Photo's from Rochester Golden Power Series R2

Golden Power Series Round 2 ( ROCHESTER )

Golden Power Series, Round 2 - Rochester

 May 5^th & 6^th

It has been a long time between Go Kart Series Meetings and it still has the appeal it always has held.

Not only do you get out into some fresh air and sunshine (albeit a tad cold in the mornings…..and the rest of day at times), but you meet some fantastic people along the way and have a lot of family fun.

The emphasis is definitely on family fun and it really doesn’t matter if your child is 10 or 30+, you can still really have a great time going to a race meeting.

We headed out Friday afternoon in our new van for the 7 hour journey to Echuca where we were to stay the nights before racing on the Saturday and Sunday at the Rochester Kart Club. This was a new club to me as when I last attended a kart meeting it wasn’t even on the drawing board. They have great facilities and a lovely track that spectators can view from many different angles.

The Bairnsdale boys – Nick, Matt, Marcus and Shane (Chad – I wonder where he gets that name from?) hit the track in practice trying to work out the gearing (some things never change) finally deciding on their choices after a few changes.

Chad was first out in racing in the Sportmans Over 40’s. Now, back in the dim, dark past this was where the gentlemen used to race for a ‘spot of good fun’. Well it appears all this has gone out the window and there is now a sheep station up for grabs! Well that’s how they drove. The motto appeared to be: if you can’t get around them, get over them - with drivers going off the track at a great rate, especially on the dreaded first corner. Chad actually did very well, keeping out of the major carnage and ended up getting some valuable points for the race. The next day also proved beneficial for Chad as he increased his grid position in every race. The final arrived and the Bairnsdale squad were cheering hard, willing him to get over the line quickly, as he was about to be harassed again with more karts coming up from behind. Finally the chequered flag came down and Chad had 3^rd.

Nick, Matt and Chad were all in the Sportsman Heavy Class and there was quite a few in their field - 19 (as there was in most classes). They all had varying degrees of success and the boys tried hard all weekend.

There was some great racing in amongst the heats but the second heat was for me the most exciting as Nick was on grid 4. When the lights went green Nick went to the outside, not normally a good move, but this time it paid off, as he had hit the lead. All the front runners had bunched up and were tussling for position so Nick took the initiative and was off. He had a good 3 kart length by the 2^nd corner and the 2^nd and 3^rd competitors were pushing each other, slowing them down but also allowing Nick a free run (great).

Slowly though over the next few laps they settled into racing and started to catch up. With 1 lap to go Nick stuck to every inside corner and made his kart the widest it could be as they slowly caught him: passing was another thing. Finally the flag came down (Damm that was a long race…..8 laps) and Nick had won the race in his ‘Cheetah’! The hierarchy were quite impressed as they had never really noticed a ‘Cheetah’ win before. (Given the choice Nick didn’t really think it could win either and would have much preferred his X30, but unfortunately that was still in for repairs……. so you have to make do sometimes).

Unfortunately none of this could be repeated the following day and Nick just kept getting swamped at the starts and trying to pull out of the corners, coming in a credible 9^th for the day.

Matt raced hard all weekend but couldn’t quite get the results for his efforts. He had some bad luck in his final as he was squashed in an on-track battle, throwing him into the air and damaging his side pod to the point of no return. Trying hard all day, but running out of power including man-power he ended up 12^th. Not a bad effort for an ‘almost-old-man’.

Chad, unfortunately couldn’t repeat his great adventures from the SO40’s, but still raced well coming in 10^th.

Marcus’s weekend was more a learning curve. He raced hard, making up several places only to leave a gap on some of the corners, which allowed others to go through underneath and push him back several places. He would then have to fight harder to regain the positions – all this taking a lot of energy. Marcus did finish a credible 13^th in a large Rookie field, hopefully  learning from his hard fought racing and now knows to STAY ON THE INSIDE – no matter what!

Well that’s about it for the second round of the Golden Power Series and I must admit I still miss the smell of the fumes, and the buzzing of the engines.

We had a fabulous time, although our van actually decided to come back with someone else called the RACV. The camaraderie and friendships that were formed over the weekend are the best about racing and I advise – if you try it, you will become addicted to racing around Victoria.

Thanks to:

·         Matt, Charmaine and Marcus – for allowing us to come along (at the last minute), and bringing us home even if it was a FORD! I’m still looking for that pavlova though!

·         Caroline and Brett (Gippsland Kart Club) - for helping us out in our time of need – another FORD!

·         Nick – for allowing us to tag along – one more time.

·         Chad – for making the effort to race away also. 

      

         Regards  Jenny Stray

Dear all Committee/Financial & Social members of the Bairnsdale Go Kart Club,

It is with regret we write to you to inform you all that as of the 28^th March 2012 Nick Stray has formally resigned from his Presidency role within the Bairnsdale Go Kart Club.

As he was our only Grade 3 steward left within the club we will not be able to run the April Club Day (come & try day)

We will be hoping to sort this issue out within the coming weeks and we will be sure to let you know as soon as we have done so.

We are currently in discussion with the AKA at present in regard to what we can do in our situation

If there are any questions or you would like to put your hand up to do a stewards course please contact Chad (acting president) on his mobile number 0402 898 444.

****** APRIL CLUB DAY******

Good evening all,

Just a reminder that there will be no racing this Sunday the 29th April, as we have no Grade 3 Stewards to officate the meeting..

Regards
Shane Steenholdt

Race Day Sunday 25th March

Long Track Anticlockwise

Final Only Counts

3 X 10 Laps   and    1 X 12 Laps Final

See you all there...........

Golden Power Results Bendigo

The results for the Bendigo Golden Power Series will be placed on the notice board in the club room.

Golden Power Series 1 Bendigo...

What a great weekend had by all that went..

Race results will come a little later as I'm waiting on the full race results to be able to post them for you to view..

I would love to give my view of the weekend but I would only talk about 1 karter and that would be Marcus  OMG.... Ok I will stop now  if you were there you would understand what I'm talking about what a huge massive improvement !!!!!

Charmaine