The young drivers of the Cadet 12 class take the starters lights for the start of racing at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland & District Kart Club (pic by Pace Images)
Just under 200 drivers across 13 classes competed at Round 3 of the 2017 Austrans Victorian Country Series held at the Portland and District Kart Club at the weekend, with some 30 South Australian competitors coming across the border to compete, along with Cadet 9 driver #16 Bodhi Stevens and his team putting in a great effort to make the journey from Darwin, NT.
The rain that hit the track for practice on Saturday held off for the drivers on Sunday, which lead to some close and competitive races throughout the day.
Some highlights from the days racing included Rochester Kart Club driver #2 Billy Westereld backing up his red plate victory at the Australasian Kart Titles last weekend, taking 1st in the TaG 125 Restricted Medium class ahead of Ballarat Kart Club driver #4 Anthony Warner and Go-Kart Club of Victoria driver #57 James Stewart.
#94 Kobi Williams (Oakleigh) drove through the field after finishing 5th in heats 1 and 2 to go on to take 1st in the final of KA4 Junior Light ahead of local Portland driver #25 Corey Herbertson and Ballarat’s #31 Jaxson Cox. In the KA3 Senior Light class South Australian competitor #14 Nikki Watson put in a great drive across the day to take 3rd behind #37 Jack Bell (Oakleigh) 1st and #72 Toby Pope (GKCV) 2nd who were both coming off strong runs at the Vic Kart Championship.
#20 Remo Luciani (Wimmera Kart Club) took a clean sweep of the KA3 Senior Medium class ahead of #7 Christopher Thomas (Oakleigh Go-Kart Racing Club) and fellow Wimmera driver #19 Alex Baker.
Geelong Kart Club drivers #66 Will Harper 1st, #92 Matthew Domaschenz 2nd, and #82 Corbin Bailey 3rd took a clean sweep of the placings in the Cadet 12 class.
#9 Nathan Williams (GKCV) continued his winning form from the Vic Kart Championship with victory in the KA4 Junior Heavy class ahead of South Australian drivers #70 Aaron Oliver (SGKC) and #99 Adam Jr Slattery.
Warrnambool’s #94 Joseph Clough took 1st in the TaG 125 Restricted Light class ahead of Australasian Kart Titles red plate winner #7 Gerry Westerveld with Ballarat’s #33 Alexander Barallon 3rd.
Local Portland drivers #3 Adam and #4 Scott King took 1st and 2nd in the TaG 125 Heavy class ahead of Geelong’s #54 Aaron Hindle.
In the KA3 Junior class #95 Nathan Williams (GKCV) backed up his 1st place in the KA4 Junior class by also claiming victory in the KA3 Junior class ahead of Geelong #90 Ethan Church and Oakleigh’s #41 Marty Wright.
#72 Toby Pope (GKCV) backed up his 2nd place in the KA3 Senior Light class taking a clean sweep of the TaG 125 Light class ahead of local driver #9 Jordan Rae and Hamilton driver #15 Harley Benson.
South West Kart Club driver #21 Rusty Ponting continued his hot form after winning the 1st Round of the Vic Kart Championship in the Cadet 9 class by also winning at Portland, ahead of #94 Cadel Ambrose (Oakleigh/Eastern Lions) with Geelong’s #36 Thomas Schmidt also backing up his great 3rd result at the Vic Kart Championship with 3rd at Portland.
Hamilton driver #92 Ronald Taylor took a clean sweep of the TaG 125 Restricted Masters class, with Wimmera’s #11 Leon Forrest 2nd and Hamilton’s #55 Andrew Stubbs in 3rd.
In the TaG 125 Restricted Heavy class #46 Nathan Van Es (Geelong Kart Club) also took a clean sweep of the day with 1st in all races, ahead of #13 Billy Askew (Warrnambool Kart Club) and South Australia’s #51 Andrew Harvey (Mount Gambier Kart Club).
With Round 3 now completed we are now only at the half way point of the 2017 series, with 3 exciting rounds of racing still to come and plenty of opportunities for drivers to make a late series charge back up the overall series points leaderboard!
Round 4 at Wimmera Kart Club on July 16th
Round 5 at Hamilton Kart Club on Septemeber 10th
Round 6 at Warrnambool Kart Club on October 14th and 15th
Austrans Victorian Country Series Round 3 podium positions
The drivers and pit crews assemble on the grid Sunday morning taking in the information for the days event from the race officials at drivers briefing. At Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club (pic by Pace Images)
Thumbs up from young Cadet 9 driver #5 Leo Iannella ( Karting S.A. / Southern Go Kart Club / The Go Kart Club of SA) and pit crew before heading out for the start of their race at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club (pic by Pace Images)
A big field of 27 drivers take the start in the TaG 125 Restricted Light class with #94 Joseph Clough (Warrnambool Kart Club) out of pole and #5 Corey McCullagh (Warrnambool Kart Club) alongside. #94 Clough going on to take victory in the final, ahead of #7 Gerry Weseterveld (Rochester Kart Club) and #33 Alexander Barallon (Ballarat Kart Club) at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club (pic by Pace Images).
