Awesome Racing on offer at Sprint Series Opener

Sprint racing returned with a difference to Slideways Go Karting World over the weekend, with three series running for adults, juniors and cadets for the very first time.

All three series ran to the same format, with 10 minutes of qualifying followed by a pair of 10 minute races, with all races counting towards their respective Sodi World Series.

Adults

A full field of 15 competitors greeted the starter for the adult races, with the field split between seven light and eight heavy competitors.

For future races, Slideways envisages having split grids between light and heavy drivers.

Clay Seabourne burst out of the gates to claim pole position in qualifying with a 43.513sec, a tenth clear of Peter Brown, Joel Dimmack, Tim Hatton and Michael Seeto.

In the first heat, Seabourne was pushed all of the way to the finish by Brown, while behind them a great battle developed between Hatton and Seeto, with Seeto gaining the upper hand by the chequered flag.

Fifth home was Dimmack, then Ryan Jones, James Shields, Ben Talbot, Joel Jones, Jason Toirkens, Jerry Gardner, Jason White, then regular endure team mates Jordan and Kyle Toirkens, with Clayton Hydes rounding out the field.

Seeto set the fastest lap of the race with a 43.242sec, following by Hatton (43.330sec), while the fastest laps of Seabourne and Brown were tied on 43.552sec.

For the final, Seeto was the mover and shaker in the field, coming through from third on the progressive grid to take the win over Hatton, with Seabourne third ahead of Brown and Dimmack.

Seeto’s best lap of the race was a 43.276sec.

Ryan Jones was pushed all the way to the chequered flag by Shields, who were followed by Talbot, Joel Jones, Jason Toirkens, Gardner, White, Kyle Toirkens, Hydes and Jordan Toirkens.

The light drivers, Seeto, Hatton and Seabourne, were first through third in the race, while the heavy podium was made up by Brown, Dimmack and Shields.

We're off and qualifying! #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/eHumiNt8kN

— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) April 23, 2017

Cadets

One of the highlights of the day was the field of 14 cadets, with drivers aged 7 to 11 years old.

With the field split over two grids, Hayden Quayle set the pace in qualifying to claim pole position for the A heats.

Despite only qualifying in fifth place, Hamish Shields proved to have the pace on the field, claiming a pair of A race wins.

Second in the first A race was Christian Jardine, ahead of Ryan Jardine, Olivier Herbison, Max Hooker, Riley Hill, while dramas struck down Quayle, who rebounded to set the fastest lap of the race, despite rounding out the finishers.

Christian Jardine was once again second in the later race, ahead of Herbison, Ryan Jardine, Hill, Quayle and Hooker.

Angus Jardine meanwhile started from pole positon in the B races, and led the field to a pair of victories, with the top four of Ryan Tame, Alex Petterwood and Spencer Myatt identical in both outings.

Fifth in the first race was Jack Hooker, ahead of Jaxson White and Zaiden Toirkens, while White was fifth in the second race, ahead of Hooker and Toirkens.

Some Cadets racing action from the weekend! #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/RhtI5NrJHu

— Go Karting Australia (@SlidewaysAus) April 26, 2017

Juniors

While only four competitors entered for the first ever Junior race for drivers up to 15 years of age, there was plenty of talent on show, with fields once again expected to grow into the future.

Liam Hydes was the star of the show, with a pair of race wins from pole position.

Hydes’ qualifying time of 43.787sec in fact would have placed him an incredible fourth on the adult grid!

In the first race, Jacques Goodman finished second ahead of Liam Wyatt after the pair accidently tangled at the first corner on lap eight of 12, with Chloe Herbison finishing fourth.

Meanwhile in the second race, a spin by Goodman at the first corner saw him play catch up for the 10 minute race.

Wyatt placed second, while Herbison was able to just hold on from Goodman in the run to the chequered flag.

Up Next

The Slideways racing season continues on May 14, with the first ever double length enduro at Slideways Go Karting World.

All drivers in teams of three receive a 10 minute long qualifying session each, ahead of a 180 lap race with compulsory driver changes.

Discounted online entries are now open, with the price set at $125 per driver for early birds.

The next Sprint race meeting is scheduled for the following weekend, with race day scheduled for May 21st.

Let's go racing! #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/7XtwHMfpkC

— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) April 22, 2017