Full Throttle

PAGEs 36 & 37 - Pro Tour
The third round of the Rotax Pro Tour saw the victories shared between Victorian visitors and many
locals who were up the front for much of the weekend at Ipswich’s Willowbank Raceway
Queenslander Harrison Hoey enjoyed a confidence boosting victory aboard his Comp Kart Australia
entry in the Junior Max category. After taking two heat race wins, he went on to claim the Pre-Final.
Whilst it was a lights to flag win in the final, the last few laps saw him pushed to the wire by Gold Coastbased
Ricciardo Kart driver, Lachlan Hughes. Hughes got himself into second position after a move on
Jac Preston with two and a half laps to go. Hughes closed the almost one second gap to 0.1s, whilst
Preston was awarded third.
Chris Farkas led an Ipswich Kart Club trifecta in the Rotax Heavy category. After being challenged at
the first corner by Kris Walton, Farkas calculated his move past the former V8 Utes Champion and then
comfortably eased away. Walton came home in second position whilst Jarad Neinert put up a spirited
fight in third. He pushed Walton through the mid-part of the race and came through for a solid podium
in the end.
Walton emerged from Ipswich with two second placed trophies having raced in the DD2 Masters
category as well. The Queenslander led much of the race before a charging Troy Woolston scythed his
way through the field from 10th. The Melbourne driver built his speed through the course of the race to
the point where he eased past Walton. Troy Bretherton came home in third placing.
Victorian, Bradley Jenner scored another top victory for FA Kart in Rotax Light. Jenner emerged from the
early lap skirmishes in the lead. Pole-sitter Cameron Longmore (Kosmic) held on for second position,
whilst Kiwi star, Josh Hart brought his CRG home in third position after a strong battle for the final
podium spot with local driver Troy Morrissey.
In DD2, Kosmic racer Joshua Fife scored a very solid win. New Zealand-based pole-sitter, Josh
Drysdale put up a strong fight, however didn’t have the pace to take the fight to Fife. The Kiwi finished
second in front of New South Wales Exprit driver, Nathan Tigani. Sydney-sider Joshua Car came home
in fourth position. After dominating much of yesterday’s racing, Car appeared to have the Pre-Final shot
to pieces before his engine was stuck in gear, costing him pace. He salvaged 10th position, charged
into fifth within three corners of the Final and did his utmost to push for the podium.
Junior Max Trophy fell the way of Russell Mayo for the second event in succession. Connor Roberts
came home in second on debut, however a post race startline infringement dropped him to fifth, elevating
Angus Wallace to second and Jacinta Hoey to third.
Hugh Barter took his first Rotax Pro Tour win after a race long fight. He and fellow Praga chassis
mounted driver, Jack Westbury swapped the lead right throughout the 17 lap race with James Wharton
playing his part in the early runnings. The two Victorians pulled clear of the third placed battle which
EVO Kart driver, Adrian Haak had joined. Whilst they battled, Haak leapt above Wharton to finish third.
In Micro Max, Harry Arnett fired back after a last round non-finish to comprehensively record victory.
Jake Rutkowski’s EVO Kart got the jump at the beginning, however Arnett pulled down the time within
a few laps and secured the lead. Rutkowski then entered a race long battle with Jordan Ensbey (CRG)
and Kristian Janev. Janev spun late in the race while aiming for a podium, while Ensbey moved into
second following a post race penalty that was applied to Rutkowski, dropping the EVO Kart driver to
third.
The Pro Tour has hit its halfway point on the way towards the Jason Richards Memorial at Albury
Wodonga Kart Club in September which will bring a close to proceedings this year and the race for the
World Finals in Portugal come November.
ROTAX RANKINGS POINTS (After Round 3 of 6)