Round 2, 2000 APS Racing Series - Ipswich, Queensland

Round 2, 2000 APS Racing Series - Ipswich, Queensland

Situation normal...

Well that's how it ended, although it certainly wasn't how it started, not for Intercontinental A driver Brendan May anyway. The upshot of the weekend however was back to back victories for the all-conquering Top Kart/Comer of Neil McFadyen and the Mike Wilson/Italsistem of Brendan May. In Junior Intercontinental A it was all 12-year old Andrew Thompson. Switching from Swiss Hutless to Tony Kart made little difference, the young Queenslander still taking grid two for qualifying but from that point on dominated three heats, the pre-final and final.

Pettaras Press Formula A

Neil McFadyen (Top Kart/Comer/Bridgestone) was fast all weekend, narrowly missing the pole which was taken by 1998 Champion Ryan Wlodzinski (Energy/Rotax/Bridgestone). Gird three was taken by local driver Simon Richardson (PCR/PCR/Bridgestone) who in 1999 was a regular competitor in ICA. Brendan Dive (Haase/Saetta/Bridgestone) continues to impress taking grid four ahead of Michael Caruso (Tony Kart/Vortex/Bridgestone) and his brother Clinton (Haase/Saetta/Bridgestone). Wlodzinski quickly showed that he was back in contention after storming to the front in the opening heat only to suffer a mechanical failure on the chassis in the closing laps leaving the win to McFadyen from Richardson and Caruso. Heat two saw Wlodzinski grab the lead from McFadyen in the opening laps to take a narrow victory from the top three of heat one. Wlodzinski backed the result up in heat two from McFadyen and Caruso, before fellow Energy driver Bradley Brown stormed through for the pre-final win from grid seven. McFadyen claimed second after running as low as fifth in the opening laps, Wlodzinski third from Brendan Dive and the improving Joshua Pontello (Parolin/Vortex/Bridgestone). Surprise of the event however continued to be reigning Champion Jamie Whincup (Tecno/Parilla/Bridgestone). Complete with one of the biggest brains-trusts in Australian karting, the Whincup team struggled from the time they bolted on their first set of race rubber. Two chassis, three engines and an array of axle/hub/seat location adjustments led to minor improvement throughout the weekend, the final showing his best result for the weekend. Heat three also saw the demise of 1997 Champion David Clark (CRG/CRG/Bridgestone) after brake failure at the end of the 115 km/h back straight. Clark was taken to hospital for examination but released later with a badly bruised back. The final was interesting early on, Brown taking the lead with McFadyen and Wlodzinski pressing hard. McFadyen allowed the 1998 Champ through, the two Energy karts running one-two before coming together at the first right-hander scratching Brown from the result. At this stage McFadyen was prepared to push his opposition and go for a gap, Caruso his biggest threat despite starting from the rear. Keeping an eye on Caruso's progress through the field, McFadyen increased the tempo setting the fastest lap on lap 21 of 28 for a four and a half second victory from Caruso, Wlodzinski and Brendan and Clinton Dive. McFadyen (118 points) now holds a strong lead in the Championships from Caruso (91), Brendan Dive (78), Pontello (73), Brown (73) and Whincup (69).

