Full Throttle - March 2018

M A RCH 20 1 8 PUBLISHED BY KARTING AUSTRALIA

TASSIE TIGER!

Lachlan Dalton creates AKC History at Monarto!

CLUB RANKINGS

LIFE OF FIFE

The battle for the biggest ever prize

Last year he claimed the Australian

pool for club karters is underway.

KZ2 Kart Championship, now he’s

We explain how you can be in the

based in Italy racing the World’s best

running to become the SP Tools Club

and racing for a factory European

Driver of the Year.

team.

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Word from our Chairman With the new year well underway, it is great to see so many Clubs working hard to build their membership base for the year ahead and putting on some great events.

Already this year we’ve seen record numbers at the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship opener, superb numbers at the Victorian Country Series and strong numbers at various Club Days across the Country.

In 2018, the Board and Staff of Karting Australia are certainly focused on the Club level of the sport, as is evidenced by the recent launch of the SP Tools Club Driver Rankings.

This revolutionary new concept will see drivers have the ability to race locally and be ranked nationally. A lot of time has gone in behind the scenes by the Karting Australia staff to develop the program and thanks to the team at SP Tools and our industry suppliers, there is a huge prize pool up for grabs at the end of the ranking season.

karting are innovations that will sure up the future of the sport and provide further opportunities to attract new people to karting.

Karting Australia members that choose to compete at Club Level have never had a reliable yardstick to compare themselves to other competitors around the country. Now, with the SP Tools Club Rankings, a driver in the centre of Western Australia can legitimately compare themselves with a driver from the south of Tasmania, country New South Wales and far north Queensland.

It was exciting to see Townsville Kart Club being the first to run 4SS in January. The Townsville Club has been extremely positive in promoting their Club, this influence of positivity goes a long way to encouraging new members to join and want to be a part of our great sport.

That the annual Ladies’ only event at Combined Districts Kart Club in Lithgow has cemented itself on the calendar as a truly unique event and this year attracted a healthy injection of interstate drivers. All of these drivers came together for a good time and also to raise money for Breast Cancer Research.

Never before has the sport of karting in Australia received support to the level SP Tools is delivering this year.

The commitment is from the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship right through to the grass roots club karter with $50,000 in prizes being committed for the Club Rankings. SP Tools have long been supporting motorsport right around Australia and it is terrific to have karting stand right alongside their involvement in the Virgin Australia Supercars and Super Utes Series’ this year.

Congratulations also go to long time New South Wales Karting official Bob Baker who became a Member of the Order of Australia on Australia Day for his commitment to the sport and also the Emerald Kart Club for its Australia Day Honour as Community Event of the Year for its AKC round last year.

We thank Castrol EDGE for continuing its commitment to karting through presenting partnership of the Australian Kart Championship and our Volunteer of the Month program.

It is thanks to the support of SP Tools, Castrol, MercedesBenz Vans, Bridgestone, Dunlop Kartsport, MG Tyres, IAME and Vortex that we are able to continually improve the sport of karting for all involved.

I trust everyone’s racing year has started well, support your clubs whether by entering or volunteering - and if there is a chance to Bring A Mate along so they may experience karting for the first time, get them out to experience our great sport.

Mick Doohan

The streamlining of obtaining a Karting Australia license, along with the introduction of the 4SS Class for club

Chairman - Karting Australia

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2018 IN FULL FLIGHT!

Aaron Cameron is all smiles after dominating the KZ2 Class at the opening round of the 2018 SP Tools Australian

Kart

Championship

Monarto, South Australia.

5

in

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PAGE OF CONTENTS KA SAFETY GRANTS

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Upgrade your track using KA grants

JUNIOR SPROCKETS

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This year’s dates announced

MANAGING SOCIAL MEDIA & YOUR BRAND Pace it positively and you’ll get the results!

WA LADIES DO IT FOR CHARITY

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$10,000 raised for NBCF

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH

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Who gets the Castrol EDGE gong?

CLUB DRIVER RANKINGS

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Biggest prize pool for club racers ever!

HISTORY MADE IN ADELAIDE

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First Tasmanian AKC round winner

KIWI STRIKES IN DUBBO

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Josh Hart takes the win at Rotax Pro Tour

GET STARTED IN KARTING TIP

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How to align your sprocket & chain

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SP TOOLS UP

GRID KIDS

LIFE OF FIFE

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10

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SP Tools has ramped up its support

Fifty eight of Karting Australia’s

Australia’s premier driver from 2017,

to Australian karting. Coming in

young

enjoyed

Joshua Fife has embarked on new

as a presenting partner for Junior

the experience of a lifetime at last

adventures this year. The 16-year

Sprockets,

weekend’s 2018 Formula 1 Rolex

old from Canberra has uprooted and

Australian Grand Prix.

moved to Italy - following in the wheel

Queensland

the

well based

respected company

licence

holders

with motorsport to its core now

tracks of so many Aussies before

sits

level

him - Troy Hunt, James Courtney,

in Australian Karting - including

Ryan Briscoe, Ben Horstmann among

offering the biggest prize pool seen

others. We check in with Josh at his

by Club karters in the sport’s history

new home in Bergamo Italy to see

in Australia. Read more about their

how its going!

around

every

single

exciting initiatives!

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SP TOOLS SPONSORS AKC, CLUB RANKINGS Australian tool manufacturer, SP Tools has expanded its commitment across all spectrums of Australian kart racing - taking naming rights to the Australian Kart Championship, the new Club Driver Rankings initiative and continuing its sponsorship of SP Tools Junior Sprockets.

After first getting involved in karting three years ago as the naming rights partner of Junior Sprockets, SP Tools has taken the opportunity to expand its involvement in the sport and adding to its existing motorsport properties which include sponsorship of Mobil 1 Boost Mobile Racing in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship and Ross Stone Racing in the 2018 Super Utes Championship.

The commitment by SP Tools is the biggest commitment by any company in the history of karting in Australia and it will power new initiatives at Club level, specifically the SP Tools Club Driver Rankings, which carries with it a prize pool of $50,000 - unprecedented for Club Level racing in Australia.

“It is through partners like Kevin and SP Tools that we can continue to develop new talent like Cadel Ambrose - who came through SP Tools Junior Sprockets, going on to win a round of the Australian Kart Championships, develop the Club Driver Rankings and continue to refine the Australian Kart Championship as one of the premier motorsport products in Australia.

Karting Australia CEO, Kelvin O’Reilly says SP Tools is a brand the industry and competitors should embrace.

“The commitment by Kevin Davis and his team is beyond anything that we’ve seen before in Australian karting,” said O’Reilly.

“They are known as a motorsport brand having become synonymous with Stone Bros Racing and that team’s V8 Supercars run with Shane van Gisbergen and more recently with Walkinshaw Andretti United.

“To have a partner that wants to innovate and grow with Karting Australia shows the health of the sport right now.”

Read more about the SP Tools Club Driver Rankings on page 18.

