2007 Eastern Creek Nationals

 

On the 6th – 8th of April 2007 North Shore Kart Club in NSW held the annual sprint kart nationals.

In the soggy Sydney conditions luck did not appear on Tassie’s side.

Tasmania was represented in 5 classes:

Junior National Heavy: Waylon Sims, Harley Aitkin, Byron Bateson and Matt Distill.

Junior Clubman: Sam Crack, Waylon Sims, Byron Bateson and Harley Aitkin.

Senior National Light: Jo Mackay

Clubman Heavy: Ben Walter

Leopard Heavy: Ben Walter

 

With wet and dry conditions on and off over the weekend setup was tricky and pressure was on as mainlanders dominated the heats.

 

 

Sam Crack was commented on as being the fastest on the track in the Junior Clubman races. But bad luck and a lousy grid position held him back. Every single race Sam was pushed wide around the daunting first corner; his excursions onto the grass put him back to last nearly every time! But with the pace to muster the blow he caught back up each time; even from as far back as 50 kart lengths!

Heat 2 saw the Tassie spectators swallow their stomachs as Sam attempted an impossible dive up the inside on the top corner. Friends and family watched helplessly as Sam’s Birel kart made contact with a fellow competitor and sent rolling nose cone over crash bar to land hard on the tarmack. But breathed again as the kart was removed and Sam got to his feet. Despite a ripped suit, damaged helmet and cracked collarbone, he still made the cut for the Junior Clubman final in which he finished 22nd…

                                    ….. But Thank God He’s OK!!

 

 

Benny Walter put in an excellent drive all weekend being the fastest qualifier in Leopard Heavy.

An problem in Clubman Heavy saw him a no starter for the final but the Leopard Heavy final showed everyone that “Ben Walter had Arrived”! A series of DNFs and DNSs over the weekend saw him start dead last on the grid. But as soon as the light shone green it was on!! Ben drove and diced his way through the field quickly. Easily the quickest on the track he soon found himself in 3rd position.

Spectators were sure that with his pace he had the title in the bag but it was not to be….

3rd place with 2 laps to go, he made contact with the competitor in 2nd place and went into a spin to stop on the track. He recovered and continued the race to finish 5th.

Some bad luck but still an Awesome Drive!! Well Done!!

 

 

 

Jo Mackay was doing the chicks proud as she held her own in Senior National Light. After a short trip in the ambulance Saturday arvo (after another kart decided to land on her.. she’s ok) she was still showing some extreme girl power in her races and made the cut for the final! However it didn’t quite work out for her as she failed to finish the final due to contact with another driver.

Her efforts may have been halted but not unrecognised! Some very impressive driving! Good Job!

 

 

Waylon Sims had a tough weekend battling two big field classes, Junior National Heavy and Junior Clubman. With some problems on the practice days and qualifying he drove strong, struggling a little in JC but sill made the final cut for both classes.

He started grid 19 in Heavy and 37th in JC. Each race he drove well, dicing each corner lap after lap. In the end he settled in 15th in heavy and 24th in JC.

Great Drive!

 

 

Matt Distill too put in some impressive drives in Junior National Heavy; holding his own with the mainlanders in the almighty Omega. He cleanly made the cut for the final and ended up 17th behind fellow Tasmanians Waylon Sims and Byron Bateson.

 

Byron Bateson also had a trying weekend as he too battled both Junior Clubman and Junior Heavy. After some tough racing he qualified grid 22 for the Junior Heavy final. The JNH final saw a set back for Byron as a first corner accident delegated him back to 34th position. But this did not stop him; with his head down and focused he drove hard to eventually finish 16th.

The 2nd lap of the JC prefinal saw a seized engine for young Byron and unfortunately he did not make the cut for the JC final.

(pics at www.sabaar.com)

 

 

Harley Aitkin also put in some descent drives over the weekend in both JC and JNH. With tough racing all weekend he unfortunately did not make the cut for the JC Final. However he did make the final of Junior Heavy but withdrew due to personal issues.

 

 

 

A small group of Tassie’s from the Launceston Kart club, David and Nicola Cramp, Ross, Janine and Sam Crack and Aiden Shelton went over the Eastern Creek to promote to the 2008 nationals which will be held in Launceston.

While Ross, Sam and Aiden were busy in the Birel tent David, Janine and Nicola were hard at work in the promo tent.

Little bags full of Spirit of Tasmania brochures, posters (with Murray Dadson on them), Tassie travel books, chocolates, apples and other things to promote Tasmania were given out to all the drivers. David stayed hard at work making the bags while Nicola and Janine wandered around visiting every marquee in the complex giving them to anyone who would take one, and talking to any driver that would listen.

With help from the commentators giving frequent talks about Tasmania and several interviews with Ross and David everyone in the complex knew we were there. With all the Tasmanian merchandise and talks, we were sick of our own state by the end of the weekend!!

 

Was a successful weekend from a driving and promoting point of view.

Congratulations to all who drove and thanks to everyone and anyone who helped us out

Job well done by everyone!