OzRacingWrap

Local kart racers will take on the best drivers from around the state, along with a strong contingent from the mainland, when they take to the Briant Park Raceway next weekend (November 6-8) for the Tall Timbers Hotel/Motel Tasmanian Sprint Kart Championships.

Leading the charge for the local competitors on the 782-metre circuit will be Stuart Wells.

Wells, who was one of the foundation members of Smithton’s Circular Head Kart Club in 1987, will start as one of the favourites in the Senior National Light category.

“I first got involved in the sport as a 17 year-old in the late 80s as there was a lot of hype around the town about the kart track being built and a heap of people were buying karts to be a part of it all,” said Wells.

“Since then you could really say the sport is something that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and is now in my blood forever.”

Wells, who won the State Championship on his home track in 1996, has been a front-runner in almost every major event across the state for a number of years and has got his sights set on the podium at this weekend’s event.

“The last month or so has been very tough as I’ve been a part of the organising committee for the event along with trying to test my kart ahead of the championships,” said Wells.

“My aim is to finish on the podium (top three) and if I can snag the win it will be a great bonus.”

Wells will be joined at the championships by fellow local drivers Cameron Able and Josh McLaren in the fight for the Senior National Light crown. Other local drivers expected to figure prominently include the father and son combination of Tim and Daniel Hinds, Callum Harper and Tim McMaster in Clubman Heavy and Anthony Walters in the Senior National Heavy category.

Another driver expected to figure prominently at the championships is Launceston-born Australian Champion Chris Hays. The second-generation racer secured his maiden National Championship in Townsville this year and is once again heading south to race at the Tasmanian Championships

In total there will be 175 competitors, including over 40 from the mainland, in action at the Championships.

The youngest drivers, in the Midgets category aged between 7 and 10 years, will reach speeds of up to 80 km/h. While karting for these kids is more about fun than winning championships the sport teaches them, both boys and girls, about car control long before they are able to obtain their road licence.

At the other end of the scale is the Clubman Over 40’s divisions where some drivers are nudging, and sometimes exceeding, 60 years of age. For these competitors the sport provides them with an opportunity to continue to enjoy the thrills of motorsport at an affordable level.

Qualifying begins on Friday November 6 followed by heat races on Saturday November 7 and the championship finals on Sunday November 8.

The Briant Park raceway is located on Pump House Road, Smithton.

AUSTRALIAN KARTING ASSOCIATION EVENTS IN NOVEMBER

NEW SOUTH WALES 

1 Grenfell 

1 Lismore 

1 Round 8 NSW Speedway 

1 Sapphire Cup Sapphire 

7/8 South Pacific Titles Orange 

7 North Shore 

8 Round 8 Central Coast Speedway 

8 Newcastle 

8 Inter Club Challenge Tamworth 

8 Wagga 

8 Wollongong at Oran Park 

14/15 Sydney Kart Racing Club 

14 Southern Zone Final Dubbo 

15 Coffs Harbour 

21/22 PSC Round 5 Newcastle

21 Round 9 (twilight meeting) Central Coast Speedway 

21 Grafton 

21 Hot Summer Nights-Rd3 (twilight meeting) Griffith 

22 Canberra 

22 Forbes 

22 Grafton 

22 Club Championship-Rd 9 Port Macquarie 

28 Dave Hamnett Memorial Manning Valley 

28/29 Combined Districts 

29 Spare Date Central Coast Speedway 

29 Rain Date or Fun Day NSW Speedway

QUEENSLAND

1 TBA Sponsored Bundaberg

1 Toowoomba

1 Fraser

7 Ipswich

7 Gladstone

7 100 lapper Cairns

8 Cooloola Coast

14 Club Champs Mt Isa

14 Towers

15 Rockhampton

15 Warwick

21 Mackay 

22 Toowoomba

28 Dash 4 Cash Townsville

29 Gold Coast

29 Xmas Fun day (R/D) Bundaberg

SOUTH AUSTRALIA 

1 G.T Series Mt Gambier

1 Open Meeting Southern

8 November Club Day Mt Gambier

15 Festival State Cup 5B GKCSA

21 November Meeting Broken Hill

22 Open Meeting Whyalla

27 - 29 SA Open Championships Barossa

TASMANIA

6/7/8 Tall Timbers Tas State Titles CHKC

29 Club Day – Closed Meeting All Clubs

VICTORIA

2 Tankworld/Junior champions Swan Hill

8/9 Golden Power series round 4 Eastern Lions

14/15 Val & Joyce Findlay memorial Geelong 

21/22 Golden Power series Final round Bendigo@GKCV

29 Closed Club Day (All Clubs)



WESTERN AUSTRALIA

7/8 Open Meeting Eastern Goldfields

14/15 Clubrun Weekend

29 Open Meeting Tiger