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A group of the Grid Kids with F1 Managing Director, Commercial Operations Sean Bratches

EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME

5 8 yo u n g Karting Australia lice nce h o ld ers en joyed th e o p p o rtu n ity of a l ifet i m e at the 2018 Formula 1 Ro lex Au s tralian Gran d Prix in Melb o u rne l a s t we e k .

These drivers and a parent were guests of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and Formula 1 with the youngsters enjoying the opportunity to be on the circuit as a part of the pre-race entertainment immediately prior to the start of the race.

The ‘Grid Kids’ dotted the grid from front to back with some holding the National Flag of a drivers, others marking the grid and some standing in front of the current crop of drivers as the national anthem was being sung.

Of this group, 20 of the children were fortunate to be inside the exclusive F1 Paddock area where they received the opportunity to mingle with their idols and gain some autographs.

As a part of the FIA Future Formula 1 Stars, this group

of youngsters became the first in the world to be given a Formula 1 racing suit thanks to Liberty Media, Formula 1 Management and Puma along with a look behind the scenes in the Formula 1 paddock.

Several of the children were also a part of several media interviews in the lead up to and during the Grand Prix with interviews being conducted on Radio 3AW, Channel Ten’s The Project, Seven News Melbourne and even BBC Radio in England.

Prior to the weekend, ten of the young drivers were invited to be a part of a media event with Australian Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo courtesy of his team sponsor Mobil.

He opened by sharing his goals and aspirations for the season, talked to the Grid Kids about the teamwork aspect

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The Grid Kids during a morning rehearsal

of performance driving and the importance of everyone and everything being of the very best quality – from what fuels the body and the car, to design and engineering, technology innovation and most importantly the right team and partners.

It was here where the children had the opportunity to speak with Ricciardo before trying to beat his time on the Port Melbourne circuit.

In a surprise move, the day closed with Mobil Australia and Ricciardo making one lucky Grid Kid’s day. Ten year old Cadel Ambrose, who recorded the fastest lap time out of all the Grid Kid’s on the day, only 3.75 seconds behind Ricciardo’s own time and 1000th of a second ahead of his nearest rival. He headed home with the brand new Ricciardo Kart that Ricciardo had just raced in.

“It’s been cool! The kids have been great, their questions were pretty challenging but their energy is infectious so it’s been a lot of fun.,” said Ricciardo.

“Being able to spend some time with them and hopefully help to inspire their next steps in karting, or whatever they choose to do in the future, is really great.

“When I was their age I had no real idea about sponsorship or the importance of having the right people and partners around you to support your on-track performance, so I’m grateful to Mobil for giving me the chance to share some of what I’ve learnt through the years with the young guys and girls coming through.”

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KARTING AUSTRALIA SAFETY GRANTS Karting Australia’s Safety Grants program was introduced in 2016. The program is in place to assist clubs to improve the safety of their Circuits for all taking part.

As the KA Safety Grants program enters its 3rd year, it is worthwhile looking back at the program’s contribution so far and also reminding clubs that the program is running for 2018 with the first round opening this week.

So far, KA Safety Grants have assisted 24 clubs to improve the Safety Infrastructure at their Circuits. The improvements cover a wide range of projects and benefit all participants in the sport.

KA Safety Grants assist clubs to cover the financial cost of approved works but also give clubs the opportunity to do the works sooner, assisting everyone in the sport by improving safety more quickly.

There will be 2 rounds of KA Safety Grants in 2018. The first round closes on April 27th and the second round closes on August 10th. It is recommended that interested clubs put those dates in their diaries.

To enable Clubs to embark on larger or more ambitious safety improvements – e.g. replacing bark beds with gravel traps, KA has developed a new Track Development Fund low value loan that will allow approved affiliated Clubs to borrow additional funds from the Track Development Fund (that do not have to be guaranteed by the State Association) to enable the works to be completed while also taking advantage of the Safety Grant program thereby reducing the overall cost of the upgrades to the Club.

The traditional method of getting work done by clubs has been to utilise club labour in working bees. This can sometimes generate a big workload onto a few people and by necessity means that works can take some time to get completed. One of the great benefits of the KA Safety Grants and TDF combination is that clubs have the

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option to pay for external contractors to deliver the work needed in a much shorter time frame and to spare the club labour hours for other activities such as running race meetings, promoting the club, improving canteen etc.

For 2018, to be eligible for a KA Safety Grant, clubs must have completed KARM level 2. There are many benefits to achieving KARM Level 2 status and being eligible for the KA Safety Grants is now added to that list.

The Guidelines for KA Safety Grants along with an Application form can be found on the KA website under Karting Australia/Safety Grants. Information on Track Development Fund can be found on the KA website under Karting Australia/TDF. Please put the Round closing dates in your diary and take advantage of these programs to assist your club in moving your facility forward.

Some works that have been undertaken by clubs through the KA Safety Grant program include acquiring a defibrillator, implementing safety lights, updating catch traps to gravel, improving signage at venues, updated safety fences and tyre barriers, upgrade to Ingrid access, radio equipment, implementation of first aid pods among other elements.

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IN BRIEF

2018 JUNIOR SPROCKETS DATES

The City of Adelaide Titles have been moved to the Easter weekend to try and capitalise on drivers looking to race over the long weekend. Held at Bolivar, the City of Adelaide 2018 edition will take place from March 30-April 1.

GRID KIDS SET FOR GRAND PRIX

Rotax Pro Tour has adopted a control oil. The XPS Full Synthetic Oil (Z297461) will be the control oil with each entry receiving a bottle. XPS is the official oil of Rotax and forms a major part of Australian importer, IKD in sending drivers to the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals.

Great to see clubs trying some different racing formats. March 24 and 25 saw the Sapphire Coast

SP Tools Junior Sprockets is Karting Australia’s popular junior introductory program

Karting Australia’s SP Tools Junior Sprockets program returns in 2018 with six dates around the country.

These days are designed to provide budding young karters with the thrill and excitement of kart racing in a safe and controlled environment while being educated by professional instructors and drivers.

All karts and safety equipment are provided for the participants in the Junior Sprockets program.

The program has seen a number of drivers utilise the 12-month license that is included in the $195 fee to begin racing, with a number progressing to Australian Kart Championship competition.

This year’s dates are: • April 28 - Bolivar, South Australia • May 12-13 - Newcastle, NSW • June 30-July 1, Gold Coast, QLD • September 22 - Melbourne,VIC CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Kart Club in NSW run the DPE Kart Technology 10 Heat Meet - drivers run five heats in one direction,

CAMS GONGS FOR AKC WINNERS

before the remaining five heats

The Australian Karting Champions in KZ2, KA1 and KA2 were honoured

being run in the opposite direction.

at the CAMS National Awards Gala Dinner in Melbourne recently.

SodiKart is making a return to top level Australian racing under the eye of well-respected Queenslander, John Grother who has established Sodikart Racing Australia. John is the importer of the French chassis to Australia.