The drivers are into racing straight away at the start for the KA4 Junior Light class with #25 Corey Herbertson (Portland District Kart Club) leading ahead of #23 Jai Stephensen (Go Kart Club of Victoria) #12 Ryan Morgan ( Karting S.A. / The Go Kart Club of SA / Southern Go Kart Club / Barossa Go-Kart Club) and #10 Nerinda Beard (Warrnambool Kart Club / South West Kart Club) with #94 Kobi Williams (Oakleigh Go Kart Racing Club) dropping 2 wheels onto the grass. Williams coming back through the field throughout the day going on to claim victory in the final at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club. (pic by Pace Images)
Cadet 12 driver #26 Robbie Turmine (Wimmera Kart Racing Club Inc) and pit crew on the pre-grid getting ready to go racing at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club. (pic by Pace Images)
#12 Jaymi Mackay (South West Kart Club) with the helmet on concentrating on the grid before heading out for racing in the 21 kart TaG 125 Light class at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club. (pic by Pace Images)
#72 Toby Pope (Go Kart Club of Victoria) was in hot form on Sunday at Portland taking a clean sweep in the TaG 125 Light class and also taking 2nd in the KA3 Senior Light class, at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club (pic by Pace Images)
#9 Nathan Williams (Go Kart Club of Victoria) made it a double on the day taking 1st in the KA4 Junior Heavy Class and 1st in the KA3 Junior class, at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club (pic by Pace Images)
The Cadet 9 class forms up to take the start with #21 Rusty Pointing (South West Kart Club) out of pole and #36 Thomas Schmidt (Geelong Karting Club) along side, with Pointing going on to take the victory in the final, #94 Cadel Ambrose (OAK/ELKC) in 2nd and Schmidt taking 3rd at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club (pic by Pace Images)
Thumbs up from TaG 125 Restricted Heavy driver #26 Jason Symons (South West Kart Club) before he heads out for racing at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club (pic by Pace Images)
South Australian driver #17 Bradley Axford (Karting S.A. / Southern Go Kart Club) and his pit crew on the grid getting ready to head out for racing in the Cadet 9 class at Round 3 of the Austrans Victorian Country Series at the Portland District Karting Club (pic by Pace Images)
TaG 125 Restricted Medium class (21 drivers)
1st #2 Billy Westerveld (Rochester Kart Club)
2nd #4 Anthony Warner (Ballarat Kart Club)
3rd #57 James Stewart (Go-Kart Club of Victoria)
KA4 Junior Light class (16 drivers)
1st #94 Kobi Williams (Oakleigh Go Kart Racing Club)
2nd #25 Corey Herbertson (Portland District Kart Club)
3rd #31 Jaxson Cox (Ballarat Kart Club)
KA3 Senior Light class (15 drivers)
1st #37 Jack Bell (Oakleigh Go-Kart Racing Club)
2nd #72 Toby Pope (Go-Kart Club of Victoria)
3rd #14 Nikki Watson (South Go-Kart Club / Barossa Go Kart Club)
KA3 Senior Medium class (7 drivers)
1st #20 Remo Luciani (Wimmera Kart Club)
2nd #7 Christopher Thomas (Oakleigh Go Kart Racing Club)
3rd #19 Alex Baker (Wimmera Kart Club)
Cadet 12 class (18 drivers)
1st #66 Will Harper (Geelong Kart Club)
2nd #92 Matthew Domaschenz (Geelong Kart Club)
3rd #82 Corbin Bailey (Geelong Kart Club)
KA4 Junior Heavy class (16 drivers)
1st #9 Nathan Williams (Go-Kart Club of Victoria)
2nd #70 Aaron Oliver (Southern Go-Kart Club)
3rd 99 Adam Jr Slattery (Southern Go-Kart Club)
TaG 125 Restricted Light class (27 drivers)
1st #94 Joseph Clough (Warrnambool Kart Club)
2nd #7 Gerry Westerveld (Rochester Kart Club)
3rd #33 Alexander Barallon (Ballarat Kart Club)
TaG 125 Heavy class (10 drivers)
1st #3 Adam King (Portland Kart Club)
2nd #4 Scott King (Portland Kart Club)
3rd #54 Aaron Hindle (Geelong Kart Club)
KA3 Junior class (13 drivers)
1st #95 Nathan Williams (Go-Kart Club of Victoria)
2nd #90 Ethan Church (Geelong Kart Club)
3rd #41 Marty Wright (Oakleigh Go-Kart Racing Club)
TaG 125 Light (21 drivers)
1st #72 Toby Pope (Go-Kart Club of Victoria)
2nd #9 Jordan Rae (Portland District Kart Club)
3rd #15 Harley Benson (Hamilton Kart Club)
Cadet 9 class (14 drivers)
1st #21 Rusty Ponting (South West Kart Club)
2nd #94 Cadel Ambrose (Oakleigh / Eastern Lions)
3rd #36 Thomas Schmidt (Geelong Kart Club)
TaG 125 Restricted Masters class (10 drivers)
1st #92 Ronald Taylor (Hamilton Kart Club)
2nd #11 Leon Forrest (Wimmera Kart Club)
3rd #55 Andrew Stubbs (Hamilton Kart Club)
TaG 125 Restricted Heavy class (8 drivers)
1st #46 Nathan Van Es (Geelong Kart Club)
2nd #13 Billy Askew (Warrnambool Kart Club)
3rd #51 Andrew Harvey (Mount Gambier Kart Club)
Checkout all the great pics from the meeting from Pace Images and the Victorian Country Series on their facebook pages.
