Drivers using the Bridgestone Racing Kart Tyres in Australia are set for a new test this weekend at the second round of the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship, presented by Castrol EDGE to be conducted at the Albury-Wodonga Karting Complex on the border of New South Wales and Victoria.
It will be the first time that the circuit has been used for the SP Tools Australian Kart Championship and is set to provide an economic boom to the city that straddles the two borders.
The race for the Bridgestone Super Cup is starting to heat up. It will award $1000 and the most coveted trophy in Australian karting to the driver across the three Bridgestone-shod classes adjudged by officials as the best all round competitor – not necessarily the Champion – among all drivers.
Rusty Ponting in Cadet 9 made an early play for the Bridgestone Super Cup at round one with his first ever Championship win, taken in spectacular fashion and he leads that Series heading to Albury in his home state of Victoria.
In Cadet 12, James Piszcyk leads the Championship, however Victorian round one winner, Harry Arnett will be strong at Albury – given he has experience racing there on a number of occasions on the expanded layout, while third placed man in the Title race, Marcos Flack returns fresh from Italy – where last weekend he competed in the final round of the WSK Super Masters Series in Mini-Rok (the equivalent category to Cadet 12), where he was right up the front for much of the weekend.
Leading the charge in KA4 Junior is last year’s Bridgestone Super Cup victor, James Wharton. After dominating sub-Junior categories last year, Wharton leads the Championship through consistency – having finished fourth in the final. Scuderia PCR’s Rhys Smith will be looking to double up this weekend after taking the round win in South Australia. Wharton has Kai Allen and Smith breathing down his neck in the overall Championship chase.
103 competitors across three classes are shod with Bridgestone rubber – Cadet 9 and Cadet 12 (Mini-Rok) and KA4 Junior (IAME).
Both Cadet 9 and Cadet 12 utilise the Bridgestone DR1 YJL Dry Tyre and the Bridgestone WEK YFD Wet Tyre.
KA4 Junior competitors attach Bridgestone DR10 YLR ROK Dry rubber to their karts and Bridgestone WER YLP Wet Tyres to their machines.
Live timing from the weekend can be followed from Friday at http://speedhive.mylaps.com or via the Speedhive App which is downloadable from both App Stores.
Live streaming from Sunday’s events will be available from 9am Australian Eastern Standard (Melbourne/Sydney) time (1am approx Europe) at www.karting.net.au, or via www.facebook.com/australiankartchampionship.
Follow more from Bridgestone Racing Kart Tyres Australia at www.facebook.com/bridgestonekartingaus.
BRIDGESTONE POTENZA WEATHERZONE – ALBURY-WODONGA – APRIL 13-15
Conditions are expected to be in the mid-20’s °C (high 70’s °F) with lows around 10°C (50°F) throughout the weekend. Friday will be the hottest with an expected top of 27°C (80.6°F).
The Bridgestone WEK YFD and YER YLP wet tyres are anticipated to be required on Saturday, with the forecast currently showing a 40% chance of rain, predicted to be in the morning, with the remainder of the day to be under cloud cover.
Friday shows a 10% chance of rain with Sunday at 50%, however anticipated to be <1mm.
Above data based on Australian Bureau of Meteorology forecast at time of release.