Scott Sorensen (KA1) and Broc Feeney (KA2) were on hand to receive their awards - whilst Joshua Fife (KZ2) was absent due to commitments in Italy.

Sorensen and Feeney stood alongside former karters that were honoured for their achievements in circuit racing throughout the year, including Peter Brock Medallist, Will Brown; CAMS Young Driver of the Year, Cameron Shields; Australian

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Endurance Champion, Dominic Storey (with Peter Hackett); Dunlop Super2 Series Champion, Todd Hazelwood and Australian F4 Champion, Nick Rowe.

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MAKING A WISH COME TRUE

AUSTRALIA DAY HONOURS

While battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Jackson Field’s wish was to be a racing driver. In 2016, he was a participant in the SP Tools Junior Sprockets program in Perth as a guest of Karting Australia.

Thanks to the Make-A-Wish Australia program Jackson’s wish took another step last year with the delivery of a Flatout Karts prepared DPE Kart Technology Arrow Kart for his seventh birthday.

Bob Baker

Over the past few months Jackson’s story has been shared all across the country as he has been the face of the Make-A-Wish Foundation displaying Jackson in a kart all across the country. From the Brisbane Airport to the Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne and roadside billboards in Sydney, Jackson has been on display.

We ll kn own New So u th Wales Kartin g Admin is trato r, Bo b Baker an d th e Em erald Kart Clu b were h o n o u red d u rin g Au s tralia Day Ce le bratio n s o n Jan u ary 2 6 .

Baker was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia “AM” for his commitment to the Scouting movement in the State and also to the sport of karting as an administrator and mentor.

Australia Day also saw the Emerald Kart Club awarded the Central Highlands Regional Council Community Event of the year in the Emerald region for its round of the Australian Kart Championship in 2017.

“We’d like to thank our club members, karting community local community and Karting Australia for your support, without you this wouldn’t be possible,” said Club President, Michael Rolfe.

This added to the round being the Event of the Year at last year’s end of season AKC Awards ceremony.

The Central Highlands Development Co-operation estimates the event had a positive economic impact to Emerald and surrounds in the order of $300,000.

The SP Tools Australian Kart Championship will return to Emerald in July.

We congratulate Bob Baker AM and the Members of the Emerald Kart Club on their Awards.

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4SS MAKING A BIG IMPACT NATIONALLY The new 4SS category, which features four-stroke Torini and Briggs & Stratton motors has started, with several clubs around the country introducing the new initiative.

The first club to introduce 4SS was Townsville Kart Club and a healthy number of karters took to the track.

The driver to have the honour of becoming the first 4SS event winner in Australia was Joelene Accatino in her Intrepid kart.

Torini Engines have been working hard to spread the word about the new engine and also building its dealer network.

The 4SS class has been launched with the focus on the engines being easy to use, cost effective and reliable with a heavy emphasis on attracting new people to the sport.

Both engines, and the Vega tyres that are the prescribed tyre for the class, are receiving excellent feedback from those who have tested or raced with them so far. Since being announced late last year, more than 100 engines

Supercars driver, Todd Hazelwood takes a Torini for a spin

have been distributed to various parts of the Country and will be hitting a track near you soon.

The Torini Engine is available directly from Torini Engines or its dealers and the Briggs & Stratton from IKD and its dealer network.

At recent events, 10 4SS karts raced at Ipswich, 8 at eastern Lions in Victoria with another bunch at Bundaberg and a 4SS Match Race between Torini and Briggs and Stratton powered karts at Dubbo.

DASH FOR CASH A BIG WINNER FOR IPSWICH The Ipswich Kart Club looked to provide its members with a better experience at last weekend’s Club Day and succeeded in a big way.

Led by long-time Club Member Scott Howard, the Ipswich Dash for Cash saw more than $10,000 in cash and prizes handed out to the competitors - of which there were 175 across 14 classes run in nine groups.

While the prize money was a bonus for these competitors, it was the experience that the event provided them with that was of the utmost importance.

For the past few years, the Ipswich Kart Club Days have

turned into extremely long and testing days - to the point of where some events lasted 15 hours.

At last weekend’s event a timetable was developed, classes were grouped where possible and an efficient and friendly event was conducted. The event was completed more than three hours earlier to the previous Club Day, and what was more important was the friendly and enjoyable atmosphere that made it want people to come back for more. Congratulations Scott and the team at Ipswich.

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IN BRIEF New promoter of the World and European Karting Championships - RGMMC - has signed a three-year TV Agreement with Motorsport.TV that will include magazine style shows as well as race coverage live and on -demand.

Australian karting international, Joey Mawson this season will race in the GP3 Championship that is a fore-runner to Formula 1 Grand Prix around the world. After racing Formula 3 last year, Mawson has

HALL OF FAME FOR DREW PRICE Australian karting icon Drew Price was inducted into the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame in Melbourne on Friday evening.

The Hall of Fame is an initiative driven by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport and brings together every discipline of motorsport in Australia, and sees legends from Formula 1, Touring Car racing, Motorcycling, Speedway, Drag Racing, Rallying and Karting inducted each year.

The six-time Australian champion was recognised as one of the 20 inductees for Hall of Fame for 2018 during the gala dinner, presented by Speedcafe. com at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

taken the next step up the racing ladder. All races are live on Fox Sports.

Not often you hear of a ‘snow off’ in motorsport, but that is precisely what happened at the WSK event at Lonarto recently! It forced organisers to re-schedule the event.

Enzo Trulli - the son of double world karting Champion, Jarno won the OK Junior category at the annual Andrea Margutti Trophy in his CRG. CRG took two of the major gongs, with Parolin grabbing KZ2. The event honours the memory of Margutti - who was a contemporary of the elder Trulli in his karting days.

Price joins dual Champion James 15-time Australian Pizarro as inductees prowess.

World Karting Courtney and Champion John for their karting

“My career in karting is something

that I’m proud of but I think more importantly I’m very proud of the role that I’ve played with my business in the sport to help the growth and development of karting,” said Price.

“I’m really honoured to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and it is very humbling to be in this room tonight with so many greats of Australia motor sport.”

After being inducted into the Hall of Fame during the inaugural event in 2016, Karting Australia Chairman Mick Doohan was one of two people elevated to Legend Status at this year’s dinner – the other being Sir Jack Brabham.

VALE: MARGARET POWLES

Goulburn Valley Kart Club Life Member Margaret Powles passed away after a short illness on March 17.

Margaret, who’s husband Graham and son Glenn were National Champions throughout their careers, was a regular at circuits across the country.

She was always there working behind the scenes for not only her family but many others in the pit paddock and in the administration.

After being based in Numerkah for many years, the Powles family relocated to the Gold Coast last decade.

“Mum fought extremely hard against

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a very rare and aggressive cancer for the past 9 months,” Glenn wrote on Facebook.

