Dicker doubles up in Australia's Premier Kart title in Melbourne
West Australian Sam Dicker has etched himself as a two-time Australian KZ2 Champion at the final round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship in Oakleigh just outside Melbourne after a last-round stand that saw him overhaul series-long leader, Joshua Fife. Entering the weekend four points behind Fife, the Flatout Karts racer set the tone with pole position on Friday and continued that through the first two heats on Saturday.
The final saw Dicker get the best of the standing start from the outside front row before Fife closed down on him to take the lead and then pull away. Late in the race, Dicker was in position knowing he had enough points up his sleeve to allow fellow West Aussie, Nik Mitic through to the second position which would secure BRM driver, Mitic third place in the Championship. Up until that point, a collision between two drivers behind third-placed Mitic elevated his fellow BRM driver, Henry Johnstone to third in the Championship by two points.
Queenslander, Isaac McNeill created Australian Kart Championship era history by becoming the first driver to win both Junior Championships. His day started by amassing enough points in the premier junior category, KA2, to enter the final as Champion-elect. In KA3 Junior, it took until the final to score enough points to overcome leader, Jack Szewczuk and beat home Samuel March to take that crown. Szewczuk would retain second overall in the Championship in front of March. Unbelievably, across the both categories, McNeill’s only race not won this weekend was his first heat in KA2 on Saturday.
Ky Burke finished second in the race and third in the Championship with Sam March completing the podium. Lewis Cordato was valiant in his fight forward in the final to finish in second place in the title race. In KA3 Junior, Ayce Buckley finished behind McNeill to earn his first AKC podium, while Sam March walked away with two podiums for the weekend.
Like Dicker, Harrison Hoey secured his second consecutive TaG 125 Championship. He entered the final some 23 points ahead of South Australian, Jacob Dowson - who had to win the race and rely on Hoey to score no more than a single point.
Early in the race, Dowson ranged up alongside Hoey at the circuit’s fastest corner - the Championship leader on the outside - who went off the track and was lucky not end up in the gravel trap to end his title run and hand his Australia #1 to the Arrow driver. Dowson would go on to win the race over Jackson Souslin-Harlow - who would secure third in the Championship - with Hoey fighting back to third.
Max Walton emulated McNeill to win two classes at the weekend, taking victory in KA3 Senior and X30. He beat home Amos Orr and Jace Matthews in KA3 Senior as Mika Lemasurier wrapped up the Championship after a tense weekend before he heads to Europe to compete for the BirelART factory in the World Championship in the United Kingdom.
Walton’s win in X30 bookended his year with finals wins after a race-long battle with Pip Casabene. Earlier in the race, Walton had a fight with Champion, Brad Jenner which dropped Jenner down the order. Later in the race, Jenner had a fight with New South Welshman, Harrison Mitchell, with Mitchell emerging on the podium for the first time in many rounds.
Both Australian Champions in the Cadet classes ended their seasons in style. In Cadet 12, Archie Bristow completed his almost perfect season with victory after a race-long battle that at times, was up to nine karts strong. Ultimately, he was able to survive challenges from Cooper Folley and Oscar Singh to get to the line first in front of the latter two.
Oliver Williamson got the narrowest of wins after a race-long battle with one of his season-long combatants, Jarvis Hindle. The duo crossed the line side-by-side, less than one-tenth of a second separating the pair. They were over five seconds in front of Lucas Loeskow - who started his opening heat races from last position. By virtue of the podium, the Queenslander secured himself third in the Championship.
Last night, the SP Tools Australian Kart Champions were presented at a gala dinner, presented by Castrol at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.