The opening round of the Slideways Junior and Cadet Sprint Series saw two bumper fields of competitors taking to Slideways Go Karting World Pimpama.
With competitors looking to score points in the quest to win the Slideways-PWR Scholarship, drivers took to the track for three ten-minute-long races, which followed on from a two-lap qualifying dash to determine the grid for the opening heat.
Juniors
An awesome field of 16 faced the starter for the Junior races (drivers aged 12-15 years old), with a surprise packet in first time participant Elliot Cleary claiming pole position with a time of 40.950sec, only 0.049sec ahead of Campbell MacMillan in second, with Olivia Herbison third.
Lining up from four was Leo Ninness, then Chaad Hewitt, Stefanie Wilmott, Jude Livermore, Carter Skewes stepping up in class, Corey Kai-Fong, Lewis Spencer, Brayden Hill, Ryan Tame, Bodhi Norman, Ethan Bryson, Cameron Shepherd, and Roberto Garcia.
The opening encounter proved to be a tight affair, with Cleary holding on for victory over MacMillan, then Livermore coming through for third, ahead of Herbison, Hewitt, Skewes, Ninness, Wilmott, Kai-Fong, Hill (fastest race lap – 40.97sec), Spencer and Bryson, with the top 12 covered by only 3.8sec at the chequered flag.
Next home was former Cadet racer Tame, then Shepherd, Norman and Garcia.
With the “chook lotto” random invert for the second race, Wilmott found herself on pole position, and she was never headed, leading home Ninness by 0.411sec, with Skewes a further tenth of a second back in third.
Herbison was classified fourth from Hewitt, Livermore, MacMillan, Spenver, Hill, Bryson, Cleary, Tame, Shepherd, Kai-Fong, Norman and Garcia.
Fastest on track was Skewes with a 40.433sec time, with nine competitors setting laps in the 40sec bracket.
With combined points setting the field for the final, it was MacMillan that made the most of a mid-race stoppage, running away to a 1.751sec margin over early race leader Cleary.
Herbison was third, ahead of Ninness, Livermore, Wilmott, Hill, Bryson, Shepherd, Hewitt, Skewes, Spencer, Kai-Fong, Norman, Garcia and Tame.
In the points for the day, Cleary held on to the overall win by a single point over MacMillan, then Herbison, Ninness, Wilmott, Livermore, Hewitt, Skewes, Hill, Spencer, Bryson, Kai-Fong, Shepherd, Tame, Norman and Garcia.
In the voting for the best and fairest, five points went to MacMillan, three to Ninness and two to Hewitt.
Full live points updates are available on the Slideways Junior Sprint Series web page.
Full Final Race Video
Photos
PHOTOS! Slideways Junior Series Round 1>> https://t.co/bHAtOCU7Rs #slideways #gokarting #goldcoast #brisbane pic.twitter.com/g7XjJOjpGV
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) February 24, 2019
Cadets
A full grid of ten Cadets (aged 7-11 years) hit the track for qualifying, with Daniel Sullivan (46.902sec) scoring pole, ahead of Luke Wilson, Cooper Chapman, Ellie Wilson, Zachary Naylor, Brock Helm, Louis Brown, Slater, Rice and Allen.
The opening race was unfortunately cut short due to rain, with the win going to Luke Wilson over Chapman, Ellie Wilson, Brown, Naylor, Helm, Slater, Sullivan, Rice and Allen, with Luke Wilson setting the quickest lap in the dry with a 46.162sec time.
With the top-three inverted for the second race, Chapman came through from second to claim the victory from Luke Wilson, Ellie Wilson, Naylor, Slater, Helm, Sullivan, Allen and Brown.
Helm was the fastest on circuit with a quick lap of 46.15sec.
The third and final race saw a hard charging Brown take the honours, from Sullivan, Luke Wilson, Chapman, Slater, Naylor, Rice, Helm, Ellie Wilson and Allen, with Brown setting a cracking pace to set a top time of 45.42sec.
In the overall points for the day, it was Luke Wilson on top, from Chapman, Sullivan, Brown, Ellie Wilson, Naylor, Slater, Helm, Allen and Rice.
The bonus points in the Slideways-PWR Scholarship point score went to Naylor (5), Luke Wilson (2) and Ellie Wilson (2).
Full Final Race Video
Photos
PHOTOS! Slideways Cadet Series Round 1>> https://t.co/O2HgeFxtrd #slideways #gokarting #goldcoast #brisbane pic.twitter.com/2eiWOMPoTi
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) February 24, 2019
Upcoming Events
Slideways Enduro Series
Round 2: Friday 15th March (Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast Nerang)
Registration 8:30pm, driver briefing 9pm
3x5min Qualifying 75min Race $285 per kart (2-3 drivers)
Slideways Junior Sprint Series
Round 2: Sunday 17th March (Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast Nerang)
Registration 7:30am, driver briefing 8am
3 Lap Qualifying, 10min Race, 10min Race (Random Draw Reverse Grid), 10min Final Race $100pp
Slideways Ladies Sprint Series
Round 2: Sunday 24th March (Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast Nerang)
Registration 7:30am, driver briefing 8am
3 Lap Qualifying, 10min Race, 10min Race (Random Draw Reverse Grid), 10min Final Race $100pp
Slideways Open Sprint Series
Round 2: Sunday 24th March (Slideways Go Karting Gold Coast Nerang)
Registration 7:30am, driver briefing 8am
3 Lap Qualifying, 10min Race, 10min Race (Random Draw Reverse Grid), 10min Final Race $100pp
Click here to Enter Online!
Don’t forget – free early bird practice for online entries received the Monday prior to the events!
Slideways PWR Scholarship Program is GO for 2019!
Recreational go kart racing can now take you right through to being on the grid at Bathurst!
- Every single race at Slideways Race Events count towards the season pointscore in determining the Slideways PWR Scholarship Program recipients – consistency throughout the year counts!
- Also earn full points in qualifying, by referring friends to Slideways Race Events, and by winning Best & Fairest nominations in events
- All categories count – Junior, Open Sprints, Ladies Sprints and Enduros get the opportunity to go Hyundai Excel Racing, Cadets continue along the path in Slideways Race Events
- The scholarship provides two-thirds the budget required to go circuit racing in the various stages of the program
- Total scholarship contribution to racing budget – up to $35,000 over five stages
Learn more about the Slideways PWR Scholarship Program here.
Learn from the Pros at the Slideways Karting Academy!
The Slideways Karting Academy returns to Slideways Go Karting World Pimpama for 2019, teaching drivers of all ages and skill levels the tips and tricks to improve lap times and race craft.
Racers only pay for the on-track portion of activity, with one-on-one tuition provided by our highly experienced instructors.
Click here for all of the details.