“Her strength and determination were a true inspiration to us all and as a family we shared her fight with her all the way. We are forever immensely proud of Mum not only through her battles but also as the loving, caring and devoted mother she was throughout her life.”

A funeral service celebrating her life was conducted on the Gold Coast on Tuesday 27th March. Condolences to all your family and friends. Rest in peace Margaret.

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SOCIAL MEDIA FOR GOOD Positive Actions Equal Positive Results Social media can be a trigger for success or an unmitigated publicity disaster.

How you use it can go a long way to making or breaking your club - it has effectively moved your brand and image into the hands of your customers - i.e. members.

How do you want your club to be perceived? A comment, like, follow or share can be the trigger that leads to your biggest success or a disaster.

The brand you undertake for your club is your promise to your current and future members. It is about how your entity is perceived by others; identifies your product and differentiates it from competitors (other clubs or indeed other sports!) and over time, this image becomes associated with a level of credibility, quality and satisfaction in your member’s minds.

Getting the right message together will capture the attention of key influencers, building loyalty and creating a positive and engaged community. It is what you stand for - so therefore it is worth protecting!

The message that you put out to your members and the way you communicate that is generally related to the outcomes - positive messaging achieves positive results and a good environment.

An example of a negative communication is a club that went out with a post on social media that instead of reminding members their membership was up for renewal - told them that if they didn’t renew they wouldn’t be allowed in the gate and it was their responsibility to renew their membership.

A text, an email or posted letter to the members gently reminding them of their club renewals would have achieved a far better outcome for the club involved and among the membership allow them - as the customer - to feel comfortable in the environment with which they were contributing.

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Townsville Kart Club in particular have become expert at spreading positive messages - the messaging is cheerful, thanks people that have helped the club and creates a welcoming feel. The team at the club utilise their socials to welcome new members - and it is paying dividends - with an increase of 30% in membership at the back end of 2017.

Many claim they don’t have time or resources to develop ‘fancy’ graphics to accompany their social media or club communiques - we recommend for clubs to check out Canva.com.

For free and in about 10 minutes using one of the myriad templates on the site, one can generate a social graphic that looks smart and can

generate a lot more interest and engagement from members and other people interested in the sport alike.

Remember that as custodian of the brand, and a member of your club and Karting Australia - you have control of what the public outside the sport will see when they are doing their information search on which sport they or their kids should get involved with.

It’s your brand and in your control - it can be fun and enjoyable but at the end of the day, your image needs management online and off.

Positive actions generate positive results!!

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More information on Social Media can be found on the Building Better Kart Clubs Portal.

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WA RACERS RAISE $10,500 FOR BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION

A group of West Australian ladies made the trek across the country to the annual Ladies Cup at Combined Districts Kart Club in Lithgow (NSW) in January and raised more than $10,500 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

A group of West Australian ladies made the trek across to the annual Ladies Cup at Combined Districts Kart Club in Lithgow (NSW) in January and raised over $10,500 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

The team performed with distinction Taylah Dicker - daughter of well known Perth karting identity, Greg was in position to take out her category, leading until the final when she was involved in an accident.

The team - naming themselves ‘Team PMS’ grew to six drivers for 2018’s trek east.

The team was formed in 2013 by Karen Campbell and her daughter, Charlotte.

They made their first trip to Lithgow in 2014 - and bringing with them a cheque for $18,000.

15-year old Imogen Vince - who comes from Geraldton finished fourth in KA3, while her fellow Geraldton driver Amy Davis was fourth in KA3 Senior.

Annabelle Bishop put in a great performance to finish seventh in her category.

“We hadn’t done it since that first time in 2014 - then halfway through last year we got together at event and said ‘let’s do it’,” said Campbell.

The story of the trip surrounded the Campbells though.

They grew to six members this year and raised money for breast cancer through raffles, sausage sizzles and all sorts of other activities.

Karen had a practice accident and as a precautionary measure was taken to hospital. The crash ruled her out of competition, however her daughter Charlotte raced on in Cadet 12 despite seeing the accident her mother suffered

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and went on to finish in fourth position.

“She raced her butt off, especially after being trackside when I had my crash and had to be taken away, it was a great effort from her and all the girls - they really held their own and particularly after my incident they just got on with it, but that’s racing - that’s what you do.”

The team was ecstatic with their fundraising efforts that went direct to the chosen charity - National Breast Cancer Foundation - but it had more of a meaning...

“After we first came across, we all had a really good feeling of having raised that money directly towards Breast Cancer research, but two weeks later it really hit home when my mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer,” Karen added. “So it really meant something a bit more that we could do something and that we did it again this year is awesome and we’d love to come back again!”

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LICENCE AND RACE IN SAME DAY Karting Australia has streamlined the licencing process for new licences which can see new license holders apply and be on track in the same day.

The key points surrounding the streamlined process are as follows: • Online Safety Training Video and Safety in Karting Questionnaire replaces ‘in person’ Safety Training Assessment • Observed Driving Session can take place at a Practice Day OR in a Practice Session for an event • Upload passport photo, a scan of driver’s license, birth certificate or passport - and - if required - medical clearance • Club Membership and Licensing can be applied and paid for online in one secure payment • An ‘8 day’ license can be applied for those who wish to have a one off appearance or just try the sport as a racing event

“The previous process to get a license could see people waiting weeks by the time it was co-ordinated for the Safety Training Assessment, Observed License Tests and issuing ofSupercars licenses. driver, Todd Hazelwood takes a Torini for a spin

Overall, it reduces the workload on volunteers at clubs and streamlines the process for the new karter to the sport.

“This way, someone can get online, spend five minutes watching the Safety Training video, complete the Questionnaire and their license can be approved, they can be on track the same day and have their observation complete in the practice session before racing gets underway.

“It brings the sport into the current era from a licensing perspective,” said Karting Australia CEO, Kelvin O’Reilly.

“We’re sure people new to the sport, our clubs and members will appreciate the streamlined process.”

MYLAPS ORBITS IN FULL SWING The MYLAPS Orbits timing system is now in full swing around Australia. Competitors will begin to see the benefits of the system throughout the course of their racing whether at Club, State or National level.

The system pairs with the Speedhive App - downloadable at the Google Play or iTunes App Store - for live timing.

MYLAPS will be integral to the implementation of the SP Tools Club Driver Rankings initiative this year and Karting Australia is working with the company on a number of proprietary upgrades that will be seen throughout the year that will enhance the experience for Karting Australia licence holders and teams alike.

Karting Australia is working closely with the MYLAPS Australian staff and their development team in the Netherlands to further enhance the benefits of the new timing system for Karting Australia members.

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RON FLORENTINUS Ron Florentinus has become an integral part of the Whyalla Kart Club in South Australia and has been selected as this month’s Castrol EDGE Volunteer of the Month.

Ron got into the sport through some mates at work who raced. They needed a hand at the local track with timekeeping.

