The biggest field in the history of Slideways Go Karting World race days put on a thrilling show at the second Sprint Series event for 2017.
For the first time ever there were two classes of seniors racing, with Lights and Heavies joined by growing fields of Juniors (ages 12-15) and Cadets (ages 7-11), who once again filled two grids.
The next round of the Slideways Sprint Racing Series is scheduled for June 4, with discounted early bird entries closing on Monday May 29th.
For further information, contact the Slideways Go Karting World off on (07) 5546 6566 from 9am-5pm, 7 days a week.
Cadets
The undoubted stars of the show were the Cadets, who filled two grids of junior Sodi karts, and put on a remarkable display of clean racing, with slipstreaming battles throughout the of the field.
Looking at the results sheets of the races for the top 50% qualifiers, it looked as if Max Hooker had an easy day: pole position and two race wins, but it was anything but a walk in the park for the youngster.
In the first race, Hooker held off the advances of Riley Hill to take the win, with Olivia Herbison third from Angus Jardine, Hamish Shields, Ryan Tame, Alex Petterwood and Hayden Quayle.
The final race had the crowd at the fence cheering, with the leading pack a drafting battle around the 700m circuit.
After 10 minutes of action, Hooker held on from Quayle, who put in a massive drive to come through from last on the grid.
Hill was third from Shields, Tame, Jardine, Petterwood, and the unfortunate Herbison, who was delayed after being stuck in the tyre barrier.
In results for the lower 50% qualifiers, Spencer Myatt led the field to chequered flag twice ahead of Jack Hooker.
Jaxson White was third in the opening encounter from Tommy O’Carroll, Ryan Jardine, Noah Parry, Zaiden Toirkens and Lachlan Trevillien.
Jardine moved up a place in the second race to claim the bottom step on the podium, with Parry fourth ahead of O’Carroll, the improving Trevillien, Toirkens and White.
Many of the Cadets are improving their racing skills at the Slideways Junior Karting Academy, with personalised mid-week tuition from professional karters, giving youngsters the tools they need to improve their race craft.
Full details of the program are available on the Slideways Go Karting World website, with lessons scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays.
PHOTOS! How good were the Cadets?? Awesome racing >> https://t.co/Qf9r320hhm #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/81syACZOQj
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) May 21, 2017
Off and racing in the Cadets! #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/bbeWnjJRFc
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) May 20, 2017
Juniors
While the Juniors grid continues to grow in numbers, it was still Liam Hydes who showed the field that he is the driver to beat, with a pair of clear race wins from pole.
Hydes’ qualified with a best time of 43.747sec, which would have placed him fourth on the grid in the Senior Lights, and third in Senior Heavies, a strong showing in only his second race meet.
However, there was strong progress shown throughout the field, with Jacques Goodman second in both heats, closing the gap to Hydes with personal best lap times throughout.
Lewis Spencer was third in the opening race from Euan Shields, Liam Wyatt, Juliette Russell, Kirrily Csukardy and Chloe Herbison.
In the later outing, Shields made his way onto the podium, from Spencer, Wyatt, Russell, Herbison and Csukardy.
The field for drivers aged 12-15 aboard the adult karts doubled in size since the opening round, with more prospective competitors looking to join the field at round three on June 4.
PHOTOS! The Juniors showed great form at round 2 >> https://t.co/NQLVqy3Lxc #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/Eb0mIObL5Q
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) May 21, 2017
Qualifying underway at the #Slideways Sprint Round 2! #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/VpMTsHhNUE
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) May 20, 2017
Senior Heavies
A capacity field of Senior Heavies turned it on, with the tight battle at the front of the field mirrored through the running order.
Joel Dimmack showed his intentions in qualifying, topping the time sheets only 0.025sec quicker than opening round winner Pete Brown.
While the podium for both races was identical, with Dimmack leading home Brown and newcomer Josh Williams, who only sampled Slideways Go Karting World for the first time earlier in the week, the action at the top was incredibly close.
Trent Laves was fourth in the opener, ahead of Ben Talbot, Jason White, Christian Bishop, Stefan Russell, Richard Trevillien, Clayon Hydes, Michael Wilson, Tye Jefferies, Jason Chapple and Jason Toirkens.
Talbot improved to fourth in the second race, from Laves, Bishop, White, Russell, Hydes, Jefferies Toirkens and Chapple.
PHOTOS! All of the action from the Senior Heavies Sprint Round 2 >> https://t.co/YIstMHw80L #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/qGB60NVvVR
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) May 21, 2017
Senior heavies race start #slideways #gokarting #goldcoast #brisbane pic.twitter.com/xEgPQ1ElT5
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) May 21, 2017
Senior Lights
Finally, the Senior Lights rounded out the classes with some very competitive driving amongst a variety of gun drivers.
Dean Ferguson scored the pole position ahead of Leigh Di Pietro and Michael Seeto, but it was Seeto who forged through to win the opening encounter, with Ferguson second and Di Pietro third.
Speedway and circuit racer Cal Whatmore was fourth on his Slideways racing debut, ahead of Ryan Jones, who will be joining Seeto this week at the SodiKart World Series finals in France.
Ben Heckert was sixth from Jordan Toirkens, Kyle Toirkens, Mitch Campell, Ben Tame, Erin Shields, the third member of the Shields family in three different classes, with Noe Brilleman rounding out the field.
Ferguson made the most of the scrap for the lead in race two, and skipped away to win from Seeto and Jones.
Di Pietro was next, ahead of Whatmore, Heckert, Jordan Toirkens, Campbell, Kyle Toirkens, Shields, Tame and Brillemans.
The field of 12 was a marked improvement over the seven who faced the starter at the opening round.
PHOTOS! The Senior Lights turned it on at round 2 >> https://t.co/li0a3nuSUb #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/BmAEVjtGcm
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) May 21, 2017
Senior lights race start #slideways #gokarting #goldcoast #brisbane pic.twitter.com/6dBXkT8ee7
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) May 21, 2017