Locals Lead The Way At Oran Park Championship Finale

02 October 2009

Local competitors are leading the way after the opening day of competition for the Sargents Pies New South Wales Karting Championships at Sydney’s Oran Park Raceway today.

With the championships being the final major karting being held at the historic venue almost 400 competitors from all parts of the country have converged on the Western Sydney venue to race at the event.

In his first state championship event Castle Hill youngster Pierce Lehane set the pace during qualifying in the Formula JMA category today.

Pierce Lehane was the fastest qualifier in the Formula JMA category.
(Pic: photowagon.com.au)

Since moving from the motorcross ranks to follow his Dad and Grandfather onto the karting track 18 months ago the diminutive racer has rapidly developed into one of Australia's top young drivers.

“It is a great way to start my first state championship event, you really don’t get much better than qualifying on pole position,” said Lehane.

“Oran Park is a track that my Dad used to race at, I can remember when I was very young sitting on the hill watching him. Now the roles are reversed.”

Another local driver to feature prominently during the opening day of the championships was Winston Hills driver Jason Hryniuk.

The three-time National Champion started the defence of the state championship he won last year in Port Macquarie in stylish fashion by qualifying fastest in the highly competitive Clubman Heavy class.

In a field that includes numerous current and former national champions Hryniuk set the pace ahead of Victorians Lee Mitchener and Mitchell Cuzens.

When the NSW championships were last held at the Oran Park venue in 1998 Hryniuk finished in sixth spot in the Clubman Light category, which was won by current V8 Supercar driver Mark Winterbottom.

“It is a very tough field here this weekend, probably the toughest of any class here this weekend, so it is great to start the weekend by being fastest in qualifying,” said Hryniuk.

“Oran Park is a place that I have spent a lot of time at during my career, so it would be great to successfully defend my state title in the final major event to be held here.

Jason Hryniuk in action during today's qualifying action.
(Pic: Coopers Photography)

“The track has got a lot of grip, probably the most amount that I’ve seen here since 1998, which is something that we’ll have to keep an eye on over the weekend.”

Other drivers to post the fastest qualifying times in their respective categories were Andrew Kahl (Rookies), Lane Moore (Rotax Heavy), Blake Scibberas (Senior National Light), Joseph Mawson (Junior National Light), Adam Hughes (Leopard Light), David Whitmore (Rotax Light), Scott Simpson (Clubman Super Heavy), Shaun Cleary (Senior National Heavy), Simon Roberts (Leopard Heavy), Mathew Hart (Junior Clubman), David Sera (Clubman Light) and Darsey Kondopirakis (Junior National Heavy).

Over the past 40 years the Oran Park Raceway in Narellan has been the venue for some of the most memorable races in Australian karting history with a number of the world’s top drivers taking to the circuit behind the wheel of a kart.

The Oran Park venue played host to the Oceania Championships on a number of occasions with the likes of world-class drivers such as Jarno Trulli, Alessandro Manetti, Anthony Davidson and Jan Magnussen all competing alongside Australia’s best.

Some of the drivers who have ‘cut their teeth’ on the Oran Park circuit include IndyCar Championship contender Ryan Briscoe, dual World Karting Champion James Courtney and last year’s V8 Supercar Championship Runner-Up Mark Winterbottom.

With a new housing estate taking over the Oran Park region in the near future, this weekend’s event will be the final Championships to be held at the venue.

There are 14 categories being contested over the weekend catering for a number of ages, weights and engine capacities. Heat races will begin this afternoon before continuing tomorrow ahead of the Championship Finals on Sunday.

The Oran Park Raceway is located on the Great Northern Road, Narellan.

2009 Sargents Pies New South Wales State Championships

Oran Park Raceway, Narellan, NSW

QUALIFYING – Top Five

Rookies
1	#9	Andrew Kahl	47.719
2	#23	Lachlan McHugh	47.817
3	#6	Andreas Chronis	47.995
4	#8	Jordan Boys	48.046
5	#3	Dylan Higgins	48.094



Rotax Heavy

1	#9	Lane Moore	42.311
2	#3	Simon Meyer	42.331
3	#57	Trent Moore	42.49
4	#91	Craig Stauner	42.558
5	#35	Jason Pringle	42.576



Senior National Light

1	#1	Blake Scibberas	47.669
2	#92	Thomas Phillips	47.785
3	#14	Corey Lean	47.851
4	#13	Matthew Waters	47.897
5	#16	Nicholas Cancian	47.994



Junior National Light

1	#88	Joseph Mawson	46.617
2	#11	Todd Hazelwood	46.807
3	#92	Nathan Camillo	46865
4	#41	Michael Cassar	46.883
5	#48	Liam Morey	47.027



Leopard Light

1	#64	Adam Hughes	40.857
2	#81	Fegus Symes	40.925
3	#41	Adam Mercer	41.033
4	#18	Phillip King	41.063
5	#1	Tyler Greenbury	41.075



Formula JMA

1	#11	Pierce Lehane	42.086
2	#1	Ben Jurczak	42.191
3	#5	Jaie Robson	42.293
4	#62	Mathew Hart	42.31
5	#14	Macauley Jones	42.327



Rotax Light

1	#57	David Whitmore	41.442
2	#97	Tyler Greenbury	41.558
3	#45	Jason Hryniuk	41.607
4	#36	Daniel Rochford	41.651
5	#44	Steel Guiliana	41.702



Clubman Super Heavy

1	#23	Scott Simpson	44.754
2	#11	Josh Brooker	44.99
3	#15	Mark Muscat	45.013
4	#4	Ben McKinlay	45.101
5	#59	Craig Arnett	45.258



Senior National Heavy

1	#37	Shaun Cleary	48.678
2	#14	Corey Lean	48.721
3	#76	Nathan Sinclair	48.771
4	#66	Adam Pisula	48.781
5	#72	Daniel Ferry	48.892



Leopard Heavy

1	#78	Simon Roberts	41.697
2	#33	Matthew Greenbury	41.884
3	#88	Daniel Stein	41.905
4	#46	Michael Griffiths	41.936
5	#74	Matthew Endres	42.009



Junior Clubman

1	#26	Mathew Hart	42.971
2	#22	Warren White	43.216
3	#76	Ben Jurczak	43.288
4	#62	Jarrod Egan	43.334
5	#88	Chris Farkas	43.369



Clubman Light

1	#1	David Sera	43.16
2	#64	Adam Hughes	43.191
3	#14	Tyler Greenbury	43.196
4	#19	Steeley Noda-barnes	43.261
5	#57	David Whitmore	43.272




Junior National Heavy

1	#1	Darsey Kondopirakis	47.706
2	#14	Macauley Jones	47.879
3	#99	Daniel Oosthuizen	47.928
4	#88	Joseph Mawson	47.994
5	#13	Mitchell Gee	48.055




Clubman Heavy

1	#45	Jason Hryniuk	43.865
2	#90	Lee Mitchener	44.044
3	#5	Micthell Cuzens	44.063
4	#10	Jason Varley	44.07
5	#35	Jason Pringle	44.075