“I had a bit of nouse when it came to using computers, so they thought I’d be ideal for the timekeeping, as they needed someone who was computer savvy” Ron recalls.

“So I went along and became the timekeeper and helped out the club in that way - and it has grown from there.”

It has become a family affair since then, with his granddaughter racing and Ron’s wife managing the kart for her.

“I sometimes head down from the tower to give them a hand, but always get stuck, so it’s the best place to be up there I think.”

He has gone on from timekeeping to playing so many roles - to Clerk of Course, Chief Steward, Race Secretary - and draws glowing recommendations from fellow club members.

“If our small club had another two of Ron, we would be the best club in Australia bar none,” said one nomination.

“Working bees he is like the rock he is always there first to open last to leave, our club would not be what is if it wasn’t for this individual.”

Retired now, Ron is still heavily involved on a week to week basis - the day we spoke to him he was preparing for that night’s club meeting, he also sits on the State Karting Council and Supplementary Regulation committee - he’s also been instrumental in implementing the MYLAPS Orbits Timing System into South Australia.

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Amazingly, he’s never raced himself and is involved in his sixth year of just ‘helping out’.

“He is involved in everything that we do. Ron has never raced or even been in a kart. After a couple of years of being involved, he went out and bought a Kart for his 7 year old granddaughter. Ron did not slow down on helping out the Club and has continued to do so ever since.”

It is volunteers like Ron Florentinus that keep the sport going - congratulations on being nominated as our Castrol EDGE Volunteer of the Month Ron - you’ve received a Castrol EDGE Merchandise pack and 20 to be used as giveaways at your club.

To nominate someone in your club as our Castrol EDGE Volunteer of the Month, CLICK THIS LINK.

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SP TOOLS CLUB DRIVER RANKINGS EXPLAINED

A n ew i n i t i ative for 2018 is the SP To o ls Clu b Driver Ran kin gs . $ 5 0 ,0 0 0 i n pri ze s f rom S P Tools and industry p artn ers d elivers th e b igges t p rize p ool in t h e h i s to ry of Australian k artin g fo r clu b level racers . Th e b es t p art?

Yo u d o n’ t h ave to le ave your hom e clu b ! Here we’ll an s wer m any of th e q u e s t i o n s you may have on how th e Clu b Driver Ran kin gs (CDR) will wo r k…

When does the SP Tools Club Driver Rankings run?

The SP Tools CDR takes in relevant events between March 1 and October 31.

Am I automatically entered as a CDR competitor?

As long at the Club registeres the event as a CDR event on the Supplementary Regulations and MYLAPS, every driver is automatically entered in the CDR. Is each event at my club automatically entered for CDR? NO. When developing the Supplementary Regulations for a race meeting, your Club MUST specify that it will be classified for CDR by selecting ‘CDR Meeting’ from the drop-down box in the Club Competition Supplementary

Regulations and the Club Timekeeper must ensure CDR is listed in the Event Name on the MYLAPS Orbits timing system for that race meeting.

Each eligible event nationally has been tagged in the Karting Australia system so it can become a CDR event as Clubs put their Supplementary Regulations together.

How many race meetings can I enter to score points towards SP Tools CDR? You can enter a maximum of eight meetings at ONE club, where the SIX best pointscores will go towards your CDR tally in your chosen Class or Competition Group.

For example, if you enter four CDR events at Newcastle Kart Club and four events at Eastern Lions Kart Club - this would not constitute your eight CDR events - it would

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be scored as four individual events from Newcastle and four from Eastern Lions. If you entered eight CDR events at Cooloola Coast Kart Club - your best six scores from Cooloola Coast count towards your CDR tally.

I’m not sure if the race meeting I’m entering is a CDR event...

Check with the Club at point of entry. If it has NOT been selected as a CDR event when the Club is developing Supplementary Regulations, then you CANNOT score points towards your CDR. The list of eligible events can be found on the Club Driver Rankings website.

I’m from South Australia or Tasmania - we don’t have that many Club Days…

SP Tools CDR has taken this into account and if you are from those two States, you can enter Club Days registered as CDR events at any club in South Australia or Tasmania and that will add to your tally under ‘South Australia Combined’ or ‘Tasmania Combined’. Your best six scores from a maximum of eight CDR race meetings in the State you wish to enter will count.

At the end of the pointscoring period (Mar 1-Oct 31), I’m equal on points with someone else - how will the deadlock be broken?

The driver with the most number of first places will have the highest placing. If there is still a tie, officials will go to the most number of second places, then third places and so on until the tie is broken. If it cannot be broken, drivers will be ranked equally.

What does the prize pool include?

There’s $50,000 in prizes thanks to SP Tools and other industry partners. Included in the prize pool are eight SP Tools invertor generators, 24 SP Tools impact driver, cordless drill and light packages, 28 SP Tools karting tool kits, 12 annual Karting Australia racing licences, multiple sets of Bridgestone, Dunlop, MG and Vega tyres. Clubs also have the chance to purchase SP Tools products at greatly reduced rates for use around the Club or for fundraising events (raffles, event prizes etc).

Where are the results drawn from for pointscores?

The data will be drawn from MYLAPS Speedhive - those results at the end of the race meeting are final and not subject to Protest or Appeal (aside from those applicable under the National Competition Rules).

How do I score points?

You can score points in every single race.At the completion of a CDR event ONLY your best heat race finish will go towards your tally AND your Final finishing position. If you win the Final in your class, you get bonus points.

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ELIGIBLE CLASSES AND FURTHER INFO SP TOOLS CLUB DRIVER RANKINGS CHECKLIST

What classes are eligible and how do I win prizes?

CDR is split into four competition Groups (Group): • Cadet • Junior • Senior • 4 Stroke Sprint The top 15 ranked drivers per Group Nationally will be rewarded with prizes.

The top three in each of the following classes (Class) will receive prizes [Group in brackets]: • Cadet 9 [Cadet] • Cadet 12 [Cadet] • KA4 Junior [Junior] • KA3 Junior [Junior] • Junior Performance [Junior] • KA3 Senior [Senior] • TaG 125 Restricted [Senior] • TaG 125 [Senior] • Masters [Senior] • Open Performance [Senior] • 4SS Junior [4 Stroke Sprint] • 4SS Senior [4 Stroke Sprint] Sportsman Classes ARE eligible to score points toward CDR Group Rankings, but NOT for Class Rankings.

• •

• • • •

• •

My Club has registered for the SP Tools CDR Incentive Program?

My Club Day which features an eligible Class has been marked CDR Event on Supplementary Regulations?

I’m a Karting Australia License Holder and am a Financial Member of a participating Club?

I have been issued the SP Tools CDR sticker and have it on my Nassau Panel?

I have entered for the CDR race meeting at my Club?

I understand that I am scoring points from a maximum 8 race meetings at ONE Club, where the top 6 scores will count (unless I’m competing in South Australia or Tasmania - see SP Tools CDR Rules and Conditions) I understand my Group and Class and that I can only score points in one Group and one Class?