APS Racing Intercontinental A

In Intercontinental A the big impression was made by West Australian teenage sensation Daniel Elliott (Tony Kart/Vortex/Bridgestone). Initially the team struggled to find the right chassis setup but when they did, boy did that chassis go. Complete with J&A Tuning Vortex reeds, Elliott really looked like the man to beat. Qualifying started with the biggest of surprises, Top Kart new-boy Trent Rogers taking pole position after qualifying through the repechage at the opening round in Adelaide. Beside him on the grid was another young driver who had stepped up to the senior ranks for 2000, Regan Payne (PCR/PCR/Dunlop). Payne had his setup working well for qualifying and was hoping to keep the tyres on the kart through to the final after suffering excessive wear at Adelaide. Round one runaway winner Brendan May (Mike Wilson/Italsistem/Dunlop) claimed grid three from New Zealand's Jonathon Reid (Kosmic/Rotax/Bridgestone), and Jason Hryniuk (Haase/Italsistem/Bridgestone). Reid was lu! cky to come out of qualifying at all after suffering a major roll-over when he hit the luckless Dan Abbott (Top Kart/Comer/Bridgestone) after Abbott threw a chain in front of him. He badly bruised his left hand and destroyed his immaculate Bell helmet. Pre-race favourite was local driver Barclay Holden (Azzurro/Fox/Bridgestone) who managed grid seven after three engine failures during Fridays official practice sessions. Heat one saw yet another surprise, West Australian driver Jade Hogan taking his first win in CIK in spectacular style after a race long dice with Reid and Hryniuk. Holden finished fourth, Elliott suffering ignition trouble in the opening lap. Elliott recovered for victory in heat two, Rodgers holding on for second, May third and despite struggling early, Bart Price (Arrow/Rotax/Bridgestone) grabbed fourth. Holden showed he was over the engine hoodoo in heat three with victory over May, Hryniuk and Elliott after an excellent race up front. With pole for the pre-! final May was where he wanted to be, but it was Elliott who grabbed the win, Holden second and May third and on the inside for the all important first corner. Hogan continued to impress with fourth ahead of Payne and the improving Price. The final was a screamer, Elliott and May taking the early lead with Reid in hot pursuit. The two leaders managed to pull away from the Kiwi in the middle part of the race before coming to grief lapping a back-marker. This allowed Reid, Holden, Price and Macrow to close the gap. Elliott started to pull away as Reid looked at May into the tight hairpin, Price electing to follow to make it three wide under brakes. Obviously it didn't work, Price losing the most ground as he spun to a stop. With nowhere to go May was forced off the circuit, missing the next corner and allowing Elliott through into the first turn to take up his rightful place in second. As May reeled in Elliott on the fast back straight, the race leaders engine expired at full noise. May just clipped the back of Elliott as he spun off losing further ground to Macrow who was now a surprised second. Hryniuk's good run ended on the last corner, Holden who had been pressing the Sydney driver forcing the move for third!. May now leads the points table on 116 points clear of Holden (91), Elliott (77), Macrow (73) and Hryniuk (72).

KartOz Magazine Junior Intercontinental A

Andrew Thompson (Tony Kart/Vortex/Vega) was the headline driver in JICA, the 12-year old dominating all before him except qualifying. Local driver Geoff Grant (CRG/CRG/Bridgestone) was the man who stole Thompson's thunder and was the one driver looking to improve on his disappointing sand-trap finish in round one. The consistent Glenn Powles (Tecno/Parilla/Bridgestone) ended up being the flag-waver for the Tecno team with a strong grid three qualifying position from the ever improving Nick Simmons (Top Kart/Comer/Bridgestone) and team-mate Tim Slade (Top Kart/Comer/Bridgestone). From qualifying it was all Thompson with victory in every heat, the pre-final and the final. Behind him the race was for second. Heat one saw Powles clear of Grant, a position reversed in heat two with Slade grabbing third from Powles. Heat three saw Powles pull in on the roll-around lap, and Jace Lindstrom (Arrow/Vortex/Bridgestone) put in a solid drive for second over Grant. Grant held grid two for t! he pre-final but could do nothing about Thompson, the two recording a one-two for Queensland. Powles grabbed third from Slade, Lindstrom and the improving Ryal Harris (Azzurro/Italsistem/Bridgestone). The final was same old, same old, Thompson running away to a four second win over Grant and Powles, Grant grabbing second on the final lap. New Zealand's Colin Corkery (Tony Kart/Vortex/Bridgestone) put in an excellent drive in his first full season of CIK for fourth with Lindstrom fifth and CIK debutante Tobias Kipper (Swiss Hutless/Italsistem/Bridgestone) an excellent sixth and second fastest lap.Thompson leads the points on 94 after two rounds from Powles (89), Harris (88), Grant (86) and Lindstrom (82).

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