Shane Price On The Pace At Karting Nationals

02 April 2010

V8 Supercar driver Shane Price has made a great start in his campaign at the 2010 National Sprint Kart Championships by qualifying equal fastest in the Clubman Heavy category in Puckapunyal today.

Shane Price is making a successful return to the karting nationals
this weekend. Pic: photowagon.com.au

Price, who will compete in this year’s endurance events at Phillip Island and Bathurst with Centaur Racing alongside Tony D’Alberto, set the pace with local driver Zeke Edwards.

The duo circulated the 1064-metre circuit in an identical time of 46.930 seconds, however, Edwards claimed the pole position based on the pairing's second fastest lap.

“It is the third time I’ve raced at the nationals and after two very disappointing qualifying efforts in 2007 and 2008 I’m delighted to finish up on pole today,” said Edwards.

“It is the first time that I have qualified fastest at a major event and to do it in such a high quality field is a great feeling.

“The focus now is on putting three solid heat races together and being able to be up the front when it matters most on Sunday afternoon.”

Competing in his first national championship event aboard a kart since 2004, Price is delighted to qualify at the front in such a high quality field.

Zeke Edwards earned the right to start from pole position in the
Clubman Heavy class at Puckapunyal. Pic: photowagon.com.au

“Coming into the event I set myself a goal of qualifying inside the top ten, so I’m over the moon to finish up where I did today,” said Price.

“When you look at the depth of the field there are some very talented, and well credentialed, drivers in there so you’ve not only got to have pace but also some luck on your side – even in qualifying.

“It was an awesome effort by Zeke to qualify on pole and it's great to have an all Arrow front row.”

2008 Champion Shayne Piper was third fastest ahead of Jason Hryniuk and Doyle’s Racing's Brendan Nelson. Defending champion Matthew Wall could only manage the 18th fastest time in the 44-kart field.

Simon Hodge was the surprise packet in the fastest junior category, Junior Clubman.

The South Australian teenager set the pace in both qualifying sessions aboard his Arrow kart to finish narrowly ahead of Sam Lumsden and Gold Coast pilot Lucas Ward. The second and third fastest runner were separated by one one-thousandth of a second.

Hodge was joined in the pole position club by fellow South Australian Todd Hazelwood, who paced the 47-kart field in Junior National Heavy.

“This is my first nationals, so to qualify on pole is an amazing feeling,” said Hodge.

“I didn’t really know what to expect coming into the weekend and it has been a real eye opener, a lot different to races back home.

“There are a lot of guys who are more experienced than me (Hodge has been racing for three years) but I’ve shown that I have got the speed, now I just have to continue this pace over the weekend.”

South Australian Simon Hodge set the pace in
Junior Clubman. Pic: photowagon.com.au

Toowoomba’s Tyler Greenbury pipped defending champion David Sera for the top spot in Clubman Light. Sera went one better in Leopard Light where he topped the charts ahead of Arrow team boss Bart Price.

Greenbury’s older brother, Matt, made it two pole positions for the family by qualifying ahead of fellow Toowoomba driver Brendan Nelson and defending champion Kel Treseder.

In Junior National Light it was Victorian Phillip Munnerley who outpaced early favourite Liam Morey by 0.016 seconds for pole position.

Scott Simpson was fastest in Clubman Super Heavy ahead of defending champion Ryan Fulcher while Matthew Waters paced the field in Senior National Light, as did Corey Lean in Senior National Heavy.

The opening round of heat races will be contested this afternoon and continue tomorrow ahead of the championship finals on Sunday.

48th Australian National Sprint Kart Championships

Hume International Raceway, Puckapunyal, Victoria

Matt Greenbury qualified fastest in Leopard Heavy
Pic: photowagon.com.au

FASTEST QUALIFIERS

Junior National Light – Phillip Munnerley (Vic)
Junior National Heavy – Todd Hazelwood (SA)
Junior Clubman – Simon Hodge (SA)
Senior National Light – Matthew Waters (NSW)
Senior National Heavy – Corey Lean (NSW)
Clubman Light - Tyler Greenbury (Qld)
Clubman Heavy - Zeke Edwards (Vic)
Clubman Super Heavy - Scott Simpson (Qld)
Leopard Light - Tyler Greenbury (Qld)
Leopard Heavy - Matt Greenbury (Qld)