I am going to enter, go out and have FUN!

CONTACT YOUR CLUB SECRETARY FOR MORE INFORMATION OR VISIT www.karting.net.au

THE FIRST SP TOOLS CLUB DRIVER RANKINGS WILL BE RELEASED ON KARTING.NET.AU SHORTLY 32

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Champagne flowing on the KZ2 podium

HISTORY MADE IN MONARTO

Re cord b re a k ing numbe rs saw th e o p en in g ro u n d of th e SP To o ls Au s t ra l i a n Kart C hampionship, p res ented by Cas tro l E DGE get u n d erway in s tor m i n g fashion. History wa s created with Lach lan Dalto n b eco min g t h e fi rs t w i nne r f rom Tasmania in A KC His to ry th ro u gh win n in g K A 1 an d A a ro n C a m eron took the f irst KZ2 win fo r JC Kart.

Dalton was dominant in the KA1 category, taking victory by 1.6 seconds. Early race leader, local driver Joshua Denton survived several challenges to finish second, while Broc Feeney recovered to finish third, while Taylah Agius put in a strong drive to finish fourth.

Cameron was the class of the KZ2 field all weekend.

The battle for the minors in KZ2 raged throughout the Final with Ricciardo Kart’s Troy Loeskow emerging second and Pierce Lehane completing the podium.

Victorian, Valentino Astuti broke through for his maiden KA2 victory aboard his Mad Croc Kart.An early race battle developed between Astuti and Matthew Hillyer. Hillyer was facing a post race start line infringement penalty so set about building a lead, which he opened up until over three seconds at the drop of the chequers, however the 10

seconds that he received dropped him to 11th.

Kai Allen was handed second and Top Gun Racing Academy driver, Taylor Hazard took his first KA2 podium after starting in ninth position – he showed great promise in scything his way forward.

Australian TaG 125 Champion, Brendan Nelson got his Title defence off to a stunning start through taking victory by over two seconds. Kody Garland and Cody Brewczynski completed the podium.

Cody Gillis’ first race since winning the Rotax DD2 World Final at the end of last year saw him take control of the Australian X30 Championship. The oversubscribed class was whittled down to the top 40 at the end of heat racing.

Gillis got to the lead of the IAME category – however would

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Brendan Nelson

be shadowed right throughout the race by ZedCorse CompKart driver, Harrison Hoey. The Queenslander in his first AKC start as a Senior proved fast all weekend long and was rewarded with second. Cameron Longmore brought his TWM Arrow home in third position. After starting on pole he was shuffled back on the first lap and had to fight his way forward.

KA4 Junior again proved to be entertainment plus. It was an enthralling battle with numerous race leaders. Rhys Smith in his PCR started seventh on the grid, but it quickly appeared as though Smith would have the pace to challenge the front runners and that is exactly how it played out.

Eventually, he won by 4.174 seconds over CC Racing’s Nicholas Sacco and Kai Allen who scored two podiums from his two categories for the day.

Arnett wasted little time in getting to the front. Max Deguara closed right in on Arnett, however ran out of laps to mount a challenge.

Cadet 9 crowned a new Australian Kart Championship winner in SP Tools Junior Sprocket graduate, Rusty Ponting.

Jake Rutkowski crossed the line first but received a post race front fairing infringement dropping him to third.

This elevated Filipino visitor, Griffin Peebles to second.

The battlelines have been drawn as we head to the second round of the Championship at Albury-Wodonga over the weekend of April 13-15.

Matthew McLean took a strong victory in KA3 Senior.

McLean got to the front early after an early race fight with pole-sitter, defending Champion, James Sera.

McLean pulled away from Sera before Benito Montalbano arrived on the scene.

Montalbano shadowed McLean and from the time he caught the Victorian, it appeared as though he was setting for a pass for the lead. Montalbano waited until the final lap to make his move and went for it on McLean, the pair colliding. Montalbano crossed the line first, however postrace was displaced one position.

Harry Arnett couldn’t have got a better start to his season in Cadet 12.

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Rhys Smith

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CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS KZ2 1. Aaron CAMERON 2. Troy LOESKOW 3. Mitchell MACKAY 4. Jay COUL 5. Dylan DRYSDALE 6. Henry JOHNSTONE 7. Pierce LEHANE 8. Christopher HAYS 9. Troy WOOLSTON 10. Cooper HAY

75 38 37 34 34 32 23 23 17 16

KA1 1. Joshua DENTON 2. Mathew STENNER 3. Lachlan DALTON 4. Kyle HENRY-SMITH 5. Taylah AGIUS 6. Broc FEENEY 7. Tyler HOWARD 8. Scott SORENSEN 9. Thomas TURNER 10. Daniel EDMONDS

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57 51 50 31 30 29 29 28 22 17

KA2 1. Valentino ASTUTI 2. Kai ALLEN 3. Matthew HILLYER 4. Jai BROWN 5. Taylor HAZARD 6. Jay HANSON 7. Jonathon MARCUSSON 8. Callum BISHOP 9. Emerson HARVEY 10. Jaiden POPE

54 43 41 33 31 31 23 22 20 20

X30 1. Cody GILLIS 2. Cameron LONGMORE 3. Harrison HOEY 4. Justin FRANCIS 5. Bradley JENNER 6. Brendan NELSON 7. Morgan FEAST 8. Ben HARDERS 9. Leigh NICOLAOU 10. Paul PITTAM

65 60 54 47 38 35 28 28 24 22

TAG 125 1. Brendan NELSON 2. Cody BREWCZYNSKI 3. Paul RODGERS 4. Joshua DAVEY 5. Kody GARLAND 6. Blake WORBOYS 7. Alastair LEE 8. Jordan NICOLAOU 9. Toby WEBB 10. Aaron HINDLE

KA4 JUNIOR 1. James WHARTON 2. Kai ALLEN 3. Rhys SMITH 4. Nicholas SACCO 5. Fletcher HARRIS 6. Hugh BARTER 7. Blake PURDIE 8. Bailey COLLINS 9. Jobe STEWART 10. Kobi WILLIAMS

52 49 48 43 38 36 20 19 12 11

CADET 12 1. James PISZCYK 2. Harry ARNETT 3. Marcos FLACK 4. Max DEGUARA 5. Alex NINOVIC 6. Carter MOBBS 7. Leon CORDATO 8. Damon WOODS 9. Cody MAYNES-RUTTY 10. Tristan GRIFFIN

66 60 37 36 30 28 24 24 16 14

KA3 SENIOR 1. James SERA 2. Matthew MCLEAN 3. Benito MONTALBANO 4. Jack BELL 5. J. SOUSLIN-HARLOW 6. Dean O’BRIEN 7. Kody GARLAND 8. Oscar PRIEST 9. Corey HERBERTSON 10. Tommy HARRADINE

