Sponsors Challenge 18.07.2019

Good Evening and to Kingston Park Raceway’s Sponsors Challenge, an event where all of our great Sponsors send over a few representatives to battle it out for tonight’s win. Tonight we had some familiar faces from the few previous events, goes to show how addictive Go Karting is for some people! Now let’s take a look at where all our sponsors are currently ranked going off by their points prior to tonight’s races: Ranked 6^th we have JJ Richards on 438pts, Ranked 5^th are the Hit 105 Hitmen with 916pts, Ranked 4^th is Logan Community Bank on 1024pts. Now for our top 3! Ranked 3^rd goes to Coca Cola on 1086pts, Ranked 2^nd is Techpath with 1174pts and leading it only just 22 points ahead goes to R & J Batteries with 1196 pts. Now seeing where all our sponsors are ranked, let’s get racing and see if those spots will change!!

Going straight into the first of four heats now and all our sponsors drivers are prepped up and ready to go! Following the pace kart for their warmup lap around the 1100 meter Le Mans circuit, as the pace kart returns back into pit lane the sponsor drivers continue down the main straight waiting for the lights at the end to turn green. Green lights come alive and off they all go! Coming around turn 1 a little bit of contact as they all bunch up together, but out of the havoc comes Darren Short from JJ Richards leading the way into turn 2 with the pack following on behind him. As the group try and battle for the positions our leader Darren gets overtaken by his colleague from JJ Richards Jacob Rushby! As all our sponsors drivers come around to complete their first lap, a familiar face Nick Heuschele from R & J Batteries received a ‘No Bumping’ warning for too much contact out on track, with Jacob Rushby currently leading ahead just by 2 seconds, he begins to catch up to some of the slower drivers and begins to overlap a few, having a look at the middle of the pack now and we see some of the drivers really trying their best to get their positions. A battle for 8^th position between drivers Josh DeAraugo from Coca Cola, Lindsay Barrie from Logan Community Bank and Bob Cripps from TechPath, all 3 drivers manoeuvring their way around the 1100 track being very careful not to make a wrong move. Just behind those 3 drivers we had Cameron March from the Hit 105 Hitmen brake a little too hard just before the first corner and spins himself out, placing him all the way down to 17^th position. Looking back at the top 3 and Jacob Rushby has got some work to do as Rob Dair and Ryan O’sullivan from TechPath and Nick Heuschele from R & J Batteries have made up a lot of ground and have caught up with our leader! Jacob doing his best to defend his position comes to unveil as Rob Dair makes a sweet move on the outside of turn 2, stealing 1^st spot from Jacob Rushby. Dropped down to our final lap and the chequered flag waves as our leader, Rob Dair crosses the finish line.

After a lengthy break all our Sponsors are ready to go again,  we head straight into the second Heat which is a reverse grid race. With the pack trying to get into position, it’s a little bit of carnage as Cameron March from Hit 105 Hitmen almost gets taken out around turn 2, while that was happening the top four drivers hit the tyres at turn 3 trying to make a pass on one another but end up being bumper to bumper behind each other. With Nick Heushcele holding the lead as they exit out of turn one a battle goes on for 2^nd position between Rob Dair and Ryan O’Sullivan, the two colleagues fighting it out swerving around the corners of the Le Mans track but Rob Dair successfully holds his 2^nd spot from Ryan O’Sullivan.

Only two laps to go now and our leaders starting to create lengthy gaps between one another however Rob Dair slowly makes some ground on our leader, Nick Heuschele. Desperately trying to get the win for his team but its too late as the flag waves as Nick Heuschele crosses the line in 1^st for the win.  

After another break our sponsor drivers head out again ready to make amends, down the main straight they all go and the green lights come alive once again! Leading the way we have Nathan Heuschelle but following close behind is Rob Dair, what a great night these two drivers are having and what intense racing they have bought to the Sponsors Challenge. As they come around turn 2 Bob Cripps from TechPath has spun resulting in him dropping down to 17^th. Six laps go and an incident at turn 7, Jamie Boreham from the Hit 105 Hitmen somehow crashes into the tyre barriers and loses some valuable positions but a track marshall quickly rushes over to help get Jamie back into the race. Going back to the battle at the front and Nick Heuschelle has lost his 1^st spot and now places 3^rd!? Somehow Rob Dair and Ryan ‘O’Sullivan have managed to overtake Nick and give him some work to do as they all come around turn 1 once again. Three laps to go now and all of our sponsor drivers seem to have settled into their position as they all make their way around the 1100 metre Le Mans circuit with Rob Dair doing his team, TechPath, proud as he sets the fastest lap time of the evening with a time of 61.218 seconds. With that being said the chequered flag waves as Rob finishes 1^st followed by his team mate, Ryan O’Sullivan for 2^nd and Nick Heuchele in 3^rd.

Now for the Finale! All our Sponsors Challenge drivers are all briefed up and ready to go, they follow the pace kart one last time. Rob Dair form TechPath, Nick Heuschele from R & J Batteries and Ryan O’sulivan also from TechPath are our top 3 leaders at the front. Once again the green lights come alive and off they all go! Flying through turn 1 they go, being careful not to spin any of the other drivers out, through the chicanes they go as they come around for their first lap. All bundled up they head around turn two but 3 drivers spun themselves out, losing some valuable positions! Not the thing you want to be doing during the Final Sponsor Challenge race for the night. Around turn one the leaders go but a few drivers spin out behind them resulting in a big pile up at turn one! Thankful everyone was okay and the marshalls were quick to get the race going again. With only a few laps remaining of the Finale our sponsor drivers are doing their best to get those points for their teams but a battle emerges between our top 3 drivers as they come together around turn 5, Nick Heuschele defending his 1^st position away from Rob Dair and Lindsay Barrie from Logan Community Bank. However, Lindsay being the underdog literally races away down the main straight and steals 2^nd and then 1^st position from both Rob and Nick!? Now where did that come from?? A solid effort from all our sponsor driver here this evening but crossing the finish line is Lindsay Barrie, Logan Community Bank for 1^st, Nick Heuschele, R & J Batteries for 2^nd and Rob Dair, TechPath for 3^rd.

Well that’s a wrap for the night’s racing here at Kingston Park Raceway for Round 3 of our 2019 Sponsors Challenge – Here’s the points tally for the night:

1^st Place – Rob Dair representing TechPath on 234 point.

2^nd Place – Nich Heuschele representing R & J Batteries on 232 points.

3^rd Place – Ryan O’Sullivan representing TechPath on 218 points.

Overall points after Round 3 has seen a couple of movements within the rankings:

R & J Batteries lead but have had their lead slashed from 22 to just 6 now on 1778 points.

TechPath remain 2^nd on 1772 points.

Logan Community Bank jump from 4^th to 3^rd on 1574 points.

Coca Cola sith in 4^th on 1548 points.

Hit 105 Hitmen remain in 5^th on 1290 points.

JJ Richards round out the 6 now only 322 behind on 968 points.

Congratulations to all drivers tonight on some good hard but clean racing and we’ll see you all back here for Round 3.