Slideways has crowned its inaugural Sprint Series winners, with the final round of the 2017 season contested at Slideways Go Karting World Pimpama yesterday.
The event was the first to be held on the venue’s new circuit configuration, with the changes throwing a curve ball to competitors, many only experiencing the re-alignments for the first time in qualifying.
Four classes were contested, including two fields of Cadets from ages seven and up, Juniors aged 12-15 years old, and Seniors split into light/heavy divisions for under/over 80kg.
In addition to the end of season point score winners, awards were also given for Hard Chargers, Outstanding Sportsmanship and Best & Fairest, with the winners set to participate in passenger rides aboard the Australian Championship winning Hyundai Excel at Queensland Raceway next Sunday (December 10).
Although the Sodi World Series point scoring portion of the season is now complete, the racing continues at Slideways Go Karting World next Sunday, with the Slideways Christmas Cup, a three driver Enduro event in aid of the Salvation Army.
Entries are still open, with some great giveaways and raffles being drawn on the day.
Full details are on the Slideways Christmas Cup web page, or by phoning the track on (07) 5546 6566 from 9am-5pm 7 days a week.
PHOTOTS! Round 9 winners and series champions for 2017! https://t.co/WbomUx3kIo #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/MKqvwWTeQd
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 3, 2017
Cadets
The Cadets class for seven to eleven year old racers proved to be a revelation during their first season of competition, with bumper fields and great racing.
At the final event, Olivia Herbison was the class of the field, picking up where she left off at the previous round, capping the season with four straight race victories to claim the title.
All told, Herbison won seven of the 18 races contested, and in the final run down only just edged out Hayden Quayle, who was victorious in five races throughout the year.
Third in the season standings was Hamish Shields, who won the opening two races of the year, and was a consistent front runner throughout.
Lochie Crowther was awarded the Hard Charger prize for the class.
For the final event, it was Herbison pacing the field in qualifying, with a 47.110sec lap on the new circuit configuration, as the field was once again split into two groups.
In the opening group one heat, Herbison jumped away into the lead, but was pushed all of the way to the chequered flag by Quayle, who fell short by only 0.466sec in a thrilling finish.
One second further back in third was Jude Livermore, who was having his best meeting to date, ahead another strong improver in Jordi Slater, then Riley Hill, Christian Jardine, newcomer Carter Skewes, Ryan Tame and Matthew Scholten.
Herbison had an easier run in the second heat, skipping away to a four second advantage over Quayle, who was pushed all the way again by Livermore.
Christian Jardine was next from Skewes, Tame, Hill, Slater and Scholten.
Livermore claimed the fastest race lap in the first heat with a 46.893sec, while Herbison managed a 46.537secin the second race.
Daniel Sullivan meanwhile proved to be the pace of the group two field, taking out a pair of race wins.
Crowther pushed him all the way in both races to claim a pair of second places, with Ocene Colangelo picking up both thirds, as both podium results were separated by less than two seconds.
Ryan Jardine finished fourth in heat one from Lachlan Trevillien, newcomer Jett Leicester, Sebastian Gomez and Angus Jardine, who was recovering from an early race spin.
Fourth in the second heat went to Trevillien, then Ryan Jardine, Gomez, Angus Jardine and Leicester.
The fastest race laps in both heats went to Crowther, with times of 47.666sec and 47.557sec.
Many of the Cadet competitors hone their craft at the Slideways Karting Academy, with weekly tuition focused on improving lap times and race craft.
The Academy is open to competitors of all ages and experience levels, with drivers only paying for the on-track driving component of the lessons
Photos
PHOTOS! #Slideways Cadets Racing Series Round 9 >>
https://t.co/QGgG5SxDD4 #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/9Q3t8CmSgk— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 3, 2017
Videos
Cadets Racing #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/4vt2AYp5cI
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 3, 2017
Cadet qualifying underway #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/g2ROS2VcYy
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 2, 2017
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Senior Heavies
Despite nursing an injured shoulder, Pete Brown did enough to hold onto his points advantage to claim the Senior Heavies crown, after claiming eight race wins throughout the season.
In the final run down, Joel Dimmack (two race wins) claimed second after being a feature on the podium throughout the season, while Dean Ferguson was a star in the closing events in third overall, having won five of the ten heavy races he contested.