62 60 29 27 26 25 25 24 22 21

60 57 54 47 40 36 34 29 23 23

CADET 9 1. Rusty PONTING 2. Rock HAN 3. Lewis FRANCIS 4. Jake RUTKOWSKI 5. Max WALTON 6. Jenson BURNS 7. Cooper LISLE 8. Cooper STAPLETON 9. Jensen MAROLD 10. Kai LAYLAND

51 48 47 45 38 22 21 20 18 15

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LADIES TROPHY STANDINGS 1. Taylah AGIUS - 30 2. Barbara ANAGNOSTIADIS - 13 3. Nikki WATSON - 13 4. Beck CONNELL - 10 5. Rianna O’MEARA-HUNT - 10 6. Tayla HEATH - 10 7. Olivia DALLA-ZUANNA - 9 8. Sharnay SEAL - 6 9. Aiva ANAGNOSTIADIS - 5 10. Annabelle ROLFO - 5 11. Maddie FEATHER - 5 12. Ashleigh STEWART - 5 13. Alice BUCKLEY - 4 14. . Amber MILLER - 4 15. Mia BOLTON - 2 16. Madeline STEWART - 1

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HART ATTACK

Kiwi veteran strikes at Rotax Pro Tour Round 2

Kiwi star, Josh Hart has taken a hard fought Rotax Light win at the second round of the Rotax Pro Tour at Lincoln County Raceway in Dubbo, NSW.

was cleared an eight kart battle took flight and ultimately, the Tom Williamson Motorsport Kosmic of Seal took the win over Jaiden Pope. Hugh Barter was awarded third post race.

Driving a Praga, Hart – who has finished second at the Rotax World Finals – along with winning many World Championships as a mechanic – added a Rotax Pro Tour round win to his many achievements in the sport. He had been among the top group in the 32 kart field all weekend long and then pushed toward the front in the final, taking the lead early and was unopposed from there.

Multiple Australian Champion, Jason Pringle completed the perfect weekend in DD2 Masters, winning every single race and getting his World Finals Challenge back on track after a difficult round one. He was dominant all weekend long, ending the final aboard his CRG almost six seconds in front of the field. Joining him on the podium and another to get his 2018 season on target was Victorian veteran, Matt Wall. The Shamick Racing JC Kart driver survived multiple challenges from Trevor Whitby – the Griffith Kart Club based driver grabbing his first ever DD2 Masters podium aboard his Betta Electrical Praga Kart.

Behind, the fight for the top five was awesome. Leigh Nicolaou, after not getting through the first lap of the Pre-Final, staged a fight back only he could. Starting 32nd and last, he carved his way past 20 karts in the first two laps before edging his way up the order to be on the edge of the top five. In the zone and the fastest kart on track, squabbling over the minor placings between a number of drivers, including the impressive Wayne Bourke, Liam Ford and Ben Jurczak to name a few, allowed the Shamick Racing pilot to broach the Podium. Easily getting himself to third, Nicolaou was able to get his way through on JC Kart 16-year old Reece Cohen to finish runner up and Cohen completing the podium.

Last round winner in Mini Max Costa Toparis asserted his authority on the sub-Junior category with an incredible lights to flag victory. Toparis scored the Grand Slam of the

The only Dubbo Kart Club member entered over the weekend – Luke Wrigley on Rotax Pro Tour debut – achieved his aim of finishing the event in 10th position.

In the best final of the afternoon, William Seal took out Junior Max. The race was brought under full course yellow after a kart was left in an unsafe position. Once the track

Jake Rutowski

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weekend – pole position, all of the heat race wins, PreFinal and a Final victory by nearly eight seconds with a fastest lap (by some margin) in his Shayne Piper Race Engines Kosmic. Jack Childs in his Plus Fitness backed kart finished second, while Cody Maynes-Rutty took a hard fought third placing.

Another returnee to the top step of the podium this weekend was Lane Moore. The CRG driver had one of his toughest battles in the category against Christopher Board. The duo both had stints at the head of the field, before Moore got through on his fellow Queenslander.

Luke Seymour was a welcome addition to the podium, scoring a final corner third placing over Mitchell Wall after a race long battle that also included Zac Van Leeuwestyn.

Queenslander Ryan Kennedy is on track for another Team Australia appearance after cruising to victory in DD2. The Formula K driver and Nikolaj Thomas had been fighting for the top gong all weekend. Thomas didn’t get the best of the start, being shuffled behind young CompKart driver, Luke Wanless. A race long battle developed between the CC Racing-backed Victorian Thomas and Wanless, ultimately falling the way of Thomas.

In Micro Max, the weekend long fight between Jake Rutkowski and Peter Bouzinelos fell the way of the former. The J&A Kart Tuning driver Bouzinelos had no answer for Shamick’s Rutkowski when the final got underway, Rutkowski heading to a comfortable victory.

Max Walton finished third scoring another solid result.

All of the Micro and Mini Max competitors were presented with a medallion for their competition thanks to the Rotax Pro Tour, with support from Howard’s Concreting.

DD2 Masters

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SERIES STANDINGS MicroMax 1. Peter BOUZINELOS 2. Jake RUTKOWSKI 3. Jaxson BURNS 4. Max WALTON 5. Bradley MAJMAN 6. Jenson BURNS 7. Jay URWIN 8. Blaxx CATON

5,630 5,595 5,097 4,638 4,398 4,004 2,041 1,801

Rotax 125 Light 1. Josh HART 2. Leigh NICOLAOU 3. Joshua ROGERS 4. Brodie WHITMORE 5. Reece COHEN 6. Ben JURCZAK 7. Wayne BOURKE 8. Cameron LONGMORE 9. Cody BREWCZYNSKI 10. Tyler HOWARD

4,997 4,659 4,269 4,224 4,032 3,928 3,000 2,920 2,871 2,829

DD2 1. Ryan KENNEDY 2. Nikolaj THOMAS 3. Damian WARD 4. Samuel WADDELL 5. Jac PRESTON 6. Luke WANLESS 7. Jorge PESDCADOR 8. Ray-Yu WANG 9. Kyle ENSBEY 10. Matthew MCNEILL

5,822 4,909 4,540 4,313 4,195 3,394 2,879 2,082 1,947 1,666

MiniMax 1. Costa TOPARIS 2. Cody MAYNES-RUTTY 3. Kristian JANEV 4. Ethan FEATHER 5. Jack CHILDS 6. Aiva ANAGNOSTIADIS 7. Carter MOBBS 8. Sebastian RUIZ 9. Coby GOVONI 10. Kamal MRAD Rotax 125 Heavy 1. Lane MOORE 2. Zac VAN LEEUWESTYN 3. Mitchell WALL 4. Benjamin MCMELLAN 5. Christopher BOARD 6. Kory JENNINGS 7. Lukas JANEV 8. Joseph PASQUALE 9. Luke SEYMOUR 10. Jared NEINERT

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5,854 4,831 4,262 4,248 3,954 3,935 3,865 3,481 3,055 3,034

