2025 Retro Nationals – KartSportNews

Retro Karting Australia’s 2025 National Championship was contested at Puckapunyal last weekend.

“It was another fabulous weekend of Retro karting from the Eastern Lions club in Puckapunyal” reported Kev ‘The Noise’ Davies.

“Over 70 entries contested the four classes offered and once again it was spectacular racing across all classes keeping spectators and crew alike on the edge of their seats.

Tough luck for Matt Wall, losing a wheel while leading the f100 final

“Conditions couldn’t have been much better with light winds, warm temps and no rain! The Saturday night dinner was also the presentation event for the Oceania series winners and a prize draw. Every member in attendance walked away with a new Retro Karting Australia tee, thanks to Ian at Copperhead.”

scroll to borrom for photo gallery
full results on Speedhive HERE
more race videos on The Noise YouTube channel HERE
more photos on Kev’s Faceboook HERE

F100

An ultra competitive field of 18 F100s took to the track and South Australian Nick Karavas fired the first shot taking pole position in qualifying. Matt Wall and Jason Pringle rounded out the top 3. Wall claimed the 2 heats and the pre-final while Pringle and Karavas swapped places throughout the heats with Karavas taking 2nd in the pre-final to secure a front row start.

Come the final, all the drama unfolded. Wall was in the lead early with Pringle 2nd but a mechanical issue ended Karavas’ run on lap 6, an unfortunate end to a very solid weekend. By half race distance drivers on the charge were Ryan Aitken who was up to 3rd (started 7th) and 4th was Andrew Riddell who started 17th after his kart ground to a hold in the pre-final. With 5 laps to go it was heartbreak for Wall with a wheel parting company and sending him into the gravel. This gave Pringle a commanding lead and wasn’t challenged to the chequered flag to take the win. Riddell carried on his charge getting up to 2nd, a huge drive from the rear of the grid while Aitken claimed 3rd. Paul Kendall in 5th was the Over 50s champion.

Clubman Light

Brothers Travis and Lucas Litchtenberger topped the timesheets in every session but were challenged throughout the weekend by defending champion Chris Sandrone and Mitch Martin. The final was a classic Puckapunyal Clubman race. Unfortunately, Sandrone was off the circuit and out early but the top 3 checked out with the brothers swapping places multiple times. Martin wanted in on the action as well, shadowing their every move and almost pulled off a move into 2nd place.

As the Litchtenbergers continued to throw moves on each other, another monster battle was unfolding for 4th between Matt Mahar, Ryan Bell, Robbie Reid and Mick Riley – Mahar went on to win this battle. Ultimately it was Lucas Litchtenberger who claimed the win over Travis with Martin taking 3rd. Robbie Reid’s sixth place made him the Over 50s champion.

Lucas Litchtenberger beats Travis Litchtenberger to the line with Mitch Martin third in Clubman Light

Clubman Heavy

South Australian Ryan Morgan put on a master class in Clubman Heavy taking pole position in qualifying and leading every lap of the weekend to claim the Australian #1 plate. Stephen Roffe challenged him in the first heat just falling short of the race win but would cross the line 4th in the final. After qualifying 5th and starting the final from 5th, defending champion Trevor Whitby made his way up to 2nd setting the fastest lap of the final but Morgan had well and truly cleared out by that stage. James Taylor rounded out the podium having not been out of the top 5 all weekend. Whitby was also the Over 50s champion.

Clubman Super Heavy

Defending champion David Musgrave was the man to beat this weekend taking a commanding pole position in qualifying and winning the first 2 heats. Many drivers had a crack at chasing him down including Andrew Cash, Keith Ford and Mathew Long but after the heats Musgrave had yet to be challenged. At the start of the pre-final the field got turned on its head with 6 drivers crashing out at turn 1 including Musgrave and Ford. Long went on to take the pre-final win to take pole for the final.

Despite starting 11th Musgrave was up to 3rd by the end of the first lap with Kurt Dickson in the lead. On lap 4 Musgrave took the lead but Ford, who also started down the order, moved up to 2nd by lap 5. The pair checked out and stayed around 3 kart lengths apart until the final lap when Ford got right onto Musgrave’s bumper. They had a drag race to the line but Musgrave kept his nose in front winning by 5 hundredths of a second! Mathew Long held onto 3rd from a fast finishing Bruce Otter who was the Over 50s champion.