From Bitumen To Dirt For Sydney Karting Pair
| AKA media | 23 August 2013 |
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Sydney teenagers Michael Saller (Windsor, NSW) and Jaie Robson (Oatley, NSW) are setting their sights on a pair of National Championships with a difference over the coming weeks.
The karting pair will be lining up next weekend at the 2013 Rotax Nationals in Puckapunyal, Victoria (August 31/September 1) on the bitumen surface, before turning their hand to the dirt track style of karting for the Australian Speedway Titles in Sydney the following weekend.
Saller spent the majority of his junior career on the dirt track before moving to the intense sprint kart competition several years ago, on the other hand Robson has spent his career cutting his teeth on the bitumen before recently trying the speedway style of racing.
Above: Michael Saller on his way to victory in the NSW Speedway Kart Titles
(Pic: Trish Evenden)
“While I enjoy bitumen racing, speedway has a special place in my heart and I’ll be putting everything in to successfully defending my Clubman Heavy Australian Title,” said Saller who is a three-time State and the reigning National Speedway Kart Champion.
“Along with my regular Clubman Heavy category, I’m also competing in the KT Modified Heavy class which is a new challenge for me. Don Stevens won the NSW State Championship pretty convincingly the other month and I’d expect that he’ll be one of the toughest to beat at the Australian Title as well.”
While he may be well credentialed on the bitumen scene, Robson is still very much earning his stripes when it comes to the speedway karting scene.
Above: Jaie Robson is well credentialed on the bitumen scene and will also be lining up at the Australian Speedway kart Titles on September 7/8
“I’ve always been a bitumen racer but thanks the Angel family I recently had the opportunity to have a go on the dirt track and I really enjoyed it,” said Robson.
“Over the first few meetings I’ve been learning the ropes and having a lot of fun. All throughout my career my Dad has always told me that I need to drive tracks in all sorts of conditions and adapt to them, which is certainly what I’ve had to do since I made my speedway debut.”
While it is well known that the sprint karting scene on bitumen circuits has been instrumental in developing the skills of today’s Formula One and V8 Supercar drivers, the Speedway style of karting has also been a great breeding ground for Australia’s top line Speedcar and Sprintcar drivers.
The Speedway karting scene in NSW has produced many a star with the famous speedway family names of Brazier, Dumesny, Linigen and Bowen all competing throughout their younger years at the Nepean venue.
The New South Wales Speedway Kart Club will host the Australian Speedway Kart Titles sponsored by Aussie Forklift Repairs at its Nepean circuit on September 7/8.
- A link to the Supplementary Regulations for the event can be found on the Race Calendar page