Ferguson won the Hard Charger award for the class, while Christian Bishop, Dimmack and Fraser Ward all scored Outstanding Sportsmanship prizes, while Bishop also picked up the Best & Fairest award of a race car test drive.
For the final day of racing, Ferguson claimed the pole position with a time of 40.417sec, just ahead of Bishop’s 40.452sec, with the two trading quick times at the end of the qualifying session.
Ferguson proved to be the class of the opening race, clearing out to a 3.335sec advantage at the chequered flag, en route setting a fastest race lap of 40.283sec.
Bishop claimed second, while Brown held station in third.
Fourth place went to Ward, who just held out Dimmack and Leighton Cook, in seventh was Matthew Peters, from Clayton Hydes, Stefan Russell, Ben Avery, Richard Trevillien and John Willmott.
Ferguson had a much tougher path to victory in the second race, pushed all the way to the flag by Bishop, with the final margin between the pair being 0.752sec, with Bishop setting the fastest race lap with a 40.055sec.
Dimmack charged his way through to third, ahead of the improving Leighton Cook, then Brown, Ward, Peters, Russell, Hydes, Avery, Willmott and Trevillien.
Photos
PHOTOS! #Slideways Senior Heavies Racing Series Round 9 >>
https://t.co/imI8uXBTL2 #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/Cks6DiGTAm— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 3, 2017
Videos
Senior Heavies Race #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/ymAei1LUBS
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 3, 2017
Heavies Qualifying #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/tCwbDHWD9T
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 2, 2017
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Senior Lights
Michael Seeto entered the final event of the season with a strong lead, and his seven race victories were enough for him to claim the title.
Clay Seaborne was second in the final run down with six wins, while Matt Hudson’s late season charge netted him third in the standings.
Hudson won the Hard Charger award and also the Best & Fairest prize, which will see him take to the wheel of the Slideways Hyundai race car for a test session.
For the final round it was first time Slideways Sprints competitor John Mostyn who led the way throughout, claiming both wins from pole position (40.288sec).
Qualifying wasn’t a straightforward affair however, with Hudson only 0.036sec behind after ten minutes.
In the opening race, Mostyn claimed victory from Seeto by 2.5sec, with Seeto claiming the fastest race lap with a 40.090sec.
Third place went to Alex Heaton, ahead of newcomer Rohan Gould, who just edged out Samuel Hayward, while Hudson was sixth after an issue with his seat adjuster.
Mostyn’s margin of victory in the second race was down to two seconds from Seeto, with Hudson the star of the show, charging through to third with a fastest lap time of 39.662.
Fourth went to Heaton from Gould and Hayward.
Photos
PHOTOS! #Slideways Senior Lights Racing Series Round 9 >> https://t.co/reyyW7WUPb #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/hVViLT9Tmh
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 3, 2017
Videos
Lights racing #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/G1YGHHYnhL
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 3, 2017
Senior Lights Qualifying #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/NdJwVIy6kd
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 2, 2017
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Juniors
Last but not least, the Juniors turned on yet another competitive day of racing, capping a thrilling season.
Liam Hydes claimed the title with a total of ten race wins to his credit, with Jacques Goodman second in the final run down from Euan Shields.
Juliette Russell was awarded the Hard Charger prize, while Chloe Herbison won the Outstanding Sportsmanship prize.
In qualifying for the final round, Hydes set the pace with a best time of 40.415sec, and he went on to claim the opening race from Russell, with the final margin being 3.5sec.
Third went to Lewis Spencer, who was pushed all the way by the ever-improving Herbison, followed home by Stefanie Wilmott and newcomer TJ Leaver.
Hydes was once again successful in the finale over Russell and Spencer, while Leaver came through for fourth from Wilmott and Herbison.
In both races Hydes was the fastest on track, with best respective laps of 40.115sec and 39.931, one of only three drivers on the day to dip into the 39sec bracket.
Photos
PHOTOS! #Slideways Junior Racing Series Round 9 >> https://t.co/7W4ULdo43q #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/1Fbsi6rYoT
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 3, 2017
Videos
Junior Racing #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/henqE4zRjD
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 3, 2017
Junior qualifying under way! #Slideways #GoKarting #GoldCoast #Brisbane pic.twitter.com/GoGQoZY77D
— Go Karting World (@SlidewaysWorld) December 2, 2017
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