adminJane Telling Sports Correspondent
THE 2014 Harare Karting Club race season began on Sunday with close racing in all five classes at Donnybrook Raceway. Although there was a small field, it was exciting to see new faces among those racing. The event began, as usual, with the youngest drivers taking to the track.
The Cadet class saw newcomer Xavier Alves race against Samuel and David Mliswa and Luke Rousseau. Samuel was easily the fastest while his younger brother, David, had a problem with his engine in one of the four heats, which saw him drop down into overall fourth position.
The podium places went to Alves, in third place, Rousseau took second place and Samuel was the winner. To compete in this class, children must be aged between six and 10.
Next up came the MiniRok class.
This was a smaller field with only four karts competing. Danica Hockey, the only girl in this group, and racing in a kart that she had only had for four days, came home fourth.
Kurt Gilbert was third with Zac Dufty and Cameron Revolta first.
The Junior class only had three drivers.
Isabella Savo romped home in pole position ahead of Ben Ferreira, racing in this class for the first time since graduating from last year’s MiniRok class, while William Hartnack was third. Veteran Rob Weston broke a rear axel, sending his wheel spiralling spectacularly over 20 metres into the bush and leaving his kart grinding to a halt at the edge of the track, in the second heat of the day.
However, some of the best racing of the day was seen in the final laps of the last race of the day. Brett Olsen found the speed and places on the track to overtake three other drivers in the last half of the race.
Once in third place, he started to hunt down Lionel Rousseau, who was driving in a solid second place. Olsen was unable to overtake but drew close to Olsen’s bumper in the penultimate lap of the race. Neither of them, however, could close the gap on Brendan McConnell, who took pole position.
Driver of the Day was awarded jointly to Cameron Revolta for a good show in the MiniRok class and Isabella Savo, who, at just 13 years old, took the second fastest lap of the day at an unofficial 39.4 seconds.
Online Reporter