Junior Max 1. Luke PINK 2. Jaiden POPE 3. William SEAL 4. Hugh BARTER 5. Jarrod HUGHES 6. Taylor HAZARD 7. Jonathon MARCUSSON 8. James WHARTON 9. Jack GRAMBAUER 10. Beau PRONESTI

4,363 4,122 3,887 3,768 3,626 3,341 3,107 3,097 2,779 2,723

5,950 4,796 4,453 3,988 3,548 2,992 2,836 2,524 2,251 2,012

DD2 Masters 1. Troy WOOLSTON 2. Jason PRINGLE 3. Matthew WALL 4. Toby POPE 5. Kris WALTON 6. Barb ANAGNOSTIADIS 7. Trevor WHITBY 8. Scott HOWARD 9. Ashley SEWARD 10. Ben LILLIS

5,328 5,064 4,909 4,290 4,007 3,762 3,624 3,592 2,842 2,748

Todd Road GKCV - VIC

Australia Day Opener

DUBBO

LCRD - NSW

26 - 28 JAN ROUND 1

9 - 11 MAR

NSW State Championship ROUND 2

Ipswich

IKC - QLD

4-6 MAY

QLD State Championship ROUND 3

Eastern Creek NSKC - NSW

22 - 24 JUN ROUND 4

Albury/Wodonga AWKC - VIC

VIC State Championship

10 - 12 AUG ROUND 5

Tailem Bend (tbc)

14 - 16 Jason Richards Memorial SEPT ROUND 6 Dinner The Rotax Pro Tour is promoted by International Karting Distributors

F UL L T HROT T L E

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CHAIN & SPROCKET ALIGNMENT It is imperative that you have the right chain, sprocket and chain lube before hitting the track. If one of these elements is missing, you are going to experience a high rate of wear on either the chain or the sprocket.

The most important thing is to make sure the chain and sprocket are in line. We used a Sniper Laser Aligner to ensure both sprockets are in line.

When you get to that point, tighten both bolts underneath the engine and you’ve now got the perfect chain tension.

If the chain is too loose, you run the risk of it falling off too tight and you run the risk of the chain actually breaking.

Either outcome sees your mechanic having to walk halfway across the track to pick you up…

Once you’ve set your chain tension, have a look at it and make sure there are no tight or loose spots.

If they aren’t in line, it is an easy fix.

All you have to do is undo the sprocket carrier, and you can move it either to the left or right to get the sprockets in line.

The next thing you have to do is check your chain tension is right.

When setting the chain tension - one thing you must do is ensure that your exhaust is actually loose - so release the springs that hold your exhaust on. This will allow the engine to move freely backwards and forwards.

Once this is done, you’ll probably see that your chain tension is quite loose. Push the engine forward until the chain is tight - you’re looking for about 1-1.5cm of play in the chain.

After that - don’t forget to replace your exhaust springs.

Another important element is your chain lube - make sure you apply this every single time before you hit the circuit.

If you’re going out to practice for 10 minutes - apply the chain lube. If you come in and are about to go back out for another 10 minutes - apply the chain lube. Every single time you hit the track you need to apply the lube to the chain.

When applying chain lube, apply it to the inside of the chain - this way the lube will run through the chain.

One last thing to remember is how important it is to stay on the circuit! Dropping a wheel off the circuit delivers a high chance possibility of damaging a sprocket or your chain.

To watch a video of this Get Started in Karting Tip and more head to www.karting.net.au

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LIFE OF FIFE

It’s a long way from Canberra to Italy...

After a dominant 2017 season in Australia, Joshua Fife is following in the wheel tracks of the likes of James Courtney and Ryan Briscoe in taking on the best in the world.

In January, 16-year old Fife moved to Bergamo in the north of Italy to join the Energy Corse factory team after a deal was struck for the driver from Canberra and Energy owner, Mick Panigarda - a well known figure in the Australian karting scene - after a deal was struck with the assistance of Fife’s mentor, Tom Williamson.

After his mother Rachel assisted him in getting setup overseas, when we caught up with him, Fife was experiencing his first week alone.

my friends and family around me, it is totally different - a different language, a different experience,” said Fife.

“Although I have started to make some friends around the town and among the karting community here.”

The experience for Fife is mirroring what Courtney experienced as a 15-year old when he moved to Italy to be part of the Tony Kart team, particularly as a small town kid with no language skills other than English.

“My engine tuner doesn’t speak English and I don’t speak Italian, which makes things hard. I am trying every day to learn new words - particularly around racing that are going to help me communicate with the team - but just spending time around the town is giving me the chance to learn more,

“I guess that’s the hardest part so far is that I don’t have

Josh Fife with father, Andrew in Bergamo and then in action at La Conca during the WSK event held recently.

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it was all gobbledygook when I first moved here, but after spending a few weeks, I am hearing words I know and it is starting to make more sense.”

After growing up in Canberra, Fife is really enjoying the historic Bergamo city.

Bergamo - just outside Switzerland is about an hour from Milan and the home of the San Pellegrino company - has buildings that are over 1,000 years old, something that is unique for Fife.

“The old part of the city is beautiful. The buildings are so old, particularly when you consider that Australia is a little over 200 years old and these buildings are over 1,000 years old,” said Fife.

Fife has been paired up with a live in coach, Felipe, who is his personal trainer and works with him at the track.

“Felipe has been a huge help, I can’t drive (a road car) so he drives me around and works with me at the gym. When we’re at the track he is monitoring what is going on with the other drivers and videos what’s happening on track so I know my lines versus the competition and he helps me with communicating with the team by translating my English to Italian.”

Even Canberra winters haven’t equipped Josh for the cold he’s been experiencing in Europe!

Part of Fife’s training has been underwater training to assist his mental strength and breathing.

“We haven’t been doing it that long, but from when I first started I’ve shown some great improvement, I’ve improved by 45 seconds (underwater) since we first started that type of training, which is an impressive improvement from my point of view.”

Racing wise, although Fife does have some European experience he has found certain elements more difficult than others.

“The team expects you to race, you don’t get driver coaching as such, the Italians just expect you to do the job.”

Fife hasn’t been able to do it without the support of his parents along with Energy Corse owner, Mick Panigarda and his Australian mentor, Tom Williamson.

“Both Mick and Tom have been instrumental in stitching the deal;l together and making sure everything works, it has been a huge adjustment but one that I wouldn’t have been able to do without them - and my parents of course.”

He will be home for the next round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship and it will be interesting to see how the kid from Canberra has grown as a racer against our best here.

The training program Energy has Fife undertaking includes underwater training and an intense fitness regime.

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48

Karting is sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and has produced some of Australia’s finest motor racing talents!

Under a new iniatitive by Karting Australia, we invite our members to a ‘bring a mate’ and give those people that haven’t had the opportunity to experience Karting the chance to!

Racing for all ages!

www.karting.net.au

! s e g a l l a r o f g n i Rac www.karting.net.au