimed second in his first season in seniors, ahead of final round winner, Madi Bickerton in third.

VCS:
1^st Ryan Dealy (GVKC)
2^nd Josh White (GKCV)
3^rd Madi Bickerton (GKCV)
4^th Ash Johnston (BALL)
5^th Chelsea Jones (BAR)

TAG HEAVY (17 Entries)

There was a sense of déjà vu in Tag Heavy in Cobden as former local driver Max Lumsden joined the field, and again upstaged the series heavy weights to claim pole position (42.145), just like he did in 2024.

Lumsden again took care of business with back to back heat wins, capping off a fine Saturday. Also returning was former series front runner, Billy Westerveld and he revelled in the rain to claim the third heat win on Sunday Morning. No Final was completed.

1^st Max Lumsden (GKCV)
2^nd Ben Mouritz (BALL)
3^rd Scott King (PORT)

Scott King once again he proved that he is the King of Tag Heavy in VCS by claiming another championship. Ben Mouritz proved a headache for King in second and will be one to watch in 2026. Adam King rounded the podium after doing all six rounds in 2025.

VCS:
1^st Scott King (PORT)
2^nd Ben Mouritz (BALL)
3^rd Adam King (PORT)
4^th Peter Hollings (BALL)
5^th Luke Fong (BALL)

CADET 12 (18 Entries)

Portland’s Beau Chambers was the latest driver to add to his pole position tally (46.068), adding a third to his collection for 2025.

Sammy Jansen Van Vuuren announced his arrival at Cobden by claiming both of the heat races on Saturday, having the measure of the other competitors. Cadet 12 was on track for their heat 3 roll around laps when a huge flash of lightning lit up the circuit, drivers promptly sent back to the pits. It would ultimately be the final on track action before the meeting was abandoned. No Final was completed.

1^st Sammy Jansen Van Vuuren (OAK)
2^nd Hudson Kelly (OAK)
3^rd Beau Chambers (PORT)

The 2024 Cadet 9 Champion Beau Chambers stepped up to do the double, taking out the 2025 Cadet 12 Championship! Alana Gurney fought hard, taking two wins on her way to second, ahead of a breakout season for Sam Barling, finishing third despite graduating to juniors for the final round.

VCS:
1^st Beau Chambers (PORT)
2^nd Alana Gurney (OAK)
3^rd Sam Barling (WBOOL)
4^th Ethan Turnbull (GKCV)
5^th Emmanuel Mistriotis (OAK)

KA3 SENIOR LIGHT (24 Entries)

KA3 Senior Light qualifying saw some fresh faces up front, and laying down a big lap to claim his first VCS pole position (43.014) was Imran Aly.

Aly went on with it to take the honours in the opening heat, before the top two positions were reversed in the second, Zach Findlay taking a narrow win this time round. No final was completed.

1^st Zach Findlay (GKCV)
2^nd Imran Aly (GKCV)
3^rd Ari Seidel (GKCV)

By virtue of a final round countback, Zach Findlay completed the perfect season by winning all six rounds on his way to claiming the KA3 Light VCS championship, 12 months after he claimed the medium division. Dallas Greene was consistently up front on his way to second, ahead of SA’s Mitch Burgemeister in third.

VCS:
1^st Zach Findlay (GKCV)
2^nd Dallas Greene (GKCV)
3^rd Mitch Burgemeister (SGKC)
4^th Brocklan Parker (PORT)
5^th Imran Aly (GKCV)

CADET 9 (17 Entries)

Zac Duynhoven has racked up pole positions in 2025, so it was fitting he took pole (47.322) at his home track, his fourth of the year.

Duynhoven was off to the races in the opening heat, taking the win by 1.8 seconds. A deluge of rain at the start of the second heat led to an incredible NINE DNF’s, but a rainmaster was born as Alfi Lucchetti mastered the treacherous conditions to record a memorable first VCS heat win. No Final was completed.

1^st Jonathon Testa (GKCV)
2^nd Jack Morrell (BEN)
3 Zac Duynhoven (SWEST)

Zac Duynhoven was consistently the class of the field in C9 in 2025, and was crowned as VCS Champion. Jax Wortley was hugely improved on his way to second place, finishing ahead of Warrnambool winner Max King in third.

VCS:
1^st Zac Duynhoven (SWEST)
2^nd Jax Wortley (ELKC)
3^rd Max King (GKCSA)
4^th Ben Henman (ELKC)
5^th Jonathon Testa (GKCV)

VICTORIAN COMBINED MASTERS (17 Entries)

The Master from Horsham has had a stranglehold on the Masters class all season, and he managed to claim a fifth pole position (43.635) of 2025.

Luciani had the measure of his competitors to take a narrow victory in the opening heat, before turning up the wick in wet conditions to add heat two to his collection. No Final was completed.

1^st Remo Luciani (WIMM)
2^nd Ash Mitchell (MILD)
3^rd Phil Smith (GKCV)

Remo Luciani was the benchmark all season and was crowned as the VCS Masters champion, his first in Masters after several in KA3 Senior Medium. Ash Mitchell was often the biggest challenger on his way to second, ahead of the returning Phil Smith in third.

VCS:
1^st Remo Luciani (WIMM)
2^nd Ash Mitchell (MILD)
3^rd Phil Smith (GKCV)
4^th Leon Forrest (WIMM)
5^th Matt Crane (HAM)

KA3 SENIOR MEDIUM (7 Entries)

A better field of KA3 Medium took to the Cobden circuit, and when the clock stopped it was Brocklan Parker who was fastest. But he would be over maximum kart weight, so Jarrod Bottomley inherited the pole (43.796).

Bottomley went the distance in the opening heat, taking a narrow heat win. Parker worked his way back into contention by winning the second heat. No Final was completed.

1^st Brocklan Parker (PORT)
2^nd Jarrod Bottomley (ELKC)
3^rd Ryan Dealy (GVKC)

VCS: KA3 SENIOR MEDIUM was not eligible for Prizes and Trophies as it did not meet the minimum entry requirement of 6 karts at a minimum 5 of 6 rounds. No Series Champion.

TAG RESTRICTED HEAVY (7 Entries)

The Current Victorian State Cup champion Trent Meadows struck first in Restricted Heavy by claiming pole position (44.854).

Jett Rendell was the opening heat race winner, crossing the line 1.5 seconds clear. When the rain hit, Aaron Jackson proved unstoppable as he sped to victory, his first heat win of 2025. No Final was completed.

VCS: TAG RESTRICTED HEAVY was not eligible for Trophies as it did not meet the minimum entry requirement of 6 karts at a minimum 5 of 6 rounds. Partial Prizes awarded, No Series Champion.