Launceston Kart Club – State-wide Series – Round 1

Photo by Angryman Photography

The Launceston Kart Club hosted Round 1 of the Karting Tasmania Statewide Series over the weekend with the event backing from EVO Stone & Joinery Products. Over 80 competitors from around the state convened at the Archerville Kartway to compete in the series which is in its first year back since 2019.
The first round proved to be ultra-competitive one with nineteen drivers taking wins over the two-day event as well as six new lap records being set!
Cruz Kelly dominated the Cadet 9 field winning three of the four races with a chain failure pulling him up in race 2 resulting in a DNF. Ayden McCullagh leads the series with a slender points gap over Kelly and Launceston’s Harry Warmsley, proving that strong consistent results keeps you at the front of the pack.
Cadet 12 saw Hobart’s Eli Davey show a clean pair of heels from race two onwards resulting in a 224-point lead over Smithton Lucas Furphy, who also took out the Cadet best presented Kart. Race 1 winner Elenah Rankin currently sits in third position after suffering a DNF in race 3.
In KA4 Junior Light Hobart’s Harry Bresnehan took three race wins which gives him a slight series lead over Harrison Duske and Mitchell Conroy who both registered consistent results.
KA4 Junior Heavy showed some of the best racing seen over the weekend with three and four kart battles for the lead in all four races. Once the dust settled Denzil Sargent leaves round 1 with a 15-point lead over Jaiden Marshall with new lap record holder Cameron Jeffrey a further 25 points back.
KA4 Masters which is for drivers over 40 sees two Launceston Kart Club members at the top of the table in Malcolm Watson and Ken Jones. James Bresnehan who was a last-minute entry to make sure that the class would get to race currently sits in third position.
TaG 125 Restricted Light was dominated by Nigel Hildyard who was one of two drivers to leave round 1 with maximum points and a new lap record. Nigel leads fellow Hobart native and teammate Joel Clements in second by 160 points, with Henry Pears in third.
As soon as karts hit the track it was clear TaG 125 Restricted Medium was going to be three-horse race between Anthony McCullagh, Shane Stonehouse and Troy Sheahen with all three drivers taking victories over the weekend. McCullagh leaves round 1 with a 53-point lead over Stonehouse with Sheahen a further 21 points behind in third.
KA3 Senior Light saw the biggest field of the weekend with 14 entrants. Wins were equally shared between Fletcher Bellars and Toby Callow. Bellars leaves round 1 with a 68-point lead over Callow with Gemma Wyllie in third.
KA3 Senior Medium on paper was a nice easy weekend for Launceston’s Nathan Zuj, who qualified pole with a new lap record and won all 4 races but he didn’t have it all his own way with Riley Newick and Troy Stone leading races over the weekend. Heading into round 2 Zuj takes a 454-point lead over Brodie Sward, closely followed by Stone, Hinds, Distill and Newick.
Round 2 will be hosted by the Circular Head Kart Club in Smithton on March 4th and 5th.